dee-luded

I think they gave up on the series back just before they played that game, with suspending the players,,,, or just prior, to protect Lyon from the conditions in the past tests. Possibly to shield him, to keep him in one mental piece before the Ashes. where I think he'll be much needed. Everyone has had a rest thru this series in one (name-term) or another. whether suspended for 1 game or just rested????? Watson for the birth, then back to capitarn... lots of mental games going on between team management & team in the last 6 months.

there ya go,,, heres the Blue Cod,,,, served cold... ... the smokes been wafting around in everyones eyes for the last few months since RP went. and a small helping desert of Humble AppleIsle Pie...

I think all the things you've stated are likely all from unfocused players. I think there has been a major rift in the team, & it seems to me, to have arrived since around the time Punter retired. Maybe something to do with the leadership & the off field administration. And the way Punter & Hussey were handled toward the close of their careers.

It looks like they may have given up on this series & looking forward to England?

see to me the coach wouldn't have the power alone to suspend them without the rest of the hierarchy. i think their playing games with them to try to unsettle them. to shake up something the hierarchy doesn't like. my point is that I wonder if its Clarkes ways, 'that cause' the original conflicts. he has some history of fallouts,,,, & Watson hasn't that I've heard. ...... this is why I wonder, because we have never had this sort of fallout that I can remember since WSC... When you hear of some players going onboard a Yaught, while one of our best has retired & wants some lowkey beers with close mates to close his innings, I wonder strongly.

I agree Macca, but batting in a cricket match seems like a cross between skill & gambling.. you make a mistake you leave the field of battle. If Flower or Alves, Hardeman or Fowler make a mistake they vcan use desperation to nullify the impact. But when the stumps rattle, there is no scope for nullifying the result. Just the long walk back. On the dust tracks & if the leadership has no confidence in you & vica versa & the dressingroom is a horrid place, form falls. its just a fact. Happens in all sport. I want to believe that Clarke has changed & is a good bloke & a inspirational skipper, but to me I've never felt that about him. A highly talented cricketer, but not a true leader.

Macca. Life isn't like that. You can't turn on & off your elite talent on a whim. But an unfriendly environment within your own team environment, will quell the talents of most. I put it to you, that seems to be whats happening. Its not a low skill game like 'tug of war', where all you need to do is crack a whip & shoot a start gun, where all can perform near they're maximum. Confidence is reliant on a cohesive and supportive team structure where players get along. This is how Australian teams have traditionally been selected & if you don't fit you miss out. ... the whispers seem to say that pretentiousness has snuck into the dressing room. * with regard to the players relevent skill levels, the players we have is what we have. You can't demand talent out of them in the dressing-room thru threats. This sort of pressure in cricket might work in a t20 game, but in tests on spinning dust bowls, I don't think so. A calm mind focused on doing what the player is hoping for, is imo the best way forward. Only a happy dressingroom will accommodate this. I don't believe our dressing-room is harmonious since punter left, & then Hussey pulled the pin unexpectedly. coincidence? ... the rumour above said Clarke wouldn't celebrate Husses retirement unless they went onto the Super Yaught. Huss refused, why? I put it to you that he was unhappy with Clarkes ways.... And I suspect he retired because of it, just a couple of months prior to a Ashes series. How much did Clarke have to do with Pontings retirement? We all thought Clarke had grown up & changed, now I suspect he hasn't, but is putting out a different imagary, but is the same petulant self. ... just a bit up himself... this isn't the type to skipper an Aussie side, its the old pommie criteria.

seems like the only happy players are clarkes pets. warner & cowan. could it be that all the others are Unhappy?

bring him back, quick.

Lets hope it returns,,,,, & Lets hope it becomes harmonious again. * to me its time for Alan Border to come back & do a "Bobby Simpson", & become the TEST Team overseer. not play but be the Test Team manager. a bit like a soccer manager. we just don't have the tools for a proper captain atmo. ... and the coach is wrong not understanding Australian ways. You can't make a Cattle Dog a Hyena.

thats the problem, he's aspirational, rather than inspirational. self verses support. he's a player, not a skipper. & certainly Not one for rebuilding a team with lost cricketing souls.

Yep, maybe, he's too good for himself, & everyone else as well. If its true, that he dissed Hussey, on Husseys retirement night, for packers boat, then something is Wrong.

Admin wouldn't do that Biff... what, make the team in their own image? I said before, that something smells crook around Tallarook. http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/10595-anyone-for-cricket/page-163#entry705108 and IMO, they got the wrong man. both ways.

Not so sure Macca, if we mew that the Huss was going to pull the pin this year it would have been better for the team if Ponting went 12 months before. to stagger the change over. the team has lost so many greats in 4 years or so. IMO the batsmen that have come in, have all had issues of one sort or another, which has stopped them from finding their feet & form... These players need time at the crease together, & it would have been better done in Australian conditions. Form, momentum & confidence is the main thing lacking. I think we just need to be persistent to a large degree & let the side settle, after they rejig the lineup to suit the conditions & to the players strengths. The panic of spin on doctored wickets, is the rot which has stolen the players composure.

I don't think Warner is a true opener in all conditions. I'd like to see Warner settle at 3. Cowan & Watto opening. Clarke at 4. I don't think individually they are poor, but collectively they are not a team. Add to this massively doctored wickets and the cracks in our batting appear. I think they pulled Lyons to save him for England. to protect him in a way. This side is without faith in one another. IMO they lack unity, that is, ultimate belief in the direction of the team. They're are problems somewhere, at a time when they aren't settled. #spelling

Re Watson, that opinion was formed with little study of the game, as since watto has been playing I've shown little interest other than on specific players. So it was based on Watto's individual play & care for the team & cap. fantastic efforts a couple of years back. But, I have no Idea about his tactical ways. So from that perspective you may be well right. But to me he looks like a team player & a players player first & foremost, & from where I come from, the self indulgence that has crept into modern sport sickens me. I don't mind individuals using a measure of self indulgence to get the best for the team, like Warnie throwing a bouncer down, or Lillee coming off 4 steps now & then, but a captain being about himself is Just Not ON. The difference I see in this attitude of blood & guts fight for the Baggy Green, is say Hussey would be proud to wear the dirt & mud on his creams as it showed his willingness to do all for the Aussies. A great attitude & un-pretentious. Punter, unfortunately wanted to stay 'permanent pressed', & didn't want any dirt under his fingernail. Sad, to me, & I am a punter fan since before he was test capped. Not the way I want the Aussie team to develop. So, I'm watchful on Clarke.

Starc's comments aren't the problem, or weren't. Its the fact he chose to make public comment to a journo without the CA's permission. He went outside the (IMO) normal criteria of minding your place. This concerned me about his attitude & thinking, that he's more important than he is atmo. getting ahead of himself. putting himself first ahead of the team. He seems to have pulled his head in, publicly at least.. So I hope he can just focus on getting better & being effective in helping the Team win The Ashes.

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Hes a fantastic talent,,, but I'm concerned still very immature & could easily get way ahead of himself. He already looks to be making comments on the team & selections seemingly outside of team instructions, 'off his own bat' as it were. this concerns me that he may think he's bigger than the team, & the game. #Edit: Hughes, he's surprised, nicely... changed his technique & style but seems to still have the eye. & discipline to carry it off. I hope so. Watson is a Fav' of mine, & I think will be a captain one day. Cowan who I liked a couple of years ago because of his dour ways of keeping his wicket intact has gone backwards. I don't understand why. He looks the one to slide out of the side for Watson IMO. I'd like to see a shot maker like Khawaja in the top to middle order. to start with. ('indifference') I wonder if we are caught in the transition between generations. the older generation of the Cricket heydays of the Baby boomers, & the flamboyant superstars, up against the "wham bam thankyou mam" of the younger generations wanting everything NOW! and a disposable everything.

I agree, I think starc is the one to trouble them (england) if he can keep his mind right. His movement & height would trouble any top batsmen. Swing & seam will be deadly if he can handle their ball. I'm really worried about our batting.

I watched the last bit in bed, but Roger looks like the boxer who has lost his anger & venom. Comfy street has eked away his tenacity. he looks content with things & time to move on to another chapter. I didn't want to believe it, that Rog is softening but the truth is he has come back to the fold maybe 20%. Others have lifted a little IMO, but nowhere near 20%. IMO Nadal has dropped off from 2 yrs back, so to the Joker who IMO peaked the last 2 yrs, & now we see Murray catching the falling stars. Murray has improved a lot but is not as good as Joker 18 months ago, & not nearly as good as Roger 4 yrs ago. Even Tsonga is catching them. roger lacked imagination. No sharply angled shots cross court & no variation on ground stroke speed to upset Murrays rhythm. Rog just hit the ball back up court into the hitting area. Not hitting lines or corners. Just corridor tennis.

That was the first time I've seen the joker look intimidated, & often, against the Swiss player. the joker comes out of that game against his swiss opponent with a real hard workout under his belt to set him up for the run to final. Watching Fed v Murray atmo, fed looks like he's getting stale. family may be enough these days? Fed not looking the same as 4 yrs back.... looking blunt, slow around the court & missing to many shots. I thought, back 2 matches, he looked sharper than last year, but he's dropped off again.

Roger looks sharper to me than his last couple of Melbourne slams. Murray is still murray underneath... Roger is still roger underneath. eats pressure.

Yep, I saw some vision of him missing a fly ball, perched under it, flop. It looked to me like classic behavior of poor eyes. I've gone thru it as well. And his batting, said to be avoiding the bat. Agreed. ------------- (43) what are you talking about? Did you think I'm having a go at him? Your defending him, like he needs defending, against what? I know its age catching up with him, thats what I was saying rhino? but more specific re his problem is he can't see the ball well enough for the top level. very frustrating fore some, aging... may explain some of his bad behavior this season. & his skin looks like 300 Yrs... more like madam 2swords...

I see what your saying, but I think Healy has had a big change of mind after Sri Lanka. Against Sth Africa with pace he was OK, not great but his batting was very good. Then against Sri Lanka & we used spin on slower tracks Wade was exposed standing up at the stumps. Healy changed his mind as Tim Paine is back playing & Brad Haddin is getting runs. IMO Haddin is better than Wade, keeping wise.