titan_uranus

Harris in for Hilfenhaus too. Another good call. And we won the toss and are batting.

Johnson out. Good call. I'd go with Siddle, Bollinger and Harris. Harris will be more damaging than Hilfenhaus once the shine wears off the new ball. The problem with Harris is his potentially dodgy knee. Claims that the tail will be lengthened aren't that big of a worry. With six ducks in his last 12 innings, it's not like Johnson has been scoring plenty at 8 anyway. Harris can bat at 8 no worries, so can Doherty. Hilfenhaus has a Test 50 to his name, and Siddle was a part of that big partnership in Sydney with Hussey. So there's a bit of batting there.

Australia's issues, for mine, stem back to the tour of India in 2008. In the first Test there we put 430 on the board in the first innings and then had India at 7/232, but Harbhajan and Zaheer then put on 80 for the 8th wicket. Since then we've seen the Australian team fail numerous times to take 20 wickets (vs South Africa in Perth and Melbourne, vs England at Cardiff, vs West Indies in Adelaide, vs India at Mohali, now vs England at Brisbane). Most of those games we were in winning positions at some point too. I thought the first three days were quite good. Obviously Days 4 and 5, with the extra sun, the pitch became a road and only two wickets fell. But the first few days were a pretty gripping contest, ebbing and flowing. I'd also rather have England's bowlers than Australia's, but maybe not if Bollinger and Harris come in for Johnson and Hilfenhaus.

Its not really a stock delivery because he has no control over it HT. Katich out for 4. Lack of discipline (flirted outside off), diligent bowling and a catch taken. Spot the difference.

Same problems resurfacing. Embarrassingly huge partnership between Cook and Trott. 316. None of the bowlers have looked capable. Our ability to take 20 wickets has always been an issue and its not improving. Hilfy isn't threatening without swing and bowls far too straight too often. Johnson has no stock delivery nor accuracy and should be dropped. Siddle lacks venom at the moment. Doherty is getting attacked too easily. Bollinger for Johnson in Adelaide, and Harris to threaten Hilfenhaus. Should be interesting to see what happens when we bat today.

Our advantage is slowly slipping away. That drop from Johnson will likely prove very costly. I see a big Strauss century coming up, and even though Doherty's getting spin and bounce, to lefties it's not nearly as threatening as to right handers. We need to break the partnership right now, and then Doherty will hopefully hurt their middle order. Hussey and Siddle were probably the two most contentious selections, but they've put us where we are now. Siddle was OK this morning, nearly had Strauss of an inside edge. Johnson and Hilfenhaus are both bowling varying levels of rubbish. At times Johnson looks threatening but then he slides one down the legs or bowls too far outside off. Hilfenhaus doesn't get his line right, and without swing he's much less dangerous. With Bollinger to come back they need to lift their game.

Peter Siddle. What a legend. Deserved his spot over Bollinger based on fitness. I wasn't impressed with Hilfenhaus yesterday. He's in there for swing, but Watson swings it more. Bollinger is better than him, so he needs wickets or I'd drop him. Johnson was crap too but I rate him as a match winner more so than Hilfenhaus. Plus we get the biggest tail since the dinosaurs if we drop Johnson for Bolly. Watson and Katich doing well at the moment. I don't rate Anderson or Finn outside of England and playing against the crappier teams, but Broad looks good and Swann is superb so the danger is still there. A good Test so far, shows why Test cricket is still the best form of the game.

I'd guess that Manou and Hartley are ahead of him in the pecking order given Manou played a Test last Ashes and Hartley filled in in one of the tour matches. But Wade should be up there, and he has the advantage of youth on his side (what is he, 21, 22?). I'm sure he'll play for Australia one day.

Not sure about this game, but either way the injury could have happened in many other ways.

Good to see Khawaja get added to the squad. Hopefully Clarke is fit, but if he's not then Khawaja is the best alternative. What's that word you love? Hyperbole? Paine could have sustained that injury in any nets session for Tasmania, Australia A, whoever. He chose to play that game.

Oh brilliant. Clarke's back injury seems to be worse than first thought and he's no certainty to play on Thursday. Who's the only other batsman in the squad? Steven Smith. We cannot win with Smith in the side. He can't bat. He is a talent, sure, but that talent isn't enough to have him in the squad. If Clarke can't play, one of Ferguson or Khawaja should. Yes, they failed for Aus A, but their first-class records trump Smith's.

In other news, Victoria is now second-bottom on the Shield table, with just one win from our four starts, including two losses at home after not losing at home for 3 years. The only team below us, SA, has played one less game. No Rogers, Hodge, White (mostly), and various removals of McKay, Siddle, Hastings and Hussey have hurt us. Replacements such as Hill, Finch and Sheridan aren't cutting it, and Wright seems to be struggling.

Good article from Peter English: http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2010-11/content/current/story/488002.html "Smith is the only other one of the group who remains in favour, but he is not yet good enough as a batsman to be in the top six, as displayed by his first-ball dismissal to Chris Tremlett in Hobart today, when he left an offcutter heading for his stumps. He is not ready as a specialist bowler either. A gifted player, he could develop into an all-round genius, but at the moment his selection as a bits-and-pieces man for such an important series is strange." Also questions our selection policy (i.e. why did we play Hauritz in India, then after limited chances in Australia, drop him for the Ashes?).

After his golden duck? No thanks. Clearly he's thinking from an English perspective. Smith is crap. Can't bowl, can't really bat either. Doesn't deserve to still be in the squad.

The squad has been trimmed to 17. And the big news: Hauritz has been dropped for Doherty!!! YAHOO! Let's just hope Doherty takes some wickets to vindicate his selection. In other, less exciting news, Steven Smith retained his spot. Hauritz, Khawaja, Ferguson and Harris (still injured) were the four that were dropped from the 17. Hopefully Smith is 13th man and one of Siddle and Bollinger will be 12th. Squad: Watson, Katich, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, North, Haddin, Johnson, Doherty, Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Bollinger, Smith

Whilst Khawaja and Ferguson did nothing to advance their chances, Hussey's timing is impeccable. Literally left it to the last chance. I reckon he did the same by scoring a century in the 5th Test of last year's Ashes. He also got one in the second-last Test of the home summer. Always waits till the end.

Well that's it then. We can safely say that the top 6 for Brisbane is done and dusted now. Hussey's hit his century and is still going. At the same time, Khawaja's added a golden duck to his 13, and Ferguson added 10 to his 7. Not exactly banging the door down. Hughes is in the 40s but he's not in the squad. Poor Andrew McDonald. Misses out on the Australia squad despite everyone else making it, misses out on Australia A, then breaks his hand. Only question now is which three bowlers will join Johnson. Surely Hilfenhaus (assuming fitness) starts, but we've no extra information on the last pace bowler. Harris is still a bit sore so I'm not sure about him, Siddle isn't playing (which might be a good sign in that they're resting him for Brisbane) and Bollinger was tonked around vs Tasmania in the second innings. Then there's Hauritz vs Doherty. I'll pick Hilfenhaus, Siddle and Hauritz to start with, but I'd prefer Hilfenhaus, Bollinger and Doherty.

I do, because I'm utterly unconvinced that this century (well he's 98* at tea) will translate into improved form at Test level. But I am convinced that this century will give the selectors their opening and they'll pick him, unless Khawaja or Ferguson makes 200.

Hussey's 58* 84*. Not good. Perfect for the selectors though.

The NSW/Tas game was a joke. When both sides are bowled out on the opening day you know that the pitch is a bit of a doozy. That was meant to be the bowl-off between Doherty and Hauritz. Hauritz bowled 1 over. Doherty took 2 wickets and kept things tight which would have pleased Ponting I'm sure, but I still reckon they'll stick with Hauritz. There is a big problem brewing at the MCG: Hussey's making runs. Currently 33*. Some would say that's a good thing. But really it's just prolonging the inevitable. It's his absolute last chance and it looks like he's taking it. The selectors will then pick him citing this innings, and he'll then waste a spot in our middle order through the Ashes. Johnson's form is nice. 121* and then a five-for. About time, and let's hope it continues into next week. Time for Australia A to bat again as well. Khawaja and Ferguson need to score big runs. O'Keefe has outplayed Smith so far in this match (more runs and more wickets), but Smith is the one in the squad and continues to get talked about. His bowling is terrible.

Gee I tell you what, England must be quaking in their boots: Watson - 6 vs Tasmania Katich - 1 vs Tasmania Ponting - 7 vs NSW Clarke - bad back Hussey - 0 vs Victoria North - 17 vs Victoria Haddin - 10 vs Tasmania Johnson - 11 wides in grade cricket Hauritz - battling for his spot Hilfenhaus - potentially injured Bollinger - working back from injury Then: Hughes - 2 vs England's second string attack Khawaja - 13 vs England's second string attack Ferguson 7 vs England's second string attack White - 5 vs England's second string attack The only possible 'shining light' is Steven Smith (of all the players...) who made 59. The pitches in Hobart and Sydney are tough for batting though, so some small scores are to be expected, but nonetheless no real form being shown.

Chris Gayle is a legend. Pure and simple. World cricket is on the improve. West Indies are at least competing with Sri Lanka (yes, they collapsed, losing 5 for about 20, and yes, the pitch is a road, but Sri Lanka usually get results at home and WI have been a basket case recently), Pakistan didn't lose to South Africa, and New Zealand haven't lost to India in two attempts yet. You'd have picked the top three teams to beat the bottom three teams pretty easily. HUN says that the selectors are going to drop Hussey if he doesn't make a ton. Literally down to his last chance now. But Khawaja and Ferguson failed to take their chances for Australia A. Mind you, the conditions were terrible for batting and the bowling was pretty good, but the chance to finalise the decision was missed. Second innings is going to be massive. Meanwhile McDonald keeps on keeping on.

Dream period for cricket fanatics (like me): three Tests are on right now, and the Ashes are a week and a half away. NZ is competing against India (despite Harbhajan hitting another century, wtf...), the Windies haven't been bowled out yet vs SL (yes, it's only been 20 overs, but still, it's the Windies), and Pakistan is doing OK vs RSA. Brilliant way to procrastinate from study... Now, onto our squad. Predictable selections IMO, except for Doherty and Ferguson over Hughes. I'd have had Hughes simply because Katich is possibly not 100% fit, but I think maybe they're worried about Hughes going up against England again. But the big one I disagree with is McDonald not being selected. Especially given Smith was. Smith adds nothing. There is someone who is better than him at everything. Doherty's selection implies we rate him as another spinner, else he wouldn't have been picked. Khawaja and Ferguson are the next batsmen in line. So IMO he's there as an all-rounder. But McDonald's a better all rounder than he is. He bats better, he bowls better, and he's got the Shield (and arguably Test) form to back it up. None of that changes the 11 for Brisbane though. It's all down to how North, Hussey, Hauritz and Bollinger/Siddle/Johnson go. I would have thought Brisbane would suit him. Nonetheless he would be a better addition to the squad than the prodigal son, Smith. Deserves it more, too.

True. Which should also be why Steve Smith doesn't even make the squad. The argument will be that he's the second spinner, but Doherty's better than him and has done his time in the Shield. Smith's Shielf form isn't good enough. McDonald can bat at 6, and if he keeps making runs through the Shield, and North doesn't do something about his form, he might get a call up, if not for Brisbane, then for a later Test.

I believe he is. He's hit 3 centuries so far this Shield season, two of them in the one match against NSW, whose bowling line up was Test standard. He hit a good half century in his most recent Test innings too.