titan_uranus

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.

If Cook's crapping it up, one of Bell or Morgan will be put in at 3. Remember, England needs only to draw the series to retain the Ashes. Making changes like that will only happen if the series looks loseable. Perfect timing from my man McDonald. I still maintain he is good enough for Test cricket. With this batting form he may hopefully put even more pressure on the selectors, and force his way into the top 6. The other option is to return to how we played in South Africa, which was where we played McDonald at 8 and didn't play Hauritz. Certainly Smith should miss out on the squad now. If we're picking a back up allrounder McDonald's the man. If we want a back up batsman then it's McDonald or an actual batsman. If we're picking a spin bowler it's Doherty, not Smith.

Certainly not. He will bat at 6, which is where he's batted since returning to the side. Trott's done well at 3. The pressure is still on Cook without a replacement opener (though they have Davies in the squad, he's a keeper but I think he opens when he bats). Morgan can come in for Cook, as I think Trott would be OK as an opener.

Terrible Shield game for Cameron White. 1 and 7. We're 4/50, a lead of 165. With a batting line up consisting of Watson, Hughes, Khawaja, Clarke, Jaques and Haddin the lead's going to have to be 250+. Down to Quiney, McDonald and Wade to rescue us.

In their previous Test Flintoff wasn't playing. So he came back, Cook moved from 3 to open, Bell moved from 6 to 3 and Flintoff went in at 6.

White making 1 doesn't help his causes. Hussey's century is good considering the talent of the bowlers he's facing (Stuart Clark, Mitch Starc, Mark Cameron, Shane Watson, Nathan Hauritz) but I highly doubt the selectors will consider him at all.

I don't get why Smith is 'on the cusp'. Cusp of which position? Spinner? Doherty spins it more, would be more accurate, and probably deserves a spot based on Shield form more than Smith. Batting? White, Ferguson and/or Khawaja could all bat better than Smith could. All-rounder? Maybe, but I still think with Watson in the side our number 6 should be primarily a batsman. Agree that Doherty should be there instead of O'Keefe.

Should have been the Phantom! Seriously, he took 5 wickets and changed the face of the game. Only period where ball dominated bat. And he increased his batting average, with a fantastic score of 3 not out!

Katich and Bollinger aren't fit for the Sheffield Shield match vs Victoria, so they've only got the game next week to prove their fitness before Brisbane. Hopefully they can get up. On Saturday the 15-man squad for the first Test will be announced. This is how I'd do it: Watson Katich Ponting Clarke White North Haddin Johnson Hilfenhaus Bollinger Siddle _________ Doherty Khawaja/Ferguson Hughes George/McKay/Starc I play White instead of Hussey with Hussey not even making the squad. His form is just not good enough and we need to make the change before he costs us a Test or two. North gets in on the back of scoring a century in his last Test and Sheffield Shield game. Of course he could fail miserably in any other game he plays before Brisbane but I think he'll get the nod. Khawaja is the batsman who gets in the squad as back up should North misfire. Lineball call between him and Ferguson. Hughes is another reserve bat, largely because of Katich's fitness. I'd prefer to see Doherty instead of Hauritz, or worse, Smith, but we'll have to see how he and Hauritz go in the Shield between now and then. I think Doherty is better but he didn't make the Australia A side so I don't think he'll be in the mix and I expect Hauritz to be there instead. I'd start with four pacemen at the Gabba, the ODI the other day, and the Shield game last week, showed that the pitch is undoubtedly made for seamers. I'd start with Johnson, Hilfenhaus, Siddle and Bollinger, but with Bollinger's fitness a query, another pacemen will have to be in the squad. Should be the best performer of George, McKay and Starc (I don't know if SA play anything before Saturday, which doesn't help George). Right now I'd pick Starc for some freshness. He looks really good.

I know! Epic bowling from the Phantom! Pity VVS decided to put in another second innings rearguard vigil. Now 6/82. But at least all three results are still possible.

20 year old left armer from NSW (surprise). He's quite impressive. Bowls a good line and length, got some good bounce out of the pitch too (but it is a good seamer's wicket). Meanwhile Kyle Williamson makes a century on debut in India. What a boring game. 850+ runs in 4 days with only 16 wickets falling. Don't forget one of the teams is NZ. Boredom to the max. But well done to Vettori for getting 4000 runs to go with his 300 wickets. Brilliant.

I like the move to drop Hauritz for Doherty. The claim was that Hauritz needed to get out there and bowl before the Ashes. That clearly pales in importance to playing a decent spinner. Doherty's taken a back seat though, it's the McKay and Starc show. Starc looks OK actually. Bowls a good line, gets bounce and seam movement, and is only 20.

Something to lighten the mood: England's struggling badly against WA. 6/116. It's their full Test line up as well. At least we're losing to international sides!

That's what most would say, but given he made a century in his last Test, and a century in his last Shield match I would say he'll stay. Not what I'd do, but these selectors are predictable. If it was me I'd drop at least one of North and Hussey, probably Hussey, for Cameron White, and I'd consider dropping the other for Usman Khawaja. In terms of bowling I'd play Doherty in the next ODI, hope he takes some more wickets, then play him in Brisbane instead of Hauritz. Even if Hauritz starts in Brisbane I'm tipping by Sydney Doherty will be in the side. I also wonder if Johnson will survive the entire series. He is really struggling, across all formats, for line and length.

I honestly don't believe this: Doherty's been dropped for Hauritz. Selectors aren't doing themselves any favours.

No more full tours from South Africa to Australia (and vice versa) until 2021: http://www.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/current/story/485443.html They want to host Tests on Boxing Day and the first week of January just like us. We said we wouldn't tour them at those times, because that would mean no Boxing Day or New Year's Test here, so in retaliation they said they won't tour here. Means that we will play them once a year or so, but it won't ever be a full tour. So they might come here for some Tests, but no ODIs, or we might go there for some ODIs, etc.. Changes the landscape a bit here too. I mean, we can't have England and India every second year playing the Boxing Day and New Year's Tests. We'll be seeing more of Sri Lanka (a good thing if you ask me), Pakistan, NZ, and the Windies (that isn't such a good thing the way those three sides are going).

What a comeback! I left home at 8/107, I return to read they won the game. Unbelievable. All else aside, Xavier Doherty showed he's a better bowler than Hauritz. Yes, it's a ODI, not a Test. But he turned the ball. Actually turned it. Bowled Sangakkara, one of the world's best, with a ball he ripped from outside off to hit leg. Hauritz just can't turn it. Let's hope the selectors do the right thing and keep Doherty in the ODI side over Hauritz, and hopefully he keeps turning it and taking wickets.

Sheffield Shield: Hussey makes a golden duck, North makes 10. Meanwhile Khawaja makes 60 and Ferguson makes a fluent century.

First outright loss at the MCG in three years. Pretty disappointing all round. Quiney batted well though. Edit: Hussey, North and Johnson all playing for WA. That's a quarter of our Test line up. I wonder how they'll go? Also, another observation: Doherty > Hauritz. Well, maybe not, but he's at least as good as him, and is probably the second best spinner in the country at the moment.