titan_uranus

Vics in a spot of bother now. We've conceded first innings points already, now we're 253 runs behind and Tasmania still has 4 wickets in hand. Still, we're missing White, McKay and Hastings, and Rogers isn't fully fit either. News today that Bollinger is struggling to be fit for Brisbane. Meanwhile Siddle's current figures are 14-7-24-3. Given that I highly doubt Peter George will hold his spot, I can see us starting with Johnson, Hilfenhaus and Siddle, and IMO that's a very strong line up. Edit: Ryan Harris is another possibility but IMO Siddle is much, much better than Harris and his work in last year's Ashes should get him the spot.

Vics not going so well at the moment. 4/136 after Tasmania's 326. After we had them at 3/20 this hasn't been the way things looked like going.

I said it before, it's mind-boggling to consider the riches of talent we have in the wicket keeping department. Paine has proven himself at both Test and ODI level, and we know Haddin is the incumbent. After that we have Ronchi, Manou, Wade and Hartley, all who are capable with the bat, and all of whom who have National experience (though Hartley's was just on a Tour game in England). I highly doubt any other country has wicketkeeping talent hiding away in its Domestic competition like we do. IMO Haddin starts the Ashes, but if he doesn't perform Paine is there to relieve him.

It's odd how Hussey struggles so much in Test cricket yet when he pulls the colours on he dominates. He really does inspire confidence when he's at the ODI crease, like he used to in Test cricket. I can't quite work out how he's fallen so far away in Test cricket yet can still be the best ODI batsman going around. Oh no, what a disaster. Maybe you will have to watch some Test cricket instead?

On the flipside, all we have between now and the Brisbane Test is some ODIs and a T20 against India and Sri Lanka. Hardly the ideal preparation over the next six weeks. England have three warm up games (vs WA, SA and Australia A). Hence the idea of getting them all to play one Shield game as warm up.

Pretty fair summary. Hauritz is the no. 1 spinner but shouldn't be a certainty for Brisbane. How utterly embarrassing. 4-0 in a 5 game series. Bangladesh is now no longer the worst ODI side...they're the equal worst side, with the Windies!

I read in one of the papers that every Test player will be required to play at least one Sheffield Shield match before the Brisbane Test, so that should give us an indication of how Haddin's going. Moreover, it means Ponting might line up for Tasmania. I wonder when the last time that was?

Alright then HT, my side for Brisbane: Watson Katich Ponting Clarke Khawaja Hussey Haddin Johnson Siddle Hilfenhaus Bollinger Time for new blood. Instead of waiting for us to lose the first one or two Tests we need to be brave and make the call now. One of North or Hussey has to go. We can't carry both, and we need to get someone new in there. I've gone with Hussey as I think moving him down to 6 might work for him. That's where he bats in ODIs, and I know they're vastly different but I see him working well with the tail and hopefully doing better against the older ball. I've also gone with four pacemen, as I reckon Brisbane warrants that. Hauritz did OK there last year but that was the Windies. Furthermore I reckon we need Siddle in the side and hopefully if he gets his chance in Brisbane he takes some wickets and holds his spot for Adelaide and beyond. He did really well in last year's Ashes and does a lot of the bullocking, into the wind bowling that really no one else can do. It would be even easier to drop Hauritz if North played, but with Katich and Clarke, and Watson for back up, I'm not too fussed. Another option would be to drop Hussey for someone like David Hussey or Cameron White, who provide back up spin (D. Hussey's is better than White's). Haddin plays over Paine by virtue of experience and surer batting, but he will know he has to perform. Paine is a goer and will be the permanent keeper within 18 months I reckon.

Talked about here: http://www.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/content/story/396407.html Doesn't actually say he could bat in the top six, but I definitely remember reading it. Probably some knee-jerk reaction from a HUN journalist. Or WYL. Either way, he's fallen a long way away from where he was back then.

Harsh on Hilfy who at times looked the only bowler likely of taking a wicket. Time some heat was put on Johnson IMO. Far too erratic, sprays it too wide too often. Relies on his angle and pace, doesn't have a lot of variation (e.g. in/out cutters, slower balls, swing). Isn't taking the wickets we need him to. Wastes the new ball. Edit: And his batting has gone nowhere. There was all this (premature) talk about him batting in the top 6 after the South Africa tour. But he's hardly scored a run since then. Not that he's there to bat, but it isn't helping. Yes but there's a big, big difference between Hussey/North and Clarke. Clarke has been in superb form for most of the last 18 months. Through the Ashes he was our leading run-scorer, and through the home summer he was in command of WI and Pakistan (not the highest quality opposition, but North struggled against them). He scored back to back 160+ scores earlier this year. Whether it's the move to 4, the Indian conditions, the upcoming Ashes or something else, I have a lot more confidence in Clarke making runs this summer than North or Hussey. Hussey is living on past credits, credits which he is rapidly running out of. According to the FTP, we have a series against Bangladesh in April/May next year. I seriously doubt Hussey will be there, and Hauritz and North might not be either. Interestingly, the ICC has approved a Test Championship, whereby after a 4 year period the top four teams qualify for the 'finals'. Currently we wouldn't make the finals as we are 5th. Who'd have believed you if you'd told them that 2 years ago?

You've gotta go with Warne on this one. I struggle to believe that Nathan Hauritz is so highly respected by Punter that he gets to set his own field. Furthermore, I struggle to believe that Ponting couldn't change the field if he wanted to. The problem, though, isn't the field (though our field placements aren't helping. We needed tigher fields and a stump-to-stump line from our pacemen, and needed to attack more on Day 5). It's the bowler. Look at every other Test playing nation. They all have at least one spinner who's better than Hauritz: Swann, Harbhajan/Ohja, Ajmal/Kaneria, Vettori, Murali/Mendis/Herath/Randiv, Harris (debatable), even Shakib al Hasan from Bangladesh is better. And what's worse is that there's no real stand outs in the Shield. Steven Smith is next but he's way off, and can't yet be selected as an all rounder either. It actually proved a lot. Proved that Hauritz is terrible. Proved that our pacemen need to lift. Proved that North is just as bad as he has always been. Proved that India are a much better side.

The numbers I put up were the averages for matches played in 2010.

I assume you mean 'can't' make the team? Jaques is patchy, but has the Test form. Khawaja and Ferguson will make it eventually. Hughes and Rogers are openers, true, but in Hughes' case I can certainly see him thriving at number 6 as a counter-attacking batsman. Would take a bit of a change but he won't make it at the top for another 2 seasons. McDonald's batting is on the up. But combined with his bowling I still think he's good enough atm. And disagree re: Hussey, he's a first-class performer. Leading run scorer in the Shield last season, and he also bowls well. Took the two big wickets today vs WA (Pomersbach and Swart). I don't really have time, but I'm doing it anyway: MEK Hussey: Batting Average = 36.83 (1 x 100, 2 x 50, 1 x 0) MJ North: Batting Average = 32.38 (2 x 100, 1 x 50, 3 x 0), Bowling Average = 16.71 (1 x 5WI, 0 x 10WM) NM Hauritz: Batting Average = 29.20 (0 x 100, 0 x 50, 0 x 0), Bowling Average = 41.31 (1 x 5WI, 0 x 10WM)

Moving away from WYL's senility... They might not have the 6-12 months of form on the board, but Usman Khawaja and Callum Ferguson are the two young guns who should be in the side soon. Then there's still Cameron White, Phillip Hughes, Phil Jaques, David Hussey, Chris Rogers, even Andrew McDonald and Michael Klinger, and the option of playing Haddin/Paine as a batsman. As for Hauritz, the options are less convicing, with Steven Smith the only possibility really. Shows the dire position spin bowling in this country is in. But despite Warne lashing Ponting's field settings, Hauritz is really struggling to bowl a decent line/length and bowls far too many boundary balls.

Ponting's just gone out. Flawless 72 till Zaheer got it to reverse. We're in danger of losing now, 6 down with a lead of only 164. That century he hit will do more harm than good.

Tendulkar got out to a debutant again. Did it with Cameron White and Peter Siddle 2 years ago, and apparently has done it numerous other times, now George got him. We did well to get back into the game by taking the last 5 wickets for 9 runs. If Vijay had been given out lbw to Hilfy when he should have been who knows what would have happened. But we're struggling with the bat. 3/66, all wickets falling to spinners, and Clarke out to a spinner again for just 3. Something's not right with him. Time for Hussey to stand up and score some runs. PS: If the fourth wicket falls soon, and North comes in with the pressure on and not many runs on the board, I wonder how he'll cope...

Along with AB McDonald's 163, Usman Khawaja is currently 204*. With Hussey, North and Hauritz all flailing at the moment, there are options popping up.

Insipid bowling so far today (though Hilfenhaus just had a plumb lbw shout turned down). Hauritz is just so far off it it's not funny. Harbhajan and Ohja were getting decent turn on Day 1. Hauritz can't hold a line nor length, doesn't turn it enough, and is just not threat at all. We need to blood a new spinner, it should be Steve Smith, and it should have been done already. We're risking the Ashes with Hauritz as our frontline spinner. North has delayed his demotion with yet another timely century but no one should have confidence in him going into the Ashes. I know I don't. Hussey is close to gone IMO. Just not producing any more. His only century since the Ashes was the controversially made one in Sydney vs Pakistan. Bear in mind we've played West Indies, Pakistan and New Zealand in this time period, and he hasn't cashed in. Clarke doesn't seem to be coping too well at number 4. I'm not sure if he'll stay there for the Ashes but he's struggling in India at the moment, another concern. Without Bollinger we look toothless. Johnson can't bowl with the new ball and is once again too erratic and George isn't proving the selectors right at all (why was McKay overlooked?). We need Bollinger back, and IMO we should be playing Siddle. Also, Andrew McDonald just cracked 160-odd runs off 120-odd balls. Is more than capable at Test level IMO and if we bring Smith in for Hauritz we could well bring McDonald in for Hussey to give us both batting and bowling support.

What's the bet North makes a century today, thereby securing his spot for the Ashes, and allowing the selectors to claim they were right, and then for him to start another run of 5 matches where he fails to pass 20?

I think he does too. But it was clear that Hauritz was not going to bowl us to victory, and he was leaking runs, so taking him off was always going to happen. If we play Paine and Haddin together it's Haddin who plays as a batsman. In fact I reckon if he ditched the keeping and focused solely on batting that wouldn't be a terrible idea.

Because I haven't seen any footage I can't comment on field placings but Ponting's never been the best at setting fields IMO. At one point on Day 5 Tendulkar prodded a short ball to short leg, which Ponting responded to by putting second slip in that position. Next ball Laxman edged through second slip. As for the bowlers, we had Watson and North going together at the end because Bollinger was off injured and Ponting wanted to keep Johnson and Hilfenhaus for one last assault. Which almost worked, with Hilfenhaus getting Sharma and Johnson almost getting Ohja. Too true. Hussey, Gambhir, Sharma and Ohja all got the wrong decision. All would have been reversed with technology. Should be funded by the ICC and made available for every single Test. Everywhere.

Fantastic match. Over 400 for both first innings, with a century and numerous fluent half centuries, then under 220 for both second innings with plenty of wickets falling. This match proves how Test cricket is totally a better form of the game than ODIs or T20s. A great showcase, and pity there's only one more match in the series. Having said that, it exposed more of our flaws. Our middle order is weak and should have been changed for this series in preparation for the Ashes. North is crap and has to go. Everyone except, supposedly, the selectors can see this. He is horribly wrong for our middle order, and only scores runs when the pressure's off and he enters with plenty on the board already. At number 6 you either need a stable rock who can steady the ship regardless of the situation or someone who can provide a counter attack. North is neither of these, and should not be retained based on some flimsy off spin that picks up the occasional helpful wicket. Hussey is struggling too, with only two centuries in the last two years, one of which is arguably tainted given it came in the Sydney Test vs Pakistan where he was dropped three times in now dubious circumstances. His career is coming to an end. The other big flaw is our spin bowling. Hauritz should have helped bowl us to victory yesterday, as he should have done in Cardiff last year. The ball was turning and bouncing, there was rough, there were footmarks, the pitch was breaking up, yet he couldn't maintain a decent line nor length and leaked far too many runs. Ponting needed him, especially when Bollinger got injured, but he couldn't rely on him. He just isn't good enough, and we need to find a replacement. IMO it should be Steven Smith. He could bat at 7 or 8 if we swap North for a batsman, or he could bat at 6 and we could play an extra bowler, or someone like Andrew McDonald. Our pace bowlers are undeniably good at their best, and at times in that test we saw them all reach their best, but none of them are consistent enough. Too many legside half volleys for my liking. VVS Laxman is a star. Tendulkar aside, the rest of the Indian batting line up struggle massively in the fourth innings, Sehwag especially (average of 50+ overall but only 28 in fourth innings). I felt he was, with SRT, the key wicket, and I wasn't surprised at all to see him overcome his back injury to defy us, given he made an unbeaten century in Sri Lanka a few months ago to do the same thing there.

What a comeback! 4/48 chasing 216! Gambhir, Sehwag, Dravid and Raina all out. We're a chance! And yes, North has to go. Hussey shouldn't be too far behind him. Our middle order is a joke. If Michael Clarke doesn't score, we collapse. We can't rely on Watson and Katich to produce the bulk of our runs, or Paine, Johnson and Hauritz to bail us out late. We need a stable middle order, and North is as far from stable as can be.

Took their last 6 wickets for 50-odd runs, which is a good effort in India. Draw looks the most likely outcome but we've performed OK so far. Watson, Ponting and Paine with the bat looked good, then Johnson and Hauritz with the ball looked OK. Undoubtedly handy. But not enough to keep him in the side. Needs to make some runs in the second innings.

We can't take North into an Ashes series. He's just not good enough. Time to go. Callum Ferguson is back and healthy again, did really well in the Champion's Leage (which is nothing like Test cricket but it was a good performance coming of a knee reconstruction nonetheless) and is one option for the spot. I still believe Cameron White would do better than North, David Hussey is available, as is Phillip Hughes if they can find a way to restructure the side, or Steven Smith as a batsman. There are options, and North shouldn't be one of them. Watson's in sparkling form at the moment. Twin centuries in the tour game, now another century with only Ponting for support. Pity he didn't kick on though, he should have taken that run a lot more urgently. If we lose this series, which is a fair chance, we'll start the Ashes as the fifth ranked side in Test cricket. That'll mean we'll be below England, and above only the West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh. How times have changed.