titan_uranus

This is one guy that really excites me, more so because no one had heard of him and I rate BP's work. So if we've plucked him at 33, and no one knew about him, well that gets me excited. Keeps getting likened to Robbo, except as Greg Denham said this morning, he might lay a tackle or two. Ha ha.

12. Heppell 33. Jacobs 50. No idea. 53. Pass (we've done well at the PSD over the last three years, I think the club likes it. But there's every chance we'll go again at 50).

There is clear value for money if you actually use it Stylus. Go to all the Melbourne games. Then go to ANZAC day. Friday night games. Blockbuster games with the top 4. Then go to the finals. Without worrying about seat availability. All of them. Then go to the cricket. Again without having to worry about purchasing tickets in time for Boxing Day. All of that in the best facilities in the world for watching sport. Pays itself five times over.

Disposal efficiency/inefficiency tells you virtually nothing. A disposal can be efficient despite it selling a team-mate down the river. For example, Bruce streams out of defence, then stops, handpasses to someone flatfooted, who is tackled and possession is lost. That handpass was still 'efficient' It also says nothing about the decision that was made. Was it the right call or not?

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.

Oops...glad I read the whole thing. Thanks.

Thanks for the info. Anything on Stefan Martin? I'm interested to see what he's doing and whether he progresses enough to crack into the side.

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.

How awful. Let's hope Aussie deals with this as best he can. Thoughts are with him and his family.

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.

You, sir, have no idea. None at all.

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.

Anyone who thinks the Dogs have done the wrong thing need to go and look at Hahn's form in 2010. Once you've done that, you'll realise why they let him go.

Bail, Gysberts, Watts, Wonaeamirri.

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.

Round 2 vs Hawthorn - Cameron Bruce? and/or Kyle Cheney? Round 10 vs Carlton - Brock McLean Round 14 vs Richmond - Brad Miller

Anthony will be gone by the time we're making our last rookie pick. He is nominating for the PSD. Someone will take him.

Yes we are. Truth is, none of them are any good. It was Atkinson. He walked away from football when he found out he needed to train harder. Neagle will keep training with Essendon in the hope of a rookie list spot.

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!