titan_uranus

Well then, Australia has a fight on its hands here. Conceding 451 runs was bad enough, but then to lose 7 for 127 to collapse from 3/312 to 439 all out is pretty poor. In fact it's crap. Siddle is apparently injured (hamstring) and is unlikely to bowl today. That's going to make things very difficult. Hussey's innings did nothing to ease the pressure on him. Far too slow. The bowling was good, but not that good. It's amazing how many milestones have been missed in international cricket in the last few weeks: Shane Watson 96 Brendan Nash 92 Simon Katich 92 Ross Taylor (NZ) 97 and 94 Angelo Mathews (SL) 99 (run out!) Virender Sehwag (India) 293

I don't care who gets what number. Just that, whatever they get now, they keep for their careers. None of this 'they have to earn a good number' crap. A number's a number. No such thing as a 'good' one. 1 and 50 carry the same weight as far as I'm concerned. I'd prefer Blease and Strauss to have lower numbers, just because they're available and it doesn't make sense to be leaving a whole bunch of gaps in the lower numbers. But really, it's not that important.

Correct. I also think that Spencer's infamous ball-drop when he was trying to kick a goal has destroyed his reputation. Spencer has as much chance of making it at AFL level as Gawn does.

Hilfenhaus is out of the 2nd test with knee soreness: http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvwi09/content/c...ory/437450.html Bollinger will almost certainly play. Deservedly so. Clint McKay gets Hilfenhaus's spot in the squad. A bit unfair on McDonald, maybe. But it may well signal the end of Stuart Clark.

What stands out for me is his kicking accuracy. Not just in front of goal, but his passing is superb as well. Hopefully his injuries haven't affected his kicking.

I never noticed that until I read this. Now I see what you mean. The rounded neck actually does clash a bit with the point of the V. Not exactly a major problem, but I guess it's noticeable.

This is the team from Round 1 2008: B Paul Wheatley Nathan Carroll Colin Garland HB Ricky Petterd Daniel Bell James McDonald C Brad Green Brock McLean Simon Buckley HF Cameron Bruce Brad Miller Adem Yze F Michael Newton David Neitz Russell Robertson Foll Jeff White Aaron Davey Nathan Jones I/C Paul Johnson Brent Moloney Cale Morton Isaac Weetra EMG Jace Bode James Frawley Mark Jamar Wheatley, Carroll, McLean, Buckley, Yze, Neitz, Robertson, White, Weetra all gone. Bell, Miller, Newton all close to certain to not play. I also doubt PJ will play, and Petterd's got some competition for his spot. That's a lot of changes.

Yeah I thought he had been taken. Oh well. I think he would have been a good get as a ruck coach.

Bell, Dunn, PJ, Bartram and Miller are obviously in trouble. McNamara, Bail and Cheney are also no certainties to go beyond 2010. Meesen and Newton have been delisted for all intents and purposes. Of the rest, Maric worries me the most. Garland's only possible problem is his foot.

Jamar stays, and PJ goes. Spencer probably will get more game time in 2010; I know I'd rather see Spencer playing than PJ.

Agree with a lot of what's being said here. Day 1 showed that the Windies' bowlers aren't all hacks. Roach looks good, Rampaul is OK, Taylor is the best of the lot but injury ruined him (and he's gone for the series). It's their batting that's abysmal. Chanderpaul's shot in the second innings was inexplicable and completely un-Chanderpaul. I was shaking my head when I saw that. I don't know what prompted him to do that, considering how unflappable he was 18 months ago. Anyone waiting for a decent contest will have to wait until the limited over stuff begins. Pakistan is the best T20 team in the world and they're good at ODIs too. Katich Rogers Jaques Hughes Daylight Daylight Daylight Daylight Watson That's at the moment, though. Selecting with a view to the future would put Hughes above Rogers and Jaques. Watson is hopeless. He's only there because he can bowl. He would never have been selected in the first place if it wasn't for the fact that he provided insurance for Johnson in England. He isn't good enough and should either drop down the order, or, better still, get lost. IMO Rogers > Jaques at domestic level, but Jaques has performed at Test level. Rogers had one go at it and failed, which probably sticks out in selectors' minds.

B: Rivers Warnock Frawley HB: MacDonald Garland Bruce C: Morton Jones Davey HF: Green Jurrah Sylvia FF: Bate Watts Wonaeamirri R: Jamar Moloney Grimes I: McDonald Trengove Petterd Scully I didn't pick a back-up ruckman, so maybe Martin in for Petterd.

Erm... If anyone thinks I was being serious when I suggested Newman... Come on now. On a serious note, what's Brendon Lade doing now?

It's time to go: Watson. 5 lbws in his 6 innings as opener. 10 lbws in his career. Hughes was dropped because of a flaw in his technique. If this isn't a flaw in Watson's technique I don't know what is. Bring in Hughes, or even Jaques.

Let's get Sam Newman back...

I listened to SEN all night, and I thought it was just OK. They continued to return to the top 10 without providing information on who was being drafted in later rounds, Leon Harris was their only 'expert' and he didn't seem to have a decent understanding of players once the draft went past about 35. Sounds like it was a whole lot better than FOX though.

Thanks for the insight people. Sounds like everything went close to perfect for us. Getting all of Tapscott, Gawn and Fitzpatrick.

I'm really happy with this pick. Looks like the FD again targeted kicking skills this draft.

Yeah what happened there? Your poll's gone as well.

Oh lay off him. I don't know how many times I said there was no chance that Ball would nominate for the ND. And then I have no idea how many times I said he would not get to Collingwood. It happens.

Bailey said he was taken as a forward.

Really? That's fantastic commitment to the club.

As if the Windies needed more problems, Sarwan is out. They replace their second best batsman with a debutant, Dowlin. We're batting first too.

Poor Vettori. They come out after a 2-3 hour rain delay, he gets himself to 99, then he gets out on what ends up being the second last ball of the day due to bad light. And Rahul Dravid has overtaken Allan Border in terms of number of runs scored. Run out for 144 when the bowler dropped a return catch and it somehow deflected down onto the stumps!

I believe MacDonald has in fact begun training with us, and he has provisionally accepted a 2 year contract.