Sir Why You Little

The last 4 years is the problem, or do you think the selectors have been doing a wonderful job?

so you disagree?

Clarke is injured. He should not be playing, it only puts more pressure on the rest of the team.

45 i am more interested in the philosophy of the selectors over the last 4 years. i feel they got it wrong, they have stuck with far too many players for too long before making decisions. If a player has a bad run for 5 games, i would drop them-let them find form in the domestic comp. I do not care who they are. Play some hungry young guys-take a chance, see what they do in the heat. I don't think this has been done nearly enough. And we are paying for it right now. (Cook just got his ton). To be honest with you i would not know the exact side for last years series. But i still say it was the perfect time for the selectors to be far more bold than they were. From 1989 till 2006 it was a tight knit Boys club, and why not-it worked. But once the Backbone retired it was time for a completely different philosophy, which i don't feel has happened. It's like Hawthorn after 1991, it took them a decade to realize they needed to completely turn over their list. Cricket australia missed a great opportunity to do that after the 2006 ashes, and particularly last summer. Michael Clarke playing in the first test clearly injured summed it up for me. The selection process is way to conservative, and needs to be revamped. Domestic Australian cricket is strong, and they don't use it enough IMO Ponting is so stressed right now, he can't bat at 3-Put him down the order.

Well when pointless ODI games and 20/20 games are scheduled before the Ashes series as warm up games i question that.

RR we have had this discussion before, and basically we fundamentally disagree-That's fine, but i will say this. Since the Ashes series in 2006, that is when all this rebuilding should have begun in earnest. 3 different sides should be selected, Test ODI & 20/20-i don't like players playing all 3 forms. Last summer they picked a side to win the series, i would have picked the side to gain more experience. Who cares whether we beat the Paki's or the windies. To me our important games are the Ashes & the World cup games. Ponting,Clarke Johnson & Hilfy are all mentally exhausted IMO & this is something that should be looked at more seriously. It is not an easy problem granted, but i don't think Cricket Australia have managed this nearly as well as could have been done. That has always been my view, & will not change. Comments like Michael Clarke made a few weeks ago that "I will play every game of all forms of cricket this summer" are just ridiculous-He has always had a suspect back, and thus should be managed very carefully. (Hussey has just dropped a decent chance-better get back to the TV!!!)

Yes i feared that was the problem. The Aussies are trying to fix problems on the run. This is such bad planning considering what last summer represented, i know it is different circumstances but, Last summer we should have been more prepared to take a loss in order to give more players "game time" just like the Dee's. Things could get very nasty by late January because we won't have a settled side. Disturbance in the Force.

i was working all day without TV and radio, only had score updates, so should the Poms make a Big score or is the Pitch helping the Bowlers??

I wonder how good Michael Clarke's Back is this week? Ohh late news Clarke out for 2!!! Australia now 3-2 What a team!!

Australia 2-0....Long Summer... B)

The EPL Football i do really like, attacking. But the European Brand of Soccer is just dull most of the time as it all hinges on defence. I do enjoy the WC for that one month, but i do not want it in my backyard-i see no gain & nobody will be able to hail a cab for weeks. Stuff that!!

i don't want the world cup to be in australia. it will be a security nightmare, cities locked down for 5-6 weeks. happy to watch it on tv at the pub from some other country. i agree totally with your summation of elle and joolia. very embarrassing to listen to i thought

check out the first highlight from Van Percy-so quick with the Feet http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/tv-online-wigan-v-arsenal-highlights

You sound so much like Andrew Hilditch Rhino it is Humorous reading. Hussey is the luckiest Man in Australia...He said it himself on the radio this morning!!!! B)

Heard M Hussey interviewed on the wireless this morning before play (could have been last night) say that he was very lucky with that innings yesterday. That's all i have said. I have actually never attacked M Hussey, i have loved watching him play his cricket, but at his age he is lucky to still be in the side. Many players in the same situation, character, and stats would have been retired. Hussey has survived, and Good Luck to him-but some people are able to roll their luck. The Poms are back in this game...Mitchell's dropped chance could be very costly indeed-he should have held that one. Doherty is doing ok so far. We are going to need him...

I am happy to for him too, but i bet he is the first to say he rode his luck well.

why i already mentioned it twice, no need to mention it again. You know he was lucky.

No it doesn't hurt at all RR. Today he deserves every bit of it, during the past year he didn't.

If you read actually what i said. It reads, Good luck to Hussey. But i say it again, he was extremely lucky to survive yesterdays first Ball, and he was out on 85 but got the umps BOD. so good on him for making the most of his opportunities. But i do not back down from what i have said all year. His form has been cod ordinary whilst others have made runs. Today was Mick's turn to make a few. Cool it was against the Poms. I hope he makes a double ton. EDIT: out for 195 Bad luck missed a golden opportunity to make a double, but the innings may have Busted England's Heart. Let us hope so,

Have a look at the first ball Hussey Faced...He is so lucky..Good luck to him. You are so bitter & twisted Rhino.... Hussey is lucky, if Brad Hodge had been given the same passage he to would have made runs. But he wasn't. Hussey was.

Hussey is the luckiest man on the planet today!! he should have been out on a first ball. Test Career finished. So lucky and again on 85 "absolutely Plom" he was, but he goes on to make 150+ Good luck to him. Hope he makes a Double Ton now....

No.

Did you speak with Jim Maxwell?

Sorry Rhino have no idea what you are talking about. Feel Free to take it up with Jim Maxwell Though... B)

I heard the ABC Commentators talking about Clarke yesterday not moving or walking properly on at least two occasions. He should not have been picked. Any sort of Back injury is not going to get any better over 5 days. As you said credit for Siddle but minus credit for Clarke. This Test is going to be a struggle now, the middle order Batsmen continually fail to back up the bowlers.