Nasher

Ryan Harris is currently the best bowler in the country.

Heard a rumour that Hilfenhaus's omission from the side is considered permanent. The rumour goes that Greg Chappell believes Hilfenhaus has had an extended run in the side, and has proven that he is unable to take enough wickets at Test level, and therefore will not be considered for future Tests. Source is only of moderate credibility, so take this with all appropriate grains of salt.

Not real good apparently, gone for 2. Three wickets for two runs. Won't make double figures at this rate.

Katich out without facing a ball, Ponting out for a golden duck. Cracking start that

I didn't see the play today, but the stats don't support your assertion on Hilfenhaus bowling rubbish (most economical of the full time bowlers). Can I get a second opinion? Rhino, HT? On Johnson, what you're describing is pretty much how he's always bowled. I've always found it incredible with the number of wickets he gets with a nothing ball a foot outside off. His biggest weapon has always been deceit by pace rather than consistent line and length. Against real quality opposition, if he's not at his 100% best then I think he's always going to look dreadful.

The Australian selectors have been showing for years that they are willing to persevere with their best players and back them in to find form, regardless of what every mug in Australia thinks (including many ex-players). Think back to Mark Taylor's run on the way up to retirement, with many other examples since. They have been more than vindicated with their decision here. Hussey (and Haddin who I didn't want in - how embarrassing) has stood up in a massive way when the team needed him most. I couldn't be more happy for him. And you'll find that a lot of big innings are built on the back of some good fortune early in the innings, and there are a lot of innings that end prematurely on the back of some damn rotten luck; that's just the nature of the game. It could just have easily have been Ponting saluting the crowd as he walked off, if it wasn't for a damn unlucky nick down the leg side. The only thing that goes down in history is the final score.

Contracted players play where and when they're told. Even so, as a professional cricketer he's hardly going to turn down the opportunity to play, especially when he's busy trying to get selected for the test side.

Is Andrew McDonald a good enough to be test batsman in his own right, or is this just Victorian parochialism speaking? (Genuine question, despite the fact that I couldn't resist the backhander ) Any time I see his name tossed up my first thought it always "surely this isn't the best we've got?" - however I freely admit I have not been following his recent form. I don't believe in selecting all-rounders unless they're first rate with one or the other. As well as injury, this was always my concern with Watson, however now there's no doubt whatsoever (over his batting at least - he still chucks a few to many pies with the ball).

Un. Frigging. Believable.

He plays one every couple of years.

Hehe, you wouldn't be championing his selection if he wasn't Victorian! I just get the impression White's not on the Australian selectors' radar, that's all.

There is absolutely zero chance of Cameron White ever holding a permanent test spot. Rightly or wrongly he's been stereotyped and discarded for tests just like the likes of Michael Bevan and Nathan Bracken were. There's three possibilities contingent on Hussey going. Until Hussey is gone which is surely on the horizon (next two or so years), the status quo will remain -- Hughes, Smith and co will fill gaps as they appear, but the core team will remain constant. Once Hussey is out the door, the three possibilities I see, in likelihood order are: 1. Hughes to open, Watson to go down the order, Smith to remain on the fringe. I hate the idea of breaking up Watson and Katich from the opening partnership and I'm sure the selectors will too, however I think this is the best way to get all of the best available players in to the side at once. 2. Openers stay as is, Clarke to move to 4, Hughes in the middler order (5 or 6). Hughes is an opener, but this has worked in the past with the likes of Hussey, who was a permanent shield opener before finally getting the nod. Nobody seems to be a fan of this option, but I am. 3. Smith in to the middle order (6), Hughes to remain on the fringe (biding time until Katich is in the gun, not yet on the horizon). Smith is a good bat and a good bowler -- is he/can he be elite with either? Hughes is a pretty safe bet for being a fantastic test batsman for years to come. I'd prefer to go with the near-sure thing, rather than hedging my bets with Smith. North's century changed the entire equation, really. The selectors showed an enormous amount of faith in him by bringing him to NZ despite a woeful summer. They're not going to drop him now that he has finally paid back what he owed them.

I guess the point boils down to the fact that you can still win a test match even if you struggle to make a lot of runs, but you can't possibly win a test match if you can't take 20 wickets.

A mate at work made an interesting comment today, in that all the 'great' sides of the past all have one thing in common; they have a plethora of great bowlers. WI in the 80s and Aus in the 90s/early 00s are examples of this, but both those sides also had a bunch of great batsmen so it's a bit inconclusive. If you believe these sentiments (and it's of course very debateable) then you'd have to say that as long as we've got a middle of the road bowling attack, then we're no certainties to win any series, especially against the stronger nations. It doesn't matter how strong our batting lineup is.

Yes, that's very annoying.

I know this is an old post in the context of this thread, but What's hard to understand about it? Fast bowlers are sprinting, at full speed, and have to stop instantly, as close to the line as they possibly can to get maximum advantage. It's a very difficult thing to do at full pace. Bowling no balls for overstepping usually has nothing to do with knowing their run-up length, because it only takes one slightly long step through their entire run-up to cause a no ball.

All bias aside, I feel Hilfenhaus will come in ahead of Siddle if they're both fit. Hughes ahead of Bailey as he's been scoring runs for longer. Any merit to Hughes batting in the middle order, or at three? The McKay vs Geeves argument is completely moot since they're both going to be behind Hilfenhaus, Johnson, Siddle and Bollinger.

I'm trying my hardest not to be biassed, but in my head I'm saying Bailey should definitely be in, Hilfy ahead of Siddle without question and Brett Geeves should have been playing ahead of Clint McKay :D

Klinger?! George Bailey anyone? If Ponting's out then it has to be Phil Hughes in, but it poses a problem as to how to jig the batting line-up. I'd be reluctant to mess with the opening partnership as Katich and Watson are starting to get runs on the board now, but Hughes is clearly the next best batsman in the country. A dilemma.

Wow, at that height, screw playing him in the ruck. Just have him stand in the defensive goal square, and when he stops every single goal from going through, just have him do a somersault the length of the ground with the ball and kick us a goal. But seriously yes, at 207 he is a serious man mountain. It's an interesting contrast with Fitzpatrick who appears to be an 'athletic' type. If both of them turn out to be good players they should make for a fairly tough to beat ruck combo. Unusual and interesting that we took two ruckmen in the national draft.

I read this thread and wished I could find something profound to say in response to such a touching article, but I've got nothing. All I can say is that I sincerely wish you all the best and hope that your obvious bravery holds you in good stead for your fight. I also have to add that I find it a terrifying reality check that this is happening to someone very close to me in age and circumstances.

I really hope Hilfy gets a look in. He was very disappointing last season when there were spots ripe for the taking. He's now in very good form, bowling with monotonous economy and taking wickets.

BBP have you read any articles by the coodabeens? Your writing style sounds exactly like one of their writers. Great work! I had always thought Moorcroft was a handy player who was unlucky to lose his spot at Essendon. I only needed to watch him play once or twice to realise how wrong I was.

Jeff Hilton anyone? Carter was one of the 8 Fitzroy players to go to Brisbane. Didn't last long there. And yes he plays for Bendigo now, I have a feeling he was the captain there at one point.

Beams is the captain of the Devils in the VFL now. Very exciting player at that level, is probably amongst the best VFL listed players in the competition. Couldn't quite cut it at the top, seemed to make too many mistakes. Definitely playing at the right level now.