Hobbits's

I expect that we will win between 8 to 12 wins, the reason we traded our first round pick next year to use it this year is to fast track the team, so when goodwill takes over the team will hit the ground running.

Love it!

We've had enough of badwill. It's been holding us back.

For me, what stood out in his highlight package was the absence of defensive work. He looks like Jordie's Bizzarro World counterpart.

You clicked on the wrong link.

I think Essendon will get great value from their two first picks and they're both pretty safe selections. We've been a tad more speculative

I think everyone will get value with their picks. Had we gone Parish with first pick the consensus may have been accusing Dees of playing at safe.

At the end of the day the Dees went best available in their mind, so did Dons. The safe and speculative innuendo is just that.

nothing like applying the blowtorch and being frank in assessment. out with the cotton wool and pampering; in with the harder edge.

PS That is not say that we shouldn't consider him

nice backtrack.

I watched the last few overs. Wow. Maxwell hit the fastest 50 for domestic cricket. (I think that is what I heard M.Waugh say). 50 off the last 5 overs was needed. Suspense the last over...6 off 5; 4 off 4; 3 off 3; 2 off 2; 1 off 1...and run out chance last ball !

Thanks for that. Feel for him after a fantastic summer and run feast.

all with just one wicket in hand.

I can't figure out why Smith is in the squad. Surely he's not good enough to play as our #1 spinner. If he's not then who is he covering for, given Usman just got called up for Clarke?

marcus north ?

Pakistan's effort yesterday against South Africa...Kind of sums it all up for international cricket really doesn't it.

"Let's not go for the runs in case we get Bowled out & then everybody will think we were on the take-Lets just walk off with 13 overs to go & take the draw"

Not worth playing the game with that attitude me thinks.... B)

not a good start for austraila in hobart against pommies !

hughes - 2 causght

khawaja - 13 caught behind

ferguson - 8 caught behind

watson out for 6 against tassie in sydney/

ranked 5th the aussies. time for a change or two.

IN: Smith

OUT: NORTH

top order should remain the same for ashes - katich,watson,ponting, clarke & Mr.cricket. then this can be looked at afterwards. smith should be given a go for north who bats well once a series when the pressure is off. aussies could go in with two spinners depending on the wicket, but gives chance for smith to come in as a bat that can bowl a bit too. would make more runs in one innings than north in three.

Your right about S. Smith he's a very good prospect but I probably haven't seen enough of him myself to judge exactly what sort of player he is. Is he a genuine all rounder or is he a bowler who bats very well ala Danile Vettori?

as t_u said he is a pretty good bat and a pretty handy no.6 imo. I would rate s.smith's bowling ahead of c.white -easy. S.Smith for me even if he is from nsw.

Heard that Arsenal was no longer interested in Mark Schwarzer.

in the press lately, it has been reported Arsene wenger may double the offer to Fulham for Schwarzer. Seven million ?

one of the commentators said in the fifth set something along the lines of..."his last break point was two and a half hours ago..."

truly amazing.

edit: fixed

Lookalikes

you reckon that is a lookalike wj?

Selectors would have had the blinkers off during the clarke-bingle drama. white may have been in the back of their minds for the Test team if things continued on their course off-field. Clarke's personal decision may have now put the selectors minds to rest re: captaincy.

White might well have to take a back seat regarding future test selection.

As for the Shield, we just need someone in the top 6 to stand up and make a big score for us to be safe. With a top 6 of Rogers, Jewell, Finch, Hussey, White and McDonald, we should be able to make enough runs to at least hold out for a draw. Queensland's strength is undoubtedly their bowling, but away from the Gabba where the pitch does half the work we should be OK.

Finch is a gun for the vics, Rogers needs to pull his finger out, he hasn't scored many runs of late. there is also Wade who can score abit. McDonald is the X factor who the vics rely on for key wickets, mcGain needs to bowl some tidy spells. QLD will be no pushover by any stretch. should go the distance and be very close.

m.clarke quitting the NZ tour. it is hard to forsee with regards to the captaincy post-Ponting. If anything, it will be even harder if this Bingle-Fev-Markson-Clarke fiasco continues for sometime. Of course assuming this is the reason, pup left his teammates on the eve of a match- in the middle of a series levelled at 1-1 in a best of 5.

It's fair enough to ask the question, but I wouldn't drop him for the last match of this series.

no, I wouldn't either. But he has to come under some consideration soon. Comparing him to Bollinger & Johnson....those two have taken far more wickets. Hilfenhaus was in terrific form pre-injury and can swing it, Siddle appears more "straight up & down" and at times I feel bowls too short.

what about P.Siddle ?

he has not taken many wickets this summer. close enough is not good enough. the question remains though, is there anyone knocking to replace him ?

Compared to Man U & those Gutter Crawlers Chelsea, yes we are.

We're not gutter crawlers at Chelsea. We have the best footballers in the land.