Ok, from the fair dinkum dept:
The Kiwis pace quartet has the tools to take wickets when there's a bit of swing. Not so convinced they'd pose that many questions under bright blue skies on a dusty pitch. Could be an offer to the Bellerive groundsman from Cricket NZ on it's way.
Pattinson is a great find. Can swing it when it's available, but has pace and bounce to pose questions on harder decks. Starc is three years away from test quality at least, and Siddle again shows what he can do if he bowls full. Not having Johnson in the side helps his cause. Hoping Dougeh or Hazelwood comes in for Starc in Melbourne.
I've been Hughes' biggest defender, but he's failed - back to NSW.
Watson comes back into the side, but the idea of him opening still doesn't fill me with confidence. I doubt he would have gone any better than Hughes in these swinging conditions. He'd be knicking off just as often. His bowling though in these conditions probably would have won us the game. Whereas the kiwis had four bowlers pitching up and letting the ball swing meaning we never had easy runs on offer, Starc was consistently too short and Siddle and Pattinson had spells that were too short also. Watson would have bowled beautifully here and the slips would have been right in the game. I still think 4 is a better spot for him.
Like Watson I don't think you can assume Marsh would have gone any good in this series either. I also don't rate him because of his constant injuries. A summer without a Shaun Marsh injury would be like a summer without Santa. That said he'll probably get a go against the Indians, but I'm not thinking he's our solution to No.3 yet.
Khawaja is a tease at this stage. Looks so solid, but then gets out. Marsh will probably take his spot which is a shame, but he'll remain next in line unlike Hughes who will drop off the pace for some time.
I've said that if Ed Cowan ever plays test cricket, we're in big trouble. Well, we're in big trouble. To Ed's credit he has lifted his average quite a lot and it's just on the cusp of breaking 40 which I reckon is about the bottom limit of genuine test contenders. He has that other great quality for a guy you're looking to give a debut to - he's in career best form. If he makes a score in the two day game (assuming he plays) then I'd have no problem giving him a shot against India.
On Warner, well I'm glad at least one guy I had high hopes for has delivered. Today was what he's been delivering for NSW since he got his chance to open. He's not a basher or a slogger (but he can be when required), he's a batsman with a well constructed technique, the ability to score around the ground, the ability to turn over the strike and the ability to survive when conditions are favouring the bowlers. He'll have a lean patch some time, and probably get dropped like every other batsman, but Warner is going to score a big pile of Test runs at a high average and great s/r. Super fielder too. Another piece of the puzzle falling into place.
I said Ponting should have gone in SA, but the injuries justified his retention. If the injuries are over then the excuse is gone. He should (but won't) be dropped. He's going no better than Hughes and at 37 his glory days are a long way in the past. It's not enough to say 'who would you replace him with?'. The answer is you can't know if a guy is good enough until he gets a go. Even last week plenty of (admittedly not very good) judges were questioning Warner in the side. You've got to give guys a go and see who succeeds. By chucking them in we've recently uncovered Lyon, Cummins, Pattinson, Marsh and Warner who have put real test quality performances on the board. Cutting Ponting gives you the spot to move Watson down the order and give Cowan a go, or give Uzi a few more games. Whatever the result we need to move on from Ponting and we can't do that whilst we're still saying 'but he's working so hard in the nets'. Hussey needs runs against India or he falls into the same boat.
Lastly Lyon. I still think O'Keefe should have got a go first, and believe he would have given as much, but you can't fault the guy. Lovely shape and constantly improving as a cricketer. Showing enough courage with the bat to think he might work his way up to 9 eventually, or at least a solid 10. Quietly confident he can do a job for us even against the Indians.
