Ashes squad

[Adsy]

I cant believe that they rested Siddle, why put this sook in cotton wool ?

Almost makes you think he is a lock in for the first test

Hilfy got rested as well didn't he? Wonder if it that means they have both been pencilled in.

 

[Matt23]

Almost makes you think he is a lock in for the first test

If that myth (sh*ttle) is a lock, that almost makes me hope England do thrash us in Brisbane

 

[Adsy]

if it was at the SCG maybe but not at the Gabba, dont need 2 spinners

The team I picked about a week ago had Harris in that spot instead of O'Keefe. Harris goes down with injury and I refuse to put Siddle in there. Thought about putting George in there but I guess I just liked the cut of O'Keefe's jib today.

 

[Bazal]

In a test match I'd have Voges over Ferguson anyday. Really cannot see Ferguson as a test match player.

Paine as a bat? Can the kid field at all? Voges also offers a spin option if we are scrapping the barrel searching for wickets during a match.

Khawaja - yes he's a better bat then Voges but he still seems just off being ready for a big test series.

Fergo has really come on in the past couple of seasons...Ussy may not be ready IMO, but he can't do worse than what's there. Paine used to play as a batsman for Tassie with Clingeleffer keeping. He's actually quite a good fielder

If you want a bit more experience there, perhaps we'd be better off moving Watson to 5, and opening up with Hughes or Jaques. Voges just isn't very good, sadly. He promised so much

 

[Adsy]

Paine used to play as a batsman for Tassie with Clingeleffer keeping. He's actually quite a good fielder

If you want a bit more experience there, perhaps we'd be better off moving Watson to 5, and opening up with Hughes or Jaques. Voges just isn't very good, sadly. He promised so much

I did not know or had forgotten that fact about Paine so thanks for that reminder.

I'd be all over the Watson dropping down the order and Hughes to opener if Phil had just showed the slightest bit of form in his last few digs but he really hasn't.

 

[aussies1st]

Being rested usually is a good sign you are a lock. Cannot believe he has jumped past Bollinger.

 

[hineyrulz]

I cannot believe they are going into the first test thinking of leaving out Bollinger. He's been our most consistent bowler the last 12 months and he'll be kept out by two of the most inconsistent bowlers in the country. Throw in darts Hauritz and our attack is looking sh*thouse.

 

[jargan83]

Every newspaper article I read reckons Siddle is edging ahead of Bollinger for the 3rd pacemans spot... If this happens I will be losing my Fking mind.

x2

Bollinger picks up 3fer

Surely Siddle cannot be in front?

Of course he can, our selectors are f**ked in the head

 

[TheParraboy]

If the Gabba is gonna be a green top or there abouts, plus with its usual customary swing its no point picking a spinner. So they will go with 4 pacemen. Who realistically should do real well, especially if Notch can get some control.

Our main 3 weaknesses in recent times is lack of a quality spinner, not enough runs in the middle order, one or two bowlers leaking runs. We dont need a spinner for this game, so we have to control doing the other two issues better

 

[Red Bear]

3/25 off 11. Short spells though might be a small worry, but if he gets through this game he should play. Surely.

Seriously, there's a chance that the guy averaging 23 and having been our leading wicket take this year will be dropped whilst Johnson, whose averaging over 30 this year, and Siddle, who averages 31.5 this year, and is mediocre, could play. They might be keeping Hussey, off an average of less than 35 over 34 tests, he'd be dropped from NZ for gods sake.

 

[Twizzle]

If the Gabba is gonna be a green top or there abouts, plus with its usual customary swing its no point picking a spinner. So they will go with 4 pacemen. Who realistically should do real well, especially if Notch can get some control.

Our main 3 weaknesses in recent times is lack of a quality spinner, not enough runs in the middle order, one or two bowlers leaking runs. We dont need a spinner for this game, so we have to control doing the other two issues better

Chappell's comments worry me a bit, "we need balance so we need a spinner at the Gabba."

That's the sort of cap I expect from Hidlitch, not Chappell.

Adding balance and a spinner just for the sake if it and not going with our 4 best wicket takers is weakening the team. They aslo talk about needing a spinner for day 5 when most of the Gabba test matches are over in 4 days.

 

[yappy]

my team for the Ashes

Katich
Hughes
Khawaja
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Smith
O'Keefe
Clark
Copeland
Bollinger

now stop jizzing

Cameron in for Clark, Henriques as 12th man, and maybe Jaques for Kat beads and it's perfect ;-)

Will have to think harder about a True Blue replacement for Watson though.

 

[yappy]

Chappell's comments worry me a bit, "we need balance so we need a spinner at the Gabba."

That's the sort of cap I expect from Hidlitch, not Chappell.

Adding balance and a spinner just for the sake if it and not going with our 4 best wicket takers is weakening the team. They aslo talk about needing a spinner for day 5 when most of the Gabba test matches are over in 4 days.

With Watson in the side we really shouldn't be taking more than 3 front line quicks. Ricky wouldn't use them effectively anyway. It gives the freedom to pick an extra batter who can bowl a bit like Smith. God knows with the way we're going at the moment lower order runs are going to vital for us. O'Keefe would also do a good job in that role.

 

[Twizzle]

I'd have Smith at 6 any day, on his batting alone.

If he gets a wickets its a bonus.

 

[yappy]

I'd have Smith at 6 any day, on his batting alone.

If he gets a wickets its a bonus.

I was thinking more as an 8 at least for the time being (or 7 if you move Haddin to 8). With Notch seemingly a lock batting at 9 we'd a least have some reason for confidence that we can make some competitive totals even if the top order fails. 3 quicks + Watson + a batting allrounder spinner (or two) would do the job for us.

Maybe drop North to 8? As Matthews said he can do basically the same job as Hauritz with the ball and his hit and miss approach to batting won't be so disastrous there.

 

[aussies1st]

Ideal attack for the 1st Test Bollinger, Hilfenhaus, Johnson, Harris. If Siddle is in there he better bowl with accuracy we don't need him leaking runs on what should be near a green top. Smith in over North or Hussey don't really mind who.

 

[JJ]

Throw in darts Hauritz and our attack is looking sh*thouse.

They're just thinking of balance... a nice symmetry to the team... as given Hussey and North the batting lookjs sh*thouse too

Pretty special, for several years now, Hussey has been doing an excellent impersonation of someone like Matthew Sinclair, actually worse... I didn't realise he'd been so bad for so long... yet he still gets picked... I know he's a decent bloke and all, but discard a dodgy century against the Pakis and it's abysmal

 

[Bazal]

Surely they can't drop Bollinger for Siddle? Bollinger is actually dangerous at test level, and consistent. Siddle wouldn't get a run over any one of NSW or QLDs quicks in the shield for f**ks sake!

 

[yappy]

Doherty has picked up Moises and Kat this morning so the plot is thickening.

 

[madunit]

Ideal attack for the 1st Test Bollinger, Hilfenhaus, Johnson, Harris. If Siddle is in there he better bowl with accuracy we don't need him leaking runs on what should be near a green top. Smith in over North or Hussey don't really mind who.

I reckon they'll dry that pitch out quite dramatically. I wouldn't expect the GABBA test pitch to have much green on it, and you can be sure there'll be not on it by days 3-5.

Win the toss and field for sure.