1ST TEST: Australia v West Indies Brisbane Nov 26 - Nov 30 2009

[African Monkey]

struggling to get a game for NSW

I did see that he got 2-1 in the 2nd innings in NSWs last match. Surely Katich will give him more of a bowl in the next match.

 

[aussies1st]

WA were slogging it in the 2nd innings, the game had no meaning by that stage. Smith is clearly the number 1 spinner and Casson might even make way for Lee.

 

[African Monkey]

WA were slogging it in the 2nd innings, the game had no meaning by that stage. Smith is clearly the number 1 spinner and Casson might even make way for Lee.

Oh ok then.

 

[Twizzle]

Smith has a good action and good flight as well as a good wrongun.

He ticks a lot of the boxes but cannot get a spot in the NSW team permanently.

You have to consider that he is up against Casson and Hauritz in the 4 day games. He seems to be a permanent part of the Blues 20/20 team but thats mainly because of his batting.

When he first came onto the scene as an 18 year old his bowling figures were amazing. Then he went backwards for some reason.

 

[Twizzle]

Smith has a good action and good flight as well as a good wrongun.

He ticks a lot of the boxes but cannot get a spot in the NSW team permanently.

You have to consider that he is up against Casson and Hauritz in the 4 day games. He seems to be a permanent part of the Blues 20/20 team but thats mainly because of his batting.

When he first came onto the scene as an 18 year old his bowling figures were amazing. Then he went backwards for some reason.

 

[Bazal]

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Watson
Hussey (Clarke if fit)
North
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz/Lee (Hauritz, as much as he sucks, will be the spinner if we play one)
Hilfenhaus
Clark


Hussey in no way has the Test form under his belt IMO, and a rest and some games for WA to start the home season would be great for him I think. If Clarkey isn't fit though, he has to play. His ODI form has bee good though. Watson should be there, obviously ODI form isn't always a great indicator but he did well in his Ashes Tests and he's been outstanding in India. I wouldn't have dropped Hughes in the first place.

 

[8Ball]

I'd drop North before dropping Hussey tbh..

First test team for me:
Katich
Watson
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
North
Haddin
Johnson
Lee
Hauritz
Clark

 

[lockyno1]

Watson (will open, would rather him at 4 and Hussey dumped)
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
North
Paine (I want a keeper that can catch)
Johnson
Hauritz
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus

12th Siddle

2 swing bowlers, 1 seam bowler in Watson, and a spinner as well as part time spin from Marcus North.

 

[aussies1st]

Hussey is a lock in for the 1st Test. The only guy that could get dropped is North.

 

[TheParraboy]

http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvwi09/content/story/434176.html

The push of Brett Lee and Stuart Clark to regain their Test spots at the Gabba could be in vain after Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, indicated Australia's three younger bowlers would remain the panel's preferred option. Australia's decision makers are already looking ahead to next year's Ashes series and will use the Tests against West Indies and Pakistan to groom the side for the attempt at regaining the urn.

That means Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus will have the inside running, leaving Lee and Clark to hope for the next berth whenever the side goes with a four-man pace attack. There is always a chance of that formation being used at the Gabba, which hosts the first match against the West Indies from November 26, but Hilditch does not see any changes to the pecking order.

"It's going to take something pretty special for Brett Lee or Stuart Clark to force their way in for a variety of reasons," he told the Australian. "The situation has pretty much remained as is. Those three bowlers were the leading wicket-takers in the Ashes. One [Johnson] has just been named international cricketer of the year, Hilfenhaus was the bowler of the Ashes and Peter Siddle was the young cricketer of the year."

Despite their success they were unable to prevent Australia from losing the series and Johnson's performances in the two defeats at Lord's and The Oval were particularly costly. Hilditch said Lee and Clark remained "very good" bowlers".

"Brett has been one of our very best," he said. "It's up to him to get back to four-day cricket and demonstrate a case to get back in." Lee has suffered in 2009 with a recovery from ankle surgery, a side strain and now an elbow problem that means he must prove his fitness for New South Wales.

While the attack appears settled, with Siddle expected to start bowling next week after a minor side strain, the batting order is less predictable. There has been a big push for the opener Phillip Hughes to return to the team, but Michael Hussey's strong performances in India have almost certainly secured his spot at the Gabba.

Shane Watson replaced Hughes during the Ashes and has been told by Hilditch to remain flexible as the selectors try to find a way back in for the 20-year-old. ''As far as Phil Hughes is concerned, I've made it very clear that he is a long-term player," Hilditch told the Sydney Morning Herald. "He is certainly in the running, we've been watching how he's been going in the Sheffield Shield … He is going to be strongly considered for the first Test.''

Being the Gabba, the way I read the article on Watson and hughes is that I wouldnt be suprised if Watson is the 4th seamer in the lineup, with Hughes coming in to open. Use North/Katich for spin options if need be, though it looks like it may be a seamers deck throughout

 

[Twizzle]

Those three bowlers were the leading wicket-takers in the Ashes

of course they were, apart from Clark's one test they were the only 3 bowlers we used

I love how this f**kwit tries to justify his pathetic decisions

those three bowlers just lost us the ashes

the only test we won was the one where Stuart Clark played

Australia's decision makers are already looking ahead to next year's Ashes series

more pathetic justification, lets not try and win this upcoming series, just like we lost the ashes, lets look to the future

why not pick our strongest team to try and win the upcoming series

of course they will then justify their decision if we beat one of the worst test playing nations in the world

"Brett has been one of our very best," he said. "It's up to him to get back to four-day cricket and demonstrate a case to get back in."

of course, without statsguru you idiots could not pick a team

he's been by far our best bowler in the shorter version of the game but only Hussey can be judged on the shorter version of the game for some reason

worst selectors in the history of Australian cricket

 

[lockyno1]

Twiz, you do have to look forward. In the end not having an eye to the future partly cost us the Ashes. Hilfenhaus and co should ahve had more tests at the top level. You play guys on potential and they will eventually deliver. Same goes for our batting. For too long we have kept the older guys in. Reality is we could play a state side and still beat the Windies and Pakistan, but what good would it do playing lee and Clark if they won't be there in 2 years time! You play the best side that will be available in 2 years.

 

[Twizzle]

Twiz, you do have to look forward. In the end not having an eye to the future partly cost us the Ashes.

exactly, were you happy with that ?

Hilfenhous and co should have had more tests at the top level. You play guys on potential and they will eventually deliver.

bullsh*t, some are not good enough

how many more chances does Hauri need

what about Tait and Hodge, they got plenty of chances and they were not good enough

Same goes for our batting.

no it doesn't

Hussey can have as many chances as he wants

For too long we have kept the older guys in. Reality is we could play a state side and still beat the Windies and Pakistan, but what good would it do playing lee and Clark if they won't be there in 2 years time!

you dont know that

how old was Pidge when he stopped playing, 36 ?

play the best side that will be available in 2 years.

you sound like Hilditch, thats why we lost the ashes

We are now ranked no 4 in the world, yet if we played our strongest team I believe we could have retained the ashes, we had the players to do it imo

 

[lockyno1]

Hardly, I don't see what changes we could really have done to improve the Ashes. Possibly Bollinger touring might have been a bit smarter, but from the people picked we picked the best side available. However Hussey should have been dropped for Watson not Hughes. Not picking Hauritz in the 5th test cost us the Ashes..but our batting was responsible for our two losses not our bowling. Just becuase Pige played till he was 36 does not mean Clark and Lee can, and both are on the decline anyway- Clark has lost a yard of pace and save for one great spell, he was awful in the 5th test and Lee has lost pace- his only asset.

 

[hineyrulz]

Lol @ Hilditch, the guy is a total fraud. How the selectors kept their Jobs after Ashes debacle is beyond me.

 

[Twizzle]

Lee hasn't lost his pace and its not his only asset, he swings the ball and bowls good reverse swing

when he played in the warm up games and the FC games during the ashes he bowled in tandem with the other 3 and his figures sh*t on them every time

we could have made plenty of changes

based on his lead up form I would have picked Lee and left Siddle out, probably would have dropped Notch after the first 2 tests as he cost us hundreds of runs

Siddle cant bowl for 2 says in a row and he knocks up too easy, he came home from India because he couldn't even handle one day in a row ffs

I would have left Hauri at home as I already stated.

I wouldn't have dropped Hughes based on his form against Harmi, he never played a test match ffs. The Freddy broke down so Hughes would have been fine imo.

I would have dropped Hussey at about game 3 and brought in Sunshine.

As soon as dropped Hauri (4th test), we wont a test match. And dont give me the horses for courses argument because Cardiff was custom made for Hauri and he failed miserably.

We could have made plenty of changes and been more reactive than we were, rather than just keep picking the same duds and hoping they come good and the ashes should still be in Australia.

 

[Hallatia]

Hussey is "almost certain"

Hussey almost certain of Test place
Cricinfo staff
November 13, 2009

Michael Hussey believes his improved results since the end of the Ashes series should gain him a start in the first Test of the Australian summer. With a big push for Phillip Hughes and uncertainty over Shane Watson's role as an opener, Hussey's place has been under heavy scrutiny for the opening game against West Indies from November 26.
However, Hussey's excellent one-day series in India, where he scored 313 runs at 104.33, has given him confidence and he is one of seven players who have been rested from next week's Sheffield Shield matches. The move indicates the selectors want Hussey and the rest of the group to have a break before the first Test. Ricky Ponting, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Shane Watson and Nathan Hauritz will not feature in the state games following the heavy schedule during their winter.
While the team was in India Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said deciding on Hussey's future would be one of the most difficult calls, but his stance has softened as the batsman's performances have improved. "I think scoring a hundred in my last Test [at The Oval] hopefully helps, and scoring runs on this tour hopefully really helps as well,'' Hussey told AAP. "But certainly my results haven't been as I would have liked in the last 12 months.
"There's always going to be speculation if you're not putting performances on the board. I feel like, in the last few months, I have been able to put performances on the board, so hopefully that stands up well for the selectors.''
Hussey expects his position to be analysed closely by Hilditch and his panel. "I just hope that they retain the faith in me," he said, "and I hope I can repay them if selected.''
Tom Moody, the Western Australia coach, was shocked by the decision to rest Hussey and Mitchell Johnson from their Sheffield Shield game against Victoria on Tuesday. "They haven't played a longer form of the game since the last Test match in England, so it's a significant difference in batting and bowling and standing in the field for potentially a day-and-a-half,'' Moody said. "You need that condition.

http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvwi09/content/current/story/434332.html

 

[aussies1st]

Lee, Hilfy, Siddle, Hauritz, Watson all told to rest which pretty much confirms their spots. And also a chance in tune with regards to picking a spinner.

"I think it's going to be extremely rare that we go into a Test without a spinner," Hilditch said, praising the improvement of Hauritz.
"As far as Nathan's concerned we've been really impressed with his progress.
"He's bowling a lot better now than even during the Ashes. It's been a pretty steep learning curve."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26342830-23212,00.html

 

[Mr Angry]

When do they name the team?

Don't want to buy tickets until I see it.

 

[Mr Angry]

Speaking of tickets

TICKETS for the 2010-11 Ashes series in Australia are on sale - but only in England.

Months before anyone in Australia can book seats, an estimated 100,000 tickets are being snapped up by the English. No fewer than 10 tour groups in England are offering deals for the next battle for the urn - and they're doing it with the official backing of Cricket Australia.

Asked why England fans had access to Ashes seats before Australians, Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young told the Herald: ''Travellers from overseas need time to get their arrangements in place.

''It's standard practice for major events. We're keen to encourage overseas fans, and the English seem to be the strongest travellers. There are a lot of pluses … the 2006-07 Ashes created $315 million of incremental economic activity for Australia. As far as the Australian economy goes, it's fabulous.

''A lot of money goes into Australian cricket because they buy tickets and they enjoy themselves while they're here and add a great deal to the economy.''

While England fans pounce, Australian tour groups must wait until March to offer deals for the series. The general public in Australia must bide their time even longer, until July, before trying their luck under the problematic Australian Cricket Family ticketing scheme.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/11/12/1257615126743.html

Which moron is in charge of this crap?