2nd Test: Australia v Pakistan at Abu Dhabi Oct 30-Nov 3, 2014

[TheParraboy]

Starts on Thursday

Im not sure what changes if any will be made. Will they bring in HAH or Hilfy?

 

[Bazal]

No changes, except maybe to the order. SOK outbowled Lyon so surely they can't drop him. Marsh did as well as anyone else. Doolan would be the most likely, but at the end of the day the next option is Hughes, and he is abjectly awful against spin.

I'd play Clarke at 3, Smith at 4, Doolan to 5, Haddin to 6, Marsh to 7. Also Siddle to 11

 

[TheParraboy]

If the deck is the same then our only chance is we bat first and hopefully (prey) we get a 450 plus total

 

[Bazal]

Hughes is as big or maybe even a bigger liability in these conditions than Marsh and Doolan, and he isn't as good as Rogers. Rogers has scored something like 1800 first class runs this year in all competitions and was our third highest scorer for the match (our first Test in a while, too). He's not going anywhere yet.

 

[Mr Spock!]

Is Faulkner there?

 

[El Diablo]

Phail will never play another test

mark my words

 

[lockyno1]

Honestly:

Out: Doolan, Lyon, Siddle
In: Maxwell, Hilfenhaus, Starc.

1. Rogers
2. Warner
3. Smith
4. Clarke (if fit)
5. Maxwell
6. Marsh
7. Haddin
8. Johnson
9. Starc
10. O'Keefe
11. Hilfenhaus
12th Faulkner

 

[TheFrog]

After beating Pakistan for 13 tests in a row they have now beaten us twice in a row. Who is the last non England team to beat us 3 times in a row.

India.

The story of this Test is that both Australia and Pakistan have one world class champion batsman each. Younis got a century in each innings. Clarke got 2 and 3. That amounts to the difference in this match. Australia will fight back as they did in the Veldt.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Unless Fruity Phil gets picked can we ban the brainless merkin who mentions his name every second post.

I'd say Doolan might get the chop and Big Show moved into the lineup. Smith might get a promotion to 3, Mash 5, Show 6. It doesn't strengthen the line up but Doolan looks mentally frozen against the spinners and it may do his long term future harm by picking him.

For mine it's pointless bringing in Hilfhorse for Veggieman. It was pointless bringing Hilfhorse on tour, the conditions don't suit him and the domestic one day tournament has shown there are at least 5 better options than this old has been.

In all it was a poorly picked squad and our loss and lack of suitable replacements for out if firm players shows that.

 

[JJ]

Yeah lose because your bats cannot play spin, and consider playing Hughes.... that makes sense

 

[Twizzle]

You can bet they will go all out to have an identical pitch because we really are shit against spin

 

[TheParraboy]

Is Faulkner there?

Yeah he is. If he doesn't get picked for the 2nd test, he will fly home and be part of the 3 t20i vs South Africa



Id go with the same side (unless there are injuries or someone isn't 100%). I don't think we will be as bad, provided we go to the video ref when we edge one into the pads and get given out (Im looking at you Clarke) and no friggin run outs (im looking at you Doolan).

Having said that, and as sad as it sounds, our only chance is to win the toss and bat first

 

[TheParraboy]

Game day folks, be there or be square

Am expecting a big improvement from the Australians.

I wonder which Pakistan will turn up ?

 

[lockyno1]

Okeefe and Doolan OUT (confirmed)

Maxwell and Starc IN (confirmed)

 

[AlwaysGreen]

It's a great day to be called Mitchell with 3 in the side.

Big Show being selected reduces us to 5 batsmen, one of whom is playing his 2nd test.

 

[BunniesMan]

Marsh has a batting average of 28. He is one of our 5 batsmen.

So really we have 4.

4 quicks in a UAE test. We have as many quicks as batsmen.

This is the most unbalanced test XI we've ever picked.

 

[lockyno1]

It's a great day to be called Mitchell with 3 in the side.

Big Show being selected reduces us to 5 batsmen, one of whom is playing his 2nd test.

It could be worse HAH could be playing lol

 

[Rabbits20]

So Pakistan are batting. Pitch has cracks and will spin very sharply, but that's what was expected.

I cant understand why we are batting Maxwell at 3. Doesn't seem to be the solution to me. I would have thought Smith 3 and Maxwell 5.

I think we need to take at least 7 wickets today or bowl them out. Don't want Pakistan making too much more than 300.

 

[lockyno1]

I' take them making 350 on this! It is a stupid road!

 

[Timbo]

4 specialist batsmen? Wow.

We've lost already.