2nd Test: Australia v South Africa at Adelaide 22-26 Nov

[madunit]

If we're dropping a pace bowler, it has to be Siddle not Hilfenhaus.

Hilfy is slower, but he is a lot tighter. Saffas are less aggressive batsmen and are very easy to bog down and frustrate with tight bowling. Hilfy provides that much more than Siddle.

Match Figures:
Hilfenhaus - 47.4 - 12 - 99 - 2
Siddle - 51 - 10 - 147 - 3

Avg for the test
Hilfenhaus - 49.50
Siddle - 49.00

Runs per Over
Hilfenhaus - 2.07
Siddle - 2.88

Given Saffas were batting very defensively in the second innings, the first inns Runs per over stats would be more accurate

First Inns
Hilfenhaus - 2.23
Siddle - 3.08

Siddle is erratic, only took one wicket more than Hilfenhaus and is more often than not inclined to relieve pressure on the batsmen because he bowls too wide and too short of off stump far too often.

A slower Hilfenhaus is better for the team. He struck up a good combination with Pattinson.

 

[madunit]

I'd consider for Adelaide

1 - Cowan
2 - Ponting
3 - Khwaja
4 - Clarke
5 - Hussey
6 - Warner
7 - Wade
8 - Pattinson
9 - Starc
10 - Hilfenhaus
11 - Lyon or Siddle

Move Warner to the middle order and tell him he has to work his way back to the top. Tell him he has to score 100 runs in a test to move up a spot. if he scores 200 in a test he can move up 2 spots etc.

I reckon he's the sort of player that would rise to such a challenge. He tends to have less focus when he doesn't much pressure.

As a Test opener, if he gets out Cheaply, there's still 9 more blokes to come in after him. At 6 though, he only has 4 poor batsmen behind him, will force him to value his wicket more.

Ponting needs a new challenge. Stick him at opener, if he gets a steady 50 odd every time, then he'll have done a good job, may as well put our longer term future 3 and 4 batsmen in their right spots now.

By the time Warner has learnt the difference between tests and 20 twenty bullshit, will be time for Ponting to retire, which should be at the worst, the end of the Aussie summer.

 

[jargan83]

No point tiring our bowlers out for the Sri Lankan series

Might as well rest our Pace attack until the Ashes

Lyon, Doherty and Beer to be the bowlers until then

 

[Red Bear]

No need for changes really, Starc isnt showing much with the red ball at present. I think the performance of our bowlers was put in some context by Clarke Cowan and Hussey - beyond the new ball there wasnt much at all in that pitch, batting was pretty comfortable.

 

[Twizzle]

I like Starc's form in the limited over games.

He's not a limited overs bowler that just ties a batsman down with 4 or 5 different slow balls an over. He bowls with pace and he penetrates, he gets batsmen out bowled and caught at the wicket, that is what you want from a test bowler.

He's been a better bowler since he spent time with Wasim Akram and he will only get better at his age.

 

[madunit]

No need for changes really, Starc isnt showing much with the red ball at present. I think the performance of our bowlers was put in some context by Clarke Cowan and Hussey - beyond the new ball there wasnt much at all in that pitch, batting was pretty comfortable.

I disagree, a good bowler can always put pressure on a batsmen regardless of the pitch.

Tight consistent bowling, bowling to a tight, attacking set field, will pressure a batsmen on any wicket.

McGrath and Pollock are two classic examples of this.

The dumbest thing you can do on a flat deck is try and bowl faster, just makes the ball sit up higher and requires less effort from the batsmen.

 

[madunit]

I like Starc's form in the limited over games.

He's not a limited overs bowler that just ties a batsman down with 4 or 5 different slow balls an over. He bowls with pace and he penetrates, he gets batsmen out bowled and caught at the wicket, that is what you want from a test bowler.

He's been a better bowler since he spent time with Wasim Akram and he will only get better at his age.

I agree completely. Even now, Starc is a better bowler than Siddle. He can bowl tight while also bowling at pace and he is more than capable at picking up wickets.

 

[IanG]

Plus being a left armer adds variety to our attack

 

[Wato]

Starc got 4-72 from 22.3 overs today, so that should have him in the frame for Adelaide considering the amount of time he has spent away from shield and test cricket.

 

[Meth]

If Watson is fit, but can only bat, I just don't understand why you wouldn't have him over Quiney. Quiney looked great in the field and is a handy spare bowler, but I don't get it...

Cowan
Warner
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey

What a fantastic top 6.

Put Quiney in there for Watson and you're likely to be 2/3 down for not many, and relying on Clarke and/or Hussey to fire again (a relatively safe bet)

 

[Hallatia]

Watson named, pending fitness
Daniel Brettig
November 16, 2012

Shane Watson will travel to Adelaide as part of Australia's squad for the second Test against South Africa but will need to prove his fitness ahead of the match.

Australia Test squad
Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Ed Cowan, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Rob Quiney, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner
"Shane Watson is making steady progress from his calf injury, but it is too early to determine if he will be fit to come under consideration for selection; the game beginning next Thursday," Inverarity said. "The NSP was very pleased with the strong showing by Michael Clarke's team after an indifferent opening day of the first Test in Brisbane.

"They were put under pressure early, but showed great composure to not only regroup but then put considerable pressure on South Africa."

Watson's inclusion swelled the squad to 13, with Rob Quiney to make way should the vice-captain recover from a calf problem in time. The 12th man in Brisbane, Mitchell Starc, is likely to duel with Ben Hilfenhaus for the third pace bowling spot behind James Pattinson and Peter Siddle.

More to come...

Sauce

 

[unbreaK]

i think our team is SO much stronger with Watson / Starc for Quiney / Hilf, even if Watto can't bowl.

 

[Twizzle]

he's been told if he cant bowl he wont play, seems we dont rate him highly enough as a batsman alone which is a bit odd for mine

you dont just dump an all rounder with an average of 31 or so in at 3 because the position is vacant, he should be at 5 or 6

he also has to be put in mothballs at the end of our bowling innings as he has to bat soon if he is at 1 or 3 and thats just not cricket

 

[Hallatia]

that's not the reason it's odd, the real reason it is odd is because when he's gone they replace him with a batsman who is not even a part time bowler.

 

[Twizzle]

he's sort of a part timer but that's all, much like Hussy

he bowled 4 overs in the first test against the saffas

 

[Wato]

They said earlier in the week that with the depth of the SA batting order it is critical that they can call on a couple of the batsmen(Hussey,Clarke,Warner,Watson/Quiney) to bowl a few overs. Its not that they don't rate his batting its that they are concerned with over burdening there fast bowlers, personally I would rather Watson at three although he needs to perform there soon but I can understand the reasons behind leaving him out.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

I'd keep hilfy, his economy rate is crucial to others like Patton and siddle picking up wickets at the other end. He is admittedly under done though

 

[Storm 2012]

Starc and Watson should be picked instead of hilfenhaus and quiney. Quiney looks more like a one day or t20 player than a test player

 

[Gidley Up]

Starc and Watson should be picked instead of hilfenhaus and quiney. Quiney looks more like a one day or t20 player than a test player

As opposed to Warner?

 

[hineyrulz]

As opposed to Warner?

Warner is younger and has a far better first class record than Quiney. And he has actually showed us something in test cricket. Quiney is another Wayne Phillips or Ken Eastwood. Victorian's who should have never been picked for test cricket.