5th Test: Austalia vs England at SCG Jan 3-7 2011

[Twizzle]

personally, I'd put a line through all these bowlers and start again, none of them will win us a series so may as well play a group of 4 or 5 young blokes who may also lose but at least be better for the experience, and rotate them

Smith is a batting all rounder, for those calling for him to be drop because he cant bowl is akin to asking North to be dropped because he cant get a wicket

I would rotate the likes of Copeland, Starc, Hazlewood, Pattinson and even George, they are the future and so is SOK.

Beer is Hauri MKII, he can tie them down but he's not a penetrating bowler like SOK.

In anycase, we've got 7 months to think about our next test selections, but I'd ditch this lot, they are as good as they are ever going to get and they lost us the last few series.

 

[Twizzle]

personally, I'd put a line through all these bowlers and start again, none of them will win us a series so may as well play a group of 4 or 5 young blokes who may also lose but at least be better for the experience, and rotate them

Smith is a batting all rounder, for those calling for him to be drop because he cant bowl is akin to asking North to be dropped because he cant get a wicket

I would rotate the likes of Copeland, Starc, Hazlewood, Pattinson and even George, they are the future and so is SOK.

Beer is Hauri MKII, he can tie them down but he's not a penetrating bowler like SOK.

In anycase, we've got 7 months to think about our next test selections, but I'd ditch this lot, they are as good as they are ever going to get and they lost us the last few series.

 

[Twizzle]

wtf

 

[Twizzle]

wtf

 

[Hallatia]

Do Australia even know what they have Smith in the team for? He really does not appear to be adding any value to the team, and Australia could really use a batsman or bowler, either would help, Smith does not appear to add anything

 

[HevyDevy]

Actually Johnson can be there if he isn't surrounded by muppets.

For all his crap days, when he gets it right he is unplayable. Nobody else in Australia can claim that to be the case.

But Hilfy and Siddle should not be there. And obviously Beer. And Smith.

 

[fish eel]

personally, I'd put a line through all these bowlers and start again, none of them will win us a series so may as well play a group of 4 or 5 young blokes who may also lose but at least be better for the experience, and rotate them

Smith is a batting all rounder, for those calling for him to be drop because he cant bowl is akin to asking North to be dropped because he cant get a wicket

I would rotate the likes of Copeland, Starc, Hazlewood, Pattinson and even George, they are the future and so is SOK.

Beer is Hauri MKII, he can tie them down but he's not a penetrating bowler like SOK.

In anycase, we've got 7 months to think about our next test selections, but I'd ditch this lot, they are as good as they are ever going to get and they lost us the last few series.

If he is going to bat at 7, then he needs to bowl more.

Haddin is not a test number 6. His game is suited to batting at 7 where he can come in either on the back of a good start and play shots or come in and counter attack. The fact they've felt the need to move Haddin up to 6 to protect Smith and drop him down to 7, suggests, rightly, that at this stage of his career he isnt good enough to play as a batsman. So, if he isnt going to bowl, whats the point? If the point is to have a batsman who can bowl an over or two of legspin, then pick Cameron White who is a better batsman than Steve Smith.

Or, we could just play a specialist batsman which would make more sense.

Back to first class cricket for Steve Smith IMO to tighten his game so he can hold down a top 6 spot and also keep working on his leggies.

 

[Twizzle]

Do Australia even know what they have Smith in the team for? He really does not appear to be adding any value to the team, and Australia could really use a batsman or bowler, either would help, Smith does not appear to add anything

he is there to be Marcus North

 

[fish eel]

he is there to be Marcus North

to do nothing? cool, glad we got that clarified ;-)

As I said, Cameron White could do that better, but I'd pick a specialist batsman (which what may end up happening for the next tour anyway, Punter in Smith out?)

 

[Twizzle]

he's been tried, I cant see them going back to him, it would be like bringing North back in

White's FC record is no where near as good as Smiths which is why Smith is in there

I think he's a good ODI player but he failed as a test player

 

[yappy]

he is there to be Marcus North

I'm a Smith fan, but even I have to admit he's doing a very good impression of Marcus North.

 

[Twizzle]

If he is going to bat at 7, then he needs to bowl more.

Haddin is not a test number 6. His game is suited to batting at 7 where he can come in either on the back of a good start and play shots or come in and counter attack. The fact they've felt the need to move Haddin up to 6 to protect Smith and drop him down to 7, suggests, rightly, that at this stage of his career he isnt good enough to play as a batsman. So, if he isnt going to bowl, whats the point? If the point is to have a batsman who can bowl an over or two of legspin, then pick Cameron White who is a better batsman than Steve Smith.

Or, we could just play a specialist batsman which would make more sense.

Back to first class cricket for Steve Smith IMO to tighten his game so he can hold down a top 6 spot and also keep working on his leggies.

yeh I agree, moving Haddin to 6 didn't work and Smith has a good FC record but doesn't appear to be ready for test cricket yet, but who else is there ?

 

[Twizzle]

I'm a Smith fan, but even I have to admit he's doing a very good impression of Marcus North.

so am I, he bats at 4 for NSW,

I wouldn't be too hard on him, he isn't the only one who has failed

 

[andrew057]

yeh I agree, moving Haddin to 6 didn't work and Smith has a good FC record but doesn't appear to be ready for test cricket yet, but who else is there ?

OKeefe?

 

[Twizzle]

OKeefe?

at 8, but not at 6

he doesn't even bat that high for NSW

he'd replace Beer but I dont see him batting at 6 for Australia

 

[yappy]

Not as a top 6 bat. Definitely a potentially great No.8.

 

[Collingwood Storm]

he's been tried, I cant see them going back to him, it would be like bringing North back in

White's FC record is no where near as good as Smiths which is why Smith is in there

I think he's a good ODI player but he failed as a test player

White has played FC cricket for 10 seasons and in his first 2-3 seasons he was selected as a bowler and batted between 7 and 9. That's without mentioning he was only selected in his first stint of test cricket as a frontline spinner who batted at 8 and averaged 30 in 4 tests.

How good would it be if some of our top 6 could average 30 this series.

He averages 42 in FC cricket with 16 tons and 32 half-tons.

 

[beads6]

There must be a reason why O'Keefe hasn't got a game ahead of DOherty and Beer. Surely there has to be something that we don't know. Personally I think O'Keefe has a good record but is jizzed over like the second coming of Warne on these boards....

 

[beads6]

I'd be more than happy to see White at 6 if it means we don't have Punter back in the side. We need to get youngers players in the side. For mine Katich and Punter are finished....

 

[Twizzle]

White has played FC cricket for 10 seasons and in his first 2-3 seasons he was selected as a bowler and batted between 7 and 9. That's without mentioning he was only selected in his first stint of test cricket as a frontline spinner who batted at 8 and averaged 30 in 4 tests.

How good would it be if some of our top 6 could average 30 this series.

He averages 42 in FC cricket with 16 tons and 32 half-tons.

I just dont see our selectors picking him again especially with an average of 30