Australia v England - 4th Ashes Test

[Earl]

Starts tomorrow (thursday) night. Again I can't wait.

If they pick Michael Kasprowicz I'll be pissed. But news this morning they may have top pick both.

"Glenn McGrath has emerged as an injury doubt for the fourth Test at Trent Bridge, after experiencing pain in his right elbow. The problem arose during Australia's practice session on Tuesday, and he was sent for a scan.

Errol Alcott, the team physiotherapist, said that the situation would be monitored for the next 36 hours. "He will continue to be treated and assessed," said Alcott, "and a further update on his fitness will be provided in due course."

McGrath missed the second Test at Edgbaston with an ankle injury after treading on a stray cricket ball, and though he was passed fit ahead of the third match at Old Trafford, he was not at his incisive best.

With the series tied at one apiece, however, McGrath's absence would be a huge blow to Australia, who are already debating whether to play Michael Kasprowicz or Shaun Tait in place of the ineffectual Jason Gillespie. According to a radio station in Sydney, Tait is the likely replacement, but if McGrath's injury proves to be serious, then a new debate will arise.

Hopefully its nothing though.

The pitch is again however being doctored into a pacemans paradise according to the groundsmen. Which means any thoughts of playing MacGill are now gone.

 

[Earl]

Great news on Tait too;

A FEROCIOUS assualt on his Australia teammates has snared fast bowling tearaway Shaun Tait his heart's desire - a baggy green cap

Tait, 22, will make his Test debut in tomorrrow's fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge after a whirlwind performance in the nets in which he clashed verbally with Justin Langer after striking him several times on the body.

He will replace out of form seamer Jason Gillespie in one of the biggest and most exciting gambles Australia have taken in years.

Tait may have been behind Michael Kasprowicz before yesterday's net session but his form made him an irresistable choice when he rattled all batsmen he bowled to with exceptional pace.

Tait felled Langer with a full toss to the groin and his relentless assault prompted a tense exchange between the two.

Tait held his arms out and said "What? I was only trying to swing it," while a chastened Langer took block and, after several short, sharp words, beckoned Tait to "just bowl".

Langer, who had all but endorsed Kasprowicz for the role, diffused the tension after the session by approaching Tait with a smile and playfully putting his arm around him.

Tait picked the perfect moment to unleash such a withering burst - national selection chairman Trevor Hohns was standing 20 metres behind the bowler's arm.

Australia is hoping Tait's whippy action will be his key weapon against an England team who is yet to face him.

He is an unusual bowler who specialises in yorkers, bouncers and reverse swing.He deliberately spurns line and length bowling because "I like to entertain".

Tait has only played two games on tour but he has impressed everybody with his commitment and high workrate in the nets.

Former Test firebrand Jeff Thomson will be one of many observers who will applaud Tait's selection. Thomson recalls the black hole Australia stumbled into for three years when Dennis Lillee, Greg Chappell and Rod Marsh retired together 22 years ago and said to keep Tait waiting would have meant a similar fate.

"They said it would never happen again but it just might if you let everyone go at once," Thomson said of a team that has six players aged 33 or 34.

"The side needs new blood. They need a rocket. Not just the bowlers but the batsmen as well. For the first time in a long time they have had bowlers good enough to stick it up them and they don't like it.

"The bloke (Tait) took 65 wickets in Pura Cup cricket last year. He can obviously bowl and that's all that matters.

 

[Stuart]

Look forward to seeing Tiat at test level. It should be exciting!!!! Hopefully McGrath's elbow is nothing serious and he plays.

 

[IanG]

Nice to see too that fact that by picking Tait they're injecting a bit more youth into the team. If that's what he's been doing in the nets imagine what he'll do on the field

 

[Tommy Smith]

Nice to see too that fact that by picking Tait they're injecting a bit more youth into the team. If that's what he's been doing in the nets imagine what he'll do on the field

Good point.

If he's bowling full tosses at batsmens groins in the nets i would hate to think that he'll take the next step in the 4th test by bowling beamers at the batsmens heads.

There's alot of hype about Tait, but any substance? We'll see. He sure does spray them around abit with that suspect action.

 

[lolesi]

Im not a big fan of seeing stuff about verbals between players, sure it was in the nets and after they had a 'hug', but i could imagine Langer taking his pads off after a session, walking back to the dressing room and in his head giving Tait the biggest serve you could imagine as every limb stings!

 

[aussies1st]

That would suck if McGrath was out. Kaspa may have to open the bowling unless the take a huge gamble and go with Tait and Lee. Can't see Dizzy playing as if Tait is going for a few, then we have 2 going for a few. All the more reason to bring in Symonds to add another bowling option.

 

[Scott]

Will be interesting to see if Aust still have dramas against the swing. Nottingham is the best ground in England for swing bowling.

 

[aussies1st]

It wasn't really the swing. It was more the reverse which the ground is known for until tommorow where it is rough and will take not much spin. The left handers will have the most problems with the swing as it comes back into them.

 

[fish eel]

There's alot of hype about Tait, but any substance? We'll see. He sure does spray them around abit with that suspect action.

He has got the wickets on the board.

65 odd wickets in the pura cup, not much more he can do than that.

 

[mightybears]

Will be interesting to see if Aust still have dramas against the swing. Nottingham is the best ground in England for swing bowling.

the best qualified aussie is kasper, if glenn is ruled out they'll pick him anyway but if glen plays and tait beats kasper i fear a "Chris Matthews " situation

of course this sort of thing can come back and bite me, but tait is not ready and we do need to see a CD Matthews repeat

 

[mightybears]

He has got the wickets on the board.

65 odd wickets in the pura cup, not much more he can do than that.

chris matthews had 49 at 23.00 from 11 matches

 

[Scott]

I agree. I wouldn't have thought a massively crucial match in the closest Ashes series in 20 years was the time to blood a young tearaway....

Call me crazy but Kasper has the wickets under his belt over the last 24 months.

Either way, the Poms only really worriy about McGrath and Warne. The others don't worry them.

 

[aussies1st]

It is a big move but i'm all for it. If Tait comes off we are a shoe in to win the test match and the Ashes. If he doesn't worst case we go 2-1 down and we can bring Kaspa in. However if we go the other way and Kaspa has a shocker then it makes it very hard to use Tait effectively.

 

[fish eel]

chris matthews had 49 at 23.00 from 11 matches

Almost 20 wickets less than Tait.

The most impressive thing about Tait's season was the absence of really big match hauls.

Why's that impressive, because it means he was consistantly getting wickets, that his figures werent blown out by a couple of big hauls, ie like wayne holdsworth in 1997.

And if D K Lillee says Tait is ready, thats good enough for me.

 

[aussies1st]

Plum on. Tait doesn't just have a few big hauls they are all spread. He currently has in first class 11 4wicket hauls and 5 5wicket hauls if I remember correctly.

 

[Dakink]

I think now is the perfect time to bring on Tait. The English bats have shown both Dizzy and Kaaspa hold no real fear for them (either bodily or wickets). Time to bring on a little more raw aggression - especially if the pitch is going to be doctored to suit pace. Tait is also a good operator of reverse swing, smart choice I reckon.

 

[lockyno1]

That would suck if McGrath was out. Kaspa may have to open the bowling unless the take a huge gamble and go with Tait and Lee.

What about Stuart Clark? They brought him in for the last test!

 

[aussies1st]

I would mind seeing him. I have heard he is similar to McGrath. That'll do me. Wish we had brought Bracken over in maybe an expanded squad. Bracken, Lee, Tait what a combo.

 

[Twizzle]

What about Stuart Clark? They brought him in for the last test!

If we need him they'll prolly bring him min, but I'll bet anything that McGrath will play [-o<