Australian third test side.

[Big_Bad_Shark_Fan]

Have a crack. Fill in the blanks.

1.
2. Watson
3. Ponting
4. Clarke
5. Hussey
6.
7. Haddin
8.
9. Harris (Given ponting said he was our best bowler)
10.
11.

How much shield cricket is on in the next week?

Opening spot. Hughes is playing for his spot. If he fails both digs I dont believe they will pick him to replace Katich. And if thats the case they may look at picking at Marsh if he gets in.

With the number 6 spot well uve got the option of retaining North, the highly overated Ferguson, Smith, Khawaja, White, McDonald (injured?), and thats probably it.

The spin option youve got Doherty to retain, Hauritz, Smith, O'Keefe (he is not even in teh shield side though), and then I dont know Krejza.

Quicks well the same usual faces. 3 spots between Harris, Bollinger, Johnson, Siddle, Hilfehnaus, Cameron, Copeland... lets face it none of them are going to scare England too much

 

[The Joker]

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Smith
Haddin
Harris
Hauritz - Would rather O'Keefe but won't happen
Copeland
Bollinger

 

[JJ]

North... he's a special

they'll bring back Johnson too

 

[jargan83]

Will the selectors pick Marsh as an opener given he has moved down to 4 for WA

 

[aussies1st]

Assuming you mean Hussey at 5.

Hughes
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Smith
Haddin
O'Keefe
Copeland
Harris
Bollinger

After seeing what Finn could do it's worth giving our own version a crack, some wickets against SA will really help that push. O'Keefe helps our tail and has the best record of the spinners.

 

[Timbo]

1-Watson
2-Hughes
3-Ponting
4-Clarke
5-Hussey
6-Khawaja
7-Haddin
8-Hauritz
9-Harris
10-Copeland
11-Bollinger

 

[The Joker]

This shield game between NSW and SA will be crucial to who is going to be picked for the next test

 

[Big_Bad_Shark_Fan]

Ponting just pretty much confirmed Ryan Harris will be one of our quicks

 

[JJ]

all fantasy...

it'll be something like

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North
Haddin
Johnson
Harris
Hauritz/Doherty
Siddle

 

[fish eel]

Forced change at the top of the order

Anyone in for North.

A new spinner and hilfenhaus for bollinger is what id do. I thought Doug was our wost bowler by far. Very pedestrian.

 

[Timbo]

If Doherty plays again it's the end of Australian cricket forever.

He's the worst test spinner we've ever picked. We'd be better off picking someone and having them throw the ball straight at the fence.

Johnson can't possibly come back. He's nowhere near his best he needs more time in FC cricket.

With Katich out I wouldn't mind seeing a veteran opener (Klinger or Rogers) come in to provide stability at the top.

 

[The Joker]

Rogers is injured

 

[Y2Eel]

If Doherty plays again it's the end of Australian cricket forever.

He's the worst test spinner we've ever picked. We'd be better off picking someone and having them throw the ball straight at the fence.

Johnson can't possibly come back. He's nowhere near his best he needs more time in FC cricket.

With Katich out I wouldn't mind seeing a veteran opener (Klinger or Rogers) come in to provide stability at the top.

I agree 100% but it should be Jaques...

 

[fish eel]

If Doherty plays again it's the end of Australian cricket forever.

He's the worst test spinner we've ever picked. We'd be better off picking someone and having them throw the ball straight at the fence.

Johnson can't possibly come back. He's nowhere near his best he needs more time in FC cricket.

With Katich out I wouldn't mind seeing a veteran opener (Klinger or Rogers) come in to provide stability at the top.

I wouldn't mind seeing either of those two guys open. No need to build for the future during an ashes series, that can come after

Also I should have added my reason for picking hilfy is because frankly, if he can't get wickets swinging it at Perth, he won't anywhere else

 

[ElectricEelMan]

The team selectors will pick with suggestions from Ponting and Nielsen:

1. Watson
2. North
3. Ponting
4. Clarke
5. Hussey
6. North's brother Peter
7. Haddin
8. Johnson
9. Hauritz
10. Siddle
11. Hilfenhaus

We lose another test by an Innings and all selectors commit harakiri

The team I would pick

1. Hughes
2. Watson
3. Khawaja
4. Clarke (c)
5. Hussey
6. S Smith
7. Haddin
8. O'Keefe
9. Harris
10. Copeland
11. Bollinger

I would be tempted to bring Cameron White into the side as captain. He would sh*t all over Ponting as captain

We need to build the side for the future starting NOW!

 

[butchmcdick]

Hughes
Watson
Usman
Clarke
Hussey
Ponting
Haddin (c)
Copeland
Macdonald
Harris
Hilfy/Siddle/

With our attack taking what 5/1020 or so it is clear we need some big changes to our bowlers. Copeland is ripping sh*t up at state level, Macdonald can bat as well as bowl, Harris did ok with the ball in Adelaide, Watson can bowl too and Siddle or Hilfy for a bit of experience.

Batting wise there needs to be a culling of the deadwood. Katich is out so that is a no brainer and North is playing like sh*t so off he goes. I thought dropping Ponting down the order a bit might help to shore up the tail. In comes Ferguson for north and Hughes for Katich . Macdonald can bat a bit so the tail is a bit firmer now as well.

I am not sure if Macdonald is injured though but if he is who is the all rounder with the best average in the shield and call that lucker f**ker up.

Take the captaincy off ponting and give it to somebody else. It looks liek having the wieght of the nation on his shoulders has worn ponting down.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I know bollinger didn't bowl well , but drop him after one bad game on a flat Adelaide pitch ?! Some people are having a lend

Bollingers been our best bowler for the past 12 months , he's earnt more respect than that!

Watson
Hughes
Hussey - stop gap , until a younger player is more experienced for no.3
Usman
Clarke
Ponting
Haddin
O'keefe
Harris
Copeland
Bollinger

 

[CMUX]

1. Watson
2. Klinger (Will probably be Hughes but I just don’t rate him. I would rather an experienced guy in there as well and Klinger deserves a go)
3. Ponting (I wish the selectors had the balls to drop him but won’t happen)
4. Clarke
5. Hussey
6. Khawaja (If he truly is “next in line” like we keep hearing then the time is now. North should never play again and number 6 is a good spot for a future 4/3 to start their career)
7. Haddin
8. Johnson (Apparently the selectors are not happy with Bollinger’s “breakdown” and lack of fitness and they desperately want Johnson to fire so they will choose him for the WACA.)
9. Hauritz (Should never have been dropped in the first place)
10. Harris
11. Copeland/George (Would love for the selectors to try one of these 2 but it will probably be Siddle)

 

[butchmcdick]

I know bollinger didn't bowl well , but drop him after one bad game on a flat Adelaide pitch ?! Some people are having a lend

Bollingers been our best bowler for the past 12 months , he's earnt more respect than that!

Watson
Hughes
Hussey - stop gap , until a younger player is more experienced for no.3
Usman
Clarke
Ponting
Haddin
O'keefe
Harris
Copeland
Bollinger

The guy bowled absolute rubbish 10km slower than he normally does in Adelaide. As for a flat pitch it didn't look too flat when the poms bowled on it. He got one wicket with a strike rate of 174 going for 4.48 per over, hardly anything for the poms to lose sleep over

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Jaques
Hughes
Watson
Khawaja
Clarke
Maddinson
Haddin
Smith
Starc
Copeland
Bollinger

O'Keefe 12th man for Perth but playing instead of Starc in Melbourne and Sydney.