Northants v Australians at Northampton 24-26 July

[aussies1st]

Hence you bring Clark in for Siddle. If Johnson f**ks up with the ball again he is in the side as a batter, Watson takes over him as a bowler.

 

[lockyno1]

Exactly, it is not as if Siddle has been fantastic anyway.

 

[hineyrulz]

Gee our bowling stocks are looking crap, If sh*tchell plays it will only prove my point.

 

[AusKnightRKO]

Watson must play in the next test as much as i hate the guy... but he looks confident and is the only one belting this attack aroudn the park playing like a one dayer

 

[fish eel]

you can listen to radio coverage of the game here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/ne...w=nb&mp=rm&news=1&nol_storyid=7638426&bbcws=1

 

[AusKnightRKO]

Bye bye mitch, im going to bed but after 3.4 overs hes already gone for 25.... well he shouldn't feel bad look what he gets to sleep with im sure he will forget about being dropped in no time

 

[Timbo]

More sh*t from Johnson in the second dig.

0/45 off 7, an econ rate of 6.42.

He's gotta go. It's unacceptable. Clark for Johnson. Has to be done.

 

[lockyno1]

Piss Siddle off, he is just as bad anyway. At least Johnson can bat!

 

[Twizzle]

I have to lol at people wanting North dropped, he has been one of our form batsmen.

If they gamble with Notch, it could cost us the ashes.

 

[aussies1st]

A 100 when there was no pressure on, sounds very Thornely like. But its not his form that is seeing him dropped, it is the fact we need an extra bowler to apply pressure.

 

[Bigfella]

I am Johnson's bigest fan, but only when he is bowling at 150k.

His current form is nowhere near his best form or near Test standard.

I would have picked him if he could get his pace back this game. But he is so far below his SA standard that there is clearly more wrong than just form.

It has never bothered me that his action is unorthodox, his line inconsistent or the seam scrambled. The seam was still scrambled in SA when he bowled world class spells (better than that in the first Test, in fact).

What he has always offered which has brought wickets has been 150k pace in sustained spells. I was concerned watching the warm up game that he was bowling low 140. There is a massive difference between that and 150 at Test level.

The other bonus has been his angle away from the right hander which has always been misleading. Peoplea have always said he fluked wickets but a big part is the deception with the angle, forcing batsmen to play at lines they don't need to.

Then there is his short ball, and slower ball. Those have been the only factor that has been sighted at times this series.

He has been so far off his best he reminds me of a golfer with the yips. I don't think you can fix it on the run, and it infects the squad. Unless the captain or selectors saw something in the tour game that wasn't reflected in his figures, he should be left out.

As hiney points out though, they will desperately want to pick jim - because there's not much world class about our attack if he isn't playing or at his best.

 

[fish eel]

What may keep Johnson ion the side is his batting - it becomes quite a long tail.

I wouldnt be surprised if the selectors play either McDonald or Watson in place of North, with Haddin moving up to 6.

 

[Timbo]

Piss Siddle off, he is just as bad anyway. At least Johnson can bat!

Idiot.

Runs aren't our problem. WICKETS are our problem.

Johnson isn't there to score runs he's there to get people out!

 

[lockyno1]

Runs aren't our problem. WICKETS are our problem.

I must have missed the fact we got rolled for 215 on a flat pitch then..runs are just as much of a problem ESPECIALLY if we are carrying an out of sorts Philip Hughes and Michael Hussey. Yes we have issues with our bowling and I want Clark in there, but for Siddle not Johnson

 

[Timbo]

I must have missed the fact we got rolled for 215 on a flat pitch then..runs are just as much of a problem ESPECIALLY if we are carrying an out of sorts Philip Hughes and Michael Hussey. Yes we have issues with our bowling and I want Clark in there, but for Siddle not Johnson

We've had one ordinary innings with the bat.

Four with the ball.

Clark for Johnson.

 

[lockyno1]

We score 150 more runs in that 1st innings, we win the 2nd test. How have we had 4 bad bowling performances. Bowled well in both innings' in the 1st test for staters and were unlucky not to get a result. The 2nd test was poor but the pitch was a road and our batting cost us the 2nd test not the bowling!

Clark for Siddle
Watson for North

 

[TheParraboy]

We score 150 more runs in that 1st innings, we win the 2nd test. How have we had 4 bad bowling performances. Bowled well in both innings' in the 1st test for staters and were unlucky not to get a result. The 2nd test was poor but the pitch was a road and our batting cost us the 2nd test not the bowling!

Clark for Siddle
Watson for North

no mention of the umpiring Locky?

 

[lockyno1]

The umpiring was poor, but that was in our 2nd innings- we made 400 even with those crap decisions..in the first innings we had guys throwing theor wicket away left right and centre!

 

[caylo]

I thought Johnson bowled avg in the 1st test, was all over the shop but bowled a handful unplayable balls that got him wickets. In the 2nd test we were let down by our batting in the 1st innings and johnson bowled simiarly to the 1st test but the surface did not suit his bowling (skidding the ball on). IMO had Clark played he would have good 4-5 wickets because he is tall and hits the right spots (look what flintoff did). Siddle is a major problem, he is bowling too short and is showing his inexperiance. Clark in for Siddle, Watson in for Hauritz or North (Hauri is injured and I wouldnt play him IMO). Bat Haddin at 8 with Watson at 7

 

[caylo]

Phil, Kat, Punter, Huss, Pup, North, Wato, Haddin, Johnson, Clark, Hiffy (12th man Siddle) and have Kat bowling alot more