First test Australia vs. West Indies

[Hazbeen]

I think Jaques will see out this series as Haydos' opening partner (especially if Hayden doesn't make onto the park) but if he doesn't make any runs then fails to pile on some big scores in the Shield matches before the 1st test against the Sheep Fanciers then I think the selectors will have to bite the bullet and give someone else a go for the 5 tests vs NZ & SAF.

[SOTTERS]

We have a tour to India in October before NZ arrives.

[the joker]

Australias line up should be

M.Hayden
S.Watson
R.Ponting
M.Hussey
M.Clarke
A.Symonds
S.Marsh
B.Haddin
B.Lee
M.Johnson
S.Clarke
12th D.Hussey

Lets face reality, we have no quality spinner
All out pace attack bring it on

even if you picked watson (you couldnt he hasnt done much in first class cricket and you cant pick him because of IPL form) and OPENING!!!! if you watched cricket and kept up with Pura Cup you would know that he started opening for The bulls and scored about 5 runs in 5 innings then got demoted back to number 6. and your side only has three bowlers you cant have three bowlers then an allrounder who bowls first change and opens the batting it would be hard on any cricketer especially Watson who pulls his hammy bending over to pick up the paper from the driveway

[norm11]

Cmon norm its time for some changes to the side.Give us youre side.

M. Haydon
M. Hussey
R. Ponting
M. Clarke
A. Symonds
S. katich
B. Haddin
B. Lee
M. Jhonson
N. Braken
S. Clark.
12th man D. Hussey

Thts my opinion, and only my opinion. I am not a selector. 4 pace and 3 part time spinners.

[BlueBoy1991]

M. Haydon
M. Hussey
R. Ponting
M. Clarke
D. Hussey
A. Symonds
B. Haddin
B. Lee
M. Jhonson
N. Braken
S. Clark.
12th man Cassen

[GWW]

Is it just me, or does Stuart Clark appear to bowl better when not bowling on Australian pitches. I don't have any stats to back that up, just a feeling, reinforced by his current form.

[the wonder elephant]

Is it just me, or does Stuart Clark appear to bowl better when not bowling on Australian pitches. I don't have any stats to back that up, just a feeling, reinforced by his current form.

havnt looked at stats either but think u may be right there gww clark always seems tom take wickets away from aus .as for you others debating the current aussie side this is my thoughts
1.haydos
2.hughes (young nsw player made a ton in the pura cup final ? )
3 punter
4.clarke
5.hussey
6 symo
7.haddin
8.bing lee
9.nofke
10.johnson
11.s.clarke
12.s marsh
13.s tait
i think its time to just play the best 4 bowlers on form and let the part timers do there bit as well .magilla has lived in warneys shadow and the shadow has now covered him if there is no spinner good enough dont pick them .4 quicks worked for the windies for 10 years with the part time spin of iva and larry gomes why cant it work for us now !

[Lightning McQueen]

I notice that everyone puts Mitchell Johnson in their Australian line-ups, IMO, Doug Bollinger is a better bowler, Mitchell bowls continual tripe short outside off, sometimes too wide for the batsman to even attempt to belt it over point. He relies too much on the batsman making an error opposed to trying to be an attacking bowler and keep the batsman thinking every ball. I think it is essential to have a left armer in the team, I think Bollinger is the man, intimidating and aggressive.

[smithy]

Jacques
Chee Quee
Katich
Clarke
Emery
Haddin
Matthews
Casson
Bollinger
Lee
Clarke

12th man - Robertson
13th man - Bracken

[Lightning McQueen]

Jacques
Chee Quee
Katich
Clarke
Emery
Haddin
Matthews
Casson
Bollinger
Lee
Clarke

12th man - Robertson
13th man - Bracken

What, you left out Richard Stobo, geez

[Grahaml]

Is Michael Clarke good enough to get 2 spots in that team?

[Lightning McQueen]

Is Michael Clarke good enough to get 2 spots in that team?

You got him on a technicality there

[Lightning McQueen]

I wonder how much Cosi is kicking himself at the moment, if he put his mind to it, he'd be right in the mix by now. Although Symonds, Hussey and Clarke are good, I don't really think that they have the consistency that our middle order had going back a few years. I'm probably being a bit rough on Hussey there, but he has had a couple of lean periods of late and the other two haven't really set the world on fire.

I think that the Aussies will be really tested over the next 18 months, it's good to see Punter back in some form but we can be pretty vulnerable at times if he gets out cheaply, we lack a strong defiant top order batsman that can weather any attack the way Steve Waugh and Allan Border could when the chips were down.

[Grahaml]

Holy crap, you're a harsh judge! Hussey, Hodge, Clarke and Symonds average 75, 56, 46 and 45 respecitvely! And Symonds average is after he was averaging 11 after 6 tests or something. And consistency is quickly becoming the greatest asset they have, in Particular Symonds. Yes Cossie should kick himself, but he wouldn't be ahead of any of those guys even if he'd been ticking the runs over and got his weight under control. His chance could come when/if those guys falter or retire, but his problems now mean he's losing ground on Marsh, White, Hussey, Thornely et al. And I really can't imagine that consistency problems are answered by Cosgrove. Surely he's more likely to lose his head and get out recklessly than those guys!

[rod_rooster]

Holy crap, you're a harsh judge! Hussey, Hodge, Clarke and Symonds average 75, 56, 46 and 45 respecitvely! And Symonds average is after he was averaging 11 after 6 tests or something. And consistency is quickly becoming the greatest asset they have, in Particular Symonds. Yes Cossie should kick himself, but he wouldn't be ahead of any of those guys even if he'd been ticking the runs over and got his weight under control. His chance could come when/if those guys falter or retire, but his problems now mean he's losing ground on Marsh, White, Hussey, Thornely et al. And I really can't imagine that consistency problems are answered by Cosgrove. Surely he's more likely to lose his head and get out recklessly than those guys!

Agree with your post except for the mention of Thornley Not sure his name has any place being mentioned in a discussion about international cricket

[cyclops]

Sorry boys i forgot hussey was an openor

M.Hussey
M.Hayden
R.Ponting
M.Clarke
S.Marsh
A.Symonds
B.Haddin
A.Noffke
B.Lee
M.Johnson
S.Clarke
12th D.hussey

I really believe we need to give young Marsh a go he is a real talent only about 24.Next big thing i believe will be Pomersback from WA,wow can he hit a ball.

[Lightning McQueen]

Holy crap, you're a harsh judge! Hussey, Hodge, Clarke and Symonds average 75, 56, 46 and 45 respecitvely! And Symonds average is after he was averaging 11 after 6 tests or something. And consistency is quickly becoming the greatest asset they have, in Particular Symonds. Yes Cossie should kick himself, but he wouldn't be ahead of any of those guys even if he'd been ticking the runs over and got his weight under control. His chance could come when/if those guys falter or retire, but his problems now mean he's losing ground on Marsh, White, Hussey, Thornely et al. And I really can't imagine that consistency problems are answered by Cosgrove. Surely he's more likely to lose his head and get out recklessly than those guys!

All I was saying is that Cosi could've been the one getting nursed through, all of the three in question have a better temperment. Here's the last few tests for each batsman in question.

Hussey 2 36 41 145* 0 46 22
Clarke 20 73 1 0 23 81 118
Symonds 35 44 162* 61 66 12 30

Yeah, I guess I've been harsh, I think I'm used of us scoring 500+ constantly with plenty of contributions, point taken, a few failures there though.

[Rik E Boy]

This guy is not test standard, whilst he made plenty of runs last season, it is well known there is a BIG gap between shield cricket and test cricket and it is PROVEN that Katich and Hodge can't take the step up.

[Rik E Boy]

Cmon norm its time for some changes to the side.Give us youre side.

M. Haydon
M. Hussey
R. Ponting
M. Clarke
A. Symonds
S. katich
B. Haddin
B. Lee
M. Jhonson
N. Braken
S. Clark.
12th man D. Hussey

Thts my opinion, and only my opinion. I am not a selector. 4 pace and 3 part time spinners.

Hussey out for 10.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

Katich you fail, in all aspects.

Real cricket, real century. Not a Watto in sight.

regards,

REB