Changes for the next test

[another grub]

McDonald simply shouldnt bat at 6 for Australia.... selectors pull your f#%ken heads in!!!!!

[CoverKing]

McDonald is definitely playing - Symonds having knee surgery.
Has made 2 centuries in 44 matches - how can this man be batting 6 for australia!!!!!!!

this all rounder stuff is crap! altho i think he will bat 7 behind haddin! australia should pick the best 6batsman in the land (david hussey is one of those IMO) and then he could be the all rounder on a sydney pitch that will turn with his offies. Maybe its not the players should be questioned and sacked, i think the selectors are nearly at the end of there run

[catchisthecry]

If Gilly was never used as an allrounder at 6, Haddin certainly shouldn't be!!!!

[CoverKing]

If Gilly was never used as an allrounder at 6, Haddin certainly shouldn't be!!!!

true but i think haddin will bat at 6. surely haddin bats better then mcdonald

[catchisthecry]

Haddin looks so good when he straight drives, it's just the cover drive away from his body which has got him a couple of times. McDonald averages 38 first class, Haddin would be similar I think.
Big call-up for McDonald... Noffke and Watto are both stiff to be injured.

[NFC]

What's the obsession with Shaun Marsh. He should not play Test cricket for Australia, at least not until he improves his Shield performances. He is waaaaaaaaaaaay down the list.

Averages what Clarke did when he made his Test debut...

but the point is that clarke was making those runs in the spot that he played in the aussie side....
Shaun Marsh has only averaged 21 as an opener this year and this is his first year as an opener in the SS. Therefore he should not be picked to replace hayden because his stats are not up too scratch

Who said he should be included as an opener? He should be in at 6. As KOK states, he's not tight enough to be a test opener at this stage, play him at 6 where he can cut loose and play his natural attacking game.

[magpie in the 80's]

Law of averages reveals true depth of Australia's talent pool: As written by Andrew Stevenson -Sydney Morning Herald

There are three competent claims for an opening spot. Michael Klinger, batting at first drop for South Australia, and Victoria's Chris Rogers represent the best of today's players, both enjoying outstanding seasons. Klinger has belted 906 runs at 90.60 and Rogers 661 at 82.62. Tomorrow's player is 20-year-old NSW left-hander Phillip Hughes, whose second season has produced 730 at 56.15.

But the middle-order is missing in action. Brad Hodge and David Hussey have had dismal summers by their standards. Shaun Marsh set the Indian Premier League alight but can't keep the home fire burning.

Marcus North, Luke Pomersbach and Callum Ferguson are the best-performed middle-order batsmen in Sheffield Shield this summer but their averages of 44.09, 31.83 and 38 respectively would hardly strike fear in the heart of the South Africans.

The outlook for bowlers is similarly crook, especially in the spin department. Injuries have made the selectors' job harder, with the loss of Bryce McGain in India. Nathan Hauritz has 10 Shield wickets, but he only strikes every 16 overs; Dan Cullen takes even longer. NSW spinner Beau Casson has one wicket in five first-class matches at 304.

The leading Shield bowlers are Dirk Nannes and Ryan Harris but Nannes is almost 33 and Harris made his debut way back in 2001-02, and it's hard to see either making the step up.

Doug Bollinger had a wonderful season last year to lead NSW into the Sheffield Shield final - only to miss out himself with a broken foot - and force his way into two Australian touring squads. But instead of game time he had net sessions in the West Indies and India and belatedly returned to his best with a six-wicket haul against South Australia. More likely to be given his turn is Tasmanian swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus, who has bowled consistently all summer although, in Sydney, Bollinger might be a better option.

[CoverKing]

fair enough, but i did think u were talking as an opener! and if that was the case he shuld not be considered! but as a number six i would be in favour of that aswell, he is a class batsman that i owuld like too see him show his talent against the best in theworld

[rod_rooster]

What's the obsession with Shaun Marsh. He should not play Test cricket for Australia, at least not until he improves his Shield performances. He is waaaaaaaaaaaay down the list.

Finally someone else has said this. The guy has a very average record in first class cricket. Very very average. People are bagging the selection of McDonald but he has a far superior record in first class cricket than Marsh. McDonald makes more runs at a better average and also has a surprisingly good bowling record. I don't personally agree with McDonald being included but for people to say his inclusion is embarrassing yet suggest picking Marsh at the same time doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[rod_rooster]

If Gilly was never used as an allrounder at 6, Haddin certainly shouldn't be!!!!

He was. He was also used at 3 in India with quite a bit of success. He could easily have batted higher more often but i imagine it was thought he needed to concentrate on his keeping which was his primary role without having the added pressure of being a specialist batsman.

[catchisthecry]

Check your facts mate.
Batted higher than 7 bugger all.
Was often a call for him to bat higher and play as an allrounder but very rarely happened

[GWW]

Shaun Marsh needs to bat up the order with WA again, his experiment with the Warriors as an opener has failed.

[rod_rooster]

Check your facts mate.
Batted higher than 7 bugger all.
Was often a call for him to bat higher and play as an allrounder but very rarely happened

I never said it happened often just said it did happen. I also pointed out why it rarely happened and that's because he was picked to keep wickets and having the responsibility of being a top 6 batsman was not something the captain felt he didn't need to be burdened with. It was easy to do back then as Australia had such a powerful lineup. We don't have that luxury anymore and if Haddin needs to bat at 6 then so be it although i'd prefer we pick 4 bowlers, 6 batsmen and a keeper.

[rod_rooster]

Shaun Marsh needs to bat up the order with WA again, his experiment with the Warriors as an opener has failed.

[GWW]

??

[Gozu]

Now that it looks like Lee will miss the South African tour I'd like to see the selectors point the bone at Tait. Unless he's got a serious injury I'd like to see him replace Lee as our out and out quick and intimidatory bowler. Throw him to the wolves, if he stands up sweet if not put a line through his name for good.

what has tait done to get a gig in the test side?? his statistics are crap in the shield this year and he is injured! he is a bigger liability than watson!
shaun marsh is also only averagin 21 as an opener this year and therefore should not be considered with the likes of jaques, rogers, hughes, klinger!
tait is crap!

Apart from dominate? Yes, he has been a bit expensive per wicket in Shield cricket this season but he's been economical. He's not even close to Watson yet in the punchline stakes. Tait is crap? Reality says different.

First Class career: 198wk @ 28.6 with a strike rate of 46.8 and going at 3.7 rpo.
One Day career: 134wk @ 21.6 with a strike rate of 26.2 and going at 4.9 rpo.
One Day Int. career: 33wk @ 23.5 with a strike rate of 25.7 and going at 5.5 rpo.

This season

Sheffield Shield: 13wk @ 40.8 with a strike rate of 65.6 and going at 3.7 rpo.
Ford Ranger Cup: 12wk @ 21.6 with a strike rate of 26 and going at 5 rpo.

that is what im talking about with tait.. i think he should be an automatic selection for the ODI's as his record proves that and especially after his world cup dominance... but for test's?? no way, he is averagin above 40 in our first class comp, and you want to play him agianst the best batting attack in the world atm?? tait is far from a four/five day bowler! we had injuries this test with lee and you would take tait who can only bowl maximum15 overs a day into a game! tait would be around 12th in the pecking order IMO

Tait's First Class stats speak for themselves. Sure he's not in the greatest form at the moment but still half a domestic season to get through yet. He's a big wicket taker and doesnt get smacked around in the longer form of the game. When fit and firing he dominates the best domestic competiton in the world. He's only played a couple of Tests, the first couple he wasnt ready yet and the most recent one was that debacle in Perth against India where he was used pretty poorly. If used as a strike bowler in bursts of a few overs he's a machine but starts spraying them all over the joint when kept on for too long.

Look I know he has his flaws and is a bit fragile but I'll never forget people getting stuck into him after that ODI series in NZ in early '07. People were saying he's rubbish etc and I made the call that if he was fit for the World Cup he'd tear it apart and that was exactly what he did. Show some faith in him (much like Symonds) give him some confidence and sit back and enjoy the show.

[NFC]

Shaun Marsh needs to bat up the order with WA again, his experiment with the Warriors as an opener has failed.

Good spotting.

[Adelaide Hawk]

How bad are we travelling when McDonald can get a baggy green? Time to end this all-rounder BS and get back to picking 6 batsmen.

[Dogmatic]

How bad are we travelling when McDonald can get a baggy green? Time to end this all-rounder BS and get back to picking 6 batsmen.

Unfortunately Australia is struggling with the bat and ball.
No point loading up the batting if you can't bowl teams out.
The selectors have gone each way to cover over the cracks (more like a grand canyon) of the underperformers.

[Media Park]

So who misses out of Hilf and Bolly?