2nd Ashes Test v England @ Lords, the home of MCC/Cricket

[Gozu]

Yeah I don't think there's much chance the leading wicket taker for the match from the first Test gets dropped next game.

Hauritz 6 wk's vs. England 6 wk's
Hauritz 6 wk's vs Swann & Panesar 1 wk.

While I doubt anyone will go if there has to be a change it's obviously Siddle but on what I saw Johnson was comfortably our worst bowler.

[CoverKing]

Yeah I don't think there's much chance the leading wicket taker for the match from the first Test gets dropped next game.

Hauritz 6 wk's vs. England 6 wk's
Hauritz 6 wk's vs Swann & Panesar 1 wk.

While I doubt anyone will go if there has to be a change it's obviously Siddle but on what I saw Johnson was comfortably our worst bowler.

Gozu, i completely agree. I dont think anyone should be dropped, but on this tours form, our worst bowler has been Mitchell Johnson by far.

Hauritz bowled 67 overs 6 fa bugger all. Cant drop him

[Pottsy]

Mitch is a notoriously slow starter after a rest. Must be something to do with getting the rubber bands in the slingshot warmed up.

He's had a couple of flat patches after a rest before. I think we will see a big improvement for Lords and hopefully some consistency through the series.

As for Ponting, I'll take a stab that his captaincy is a learnt one rather than a natural sort of leadership.

Ricky learnt off Steve Waugh, and I reckon they have a very similar captaincy style - fairly defensive and reactive, as a whole. Waugh had Pidge and Warnie the whole time so constantly won. Ricky had them for ages so won. Now, the lack of imaginative captaincy, learnt from his time in the game, is starting to tell. I don't think he's as bad as some, but he definitely doesn't read the game well consistently.

Loving Hilf getting a game, go the Tassie brickie!

[blink]

Hauritz bowled 67 overs 6 fa bugger all. Cant drop him

Hauritz - 61 overs, 6 wickets, 158 Runs @ 2.59, SR 60.8

He did exactly what the team required of him. Bowl a sh*tload of overs, keep it tight and possibly pick up the occasional wicket.

[rod_rooster]

Hauritz bowled 67 overs 6 fa bugger all. Cant drop him

Hauritz - 61 overs, 6 wickets, 158 Runs @ 2.59, SR 60.8

He did exactly what the team required of him. Bowl a sh*tload of overs, keep it tight and possibly pick up the occasional wicket.

Exactly. He did his job and did it well. People expect a bit to much i reckon. We don't have a spinner who is likely to rip through a side like Warne did. Don't bring up Krezja either. Sure he took the 8 on debut but what has he done since then at any level? Don't forget that in the process of taking those 8 wickets he also conceded more runs in an innings than any bowler in Test cricket history. Hauritz is currently our best option and whilst he is doing exactly what is asked of him people need to give him a break.

[shoe boy]

Cmn on lads

I believe we win well and weather permitting within 4 days then the 3 remaining tests.

The paki/england side is crap imo.

[Media Park]

Hauritz bowled 67 overs 6 fa bugger all. Cant drop him

Hauritz - 61 overs, 6 wickets, 158 Runs @ 2.59, SR 60.8

He did exactly what the team required of him. Bowl a sh*tload of overs, keep it tight and possibly pick up the occasional wicket.

Exactly. He did his job and did it well. People expect a bit to much i reckon. We don't have a spinner who is likely to rip through a side like Warne did. Don't bring up Krezja either. Sure he took the 8 on debut but what has he done since then at any level? Don't forget that in the process of taking those 8 wickets he also conceded more runs in an innings than any bowler in Test cricket history. Hauritz is currently our best option and whilst he is doing exactly what is asked of him people need to give him a break.

L. Fleetwood-Smith- 1-249.

[rod_rooster]

Hauritz bowled 67 overs 6 fa bugger all. Cant drop him

Hauritz - 61 overs, 6 wickets, 158 Runs @ 2.59, SR 60.8

He did exactly what the team required of him. Bowl a sh*tload of overs, keep it tight and possibly pick up the occasional wicket.

Exactly. He did his job and did it well. People expect a bit to much i reckon. We don't have a spinner who is likely to rip through a side like Warne did. Don't bring up Krezja either. Sure he took the 8 on debut but what has he done since then at any level? Don't forget that in the process of taking those 8 wickets he also conceded more runs in an innings than any bowler in Test cricket history. Hauritz is currently our best option and whilst he is doing exactly what is asked of him people need to give him a break.

L. Fleetwood-Smith- 1-249.

I stand corrected. My point still remains though. He's played 2 Test matches, taken 8 wickets in one innnings yet still averages over 43. His first class record is hardly impressive either. 74 wickets at 47.98 The guy is a dud and so very over rated because he took a few wickets in India whilst getting smashed all over the park. People quickly forget that he was belted by the Indians whilst taking those wickets conceded runs at nearly 5 an over. Took 1/204 all up against South Africa in his other Test. Hauritz may be limited but at least he creates pressure by not leaking runs at an alarming rate. He has Krezja covered by an absolute mile.

[cennals05]

Looking out the window, it's blue skies over London. For how long is the question? Rain is forecast today but at the moment it looks good for the first day.

[Gozu]

Good to hear mate. I don't want to see the weather bailing the Poms out.

[tigerland09]

Harmison is out and so is Panesar. In comes Onions and Flintoff's fit to play.

[stampy]

Hauritz bowled 67 overs 6 fa bugger all. Cant drop him

Hauritz - 61 overs, 6 wickets, 158 Runs @ 2.59, SR 60.8

He did exactly what the team required of him. Bowl a sh*tload of overs, keep it tight and possibly pick up the occasional wicket.

Exactly. He did his job and did it well. People expect a bit to much i reckon. We don't have a spinner who is likely to rip through a side like Warne did. Don't bring up Krezja either. Sure he took the 8 on debut but what has he done since then at any level? Don't forget that in the process of taking those 8 wickets he also conceded more runs in an innings than any bowler in Test cricket history. Hauritz is currently our best option and whilst he is doing exactly what is asked of him people need to give him a break.

am in no way a nathan hauritz fan but i loved the way he bowled before lunch on the last day at cardiff, very very unlucky not to have collingwood first caught in close and then played on, probably would have won that if collingwood wasnt a lucky bastard

[hearts on fire]

lovin warnie in the commentary box

[dedja]

lovin warnie in the commentary box

For a guy who's so thick off the field his comments are breath of fresh air.

You can see why he was such a great bowler ... always positive and looking for different ways to get the batsman out.

He would have been a great captain IMO, but alas, not to be.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Why do we have only 2 slips for Hilfenhaus?

[hearts on fire]

England starting to hit a few boundaries, time for Australia to change it up a bit.

[FD88]

We're seeing more and more and more of these decks. Slow, no demons, test cricket is doomed if the pendulum doesn't swing back towards the bowlers; people don't want bat-heavy draws, 600+ totals and so on. The losing series against South Africa here was one of the most exciting to watch in forever, because ball kept bat in check and we got results.

[rod_rooster]

Geez Johnson is struggling. We all know he is a very good bowler but he is horribly out of form. He wouldn't trouble club cricketers with what he has served up today. Hope he can turn it around soon.

[dedja]

He's definitely down on confidence RR ... I expected him to fire up this match so let's hope he gets it together pronto.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Geez Johnson is struggling. We all know he is a very good bowler but he is horribly out of form. He wouldn't trouble club cricketers with what he has served up today. Hope he can turn it around soon.

Careful. I suggested in the 1st Test thread that I could find a line better than Johnson and people had a go at me. All I'll say is I was a left arm medium fast bowler and NEVER bowled the garbage that Johnson has dished up in this Ashes series.

I'm not suggesting for one moment I'm a better bowler than Johnson when he's on song, I just can't understand how a bowler can get it wrong so consistently. It almost seems bowlers these days seem hesitant to bowl two balls in the same spot. Is this a bi-product of too much limited over cricket? I wonder.