Your team for the 1st Test v NZ

[hearts on fire]

i think i could destroy new zealand with their batting at the moment

what a shame you are not eligible to get selected

[Drop Bear]

Yeah Lee was still sick in the 2nd innings.
just on Clark he was fully fit and very disapointed to miss the 4th test

Clark constistently hits the right spots (ala Glenn McGrath). I'm not his biggest fan but he does keep it tight up the other end while Johnson and Lee try to destroy the stumps with pace.

[locky801]

Have to admit here I have no idea, I think Symonds should come back in, am not impressed with Haddin as a test player but is there anyone better at this stage, obviousloy Katich has to stay, I reckon he will do a Justin Langer and just keep churning out the runs, Lee must bne in some doubt, he is underdone and obviously has some other issues, selection will be very interesting but looks like we may have unearthed another quality spinner

[NFC]

How long are we going to pick M Hayden based on his batting from five years ago, or Brad Haddin when he's just a s###truck...

Hayden is fine, two scores of 70+.

Haddin was a massive disappointment in the Indian series, especially for me because I'm a big fan, but there is no way he's going to be dropped in the next 3 to probably 6 matches. IF he fails in both series then I will expect him to be dropped, but there really aren't that many replacements. Don't even mention Ronchi because he's vastly overrated.

[stan]

Hayden
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Symonds
Paine
Lee
Tait/Hilf (really a spot that should be up for grabs in my opinion)
Krezja
Johnson

12th - Watson (He was good in India but for team balance you would take symonds)

[FootyWiz81]

HAYDEN (normally goes good against kiwi's)
KATICH (showed he can bat "sortof")
PONTING (should be droped but he's captain i guess)
HUSSEY(needs to find more form keep him in he will make 2 100's in next 6 tests)
CLARKE (sick all of indian tour missed lara)
SYMONDS (missed him in the field)
HADDIN (lucky to still be in the team)
KREZJA
JOHNSON
TAIT
HILFENHOUSE

[NFC]

Im just not a Katich fan, i would rather see Marsh out there

I hear you mate, Marsh is the future. I've honestly never seen someone time the ball as well as he does. He's got star potential written all over him.

Katich probably doesn't deserve to be dropped though so he stays and Marsh unluckily has to wait. As soon as Hayden retires/Katich loses form though, in his comes.

Ideally Marsh/Jacques to open for the next 5 or so years, Hughes maybe if they want to fast track him.

[CoverKing]

i think i could destroy new zealand with their batting at the moment

what a shame you are not eligible to get selected

lol definitely tongue in cheek but it is a shame im not eligible

[FD88]

Majority of the lists here don't contain Hilfenhaus. He probably won't get a go in the first test but he HAS to be given a shot this summer imo. Way too much talent to hold back another year.

The good thing about Aussie cricket right now is that there's plenty of quality players to bring in, we just need to stop making poor selections!

[am Bays]

i find it astounding the number of people writing of Haddin already.

Crikey toughest gig in 'keeping is a series in India and Pakistan. He was never going to be as prolific with the bat as Gilchrist. He derserves at least a series in Australia to see if he can cut the mustard. His fundamentals are good - low body position, feet moving and soft hands giving with the ball.

Give him time however the brain fade with throwing the glove deserves a boot up the ar5e

[rod_rooster]

i find it astounding the number of people writing of Haddin already.

Crikey toughest gig in 'keeping is a series in India and Pakistan. He was never going to be as prolific with the bat as Gilchrist. He derserves at least a series in Australia to see if he can cut the mustard. His fundamentals are good - low body position, feet moving and soft hands giving with the ball.

Give him time however the brain fade with throwing the glove deserves a boot up the ar5e

This is a very important point. Too many people will now expect the wicketkeeper to bat like Gilchrist. The Poms have been through god knows how many keepers trying to find a Gilchrist. They should have just stuck with Chris Read the whole time as he is clearly the best gloveman they have.

We cannot expect the keeper to have the influence with the bat Gilchrist did. Heck, you can't expect a specialist batsman to have that sort of impact. Pick the best keeper and batting is purely a bonus. Anyone suggesting Ronchi is getting far too carried away. His glovework is only passable and he's just a slogger anyway. He would fail at Test level with the bat but more importantly he isn't a good enough keeper. Paine is the only one who could challenge Haddin currently but people don't recognise this as he doesn't smash 100 off 60 balls in a 20/20

[Gozu]

I'm not a huge fan of Haddin but he has to stay. Like some have said he's a decent keeper and we know he can be pretty good with the bat in domestic cricket when on song. Not sold on Ronchi at all. I really dislike Katich but he can't be going anywhere. Got a ton in the WI (I think) and averaged 50 in this series. With him and Jacques it's the lesser of two evils and since Katich has come back in he's been more positive and aggressive as opposed to being strictly a nerdler and knocking it around. If Hayden has a poor series against NZ I'd strongly consider dropping him for the SA series here. I don't think we can afford to bring in a new opener (Marsh etc) for th series in South Africa.

Some might say Symonds doesn't deserve a recall yet but when confident he's as good a cricketer as there is. Unlucky for Watson given he looked decent with the ball at least but I'd bring Symonds in for him if CA stays with there one all-rounder policy only. White has to go. I dont care if we have to play with ten men he can't be given another chance unless he tears up domestic cricket in either discipline.

Still not sold on Johnson and like Mark Waugh said a lot of his wickets are on rubbish deliveries. Stuart MacGill deliveries if you will. he obviously should still be in. Clark has been our best bowler for about three years now and is as close as a clone to McGrath as you can get. I wouldn't leave him out considering the other quick will be all out attack. We all know how much Lee benefitted from McGrath tying down the batsman at one end. I'd drop Lee. I'm not saying he's done but he needs a break and I'd like to see him dominate for NSW before getting back in.

Tait while not tearing it up at the moment is a far more devestating bowler and this nothing Kiwi side would be perfect to get him in there blast them out and get his confidence going before the South Africa series. If Tait doesnt play in the NZ series I dont believe you can risk it slotting him in cold against the South Africans. If it goes wrong it could end in tears. You either start him against the Kiwi's or IMO he can't be tried again at Test level until the Ashes. That too could be problematic.

[Pat Malone]

Watto has done enough to retain the all rounders spot, Symonds hasnt made any decent scores and with the GABBA hosting the first test, Watto should get his chance to perform here in Aus as a 4th quick on a pitch that should be more pace than spin dominant. If he doesnt get a score or a few wickets and Symonds has made a score of some sort he should probably be considered at Adelaide Oval. Side to be:

Kat
Hayden
Punter
Hussey
Clarke
Watto
Haddin (his batting wasn't terrible in India and India is hardest place to keep, will do fine on consistent Aussie pitches)
Lee (deserves his spot in the side, one poor series in a long time)
Krejza
Johnson
Clark
Siddle (12th man, would have to be next quick in line with reasonable debut and Tait injured, Bollinger will need state form)

We have seen Krejza can bowl long spells and Clark would bowl well in tandem as he doesnt leak runs. Kat could prove to be effective on a bouncier pitch and Clarke is always handy for a few overs. I dont think we will be seeing Huss bowl for a while now.

[Gozu]

A good write-up of where our Test players currently stand looking ahead to the New Zealand series and beyond:

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/chappell/

[Rik E Boy]

Give him time however the brain fade with throwing the glove deserves a boot up the ar5e

I think that Haddin lost a bit of ground in India but like you said a bloody tough gig. A bigger concern for mine was when he fell asleep and an edge from Laxman went for four. I have been following Test cricket for a long time and I've NEVER seen that before. Even Greg Dwyer, our least accomplished keeper of the period (since 74-75 when I first started tuning in) would have gloved that ball. If Haddin takes that catch India don't make 600 in Delhi.

It is not that people want or expect Haddin to be Gilchrist, we'd happily settle for a Tim Zoehrer (a step up from Dwyer) but at the moment Hadds has some work to do on that score. I wouldn't be binning him as he can regain some confidence from a home series but my faith in this cricketer has been deeply shaken by what I witnessed in India. He looks like a mentally shattered man...not a good look for a keeper.

The next few months are crucial to Haddins career.

regards,

REB

[Media Park]

HAYDEN (normally goes good against kiwi's)

Hayden- normally goes good against India, too.

[Rik E Boy]

There continues to be a lot of hate towards The Kat and I'm stuffed if I know why. I'd like you to think about another opening batsman that Australia had not so long ago. Like the Kat he had a false start, lost his place and regained it when his far more attacking predecessor totally lost the plot. The man in question was initially known as a bit of a stodgy batsman but with repeated exposure to the best bowlers in World Cricket he eventually blossomed into one the most attacking openers in the game...his name of course is Justin Langer.

I believe a lot of Kat hate goes back to when he was an abject failure in the role of opener in the canary yellow. It seems as though we were in a time warp and Tubby Taylor was back minus the weight. Even I was calling him a dud back then.

Since then though the Kat has become an absolute run machine. He has re-established himself at the top of the opener (although originally a middle order player) for Australia and while doing this he has been scoring slowly more often than not. Er...newsflash people this is TEST CRICKET. Who cares how slowly he scores as LONG AS HE STAYS OUT THERE? How many of you were throwing things at the TV when Slats made his usual breezy 25 off six overs and got out with the Aussies at 1/32? Hopefully that very same anger is not being directed at the Kat as he goes to lunch on 30. That's what you want from an opener, to take the heat off Punter, Mr Cricket and Pup.

The Kat has also shown that he does have the capacity to score quickly. For those that forgot his mammoth triple century in quick time against the Bulls last year, he reminded us he can do it in Test Cricket as well when knocked up a very quick start on the second day of the last test match. Langer wasn't an instant bash artist and neither is the Kat, but the Kat, like Langer can develop his strokeplay.

HANDS OFF THE KAT!!

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

Still not sold on Johnson and like Mark Waugh said a lot of his wickets are on rubbish deliveries. Stuart MacGill deliveries if you will.

This is a very unfair comment on MacGill. You are measuring Stewie against Warnie with this comment and Warnie was a freak. Legspinners often struggle for accuracy and while MacGill unlike Warne, bowled a lot of four balls but to call rubbish 'Stuart MacGill deliveries' is most unfair as MacGill is a very talented bowler who was never going to emerge from Warne's shadow. A fully fit McGill now is just what the doctor ordered for the Aussies.

regards,

REB

[rod_rooster]

There is no need to defend the Kat REB. He has cemented his spot in the side whether his detractors like it or not. He has been our best batsmen since his recall in the West Indies and he isn't going anywhere. He's not the most fashionable player but who cares. It not how it's how many.

As for MacGill well you are spot on. He bowled some bad balls but his record speaks for itself. If only we had a guy capapble of taking 200 Test wickets at a strike rate of 52 or thereabouts right now.

[RoosterMarty]

I wish MacGill began his career towards the end of Warne's... we wouldn't be in the spinning mess we are in now...

He was a fantastic bowler, didn't have Warnie's control but he would really rip the ball and his record speaks for itself.