5th Ashes test at the SCG - 3rd to 7th Jan 2011

[Turbo]

was Melbourne Punter's last test as captain ... last test even?

I hope not.

He deserves much better than that and deserves the chance to go out on his own terms. How quickly people forget what the bloke has done for cricket in this country. The best batsman we've produced since Bradman and an absolute superstar of the game. We have been spoilt to have lived in an era where we got to see Warne, McGrath and Ponting go about their work yet people worship two of those and take every opportunity to lay the boot into Ponting. People have labelled him selfish and suggested he puts himself before the team. A bigger load of crap i have never heard. I hope to see Ricky back as soon as possible.

He had his chance to pull the pin on his own terms.
Sorry ricky you are now the weakest link goodbye

Agreed. Time for some youth. That comment earlier bout the best since bradman, you've got to be kidding. Good but surely others better in the last 70 years

[NFC]

was Melbourne Punter's last test as captain ... last test even?

I hope not.

He deserves much better than that and deserves the chance to go out on his own terms. How quickly people forget what the bloke has done for cricket in this country. The best batsman we've produced since Bradman and an absolute superstar of the game. We have been spoilt to have lived in an era where we got to see Warne, McGrath and Ponting go about their work yet people worship two of those and take every opportunity to lay the boot into Ponting. People have labelled him selfish and suggested he puts himself before the team. A bigger load of crap i have never heard. I hope to see Ricky back as soon as possible.

SENSATIONAL post.

I agree with every word.

[Dutchy]

was Melbourne Punter's last test as captain ... last test even?

I hope not.

He deserves much better than that and deserves the chance to go out on his own terms. How quickly people forget what the bloke has done for cricket in this country. The best batsman we've produced since Bradman and an absolute superstar of the game. We have been spoilt to have lived in an era where we got to see Warne, McGrath and Ponting go about their work yet people worship two of those and take every opportunity to lay the boot into Ponting. People have labelled him selfish and suggested he puts himself before the team. A bigger load of crap i have never heard. I hope to see Ricky back as soon as possible.

SENSATIONAL post.

I agree with every word.

I agree with RR & NFC

Very very well put...

[Jim05]

He wont be back in test arena. He will go to world cup and i hope he does well. Our next tests are in august but they look like being scrapped so his next game would be in november against india, on form alone he should not be part of that squad. He had the chance to go out on his own terms and retire at end of ashes, i would have loved to see him announce it at start of series and do a farewell tour of australia as he deserves much like warne,mcgrath,langer and co. Now the decision must be taken out of his hands

[Lightning McQueen]

Good sensible team for the test in Sydney and also the captain. No great over reaction which is good. There was no great over reaction after being beaten in Adelaide and they won in Perth.

Years ago everyone was wanting us to lose a game or two as everyone thought the Aussie cricketers were big headed now they are not as good everyone wants the heads of Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Neilson and just about everyone else in the side. For everyone having a swipe at the players now we are losing some games - ask yourself if you were one of those who wanted us to lose a few games?

This day of not being the best in the world was always going to come as will the Aussies being back at the top. Good sensible side picked and see what happens after the World cup

Mate, we have been absolutely pantsed 3 out of the 4 tests, an over-haul is required. The number 6 position is a real concern and so is the bowling. Steve Smith is not the answer, he is not a world-class leggie and he is not a world-class number 6, we should be focussing on each individual position and role in the side.
As for Beer, he was only included in the squad because of his "apparent" knowledge of the WACA pitch, so why does he deserve a spot in Sydney, as for Dougie, do they think he's going to replicate Mitch?
Can I ask what does the World Cup have to do with our demise on the test arena, we will play at least 7 players in the World Cup that will NEVER play test cricket.
Each to their own, but I think we just bop along and hope that things get better, there doesn't seem to be any future planning or short term fixes, we should do one or the other to stop us sliding down the rankings. It wouldn't bother me if we dropped to 4th or 5th if there was a re-building process going on, the fact that we're sliding down and picking the same blokes that have contributed to the demise is worrying.
In saying that "Go Usman" ton up son, seen his interview on Fox and was most impressed with his level-headedness.

[Pup]

Usman and Clarke to both make hundreds in Sydney.

[the joker]

Why isn't McDonald in the team?!?

injured, but more importantly not up too test level. great state player but that next level is a bit too much. batsman play his bowling too easy and you get a moving ball and he cant get near it when he bats. but i met him a couple of years ago and he is a top Bloke.

[Lightning McQueen]

Usman and Clarke to both make hundreds in Sydney.

No worries mal Having said that, it will probably happen.

[Dogmatic]

Why isn't McDonald in the team?!?

injured, but more importantly not up too test level. great state player but that next level is a bit too much. batsman play his bowling too easy and you get a moving ball and he cant get near it when he bats. but i met him a couple of years ago and he is a top Bloke.

I think you are selling him short. His performances for Australia were okay, at the moment they would be exceptional.
Other players have performed worse in South Africa.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Why isn't McDonald in the team?!?

injured, but more importantly not up too test level. great state player but that next level is a bit too much. batsman play his bowling too easy and you get a moving ball and he cant get near it when he bats. but i met him a couple of years ago and he is a top Bloke.

I think you are selling him short. His performances for Australia were okay, at the moment they would be exceptional.
Other players have performed worse in South Africa.

When you play an all-rounder, either his batting or his bowling must be good enough to stand up on its own at Test level. McDonald is a "bitza" at Test level. He can chip in with the odd 50 or a couple of wickets, but he wouldn't get selected on either skill.

[The Cadet]

Why isn't McDonald in the team?!?

injured, but more importantly not up too test level. great state player but that next level is a bit too much. batsman play his bowling too easy and you get a moving ball and he cant get near it when he bats. but i met him a couple of years ago and he is a top Bloke.

I think you are selling him short. His performances for Australia were okay, at the moment they would be exceptional.
Other players have performed worse in South Africa.

When you play an all-rounder, either his batting or his bowling must be good enough to stand up on its own at Test level. McDonald is a "bitza" at Test level. He can chip in with the odd 50 or a couple of wickets, but he wouldn't get selected on either skill.

Then how come Smith gets a game ?

[westcoastpanther]

Yes, why does Smith get a game? So far out of his depth and obvious to me as a mug, wtf are the selectors seeing?

[rod_rooster]

injured, but more importantly not up too test level. great state player but that next level is a bit too much. batsman play his bowling too easy and you get a moving ball and he cant get near it when he bats. but i met him a couple of years ago and he is a top Bloke.

I think you are selling him short. His performances for Australia were okay, at the moment they would be exceptional.
Other players have performed worse in South Africa.

When you play an all-rounder, either his batting or his bowling must be good enough to stand up on its own at Test level. McDonald is a "bitza" at Test level. He can chip in with the odd 50 or a couple of wickets, but he wouldn't get selected on either skill.

Then how come Smith gets a game ?

I don't think AH would disagree. Smith is a perfect example of what he's talking about.

[Gozu]

"Swann laughs at Aussie selectors":

THE best bowler in the world has panned Australia's selectors for sacking Nathan Hauritz.
Englishman Graeme Swann, the highest wicket-taker on Planet Test Cricket last year, was so impressed by Hauritz that he studied video footage of the out-of-favour NSW tweaker before landing in Australia.

He's staggered beyond all belief that the entire Ashes series is about to come and go without Hauritz delivering a single ball. The unheralded, unproven and untried Michael Beer will make his debut at the SCG tomorrow.

"I honestly don't understand how the Australian selection works," Swann said.

"It is obviously different to how it works in England. I don't know why he was dropped in the first place and why he has not been brought back in. I've said before I'm a fan of Nathan Hauritz's bowling.

"He's an off-spinner. I'm an off-spinner.

"You have a certain kinship towards your fellow competitor when he does the same thing you do.

"I generally feel sorry for him. I don't think he deserved to miss out on this whole series.

"He bowled well against Eng-land two years ago in Australia and I certainly think he's a guy who caused a few of our guys some problems.

"I don't understand why he hasn't been given a shout - but that's been good for us."

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/swa ... 5980194715

[mal]

It has ended up being a terrible terrible selection blunder to drop a handy spinner and replace him with dud performers
THE RITZ has taken 63 wickets @ 34.98 in Test Matches
To drop him after a Indian tour, where most of our bowlers have been getting pasted for sometime now, didnt make sense to me at the time
THE NATH averages 25 with the bat, a pretty good average for a number 9 batsman

To replace him with DOHERTY ends up being one of the worst selections imaginable
To select SMITH was a gamble, but potentially SMITH may make the grade, and was maybe worth a punt

THE NATH/RITZ has made many runs, and bowled well enough in the SS
But will the selectors select him again ?

The guy is no star, but is still the best spinning/batting package in the land

[Jim05]

Okeefes ss averages for batting and bowling are streets ahead of hauritz. We are stepping backwards if hauritz ever selected again. He is better than doherty and beer but thats about it

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

Only up for day 4 and 5 of this, so hopefully Australia can last a little longer than they did in Melbourne

[bloods08]

Okeefes averages for batting and bowling are streets ahead of hauritz. We are stepping backwards if hauritz ever selected again. He is better than doherty and beer but thats about it

Get over O'Keefe. Not even good enough to make the NSW team let alone the AUS team.

[pmackk]

I cant get over why hauritz has not got a go this series.

[Jim05]

Okeefes averages for batting and bowling are streets ahead of hauritz. We are stepping backwards if hauritz ever selected again. He is better than doherty and beer but thats about it

Get over O'Keefe. Not even good enough to make the NSW team let alone the AUS team.

Of course okeefe cant get into nsw. They are not going to play 3 spinners. They cant drop hauritz or golden boy smith. Now that smith is playing for australia, okeefe will get some game time and prove how far of hauritz he is.
Hauritz absolute rubbish.
Ps to all the people sticking up for hauritz i bet you were all the ones who was calling for his head in the last 6 months