Australia vs Sri Lanka 3rd test At the SCG

[RustyCage]

Michael Clarke (c) NSW
Jackson Bird TAS
Ed Cowan TAS
Phillip Hughes SA
Mike Hussey WA
Mitchell Johnson WA
Nathan Lyon SA
Peter Siddle VIC
Mitchell Starc NSW
Matthew Wade VIC
David Warner NSW

Glenn Maxwell is 12th man

[The Sleeping Giant]

With Sri Lanka decimated with injury and low on confidence, I guess it doesn't matter who you pick.

[Trader]

Yeah, I thought the last test went too long as well. Good idea to play the extra bowler to hopefully quicken things up.

[Alaska]

Stinks of over confidence to me, making Johnson the allrounder after two games back, and expecting him to bat with the tail. Setting us up for a failure.

[stan]

Stinks of over confidence to me, making Johnson the allrounder after two games back, and expecting him to bat with the tail. Setting us up for a failure.

Yes you are correct but i can sort of see what the thinking is. Its a bit like Shaun Pollock coming in at 7 towards the end of his career. He was not and allrounder but ok with the bat. A bit like Johnson although Pollock was a much better player obviously.

Also you have young Starc who can bat a bit and when Pattinson comes back he can also bat as well. So I think selectors acknowledge we dont really have that allrounder to come in but perhaps we have a few of bowlers capable of batting a bit.

Just my thoughts on the selection.

[Dogwatcher]

To me, it stinks more of not wanting to admit they've got the rotation policy wrong than over confidence.

[Media Park]

Hard to drop a bowler after the last test and they ballsed up with Starc's resting... Maxwell would have made a more balanced side, but Bird would have been dropped, and he did enough to get another immediate crack.

[daysofourlives]

They won't need a rotation policy if they play 5 bowlers every test

[The Dark Knight]

Stinks of over confidence to me, making Johnson the allrounder after two games back, and expecting him to bat with the tail. Setting us up for a failure.

Yes you are correct but i can sort of see what the thinking is. Its a bit like Shaun Pollock coming in at 7 towards the end of his career. He was not and allrounder but ok with the bat. A bit like Johnson although Pollock was a much better player obviously.

Also you have young Starc who can bat a bit and when Pattinson comes back he can also bat as well. So I think selectors acknowledge we dont really have that allrounder to come in but perhaps we have a few of bowlers capable of batting a bit.

Just my thoughts on the selection.

Good point stan, Starc and Patinson certainly aren't mugs with the bat in hand. Also, Sri Lanka's bowling attack will never trouble them as much as South Africa's or England's attack would.

[Media Park]

Ah, just looked at the members page. beaten by Mick for the No. 2 spot. Hope that doesnt mean the spoon again.

Until hilf pattinson and cummins return

[Gozu]

For anyone thats interested Greg Chappell interview on 'Inside Edge' Thursday night at 8pm on ABC News 24.

[The Sleeping Giant]

So Australia will want to bowl first, and Sri Lanka will more than likely want to bat first.

[piccachu]

Why dont we play Paine as the Keeper and Wade as the allrounder

Not a fan of Gifting Maxwell a baggy green for the sake of having an allrounder, i like the decission the selectors have made as Watto will come straight back in so no point giving a baggy green to someone who is not worthy to wear it, as for the Bowlers batting, Pattinson, Starc and Mitch can all bat but IMO Pattinson is the pick of the bunch and think in the future he will be classed as an allrounder. Mitch is very hit and miss and i think Starc is coming along nicely, tails runs can be very important, just ask the Redbacks

[RustyCage]

Ah, just looked at the members page. beaten by Mick for the No. 2 spot. Hope that doesnt mean the spoon again.

Until hilf pattinson and cummins return

trying to work out where Coorongs quote from this sites first ever thread in 2005 fits in to the scheme of things MP

[whufc]

Really odd side, definatly stinks of trying to find an all rounder for the sake of it, surely we don't need 5 bowlers to get this Lankan side out, one of these bowlers will get less than 10 overs and add nothing with the bat

I think they would have been better served getting another test match into Khawaja who looks the likely replacement for Hussey and will be crucial in India and the Ashes.

[The Sleeping Giant]

I would have Khawaja instead of Bird.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Australia won the toss and bowl.

[Brodlach]

0/17 after 5

[RustyCage]

Got him! Hussey with the catch

[jackpot jim]

Got him! Hussey with the catch

Another terrible shot by these top order Sri Lankan muppets.
You'd think they'd tighten up a bit after their disgraceful showing in Melbourne.