1st Test V India starting Boxing Day

[CoverKing]

Starting on Monday.

When does the squad get announced?

[Jim05]

Fitness test for Watto on Saturday I believe, pretty sure the squad will be named by Saturday arvo but wont announce team until coin toss on Monday

[CoverKing]

Thought the squad may be announced Thursday. Team flies in on Friday. Train Saturday and then the optional training session on Xmas day?

[Jim05]

Thought the squad may be announced Thursday. Team flies in on Friday. Train Saturday and then the optional training session on Xmas day?

Makes sense, the tour match finishes tomorrow.
Cant honestly see too many changes so shouldnt be a hard selection

[bloods08]

Starting on Monday.

When does the squad get announced?

Squad announced tommorow (12:00 SA time)

Have heard Watson, Cowan and Harris in.

Hughes, Khawaja and Starc out.

[Jim05]

Starting on Monday.

When does the squad get announced?

Squad announced tommorow (12:00 SA time)

Have heard Watson, Cowan and Harris in.

Hughes, Khawaja and Starc out.

Harris has to get through his huge workload of 4 overs tonight in the BBL.
Can we afford to take 2 injury prone cricketers into Boxing Day.
Really be disappointed if Khawaja misses, although the big scores havnt come yet he occupies the crease for good lengths of time, need to persist with him for a while yet. Hussey has to make way

[Phantom Gossiper]

Harris has to get through his huge workload of 4 overs tonight in the BBL.
Can we afford to take 2 injury prone cricketers into Boxing Day.
Really be disappointed if Khawaja misses, although the big scores havnt come yet he occupies the crease for good lengths of time, need to persist with him for a while yet. Hussey has to make way

Thought I read Harris will not be considered for the Boxing day test..?

[Media Park]

Harris is considered, must be fit though.

It would be worth playing a Christian-type player, even at the expense of Starc, if he can be that third seamer effectively enough, it'd be a good option.

Not too fussed re Cowan, so Hughes out for Christian, batting six or seven, and Khawaja opening up.

If Harris is fit, with our selectors, he will be playing, and Christian and Starc will be mixing the drinks...

[Gozu]

Looks like Hughes & Khawaja out for Cowan & Marsh with Hilfenhaus a chance to make the extended squad:

ED COWAN and Shaun Marsh are set for Boxing Day call-ups today.

It will likely come at the expense of unlucky Usman Khawaja and out-of-sorts Phil Hughes.

And Ben Hilfenhaus is shaping as a fast bowling bolter in an extended 13-man squad that is not expected to include Ryan Harris or Shane Watson, both of whom are returning from injury.

Cowan appears to have forced his way into the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener after plundering 578 runs at 64.22 in first-class cricket this season, including three centuries.

His outstanding form continued in yesterday's 109 for the Chairman's XI.

Marsh, meanwhile, made a stunning recovery from a back injury yesterday during a two-hour batting session at Australia's batting camp in Melbourne.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/cri ... 6227135309

[CoverKing]

Looks like Hughes & Khawaja out for Cowan & Marsh with Hilfenhaus a chance to make the extended squad:

ED COWAN and Shaun Marsh are set for Boxing Day call-ups today.

It will likely come at the expense of unlucky Usman Khawaja and out-of-sorts Phil Hughes.

And Ben Hilfenhaus is shaping as a fast bowling bolter in an extended 13-man squad that is not expected to include Ryan Harris or Shane Watson, both of whom are returning from injury.

Cowan appears to have forced his way into the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener after plundering 578 runs at 64.22 in first-class cricket this season, including three centuries.

His outstanding form continued in yesterday's 109 for the Chairman's XI.

Marsh, meanwhile, made a stunning recovery from a back injury yesterday during a tw
o-hour batting session at Australia's batting camp in Melbourne.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/cri ... 6227135309

Surely this is the chance to move on one of hussey or ponting.

Seriously picking ponting is a joke!

[Q.]

It will be a farewell series (I hope). Khawaja's time will come, but for this series it is the chance for Aussie crowds to say goodbye to a couple of legendary batsmen.

[Jim05]

Sorry dont agree with farewell tours, its about picking a side to take us forward. This could set Khawaja back years. Hasnt made big runs but hasnt been our worst batsman either. He is at least facing a lot of deliveries and looks the most technically correct out of the lot of them. I have no faith that Ponting or Hussey will last a dozen balls if the ball is swinging.

[CoverKing]

Sorry dont agree with farewell tours, its about picking a side to take us forward. This could set Khawaja back years. Hasnt made big runs but hasnt been our worst batsman either. He is at least facing a lot of deliveries and looks the most technically correct out of the lot of them. I have no faith that Ponting or Hussey will last a dozen balls if the ball is swinging.

Agree 100% of that post

[Q.]

I'll be worried if it gets close to the last test and there's no whiff of a retirement announcement

[locky801]

Sorry dont agree with farewell tours, its about picking a side to take us forward. This could set Khawaja back years. Hasnt made big runs but hasnt been our worst batsman either. He is at least facing a lot of deliveries and looks the most technically correct out of the lot of them. I have no faith that Ponting or Hussey will last a dozen balls if the ball is swinging.

Agree 100% of that post

YEP, i'm on board with this as well, lets not give someone young with talent the chance to settle in against a stronger side, lets just dump him and hope those such as Ponting & Hussey and to a lesser point Haddin actually get some runs

[FlyingHigh]

.

[FlyingHigh]

Sorry dont agree with farewell tours, its about picking a side to take us forward. This could set Khawaja back years. Hasnt made big runs but hasnt been our worst batsman either. He is at least facing a lot of deliveries and looks the most technically correct out of the lot of them. I have no faith that Ponting or Hussey will last a dozen balls if the ball is swinging.

.

Cowan in for Hughes for sure
Starc in preference to Harris and Christian
Khawaja out only if Marsh is fit. Or alternatively, I see Hussey and Ponting vying for the same spot, backing up at no 6 like S waugh and Border did towards their careers end. So perhaps bye-bye to one of them, Clarke four and Khawaja 5. Most of our number 3's over the years seem to have been afforded the luxury of starting their careers down the order, but they haven't really afforded this to Khawaja (he may ahve done it once?) - it's either no 3 or out, agree Jim, it seems like they are screwin with him a bit

[Hondo]

Khawaja's test average is 29.22 with just one 50 in 11 digs and a top score of 65. It's not good enough. He may be a great player for Australia one day but he doesn't look like it yet. Why are we so tied to wanting him in the side?

If getting dropped sets him back years then he was never going to make it anyway. Phil Hughes is another example where persisting with a player just because he is young doesn't automatically turn him into a test class batsman. In Hughes' case the constant working over of his weaknesses at test level have arguably set him back further than if he had been dropped earlier (assuming he will be dropped now).

If these guys are good enough they will bounce back the same way as Hayden, Langer, Ponting, S Waugh, M Waugh, Martyn and Lehmann did. All were dropped more than once too.

[FlyingHigh]

Agree they are not great stats yet. Steve Waugh was given plenty of time to develop. When Hayden was trying to make the side we also had Slater and Blewett, Ponting started his career at no 6. Look at how Martyn was set back when dropped (also unfarily I believe). Given our current situation, I think he deserves another opportunity.

[Jim05]

Agree they are not great stats yet. Steve Waugh was given plenty of time to develop. When Hayden was trying to make the side we also had Slater and Blewett, Ponting started his career at no 6. Look at how Martyn was set back when dropped (also unfarily I believe). Given our current situation, I think he deserves another opportunity.

Spot on, whilst he average isnt great at the moment he can at least occupy the crease for long lengths of time and thats a positive for a top order batter, he very rarely gets dismissed early and even when he only makes 10 or 15 he is seeing off 40-70 balls so he is geting starts but just needs the confidence to go on with it. Ponting and Hussey seem very prone to getting out before they have faced many deliveries especially Hussey. Give me a guy who can bat for an hour or so anyday, the runs will come. Sorry but Ponting or Hussey need to go