NZ V AU HADLEE/CHAPPELL GAME 1 LEE injured.....

[mal]

Mal

I take on board your point that watson is more suited to the top of the order, my issue with that strategy is, in my opinion he is not in our best 5 opener options, he want displace ponting at #3, and there is also 4 or 5 better options at #4, so if there is no position for he at 1, 2 or 4 and if he has to bat 6 or 7, should he play?

He had success as an opener in the o/d games in the subcontinent.
It was disappointing to see HADDIN bat 3 and not WATSON.

Batting 7 may well be his undoing.
Batting will be his main skill in the long run.
SD you say should he play, yeah hes earned some stripes so why not.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Yep, Watson's not a 7, and Haddin's certainly not a 3. They need to switch them around for a start.

[GWW]

Bring back Katich

[rod_rooster]

Mal

I take on board your point that watson is more suited to the top of the order, my issue with that strategy is, in my opinion he is not in our best 5 opener options, he want displace ponting at #3, and there is also 4 or 5 better options at #4, so if there is no position for he at 1, 2 or 4 and if he has to bat 6 or 7, should he play?

He had success as an opener in the o/d games in the subcontinent.
It was disappointing to see HADDIN bat 3 and not WATSON.

Batting 7 may well be his undoing.
Batting will be his main skill in the long run.
SD you say should he play, yeah hes earned some stripes so why not.

mal, SD is right though. If Australia has all players available there is no spot for Watson in the top 6 whether he is more suited to the top order or not. There are simply too many guys better than him that will fill these top 6 places. Therfore if you say batting will be his main strength and he isn't suited to no.7 (given that there is no spot for him in the top 6) should he be playing?

[am Bays]

2nd game Aust 3/160 off 30 overs Haddin 49

Hussey and Hodge 51 & 21 respectively at a run a ball

Jaques 3 off 16 balls - but his bat on ice, he's on fire!!!

[Adelaide Hawk]

Jaques 3 off 16 balls - but his bat on ice, he's on fire!!!

I'm not a big Jaques fan at this point of time,. but will be quite happy to be proven wrong.

[am Bays]

214/3 off 38 Hodge 47 and Hussey 79 both going at better than a run a ball.

Mind you 300 + is a must on Eden Pk with its short rectangular boundaries

[am Bays]

Aust 4/336 White 37 of 17 balls Hodge 97*

Good score, can they defend it on the postage stamp

[rod_rooster]

Mal

I take on board your point that watson is more suited to the top of the order, my issue with that strategy is, in my opinion he is not in our best 5 opener options, he want displace ponting at #3, and there is also 4 or 5 better options at #4, so if there is no position for he at 1, 2 or 4 and if he has to bat 6 or 7, should he play?

He had success as an opener in the o/d games in the subcontinent.
It was disappointing to see HADDIN bat 3 and not WATSON.

Batting 7 may well be his undoing.
Batting will be his main skill in the long run.
SD you say should he play, yeah hes earned some stripes so why not.

mal, SD is right though. If Australia has all players available there is no spot for Watson in the top 6 whether he is more suited to the top order or not. There are simply too many guys better than him that will fill these top 6 places. Therfore if you say batting will be his main strength and he isn't suited to no.7 (given that there is no spot for him in the top 6) should he be playing?

Any response to this mal?

[mal]

Mal

I take on board your point that watson is more suited to the top of the order, my issue with that strategy is, in my opinion he is not in our best 5 opener options, he want displace ponting at #3, and there is also 4 or 5 better options at #4, so if there is no position for he at 1, 2 or 4 and if he has to bat 6 or 7, should he play?

He had success as an opener in the o/d games in the subcontinent.
It was disappointing to see HADDIN bat 3 and not WATSON.

Batting 7 may well be his undoing.
Batting will be his main skill in the long run.
SD you say should he play, yeah hes earned some stripes so why not.

mal, SD is right though. If Australia has all players available there is no spot for Watson in the top 6 whether he is more suited to the top order or not. There are simply too many guys better than him that will fill these top 6 places. Therfore if you say batting will be his main strength and he isn't suited to no.7 (given that there is no spot for him in the top 6) should he be playing?

Any response to this mal?

Not good enough to be a frontline first 6 o/d batsman
Not good enough to be a frontline bowler in o/d games
Just good enough to be an allrounder batting 7+ being the 5th bowler
Certainly not a HACK

[rod_rooster]

Mal

I take on board your point that watson is more suited to the top of the order, my issue with that strategy is, in my opinion he is not in our best 5 opener options, he want displace ponting at #3, and there is also 4 or 5 better options at #4, so if there is no position for he at 1, 2 or 4 and if he has to bat 6 or 7, should he play?

He had success as an opener in the o/d games in the subcontinent.
It was disappointing to see HADDIN bat 3 and not WATSON.

Batting 7 may well be his undoing.
Batting will be his main skill in the long run.
SD you say should he play, yeah hes earned some stripes so why not.

mal, SD is right though. If Australia has all players available there is no spot for Watson in the top 6 whether he is more suited to the top order or not. There are simply too many guys better than him that will fill these top 6 places. Therfore if you say batting will be his main strength and he isn't suited to no.7 (given that there is no spot for him in the top 6) should he be playing?

Any response to this mal?

Not good enough to be a frontline first 6 o/d batsman
Not good enough to be a frontline bowler in o/d games
Just good enough to be an allrounder batting 7+ being the 5th bowler
Certainly not a HACK

mal you said earlier:

Batting 7 may well be his undoing.
Batting will be his main skill in the long run.

kind of contradicts your latest comment doesn't it? I asked if you thought he should get a spot in the side given you think his main strength will be his batting yet he isn't good enough to get in the top 6 and also given you think batting seven will be his undoing.