Your test XI for the Aussie summer

[wycbloods]

sum1 tell me wot is the problem with krejza?

No where near enough consistency with his bowling. He just bowls far too many 4 balls, if he fixes that part of his game he will deserve another as he does give it a decent rip and bowls some good ones but they are too few and far between.

[stampy]

goes for too many imho

[Grahaml]

Certainly tough. Either Hughes doesn't get back in, or someone who has done well recently misses out. Certainly Hussey's hundred makes things interesting.

For mine, I think Hughes needs to show some improvement against the short fast ball at the ribs before getting back in. Whether he comes in or not really depends (IMHO) on his improvement on that aspect of his game and early season form. I don't see great need to change the batting. Most performed at some stage, and while Hussey and Hughes were disappointing not everyone will bat really well. I think we batted for the most part well enough to win the series. What we really lacked was a bowler who really dominated, or a few guys who bowled really well over the course of 5 tests. Too many were hit and miss for my liking. Having said that I wouldn't make too many changes. I think Hauritz should be considered for now our number 1 spinner, while Lee and Clark will need to prove himself in first class games to get into my team. Hilfenhaus will have his position questioned despite being our best bowler. He certainly would be in the top echelon at the moment, but the conditions suited him perfectly over there. If he bowls poorly here early in the season Lee and/or Clark may push past him.

My team then as it stands:

Katich
Watson
Ponting (c) - did nothing wrong in England IMHO. we lost due to poor batting/bowling
Hussey (only if he scores runs in first class cricket)
Clarke
North
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Siddle
Hilfenhaus (if he takes wickets in first class cricket)

Next bat in for mine would be Hughes, only if he improves his weakness and if he hasn't whoever is in the best form at the time. Next bowler in line would be Lee, but I'd like to see him taking wickets for NSW.

[NFC]

Katich
Hughes - STICK WITH HIM!!
Ponting
Clarke - Needs to make the move to #4
Watson - #5 seems about right
North
Haddin
Johnson
Krejza - Another shot to see if he's capable, surely he could have success against the Windies? He's still young.
Siddle
Hilfenhaus

Lee 12th man.

Ferg and Khawaja in the mix too if they have successful seasons.

[Stumps]

I agree NFC- and would play Mcdonald if not a turning wicket-

[Hondo]

Why are so many of you afraid to make the call on Hussey?

We've just lost the Ashes and he was conspicuous by yet another poor series but there he is in most of the teams at close to the age of 35?

Someone convince me with a decent argument other than his 121 in the last innings of the series (remembering he scored 0 in the innings that cost us the Ashes).

For me it's time to move on:

Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Ferguson
North
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Hauritz
Hilf

[Media Park]

S Katich (Last Aus Summer)
Hughes (Seriously, if he isn't picked, I'm supporting England)
M. Clarke (Has to take on the responsibility of number 3. Ponting still in, but put him down a spot)
Ponting (As Captain. No questions asked. No debate.)
M. Hussey (Saved his career 5th Test v POMs, for now. If he fails again, the Watto makes a return (at seven)
North (Beleive it or not, I don't rate him, but he's made runs- simple as that)
Haddin (If Huss is dropped, Haddin would move up one spot, Watto at seven, but if fit, Haddin is our best 'keep)
Johnson (Struggled in England, now he's back in Aus, he will again be compared to K. Miller, and come up short- but our best bowler by a mile)
Lee (One last roll of the dice. Give him the first two tests to make an impact, otherwise goodbye, in favor of S Clark)
Siddle (Really impressed in England, and finishes a spell just as fast and aggressive as he starts it. Must have with the new pill)
Hilfenhaus (To take the new aggat with Siddle, he won't do as well as he did in England, but really- whose knocking down the door?)

12th- Watto (If Huss drops out, Id throw Ronald McDonald as the next man in)

[hearts on fire]

Matt Hayden, Damien Martyn, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist all to come out of retirement and make a return to internation cricket!

I reckon those 6 names there, could beat the current Australian side hands down.

[CoverKing]

Talk about running with the tide HOF.
Stupid stupid call.
I can recall u saying what a disgrace it was Hayden being picked for the sydney test, and now u think he can play in the side to beat the side he shouldnt have been picked for?

Another stupid comment by HOF.

[Rik E Boy]

Why are so many of you afraid to make the call on Hussey?

We've just lost the Ashes and he was conspicuous by yet another poor series but there he is in most of the teams at close to the age of 35?

Someone convince me with a decent argument other than his 121 in the last innings of the series (remembering he scored 0 in the innings that cost us the Ashes).

For me it's time to move on:

Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Ferguson
North
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Hauritz
Hilf

Once again it's hondo to the rescue. Possibly return Hughes to the side against the weaker West Indian attack and put Watto in the middle order and not quite yet for the Ferg who can have another crack in Yellow. Hussey's gotta go.

regards,

REB

[stan]

sum1 tell me wot is the problem with krejza?

The main issue is he leaks alot of runs. What the main role of the Spinner in the Australian test side after Warne is to provide some variation, hold up one end by keeping it tight and hence this allows the team to build pressure on the batsmen. Hence why the selectors have seen the need for Hauritz to play.
Warne was a freak where he was the one doing the attacking. But in no way shape or form is the selectors expecting a spinner to be able to do that. And Krezja while is a reasonable spinner, goes for plenty of runs.
Thats just the way im looking at it.

[stan]

Why are so many of you afraid to make the call on Hussey?

We've just lost the Ashes and he was conspicuous by yet another poor series but there he is in most of the teams at close to the age of 35?

Someone convince me with a decent argument other than his 121 in the last innings of the series (remembering he scored 0 in the innings that cost us the Ashes).

For me it's time to move on:

Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Ferguson
North
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Hauritz
Hilf

Once again it's hondo to the rescue. Possibly return Hughes to the side against the weaker West Indian attack and put Watto in the middle order and not quite yet for the Ferg who can have another crack in Yellow. Hussey's gotta go.

regards,

REB

Hondo I reckon you have a case there for Ferg. Also REB the return of Hughes in this up comming series would be a good idea. i must admit Watto did bat well in the games he played in. So well done to him and I guess he needs to be considered at some point.

[magpie in the 80's]

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Ferguson
North
Haddin
Watson
Johnson
Hauritz
Hilf / Siddle

[Killa]

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Ferguson
North
Haddin
Watson
Johnson
Hauritz
Hilf / Siddle

Watson said he is giving up as being an all-rounder as his can not keep up. By Concentrating on his batting and maybe bowl 10-15 overs a match

[Pottsy]

The obsession with Watson really gets my goat...wherever it is...

Is he one of the best six batsmen in the nation - NO

Is he one of the best five bowlers in the nation - NO

So, for Test match cricket, the question is answered - he SHOULD NOT PLAY.

Loving Hondo's team, but...

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Ferguson
North
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Hauritz
Hilf

for mine.

[Hondo]

I don't mind Hughes in, Watto out ... at some stage. Or Watto to 5, Ferguson out as REB suggested.

I only put Watto in because I assume he will hold his spot having done well in England.

On Hughes, I agree with REB that he needs to sort out that technical flaw re the short ball and he needs to do that at State level. He'll be back sooner or later. Until it's sorted he's almost a walking wicket at test level IMO.

[wycbloods]

I don't mind Hughes in, Watto out ... at some stage. Or Watto to 5, Ferguson out as REB suggested.

I only put Watto in because I assume he will hold his spot having done well in England.

On Hughes, I agree with REB that he needs to sort out that technical flaw re the short ball and he needs to do that at State level. He'll be back sooner or later. Until it's sorted he's almost a walking wicket at test level IMO.

I don't agree with that, Ravi Bopara on the other hand . Hughes got bounced by Morkel, Ntini and Steyn as well guys and he managed to make hundreds over there so there is no doubt he can play the short ball. Yes he needs some work so he can manage it better but if given the opportunity, and no better opportunity than the WI, he will improve it at Test level where he belongs.

I think Watson is worth persisting with at 5 or 6 as a batting allrounder. I would also like the seletors to make their mind up on North, is he capable of being a very good batting allrounder? To have a batsmen bowl 30 overs tells me the bloke can bowl well enough to allow him to be picked as an allrounder and allowing us to wait on picking a spinner who commands a spot, not one who is given it through a lack of a better option.

[Hondo]

I don't think you can dismiss what happended to Hughes in England so easily

The difference between South Africa and England was that England had devised a specific plan and worked it rather than the South Africans just throwing up the short ball every so often as they would to any other batsman.

Hughes would not have faced that pressure before because bowlers below test standard wouldn't have the pace or control to keep it up.

Whether he needs to sort it out at test or first class level is debatable I guess. What we don't want is a string of low scores and OTT scrutiny of his form at test level when he's only 20. He's a gun that needs to be developed carefully.

[wycbloods]

He needs to work on the short ball no doubt. I don't think it is as much of a problem as it has been made out to be. He handled it pretty well in SA and that is a good attack. He got plenty of short stuff from them after his first dismissal in test cricket if we can cast our minds back to that series.

No better way to get his confidence back than against the weaker test sides we have to play against in the upcoming summer.

[welly]

Hughes
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
North
Fergy
Haddin
Johnson
Krejza
Siddle
Hilf
Lee

Thats 12 for the future. We need an attacking spinner, remember you have to take 20 wickets and Hauritz can bowl tight but Krejza can take wickets and give him 10 tests he will improve. He can bat too he started his career for NSW batting 6/7 and being second spinner. Also bowling with a left armer in the attack (johnson) it allows for the rough outside off stump to the right handers to come into play for someone who can chuck it wider and spin it out of rough for both left and right handers. Hauritz doesn't spin it enough to make the most of johnsons rough.
Fergy has shown composure at international cricket along with skill and technique.
We need to build for the next ashes.

A new bloody coach might help too!!!!!!