3RD ASHES TEST EG V AU EDGBASTON 2009

[mal]

EG lead 1-0
Should be 1-1 all
SAFOOTY sponsors SPORTSBET has these odds
EG $4-50
AU $2-70
DR $2-12

EG mod squad of 15
INS BELL-HARMISON-PANESAR
OUTS K.P.
FLINTOFF to pass a fitness test

BELL for superstar KP might be the only change

AU
Likely to be unchanged
Although the jury is out on some players

MALS AU TEAM

KAT
SCARDY CAT
PONTING
4
5
6
HADDIN
MJ
HARRIE
SIZZLE
HILFENWORKHORSEHAUS

4-5-6 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Im not suggesting that HUSSEY/CLARKE/NORTH should be dropped at all
They do not deserve to be at this point of time
B
U
T
AU need the 5th bowling allrounder

IN V AU thrashed in India
AU V SA in oz AU were 2-0 down
T
H
E
N
Andrew Mcdonald was summoned about that time to play the last test
AU beat SA in that last test

SA V AU
AU win the series 2-1
Andrew McDonald played these 3 games

Unlesss Im corrected but Macca played
4 tests as the allrounder
AU won 3-1 in those 4 tests
Macca was dropped after the Devilliers mauling of him

That 5th bowling allrounder gave the strikers a bit more of a break
Right now
after 50 odd overs in tests at times
EG are being given a diet of Haurrie/Northy/Clarkey [oh dear]

Andrew Mcdonald MUST Play
If he averages 25 with the bat and 35 with the ball he will even with those modest averages do a job this team requires in International cricket

IF Macca does not play then the iconic legendary WATTO is next in line

[Pup]

Clarke has only bowled 16 overs in 2 tests so hardly bowling too much.

Pencil Clarke into that side as a certainty.

Earlier in the week i said North is a shoe in but now i am not so sure, McDonald and Watson have both put their hands up in this recent tour match and Clark must be close to getting a recall.

Johnson is a real worry, got belted around again but this time by club cricketers, he is under immense pressure whether he should be or not.

[drebin]

Clarke has only bowled 16 overs in 2 tests so hardly bowling too much.

Pencil Clarke into that side as a certainty.

Earlier in the week i said North is a shoe in but now i am not so sure, McDonald and Watson have both put their hands up in this recent tour match and Clark must be close to getting a recall.

Johnson is a real worry, got belted around again but this time by club cricketers, he is under immense pressure whether he should be or not.

Spelling again folks! The batsman named Clarke is already a certainty, the other Clark (without an E) is not as yet!

[wycbloods]

Clarke has only bowled 16 overs in 2 tests so hardly bowling too much.

Pencil Clarke into that side as a certainty.

Earlier in the week i said North is a shoe in but now i am not so sure, McDonald and Watson have both put their hands up in this recent tour match and Clark must be close to getting a recall.

Johnson is a real worry, got belted around again but this time by club cricketers, he is under immense pressure whether he should be or not.

Spelling again folks! The batsman named Clarke is already a certainty, the other Clark (without an E) is not as yet!

mal had left M Clarke out of secured spot side and Pup correctly spelt his name stating he can pencil Clarke in. He then goes onto say that S Clark must be close to getting a recall.

Read properly drebin .

[drebin]

Clarke has only bowled 16 overs in 2 tests so hardly bowling too much.

Pencil Clarke into that side as a certainty.

Earlier in the week i said North is a shoe in but now i am not so sure, McDonald and Watson have both put their hands up in this recent tour match and Clark must be close to getting a recall.

Johnson is a real worry, got belted around again but this time by club cricketers, he is under immense pressure whether he should be or not.

Spelling again folks! The batsman named Clarke is already a certainty, the other Clark (without an E) is not as yet!

mal had left M Clarke out of secured spot side and Pup correctly spelt his name stating he can pencil Clarke in. He then goes onto say that S Clark must be close to getting a recall.

Read properly drebin .

Whoops my mistake - apologies but I got "perplexed" as to why Mal would have not had M. Clarke in as a "certainty" in the opening post??? Obviously making a ton in his last at bat is not good enough?

[mal]

DREBIN
Have said CLARKE does not deserve to be dropped
He is batting very well and is almost the first batsman picked these days
Id better make myself clear on the 4-5-6 batting spot
Point I am alluding to is the side needs Mcdonald as the allrounder
A middle order batsman is needed to be dropped to make way for Mcdonalds inclusion [in my opinion]
BUT the thing is none of the middle order should be dropped so makes it very difficult selecting Macca

MIDDLE ORDER
4 HUSSEY his record in the last 20 or so innings = can be dropped [but still averages 53 odd]
5 CLARKE exempt DREBIN 100% right cant be dropped
6 NORTH made 2 tons in about 3-4 tests= would be stiff to miss out


SUMMARY
AU need to the allrounder, but who can be dropped to make way ???????????????????????????
It would be outrageously wrong to drop HUGHES and play WATTO as the allrounder opener as well

[The Cadet]

Hughes - Needs runs this test
Katich
Ponting
Hussey - Needs runs this test
Clarke
North - Needs runs this test
Haddin
McDonald - Must play, bowls stump to stump and swings it both ways.
Siddle
Clark/Hauritz - Clark to play if a seamers deck if not Hauritz to stay in.
Hilfenhaus

** Watson close to be in, McDonald wins the battle because his bowling is suited more to the conditions. Watson may come into the next test. Needs to play as a top 6 batsmen.

** Johnson has been our best bowler for some time, but where 1 nill down and need to pick the players that are in form. If his game against Northants was half decent he would of survived but he got smashed. If he plays it puts extra pressure on Hilf and Siddle to bowl England out twice.

** Lee has got his golf handicap down by two on tour so far. Having a blast of a time, hopefully will be fit for the Brisbane test.

[wycbloods]

Hughes - Needs runs this test
Katich
Ponting
Hussey - Needs runs this test
Clarke
North - Needs runs this test
Haddin
McDonald - Must play, bowls stump to stump and swings it both ways.
Siddle
Clark/Hauritz - Clark to play if a seamers deck if not Hauritz to stay in.
Hilfenhaus

** Watson close to be in, McDonald wins the battle because his bowling is suited more to the conditions. Watson may come into the next test. Needs to play as a top 6 batsmen.

** Johnson has been our best bowler for some time, but where 1 nill down and need to pick the players that are in form. If his game against Northants was half decent he would of survived but he got smashed. If he plays it puts extra pressure on Hilf and Siddle to bowl England out twice.

** Lee has got his golf handicap down by two on tour so far. Having a blast of a time, hopefully will be fit for the Brisbane test.

Bit rough on North he did make a 100 not out in the first test. Otherwise a pretty fair summary.

[Jimmy]

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North
Haddin
Siddle
Hauritz
Clark
Hifenhaus

Watson/McDonald

Bye bye Johnson, see oyu in Oz when the wickets are faster!

[cyclops]

my side
1-hughes
2-katich
3-ponting
4-hussey(on his last legs)
5-clarke
6-watson
7-haddin
8-mcdonald
9-clark
10-siddle
11-hilfenhaus

tough on johnson,north and hauritz.

[the joker]

i cant believe some people are not picking Hauritz in there side, he is the leading wicket taker and has the best average and the second best SR of all the bowlers Aust and Eng.. he will not be dropped.

the only change will be Clark in For Peter Siddle.

Johnson 8 wickets at 41
Siddle 7 wickets at 44
and Mitch has a few more credits in the bank than Siddle.

[Rik E Boy]

Mitch will get selected and again we'll lose the toss and again we'll conceed 400. Go conservative Ricky and the selectors and lose in England again.

regards,

REB

[Media Park]

my side
1-hughes
2-katich
3-ponting
4-hussey(on his last legs)
5-clarke
6-watson
7-haddin
8-mcdonald
9-clark
10-siddle
11-hilfenhaus

tough on johnson,north and hauritz.

When you say Huss is on his last legs, do you mean to imply that he's going to be dropped (needing county/state runs before reselection), or that his career is done?

Hopefully the former.

[Gozu]

I can understand the rationale of Hauritz being dropped. I don't think he should given he's been our best bowler in the series so far but if Johnson doesn't go then who else? Supposedly the poms were talking about playing two spinners for this Test but that looks unlikely with it supposedly looking to be pace friendly.

Not only can Johnson not be picked but the selectors should do the right thing and send him home immediately. Mentally it's obvious he doesn't want to play cricket right now which was pretty much confirmed with him being smashed all match against a second string Northamptonshire side. His only wicket was their #10 batsman. There would be no point in picking him for the rest of the Test series or the limited overs part of the tour where he would be on a hiding to nothing. He's already been demoted from being given the new ball and it's killing us being a bowler down all the time, too much workload on Hilfenhaus and Siddle.

Clark in for Mitch and if need be McDonald in for Hauritz. I'd like to see Watson come in for North primarily as a batsman but given that North did get a ton in the first Test it would be a bit harsh. I just think Watson's a better cricketer than he is.

[cyclops]

my side
1-hughes
2-katich
3-ponting
4-hussey(on his last legs)
5-clarke
6-watson
7-haddin
8-mcdonald
9-clark
10-siddle
11-hilfenhaus

tough on johnson,north and hauritz.

When you say Huss is on his last legs, do you mean to imply that he's going to be dropped (needing county/state runs before reselection), or that his career is done?

Hopefully the former.

well at his age ud think it would be pretty tough to get bak in if he is dropped but u neva no.the bottom line he needs runs and in this test also.he is no ponting so i cant see why any other batsmen get so many oppurtunities.since the start of the indian tour last year id love to see his record.unfortunately for hussey he has done nothn against the other top 2 sides in world cricket.if they persist with him not makn runs against the top sides(and i think the poms are in the top 4 test sides) then we probably have sh#t teams comn to australia this summer and he will get runs,and his spot will be secure again.if the ozzys lose the ashes i think we will see the end of hussey.

[Media Park]

my side
1-hughes
2-katich
3-ponting
4-hussey(on his last legs)
5-clarke
6-watson
7-haddin
8-mcdonald
9-clark
10-siddle
11-hilfenhaus

tough on johnson,north and hauritz.

When you say Huss is on his last legs, do you mean to imply that he's going to be dropped (needing county/state runs before reselection), or that his career is done?

Hopefully the former.

well at his age ud think it would be pretty tough to get bak in if he is dropped but u neva no.the bottom line he needs runs and in this test also.he is no ponting so i cant see why any other batsmen get so many oppurtunities.since the start of the indian tour last year id love to see his record.unfortunately for hussey he has done nothn against the other top 2 sides in world cricket.if they persist with him not makn runs against the top sides(and i think the poms are in the top 4 test sides) then we probably have sh#t teams comn to australia this summer and he will get runs,and his spot will be secure again.if the ozzys lose the ashes i think we will see the end of hussey.

Average 33 in last 12 months.

[cyclops]

Average 33 in last 12 months.[/quote]

imo,no were near good enough to be batting in the top 6 for australia,especially with the wickets that are prepared these days and also the size of the grounds,i think batting averages these days need to be around the 50 mark as minimum.

[catchit]

Clarke has only bowled 16 overs in 2 tests so hardly bowling too much.

Pencil Clarke into that side as a certainty.

Earlier in the week i said North is a shoe in but now i am not so sure, McDonald and Watson have both put their hands up in this recent tour match and Clark must be close to getting a recall.

Johnson is a real worry, got belted around again but this time by club cricketers, he is under immense pressure whether he should be or not.

Spelling again folks! The batsman named Clark[b]e is already a certainty, the other Clark (without an E) is not as yet!

[/b]


very bad shot who really gives a toss at the end of the day??

[Mic]

Johnson out, Clark in for me.

[Thiele]

I would like to See McDonald come in