Australia's team this summer

[age of the fall]

When you average 33 from a handful tests, score the worst 50 in test history, somehow fluke your way into helping your country win a test on debut and then somehow get 3 more tests...You know your Andrew McDonald, probably the worst test all rounder of all time.

Your avatar contradicts this

 

[aussie1st]

There will be no casualties from the Ashes and the only spot up for debate will be the opening position for Hughes or Watson and whether to bowl a spinner, however, I would go with this;

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
North
Ferguson
Haddin
Johnson
Krejza
Siddle
Hilfenhaus

Krejza is far more likely to take wickets than Hauritz regardless if he goes for runs and if we're worried about spinners going for runs then we're already in bad shape.

Bit harsh on Watson isn't it? He should be in the 11 somewhere given his relative success with the bat. Definitely wouldn't mind Ferguson, hes already upstaged Hussey in the ODI series thus far. Wouldn't complain with Krejza but you probably need to drop either Johnson or Siddle as you can't have 3 front line bowlers going at 4 an over.

 

[Bluebagger]

I don't see how it is harsh on Watson since he is either in the team as a batsman or not in the team at all - he isn't an opener and we have better prospects in the middle order and he bowls pies.

Atleast soon enough he will get injured.

 

[Howsie]

He certainly wasn't bowling pies in the second ODI against England.

 

[Bluebagger]

He bowled blueberry ones in the fourth and fifth test.

 

[aussie1st]

I wouldn't read into his bowling during the Ashes, most bowlers struggle to be at their best after injury. He was close to our best bowler in India and his batting came along nicely during the Ashes. And he may not be an opener but the fact remains he has scored 3 50s and averaged 48.

 

[Covvy]

Watto is really making his mark as a player now. Just needs to improve his bowling and he'll be good. I'd like to see Australia go into their youth more and play Ferguson and also I'd like to see Xavier Doherty bowling for Australia as well.

 

[Bluebagger]

Xavier Doherty? He is not Test cricket worthy.

I wouldn't read into his bowling during the Ashes, most bowlers struggle to be at their best after injury. He was close to our best bowler in India and his batting came along nicely during the Ashes. And he may not be an opener but the fact remains he has scored 3 50s and averaged 48.

Only one bowler on the tour to India bowled well and it was not Watson.

 

[Covvy]

Nor is any Aussie spinner. He's young so give him a go.

 

[Brook]

The aussies need Watson in their test team, the bowling's not good enough any more to rely on four bowlers. He's bowling a lot better now than he was in the Ashes. He's decent with the bat and could really fit in and work in the team.

 

[Bluebagger]

We didn't need Watson in South Africa and he contributed nothing with the ball in the ashes apart from reqlinquishing pressure. Sure, his pies get rewards in the one day circuit when batsman are forced to play but as shown in the Ashes his pies do little besides give the batsman some practice.

Nor is any Aussie spinner. He's young so give him a go.

Casson is streaks ahead of Doherty.

 

[aussie1st]

Only one bowler on the tour to India bowled well and it was not Watson.

Watson was the leading Aussie seamer in terms of averages during that series at 32 and even had a better average than Khan who only took 1 more wicket than Watson but bowled 30 more overs. It was no surprise that Krejza's wickets came when Watson was at the other end, see the 2nd innings of the 4th Test which shows this perfectly. Hes more than capable as a 5th bowling option.

 

[Bluebagger]

Johnson was Australia's best bowler on tour and Watson only really did anything at Nagpur.

Even if he is given the benefit of the Nagpur test his performance at Birmingham when he came on a relinquished pressure in England's first innings was a match turner. He is not a genuine option to bowl lots of overs and sustain pressure or take wickets.

 

[Brook]

We didn't need Watson in South Africa and he contributed nothing with the ball in the ashes apart from reqlinquishing pressure. Sure, his pies get rewards in the one day circuit when batsman are forced to play but as shown in the Ashes his pies do little besides give the batsman some practice.

Yes but all it took was for them to not fire just right and the Ashes were lost. Watson didn't lose the Ashes that's for sure.

 

[aussie1st]

Johnson was Australia's best bowler on tour and Watson only really did anything at Nagpur.

Even if he is given the benefit of the Nagpur test his performance at Birmingham when he came on a relinquished pressure in England's first innings was a match turner. He is not a genuine option to bowl lots of overs and sustain pressure or take wickets.

Debatable, how we can call a bowler that averaged over 40 as our best bowler is beyond me. He bowled 50 more overs than Watson and only got 3 more wickets. And Watson bowled lots of overs, he managed to bowl 115 during the 4 Test series and he was the most economical seam bowler at 2.77 ahead of Johnson at 3.13, Sharma at 2.94, and Khan at 3.25. So really I can't see how you could say he doesn't sustain pressure or take wickets.