Jan 3-7: 5th Test: Australia v England at Sydney

[lethalhughes]

Complete opposite. Anderson's the most dangerous bowler in the world when conditions suit its his bowling when its quiet that has always been the question which has been allayed slightly after this series.

Yes Anderson is the best in the world when its swinging.

 

[Biggy]

I guess but come on, no one should care about "retaining". Beat them black and blue dammit and then celebrate !

tbf it's been what? 24 years since they've left Australia as the holders of the Ashes. And they have played damn well with 2 innings+ defeats. So forgive them for being a bit excited.

 

[pcfan123]

The series is not over ! The Ashes are "retained", whatever that means. Outdated concept. If the India/SA series is drawn 1-1 does that mean India win the series in SA ? India drew in Australia in 2004, does that mean the series was over and India won it ? The series is very much alive.

Talk about fail

 

[War]

If Anderson can cause Havoc then it can be asked why can't Hilfenhaus?? It's obvious that Hilfenhaus can bowl better than andereson in the best conditions of swing bowling. But Hilfenhaus has struggled against England in Australia.

As others have already said. Mainly based on this series & current form Anderson is better than Hilfy in swinging conditions. But before this series one would have had to call them even in those conditions.

Hilfy struggling to bowl well in AUS this year as ive said is just plain weird. After 1 year of consistent improvement, no one could have or would have expected him to have these struggles.

Lets not forget last summer @ Brsibane the swing he was getting.

Hauritz can now bat though... Also, it is better for Hauritz than Krejza since Krejza leaks a lot of runs.

Well of course we wont be picking Hauritz based on his batting ability. Its his bowling ability which was consistent failure @ test level which needs vast improvement.

Krezja strenght is not be an economical spinner. He is the off-spin version of Stuart MacGill. So in a potential 5-man attack for AUS of lets say Bollinger/Harris/Johnson/Watson/Krejza. The skipper would obviously have to depend on one of the fast bowlers (not Johnson of course) to be his holding bowler & Krejza will be one of the attacking bowling options.

Why Ponting deserves to stay | Fox Sports

Yep.

Yes I forgot about Krejza, he seemed a very good prospect and was axe way too quickly.Its a tough situation for selectors made even harder now they've turn their backs on Hauritz.The selectors just seem 2 pick names out of a hat try them and if the fail in a few games they get the axe.Selectors must be convince with their selections and stop chopping and changing.There just haven't been much purpose behind their selections.In the Pakistan series they didn't see Smith as being good enough to bat in the top 6, as proven with them batting him behind Paine.What change between then and now which made them see him as a top 6 bat.Was Smith chosen in the top 6 cause he can bowl?If they had doubts that he is a top 6 bat and stuck him in at 6 cause he can bowl then thats poor selecting.As I say I love Smith's game but I believe selectors got doubts about him in the top 6 and because of a lack of a proper spinner he is being played at 6 to be an all rounder.If one thing North's selection should have taught us is pick our best 6 bats if one or two happen to be an all rounder then thats great.If I'm wrong and they believe Smith is one of the best 6 bats in Australia and he is better than Khawaja then fair enough in picking him.Had we had a strong top 5 then there was a case for Haddin 6 and Smith 7 but we don't.Selectors need to go to the basic,Evaluate things and see their errors cause they've been many and rebuild the team.

Well said & thats excatly what the selectors need to do. However this current panel (Hilditch especially) has run its course & needs to go immediately after the SCG test.

On Krejza again. No doubt he was axed stupidy & hopefully under a new panerl he would be recalled ASAP. Clearly the best potentially match-winning spinner in AUS.

On Smith yea i love his style as well. But it was clear to me & i preusme most people as soon as he appeared on the international scene last summer in the ODIs vs PAK that he wasn't as good as his FC stats where showing. I never supported him playing test cricket this series at all, David Hussey should be in the XI @ # 6 right now.

Of course Smith has this test to do some & prove his worth. But another failure & he should be banished to FC cricket & become strictly a ODI specialist.

Ponting can no longer bat at 3,is it time for him to go?Watson has been good opening but still his conversion rate hasn't been special.Is it time to forget Katich.Who are the players who we believe are long term propect ; Khawaja should be one, Hughes( I know some people aren't convince but I believe he is a top player),Copeland,Hazelwood, Maddinson, Boyce, Paine, Ferguson.Is there a role for Clarke?captain?If not who will be anointed as the next skipper.Welll here's my team moving forward 16 man squad;

I'd agree Ponting shouldn't bat @ # 3 anymore, but its certainly not time for him to go at all.

Watson no doubt his conversition rate as a opener has been special. But to be i look @ that & think surely he can only getter better. So for now i'd keep him opening for sure.

Katich still has a future. Maybe another year or so. I definately hope for our 2011 tours to Sri Lanka & S Africa he is their. His performance then will determine if he will play in the next home season of tests.

1.Hughes
2.Katich
3.Khawaja
4.Watson( I know his been great at the top but hey its my team and I've alway believe Watto isn't an opener and he's almost convince me he is but conversion rate says otherwise)
5.Hussey
6.Clarke ( captain, was thinking of batting him ahead of Hussey but Hussey is in great form.
7.Haddin
8.Hauritz
9.Copeland( yes he takes Johnson's spot ,if Johnson was any good he would have shown that, class is something you just watch in a bowler an even on his off day u just say wow he just keeps trying and you never feel a class bowler is ''out of it'' ,Johnson is just useless.His bad days are so terrible and his good days are so few and far between that we can't keep carrying him).
10.Siddle( I know he is not the best thing since slice bread but he's still a fine bowler, btw Harris if fit takes his spot)
11.Bollinger( I'm convince this guy is the best pacer in Australia regardless of his last match, he does everything bowls quick , swing great control, has alot of heart.I don't know why people are against him being picked.

12.Ferguson
13.Maddinson
14.Boyce
15.Paine
16 Hazelwood( yes no Hilfy , I still think he is a good bowler but he needs to add that cutting edge to his game andd Hazelwood is the future of fast bowling in Australia).

Well i personally although in my head i do have an idea of what i think AUS team should be in the future looking ahead to 2011 tours to Sri Lanka & South Africa. I dont want to realy start picking a test setup until after this SCG test & the WC is over.

But just comment on your team:

- Firstly Ponting has to be their AFAIS & continue as captain. Only thing he cant be batting @ # 3 anymore.

- As i said above Watson for now although he is converting his starts to 100s, deserves to be considered the main opener for now. Especially with Hughes going through his little trott, Katich's future still being a bit of an unknown right now, along wiht Phil Jaques not batting the way he used to in domestic cricket.

- I totally am againts Hauritz being in the test team for reason you & everyone knows. If any spinners deserves a shot - its Krejza.

- I see your frustration with Johnson. But he certainly hasn't reached a stage where as you said "we cant carry him anymore". We have understand his limitations.

Johnson cant lead our attack, he is too erratic clearly. But as we all know when he gets it right, he is AUS most destructive pacer. So for me in what i hope will be a consistent use of a 4-man pace attack, he would be under less pressure to lead the attack with Bollinger/Harris/Siddle or Hilfy or Copeland to do the donkey work. A captain (hopefully Ponting) would just have to smart in using him in short sharp spells, where hopefully @ times he will get conditions like Perth that would increase his potency.

Haven't seen young Maddinson or Boyce play yet so cant comment.

Dont really rate Hazlewood as yet really. James Pattinson & Mitchell Starc are more the young quicks for the future to be honest.

 

[Sureshot]

Remember, War, you can use the edit function.

Looking forward to tonights match. First and fourth day look like they will be subject to rain.

 

[angryangy]

First through to fourth day

 

[Collingwood50]

Praying for Colly to make some runs today or tomorow.
I don't think he is the retiring type, but seeing as he is the sort of player whose place always seems to be under pressure after a bad series, (unlike KP who was out of form 18 months?!) even Im thinking perhaps if he did score a ton, he should go out on a high :'(

Stay in One Dayers mind.

 

[Themer]

ainly based on this series & current form Anderson is better than Hilfy in swinging conditions. But before this series one would have had to call them even in those conditions.

Even before this series I'd of backed Anderson quite a bit ahead of Hilfy when the ball was swinging. Hilfy's plus point before the Ashes was the fact he had a history of bowling decently in flat conditions unlike Anderson.

 

[Boundaries]

The match start tonight (GMT) time?

 

[Highlander999]

11:30

Praying for Colly to make some runs today or tomorow.
I don't think he is the retiring type, but seeing as he is the sort of player whose place always seems to be under pressure after a bad series, (unlike KP who was out of form 18 months?!) even Im thinking perhaps if he did score a ton, he should go out on a high :'(

Stay in One Dayers mind.

Think he has already hinted he will retire:

Collingwood has admitted the Ashes climax could be his final Test for England. The the 34-year-old, who has struggled for form in Australia, said: "The bottom line is that, at my age, if you're not scoring runs yourself you don't deserve a place in the side."

ASHES 2011: Paul Collingwood admits Sydney climax could be his final Test | Mail Online

 

[pcfan123]

Khawaja to debut! Can't wait

 

[Cricketman]

Khawaja to debut! Can't wait

 

[pcfan123]

What do a bunch of Indian chefs have to do with Khawaja?

 

[lethalhughes]

YouTube - Usman Khawaja 121 v South Australia, 12/12/10 720p HD )

This kid is something special I tell you glad selectors saw the light.

 

[Cricketman]

What do a bunch of Indian chefs have to do with Khawaja?

Song's title is Kwajha Mere Kwajha, thought it was pretty clever meself... haha