5th Test: England v Australia at The Oval Aug 21-25, 2013

[barmyarmy]

Just seen England haven't had a centurion at #6, since Eoin Morgan in 2010. Astounding.

Root was sort of at 6 when he hit his centuries against NZ.

 

[aussie1st]

I've basically stopped caring who we pick, logic has long gone out the window. All we can do is hope the selectors hit a bullseye.

Hoepfully McDonald can have a good start to the season as he is easily the best of the all rounders we have.

 

[Left_Hander]

I haven't been a fan of Faulkner's inclusion in the squad as I've rubbished him cause a mate of mine rates him. But I've never looked at his FC stats. As a bowler he's definitely got to be in contention even though his average is probably exaggerated from bowling on very bowler friendly pitches in Shield cricket. However, there is no way he's good enough to bat in the top 7 let alone 6. We've had batting problems all series so why take a batsmen out to replace him with an allrounder. I know our bowlers have often been the most consistent batsmen, or the ones that have placed the most value on their wicket at least but this seems ridiculous. Couldn't they have just given Khawaja the last Test and then started fresh next summer?

The thing that annoys me is that Faulkner is unlikely to be a guaranteed pick for the next Test. Henriques had a solid Test series, for a debutant in India so why all of a sudden has Faulkner overtaken him?

 

[aussie1st]

I get the feeling his bowling will go the way of Hastings and McKay at this level.

 

[midgetwars]

Well, batting wise, tour games Faulkner has done better than Khawaja.

 

[Haarithan]

Root was sort of at 6 when he hit his centuries against NZ.

He was batting at #5 then. Above Bairstow.

 

[barmyarmy]

Hence "sort of".

 

[Spickery]

More unneeded changes by the Australian selectors...

Khawaja had just regained his place in the Test team after 2 years, he gets chucked in as the number 3 batsman in the middle of a Ashes series and then after 3 matches gets dropped. It was always going to take time for Khawaja to adjust to batting at number 3 after being stuffed around by the selectors previously and now he gets dropped again. Way to ruin a promising player's confidence. To add to that he is replaced by a bowling all-rounder in James Faulkner, in his debut in Test cricket. I think James Faulkner has the potential to be a really good bowling all-rounder in Test cricket but he should have only came into the team for Shane Watson or one the bowlers. The batting order is also shuffled around again, with Shane Watson who has been struggling all series thrown in at one of the most difficult places to bat at number 3.

Jackson Bird is dropped after one Test match. He was never likely to make a big impact straight away. If the selectors weren't prepared to stick with him they should of kept Mitchell Starc in the team in the first place.

The selectors have really made a mess this time. The team is now more unstable in a team that is already shaking. These changes almost put us behind in the Test match before it has began. This is the Ashes. Big changes like these should be not happening, even if we have already lost the Ashes. We have the chance to win a match in the Ashes and gain some respectability. How Darren Lehmann let these changes take place I don't know...

 

[aussie1st]

England decided to follow suit but as usual they are doing it better picking more of a genuine all rounder.

 

[Rayr27]

I wonder if any consideration is being given to dropping Bairstow and putting Woakes in at 7 so we can play 2 spinners. Never a bad call at the Oval. And, while I am slightly biased in this regard, I do think Kerrigan deserves a game.

You heard it hear 1st! ha ha I think that's a good call though. Late summer Oval pitch should turn big by the end and Bairstow's only averaged 29 through the series. Woakes doesn't have much of an act to follow.

I presume Faulkner's inclusion means Watson can't bowl. Is he really worth his place as a batsman alone though? Questionable I'd say. Not totally surprised about Bird's omission. Always felt like a horses for courses pick. The Oval outfield is littered with the grave stones of medium pacers who nibble it about it bit so that's probably a sensible decision.

 

[barmyarmy]

Wow. England with 5 bowlers. Not a bad move considering the bowlers have been batting better than most the specialists anyway.

 

[Umair7]

Watson looking in good touch and yeah if he wants to stay in the team than he needs to perform like this regularly

 

[Spickery]

If Watson batted like this all the time we wouldn't have to worry about his place in the Australian team. Watson is a really attacking batsman when he gets going. Hopefully he can go on and make a 100. He can also play like he is opening today with the early dismissal of David Warner. That is one of the advantages of having a former opening batsman at number 3.

 

[Umair7]

Lunch Rogers is doing a good job so as Watson and yeah it has been 3 YEARS and 24 MATCHES since Watto have scored a century in test matches lets hope he scores one today

 

[aussie1st]

Just need to fix Watson LBW problem and his nervous 50-99. Looks good otherwise, refreshing change seeing one of our struggling batsmen taking the spinners apart.