Australia tour of South Africa, 2008/09

[bushy]

Mcdonald any day of the week >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> north

North would not get a game for victoria. thats why aint playing for us

white should have gone instead of north

Hodge should be there

wa are disgusting

wont even make a final.

 

[aussie1st]

Good to see Hughes in their. Definitely deserved. Not sure on North, but I would imagine he would be 12th man anyway.

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
McDonald
Johnson
Siddle
McGain
(Another bowler)

Who is our 3rd pacer? Hilfy, Dougie?

3rd pacer probably will be Dougie since he played in the last game. Plus as the old saying goes don't change a winning side.

 

[bushy]

just mcgain in
haurtiz out from the last side.

 

[mattfb]

McDonald doesn't exceed at either skill (Batting or bowling) but he gets the job done with minimum fuss and he gets it done well too.

 

[karnog]

Well slats (the wonderful source that he is) mentioned that North should be at number 6 for the first game. Go with 6 batters, a keeper and 4 bowlers.

 

[aussie1st]

I can't see the selectors changing a winning side from our last Test. McDonald was solid enough and I think they will give him another go.

 

[sifter132]

Well slats (the wonderful source that he is) mentioned that North should be at number 6 for the first game. Go with 6 batters, a keeper and 4 bowlers.

I agree with Slats - give North a run. If we need wins later in the series, play McDonald for more bowling. Or if the pitch is green. But the great Australian sides of the last 10 years all played 6 batsmen, admittedly they had Warne to bowl a lot of overs. But if North is a decent bowler he'll be able to bowl 5-10 overs a day and they won't miss McDonald too much, especially with North being the more accomplished batsman.

In all honesty, McDonald didn't really impress me in the last Test. His bowling was...straight at least. I think if the pitch is flat and the bounce true he will be treated with disdain. Ponting might be able to set a strangling field for him to buy a wicket like in Sydney, but he could probably do the same with Mike Hussey's mediums. Harsh, but that's my gut reactions on seeing him bowl. Ponting treated him like a medium pacer, as opposed to when Watson was in the side, who was treated like another fast bowler with his fields and tactics.

 

[aussie1st]

McDonald has height which Hussey doesn't so on the cracking wickets he will be a lot more dangerous than Hussey. If he had an extra 5km/h he could make it as a bowler but I agree on the flat wickets his pace shouldn't prove too threatening for the batters. He will be in there to keep it tight to build pressure which we don't have in the bowling atm. If McGain can take that role then we shouldn't need McDonald but with our attack in the SA series we had no pressure builder which made it hard for our bowlers to take wickets.

 

[Mr.Cricket]

I think the selectors finally got it right.

I would like to see Hilfy get a chance in this tour.If he gets it right in England he would be a lethal weapon so its worth giving him a chance. Bollinger did a decent job in Sydney but I think Hilfy is the future.

Ps - Goodluck to young Hughes.

 

[formula1man]

This side is perfect. So just try it in ODIs too and see what happens.

 

[Sman-21]

The reason i say north will play is because mcgain will prob play the 1st test.
He is untried at this level an could be smashed out of the attack, so North can then come on an try his luck. Plus he has the ability to score double hundreds, macdonald is lucky to get 100s.

 

[aussie1st]

Can North turn the ball? If he can that is a good start. His stats are pretty handy in the bowling and he is a fighter with the bat which is something we have been missing.

 

[Roofrom50]

I cant wait to see Phillip Hughes in action, that is going to be a highly entertaining contest.

 

[formula1man]

i'm looking forward to North personally

 

[sifter132]

McDonald has height which Hussey doesn't so on the cracking wickets he will be a lot more dangerous than Hussey. If he had an extra 5km/h he could make it as a bowler but I agree on the flat wickets his pace shouldn't prove too threatening for the batters. He will be in there to keep it tight to build pressure which we don't have in the bowling atm. If McGain can take that role then we shouldn't need McDonald but with our attack in the SA series we had no pressure builder which made it hard for our bowlers to take wickets.

Yeah McDonald is OK - better than Hussey of course, but like you say it really depends on McGain. If he bowls well, and can handle the workload, we may not need much from McDonald/North at all. Then we play North to lengthen the batting.

Will also be interesting to see if Simon Katich decides to get back to bowling in the nets. He certainly should IMO, and make sure Ricky sees him do it.