Australia's Tour Of India - 2008

[mattfb]

A lot of people will scoff at this but i'm judging it on the pitch reports. First it looks to me a flat, hard wicket, no grass and probably will have even bounce. I think this is perfect for the spinners and i'm afraid pace bowling is going to be ineffective. Very ineffective. I think the one chance is through conventional swing. Spin twins, a swinger and limit the pace bowlers. Someone like Watson is an average medium pacer and i don't think he cuts it with the bat (i'd rather have a specialist batsman). They picked Marsh so i'm going ahead with Marsh. Now two problems: i haven't seen the pitch so its on what the 'media' say and also i'm a big fan of six batsman and a keeper.
Hayden
Katich- needs to bowl minimum 20 overs
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke- part time
Marsh
Haddin
Johnson
Lee
Bollinger
Krezja
Katich is my fifth bowler. He has to bowl a lot of overs- 20ish-30. Its tough on him and there maybe a case to swap him and Hussey but i think he can cope. Clark sadely misses out on my list however if he's gotten his form back (or shown signs) during the training session then i'm tempted to replace bollinger. Yeah Marsh has a shot ahead of Watson because i don't think medium pacers are going to push it and well a specialist batsman might be a better option.

I dont mind that squad. Katich would have the ability to bowl 30 overs if he wasn't so old himself. But Krejza, Katich and Clarke as the spinners I can live with. I want to drop Watson and the only batsmen we have to play there for him his Marsh, so he will have to do but I honestly cant get over the fact the selectors didn't select David Hussey, or even Brad Hodge to be fair. It would be perfect to have David Hussey atm. After Katich he was the best domestic player last year in both forms.

BTW Krejza can bat I think, so I would have him above Lee.

 

[aussie1st]

Anyway I'm glad they didn't drop him like I had been praying they would before this series...

I still stick by having Bollinger in at the start over Johnson. We will never know how he would have done in his place. He might have cleaned up the tail in the first test but we may not have got down to the tail. That shows how little effect our bowlers have had in this series, even Johnson the leading wicket taker hasn't had an impact on the course of the match.

 

[mattfb]

The big thing about johnson is he has a knack for wickets- no matter how lucky. Couple that with disciplined spin bowling, an aggressive Lee and a guy who could swing it both ways i think Australia are capable of 20 wickets.

Yep, thats why we need to drop Clark. Where does he fit in that category? I really do like the guy, I just cant see how he can be in our team plans. Bollinger would be the perfect player to have playing with Lee and Johnson atm. The perfect variety.

 

[WORLD CHAMPIONS]

Yep, thats why we need to drop Clark. Where does he fit in that category? I really do like the guy, I just cant see how he can be in our team plans. Bollinger would be the perfect player to have playing with Lee and Johnson atm. The perfect variety.

Yes, Bollinger should replace clark and Krejza replacing White

 

[mattfb]

I still stick by having Bollinger in at the start over Johnson. We will never know how he would have done in his place. He might have cleaned up the tail in the first test but we may not have got down to the tail.

In regards to Karnogs post earlier which I previously quoted, Clark doesn't exactly suit the bowling plans we should have imo. Like karnog said Johnson with the ability to swing it and pick up breakthroughs with an aggresive Lee, tight spin bowling and a left armer who can swing it both ways- and bowl at 140k's. Clark hasn't been getting much out of the pitches here.

 

[aussie1st]

The big thing about johnson is he has a knack for wickets- no matter how lucky. Couple that with disciplined spin bowling, an aggressive Lee and a guy who could swing it both ways i think Australia are capable of 20 wickets.

Kinda of like Stu Clark in the ODI arena My worry with Johnson is when his luck runs out where the Indian batters stop chasing his wide balls. Thats where a bit of swing would help him. He needs to bowl more balls like the one that got Gambhir even though it wasn't out.

aussie1st added 1 Minutes and 50 Seconds later...

In regards to Karnogs post earlier which I previously quoted, Clark doesn't exactly suit the bowling plans we should have imo. Like karnog said Johnson with the ability to swing it and pick up breakthroughs with an aggresive Lee, tight spin bowling and a left armer who can swing it both ways- and bowl at 140k's. Clark hasn't been getting much out of the pitches here.

If Bollinger is the one replacing Clark then I don't see a problem. On Johnson he gave up on swing, if he had it he certainly would have got a lot more proper wickets.

 

[mattfb]

Kinda of like Stu Clark in the ODI arena My worry with Johnson is when his luck runs out where the Indian batters stop chasing his wide balls. Thats where a bit of swing would help him. He needs to bowl more balls like the one that got Gambhir even though it wasn't out.

Thats the thing, with tight overs from Clarke and Katich, Lee bowling quick and full and Bollinger swinging it both ways they could get frustrated and start going at Johnsons wide ones.

If Bollinger is the one replacing Clark then I don't see a problem. On Johnson he gave up on swing, if he had it he certainly would have got a lot more proper wickets.

True, he was bowling across seam all the time, where as Khan was keeping the seam up. It was frustrating.

 

[Sman-21]

Geez bit hard on johnson here hes been our best bowler in the series so far sure hasnt been great but alot more consistant an picked up more wickets than Lee.
Im no Johnson fan but he has been the pick of our poor bowlers.

I would have Lee, Johnson, Krezja and bollinger or siddle.
Out White and Clark.
Clark has been terrible

Cant believe India are once again spitting the dummy an not accepting the decision that was handed down to them.
U cannot honestly tell me he didnt delibratly make contact with Watson sure it was soft an did no damage but its just not on an hes lucky Watson didnt retaliate.
Oh thats right there players are angels never do a thing wrong an there all above the laws of the game an cant be suspended.

 

[aussie1st]

True, he was bowling across seam all the time, where as Khan was keeping the seam up. It was frustrating.

Funny enough he was trying to do what Khan and Sharma did in the 2nd test. I don't know how the manage to scruff up one side of the ball like that as it must be a 50/50 chance of which side it ends up on. Johnson just doesn't have that seam control like them to actual use that method either.

What is strange is why he gave up on swinging it to become a hit the deck bowler. Whatever he was doing last year when he was swinging it is what he should be trying to do now.

 

[mattfb]

Yeah hes not a hit the deck bowler at all. He needs to swing it if Bollingers not going to play (which he obviously isn't) otherwise I'm back on the hate Johnson train

 

[SaiSrini]

Foxsports probably teams


http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24607702-23212,00.html

By the sounds of it they know the 12 man squad so once again we wait for tomorrow to see if Krejza is in for White.

The Indian selection in that team is not that easy. Most probably Badri in with someone becoming the makeshift, although Vijay playing wouldnt be a shock at all (and he deserves it by the stats).

saisrini80 added 6 Minutes and 25 Seconds later...

Cant believe India are once again spitting the dummy an not accepting the decision that was handed down to them.
U cannot honestly tell me he didnt delibratly make contact with Watson sure it was soft an did no damage but its just not on an hes lucky Watson didnt retaliate.
Oh thats right there players are angels never do a thing wrong an there all above the laws of the game an cant be suspended.

Stop using "India" as a whole. I know many people who do not like the BCCI bullying. For example there is a new article in Cricinfo written by an Indian (Suresh Menon) that talks about BCCI starting to bully everytime they get something that they dont like. So its not about India as a whole. Its the BCCI.

My personal opinion - Gambhir should have been allowed to present his case before the judge, and then even if he was banned, i dont mind. This could set a precedent for the future where teams with white skinned players think that they can get away with minor punishments when they provoke players of a different color who will always not be smart enough to give it back in the right way (they do not need to have a Ph.D in giving it back. They are there to play cricket). If physical contact has no place in the game, then sledging also has no place in the game. I dont subscribe to this bull crap of 'If you cant take it, then dont give it in the first place'. The Symonds-Harbhajan affair definitely stemmed from some provocation. Harbhajan is not that much of an idiot to call Symonds such harsh words (teri maa ki) just when he is batting very well.

 

[mattfb]

If physical contact has no place in the game, then sledging also has no place in the game.

I disagree there mate. Sledging is a mind game- tactis if you will- and cricket is a mind game all about tactics. Physical contact is just taking it too far. No need for it.

 

[aussie1st]

Geez bit hard on johnson here hes been our best bowler in the series so far sure hasnt been great but alot more consistant an picked up more wickets than Lee.
Im no Johnson fan but he has been the pick of our poor bowlers.

What can I say I'm use to dishing Johnson But I agree we can't drop him now. I just don't see where his next wicket is coming from ala Clark in the ODI arena. Like with Lee (usually) or Tait you know a wicket could be coming from a inswinging yorker or an out swinger catching the edge or with Clark or McGrath through pressure, bounce and seam movement. However if Johnson keeps taking wickets his place will be secure.

Lee was lucky he got his act together in the 2nd inns with his seam position and hence swing returning. If that didn't happen he would be under a lot more pressure to maintain his spot.

 

[karnog]

Thats the issue with Marsh. He hasn't got a domestic record that suggests he deserves to be there. At least watson has a half century in test cricket. Marsh is way too inexperienced as well. Jacques was a huge blow.

 

[aussie1st]

He is experienced in India which I suspect might have played a part in his selection. I would have gone North who seems to have handy off spin and he could get in on his batting. Still wouldn't say no to Dave Hussey. Marsh has talent but I really don't know where to put him in terms of Watson. Watson has a superior FC record and has been handy with the ball.