Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) Dec-Jan 2011/12

[War]

I would like to see Ed Cowan, Tom Cooper, Shaun Marsh and Doug Bollinger in my test squad.

1. D. Warner
2. E. Cowan
3. S. Marsh
4. M. Clarke
5. S. Watson
6. T. Cooper
7. M. Wade
8. R. Harris
9. J. Pattinson
10. P. Cummins
11. N. Lyon

12. U. Khawaja / P. Forrest
13. M. Marsh / D. Christian
14. D. Bollinger / T. Copeland
15. B. Hilfenhaus / G. Maxwell

This would be my test squad of choice.

Great that Bollinger is in this squad, hopefully he does enough to force his way into the 1st test squad, especially if Harris isn't fit.

 

[sifter132]

r u talking about yadav ?
he can bowl 140+ at will. whether it is first ball of the day or last ball of the day, this guy will bowl it above 140. if he gets a wicket, then 145+.
India have lost all their backup (second choice bowler) bowlers. I hope yadav/zaheer/ishant plays atleast 3 tests together.

Although whole series will depend upon our batting, which is due for some big runs.

Well TBH I don't care how fast he bowls. Shoaib Akhtar came to Australia 10 years ago as the world's fastest bowler and got caned. I think Australia would be the team least likely to fold to genuine pace in world cricket - they are used to bounce and pace, and every bowler Australia has at present in capable of 140+ so they face heaps of it in the nets.

What you need is movement to go with your pace. That's why Dale Steyn did pretty well in his series here, but basically everyone else who's been fast has been hammered. Malinga, Umar Gul, Kemar Roach, Fidel Edwards - all have bad records in Aus Tests. I'm expecting to add Yadav to that list...

 

[puddleduck]

Pace without accuracy just reaches the boundary quicker

 

[aayush93]

Well TBH I don't care how fast he bowls. Shoaib Akhtar came to Australia 10 years ago as the world's fastest bowler and got caned. I think Australia would be the team least likely to fold to genuine pace in world cricket - they are used to bounce and pace, and every bowler Australia has at present in capable of 140+ so they face heaps of it in the nets.

What you need is movement to go with your pace. That's why Dale Steyn did pretty well in his series here, but basically everyone else who's been fast has been hammered. Malinga, Umar Gul, Kemar Roach, Fidel Edwards - all have bad records in Aus Tests. I'm expecting to add Yadav to that list...

He can swing the bowl too. He generally swings away from right hander.
Time will tell whether he will be Successful or not.

India success lies in their batting, which is due for some big runs.

If india gets a big score (which they have done in last 2 Aus tour ), then i expect this Australia batting line-up to collapse under-pressure.

so according to me, If india Batting clicks then India will win this Series or if it flops then Aus will win it.

 

[midgetwars]

Well TBH I don't care how fast he bowls. Shoaib Akhtar came to Australia 10 years ago as the world's fastest bowler and got caned. I think Australia would be the team least likely to fold to genuine pace in world cricket - they are used to bounce and pace, and every bowler Australia has at present in capable of 140+ so they face heaps of it in the nets.

What you need is movement to go with your pace. That's why Dale Steyn did pretty well in his series here, but basically everyone else who's been fast has been hammered. Malinga, Umar Gul, Kemar Roach, Fidel Edwards - all have bad records in Aus Tests. I'm expecting to add Yadav to that list...

That used to be the case. But England showed that Fast Bowlers can screw Australia over.

 

[riz7khan12]

I'm hoping for a green wicket at the mcg on boxing day, the contest between bat and ball overall would be much more fairer considering the close contest right now at Hobart.

 

[AngryPixel]

That used to be the case. But England showed that Fast Bowlers can screw Australia over.

Yeah but it was the movement which screwed Australia more than anything else.

 

[aussie1st]

Bit of talk about Lyon in the media today. Should be good seeing how he goes against India. If he can do well against them then there will be no stopping him considering no other offie has done well in this country and to do it against the best team of spin would be an impressive feat.

 

[sifter132]

That used to be the case. But England showed that Fast Bowlers can screw Australia over.

That's true, but it wasn't their 140+ pace that was doing in Australia. It was their relentless accuracy - they just didn't give many free runs away at all, and were always in the channel. If Yadav can keep that up all summer, then good luck to him.

 

[formula1man]

Bit of talk about Lyon in the media today. Should be good seeing how he goes against India. If he can do well against them then there will be no stopping him considering no other offie has done well in this country and to do it against the best team of spin would be an impressive feat.

I like Lyon, but what I've seen of Beer at the WACA he looks quite promising as a back up at least, maybe even as a 2nd spinner on a tour to the sub continent.

the squad for the MCG, assuming no injuries except I dont think Harris is playing.

1. Watson
2. Warner
3. Marsh
4. Ponting
5. Clarke
6. Hussey
7. Haddin
8. Siddle
9. Pattinson
10. Lyon
11. Bollinger

I still believe Ponting really needs to go, so too does Haddin then Hussey eventually. The problem is we only have 1 real replacement for batsman, Khawaja just doesnt cut it tbh, Cowan is the only other one tbh, Wade will replace Haddin. Then when fit Paine.

If you want experience, replace Ponting with: Katich, D. Hussey or White.

 

[aussie1st]

No idea what to do for Boxing day now but surely we are looking at some serious changes.

 

[midgetwars]

If Watson + marsh are fit then Hughes and Khawaja goes.

If harris is fit, Starc goes.

Haddin has to go. He nicks one to slips gets dropped and does it again?? What's wrong with him?

----------

If you want experience, replace Ponting with: Katich, D. Hussey or White.

Very Very Very unlikely. Katich is old and doesn't like Clarke, D.Hussey and White just don't cut it anymore. For some reason they have not performed especially White ever since he took over captaincy of 20/20

 

[sifter132]

The problem with consigning Ponting and Haddin to the scrap heap is that they've had 2 good Tests out of their last 3, and Haddin did some good work behind the stumps this series. I think both will play on Boxing Day. Haddin will hopefully get a stern talking to and a last chance to impress and Ponting will probably get to go out on his own terms. The other thing working in Haddin's favour is that Tim Paine is still out. I'm sure the old selectors were favouring Paine as the long term replacement rather than Wade, perhaps the new ones do too, so that might buy Haddin a little more time until Paine's future is clearer.

As for the batting problems, it's not so much experience - it's someone who doesn't automatically flash hard at the ball or reach for stuff that he doesn't have to play. Khawaja could be one of those more prudent guys, but he's looking down on confidence and could really use some FC runs - but oh wait there is no FC cricket for 2 months.... Cowan could be a prudent guy from what I've seen, I think he and Watson would be a good opening pair, maybe with Warner down lower. I'd rather not move Watson down at the moment given that he's finally found his spot in the international game. Warner seems a more moldable type player that should be fine down at #5/#6.

So without Ponting I might go something like this:
Watson
Cowan
Marsh
Clarke
Hussey
Warner

By the time Hussey goes, hopefully Khawaja is ready to go.

And I think we've conclusively proven that Justin Langer as a batting coach is as useless as deckchairs on a submarine. There's no discipline, the techniques are not improving - I'm not sure what Langer's actually doing apart from ruining things... There needs to be SOMETHING done. I dunno what, maybe any batsman who plays at something he doesn't have to in his first 20 balls should be publicly shamed or flogged. There needs to be some consequences.

 

[aussie1st]

For me I'm in the Watson down the order, Warner remain opener crew. Watson just hasn't converted enough of his starts for an opener. His last 100 was over a year ago and his form has steadily decreased since the Ashes in 09.
From Jan 09 to Jan 10 - 819 runs from 8 matches at 63 with 1 hundred.
Jan 10 to Jan 11 - 877 runs from 11 matches at 41.76 with 1 hundred
Jan 11 to Present - 182 runs from 5 matches at 20.22

Those aren't the sort of numbers I want from my opener. Moving him down to 4 would be the ideal spot. Ideally he should come in with an older ball so that gets rid of his early problem against the LBW. The seam bowlers will be tired, the ball will be older, the only downside is starting against spin but he should be good enough to get over that. And this means he can bowl more.

Warner in his 4th innings has carried his bat something which Watson has never done and made a hundred something which Watson hasn't done in over a year.

 

[puddleduck]

I remember getting into an argument with an Aussie friend because I told him I thought Watson had an LBW problem if you bowl straight early in his innings. He told me I was an idiot. Glad to see I wasn't imagining things