Dec 16-20: 3rd Test - Australia v England at Perth

[CremerCurrans]

maybe they feel that with both Smith and Beer they have a Test quality spinner, which would be right if they were bowling at the same end at the same time.

 

[Biggy]

Beer? Hes only in because Warnie suggested it.
The Ashes 2010-11: Shane Warne flattered by comeback talk | Cricket News | The Ashes 2010-11 | ESPN Cricinfo
I am a 16 y.o. leggie and probably turn the ball more. And when Pietersen comes in I'll switch to chinaman (Yes I can actually do this, ask my cricket coach)

If they dont pick a 4 man pace attack for this test with smith at 6 or 7 im gonna go over there and say give me a baggy green

Team (restricted to shocking squad)
1. Watson
2. Hughes
3. Ponting
4. Clarke
5. Hussey
6/7. Haddin*
7/6. Smith
8. Johnson
9. Harris
10. Hilfenhaus
11. Siddle

You might get a crack, they are just going off resumes these days, with a 10 day trial period.

 

[War]

Has Tait confirmed his retirement from test cricket? We need bowlers like him in the test team; players who can take wickets and he can be a very lethal is hes managed effectively; bowling in 4 over spurts, plus we've got Watson as an extra seamer to cover some of the overs youd lose if youd played a regular quick.

Australian news: Shaun Tait says no to Tests | Cricket News | The Ashes 2010-11 | ESPN Cricinfo

But yes indeed if he felt his body could take it, AUS pace attack in tests with him in it would be great.

I disagree with your points on Bracken. Hes a much different bowler to the one that made his debut in 2003-2004 in the sense that hes has matured and is far more consistent. His success is entirely based upon swing; hes definitely not picked for his pace! His ability to bowl cutters and add subtle variations are something which he added to his game so as Ponting can use him during the middle overs of one dayers to make scoring hard with Gilchrist standing up to the stumps. In short, you need to pick bowlers who can do something with the ball! In saying that, I have been impressed with Trent Copeland!

I dont doubt that Bracken improved as a bowler from the one that was seen on test debut in 2003/04.

But the improvements he made which made him a top quality ODI operator between late 2005 - mid 2009, with bowling those off-cutters etc, was just for ODIs. Is certainly not suited to bowling in tests & that was pretty much conclusively shown by the test he played vs WIndies & S Africa 2005/06, when those improvements where tried.

Ive been impressed with Copeland as im sure most AUS fans who has seen him bowl would be. Expect him to play tests for AUS within the next year.

 

[angryangy]

Beer is a bit of a punt in the Peter Taylor style and I don't mind it so much if it means someone has seen him and was happy with what they saw. However, it doesn't sound like Hilditch knows anything more than what he said to the press, so maybe this is, much like Peter Taylor, a Greg Chappell selection.

 

[War]

As ive consistently before this series begun. If anything is going to cost Australia the Ashes is not the performance of the players, since AUS still have quality around. But incompetence of selectors with the players they pick.

They have now hit an incredible low now with the selector of Beer.

I hope when England win the Ashes. People, commentaros during the series & the media remember to cast the fulllllllll blame on the selectors & not Ponting.

Andrew Hilditch the worst selector of all time!!!. The worst period in my 15 years of supporting Australia is officially here.

 

[TumTum]

Smith and Beer selected, might not be a bad time for me to start rolling my arm over.

 

[formula1man]

They need to pick players on form, not on their record or potential, if you pick a team of players who are in form you will do well every time, it puts pressure on players to play well. I mean they jumped on the get rid of Hayden for Hughes bandwagon pretty quickly why not with the others??

 

[midgetwars]

Before we all critize which everyone likes to do, maybe give them a chance and then start the chant of GET RID when they get crap.

 

[dancingmongoose]

You might get a crack, they are just going off resumes these days, with a 10 day trial period.

2 OD games for school & 3 T20s, my curse is dropped catches (overs 16: dropped catches: 8 wickets: 3, all clean bowled) As my coach said, "you create opportunities"

 

[CG123]

Lol, Australia's test attack seems to be all at sea now.
Just a few years ago they easily had the best attack going around, now even New Zealand have a handful of spinners better than everyone in Australia's spin armory.
At least this Beer guy has a FC average of under 40, unlike Doherty and Smith.
I just can't see their attack taking 20 wickets in two out of the final three tests, with more or less all of the English top order in form.

 

[dancingmongoose]

I just can't see their attack taking 20 wickets in two out of the final three tests, with more or less all of the English top order in form.

Yeah only prior is out of form and strauss' is a bit questionable

 

[midgetwars]

O'Keefe has probably the best average of spin in FC, correct me if i'm wrong...

midgetwars added 1 Minutes and 13 Seconds later...

Yeah only prior is out of form and strauss' is a bit questionable

I don't think Strauss is that bad this series in Aus. Yes his first innings scores are a joke but his 100 in probably every 2nd innings are very annoying for australia

 

[6ry4nj]

With 5 pacemen and 5 players in the squad purely for bowling, they pretty much have to play Beer. The alternative would be to leave themselves no Plan B when (not if) Smith fails in the bowling department.

I enjoyed reading Brydon Coverdale's slip on cricinfo, when he said:
"Steven Smith is a strong chance to play after no other specialist batsman was named to replace North"

Tacit (and probably not consciously intended) recognition that Smith does not rate as a bowler. Love it love it

 

[aussie1st]

Before we all critize which everyone likes to do, maybe give them a chance and then start the chant of GET RID when they get crap.

Don't think anyone is discarding Beer just yet, more anger directed towards those crazy selectors. O'Keefe has been robbed.

 

[angryangy]

For me, all the heat is on Hughes. He didn't make that initial squad for the 1st Test and hasn't done anything to make this one.