New Zealand in Australia Nov-Dec 2008 Feb 2009

Watson has been dropped from the 2nd Test with Siddle taking his place.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt), Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Jason Krejza, Peter Siddle (12th man to be named)

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24693619-23212,00.html

Bit strange why they didn't do this for the first test but they got it right now.
 
Ponting said Krejza is almost certain to play. If they don't play him there then they clearly haven't learnt their lesson from the Indian series which is a worry cause we will keep making the same error over and over.
 
Good to see Australia taking the initiative to test out different players in different conditions. I reckon some of the settled, in-form blokes should be given a rest. Saffas will be a tough series and i reckon Australia should give someone like Clarke or Lee a break. They don't want to risk injury. Plus they need to make a pool of back up players who have some experience. So if an injury does occur they've got people who have had experience. I'd give Siddle a go and maybe they should try someone untested in the middle order. A Dighton or even David Hussey.
 
I think there's hope for Krejza at Adelaide, not in getting selected which should be certain, but in being effective. Conversely, I feel NZ would need Patel if they are to put pressure on Australia in Adelaide. One might think the pacemen are indisposable after bowling Australia out twice in the 1st Test, but they'll get no love in the 2nd. Plus, removing a batsman from the NZ lineup is like a drunk man playing Jenga, though there some obvious choices that could be made. It's an unenviable task.
 
Johnson MOTM? Don't agree with that, should have been Katich tbh. The only player to make a hundred in the match, and he looked incredibly comfortable. Without Katich's 130* New Zealand would have won this Test match, I feel his runs were more important than Johnson's 9 Wickets, as the pitch was fairly condusive to pace bowling.

Funny how you've also been slagging off Mitchell Johnson.

His performances in this Test truly highlights that he is a class above Stuart Broad.

If you go back a few pages I actually praised Johnson. I didn't think he bowled well in India, and that was the main footage I'd seen of him. I didn't watch much of the Aussie Tests last summer, so didn't see him bowl, but I did catch alot of the India-Australia series, and Johnson didn't bowl well. He got wickets, but did not bowl well. In this Test he has bowled well though, he looks far more dangerous in pacier conditions, getting good bounce and maintaining that good pace. He still tends to get wickets with bad balls, but that's not exactly a criticism, he's still getting the wickets after all. I'd still rather take Zaheer Khan or Ryan Sidebottom ahead of him, but he's very good in pacey conditions. Broad > Johnson in ODi's though tbh.
 
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Yeah, I fail to see why MotM rarely goes to the players who succeed in spite of conditions, rather than the guy who exploits them the best. Like when Warnie took 12 wickets in the 5th Test of the 05 Ashes, but KP got MotM for his 150. I mean, heaven forbid anyone get a century at the Oval, 3 other guys did it in the same match.
 
Katich wouldve been a worthy winner (MOTM). But Katich only did well in the second dig and failed in the other one. Johnson did well in both innings , figures of 9/69 is good enough to earn the MOTM award IMO. Im happy to see Johnson get it , that should boost his confidence.
 
Katich wouldve been a worthy winner (MOTM). But Katich only did well in the second dig and failed in the other one. Johnson did well in both innings , figures of 9/69 is good enough to earn the MOTM award IMO. Im happy to see Johnson get it , that should boost his confidence.

Fair Enough, generally bowlers do not get their due, it was good to see mitchell jhonson getting the MOM.

He is a wicket taker there should be no doubt about that, he will get better, most importantly he is a great trier, his approach to the game is highly commendable, don't forget his batting contributions in general and played well here too:D I think.

However, Simon Katich was not too far away, he certainly was in the fray the player of the match. His application on the crease is really great. Think he and Phil Jacques could make a pretty good opening pair for Australia, once Mathew Hayden decided to hang up his boot.
 
Yeah, I fail to see why MotM rarely goes to the players who succeed in spite of conditions, rather than the guy who exploits them the best. Like when Warnie took 12 wickets in the 5th Test of the 05 Ashes, but KP got MotM for his 150. I mean, heaven forbid anyone get a century at the Oval, 3 other guys did it in the same match.

But that was the most important innings in recent English history. Without that 150 Australia would have won the series, so it had massive importance on the game situation. I'd say KP's 158 was far more important in the overall serie than Warnies 12fer.
 
Ponting fined for slow over-rates for the second time in a row. Why the hell didn't he get a match ban? So unfair. The ICC need to crack down.
 

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