Tour match thread -Scotland v Australia Aug 28

[Sureshot]

All that practice against Northants earlier in the season doing Hughes a load of good, clearly!

 

[angryangy]

It's too risky to select Katich now for the third Test match.

 

[barmyarmy]

Wait a minute. You can't drop both openers!

 

[piriyanth]

Watson looks good so far.

 

[Gilly Fan]

It's too risky to select Katich now for the third Test match.

Ha! Nice joke.

 

[mattfb]

It's too risky to select Hughes now for the third test match.

Now Katich is gone too.

Oh yeah, for sure. Picking Hughes is a huge risk - but opening with Hussey and playing Watto as the replacement surely isnt. :sarcasm. He'll get injured before he could face a ball or bowl a ball - a far bigger risk if you ask me.

 

[blake]

Does Watson look injured now, FB? No. If he is scoring runs and he is at full fitness, why not play him. Sure, he has had a long history of injuries, but lay off the bloke for once. If he has been making runs against good quality bowling attacks when other batsmen have failed, are you still going to be reluctant to choose him because he might get 'injured'?

Is it even possible for Watson to make the national team anymore? No matter how good he goes, there will probably be too much of a risk of him getting 'injured', according to FB..

Also, I cannot see why you would drop Katich. I think he has been in great form recently, and has just had one or two innings where he hasn't performed. What are we going to do, drop our whole team?

 

[mattfb]

When you play 24 FC innings in 3 years the fact you might get injured is always a risk - a risk there is no point taking on a guy that shouldn't even be in the team.

 

[Biggy]

I think he made a statement with his quick 84, but as always fitness is the issue with Watto.

 

[Hooper]

Watson is doing what he loves to do best..

..Give us false hope.

He'll get injured tomorrow returning a ball from the deep.

 

[aussie1st]

Watson at 3 is where I see his future if he ever stays injury free. Looks like North and Hussey aren't giving up their spots without a fight.

 

[sifter132]

When you play 24 FC innings in 3 years the fact you might get injured is always a risk - a risk there is no point taking on a guy that shouldn't even be in the team.

Whatever argument you make against Watson's injury record, you can also make against Flintoff's. Flintoff has played in only about 1/3rd of England's Tests in the last 2 years, yet he will ALWAYS be selected when fit. As mentioned before, you can't just overlook good players because Watson/Flintoff has a 10% chance of being injured compared to a 3% chance for anyone else (yes those numbers are purely hypothetical...).

If they were THAT worried about Watson's injuries they would be telling him to stop bowling and they certainly wouldn't have selected him in their 16-man squad.

Obviously they aren't THAT concerned yet.

The more important question is how long they trust Phil Hughes and who out of Watson/Hussey would be promoted. Because surely Watson would be the replacement, ever since he's come back from the back stress fractures for QLD back in Feb he's been back batting beautifully (Lots of backs...). And there's also the fact he's the only reserve batsman

 

[aussie1st]

Not going to be happy if Hughes isn't given at least 1 more Test match. Hussey is just starting to find his grove again, no need to change that by moving him. Watson well last time he opened 4 in 6 is all I can say. Plus opening the batting and doing 10+ overs of bowling could lead to Watson being injured again. If he is coming it, sadly North should be the one to miss out.

 

[ajdude]

Northamptonshire v Australians, Wantage Road, 1st day Report | Cricket News | County Cricket 2009 | Cricinfo.com

Langer reckons he'd play the third test for nothing if Australia asked him. :O

 

[Hooper]

Yeah, I read that. He would love it wouldn't he?

The little nugget. Gotta love him.

Anyone here Hussey talking last night on the news? He was talking about a minor technique problem he was having. Something about how he had created a blind spot in his technique which was hampering how he was picking the ball up from the bowler. Ponting pointed it out and it seems to have worked now he has corrected it. Hopefully he can get back to his best now with a confidence soaring hundred.