Warne-Muralidaran Trophy (Australia in Sri Lanka) Aug-Sep 2011

[aussie1st]

Don't really think either of the Australian openers can afford to get out before they bring up the hundred. No criticism has been levelled at Watson as an opener, but it probably should have been.

Criticize away.
I've been on the move Watson down the order bangwagon, might be worth putting him back at 4 where has batted alot in his FC career.
Although it's quite messy with our already rejigged batting, Ponting would have to go back to 3.

 

[sami ullah khan]

Another start and fail by Watson. He needs to learn to bat for much longer than he does.

 

[aussie1st]

Well done Hughes, has looked good in this knock and overall his technique has looked a lot better this series than how it was when England found him out. This will let him get a thorough test from SA and give him the chance to show his debut series wasn't a fluke.

 

[Sedition]

What a fearsome tweak up by Marsh and the umpire. Even live I was like wtf? But when he walked off I figured I missed something.

Fingers crossed for Hughes getting the last 3 runs for the 100 after drinks.

 

[aussie1st]

Had a bit of the nervous 90s but delivered the goods to make it 3 Test tons. Hopefully he goes on to a big one now.

 

[Sedition]

Don't think there's any chance of a result, but expecting Hughes and Clarke to come out firing tomorrow. Hopefully they put on enough so that the rest can follow suit and our bowlers can take a few wickets by day's end.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Criticize away.
I've been on the move Watson down the order bangwagon, might be worth putting him back at 4 where has batted alot in his FC career.
Although it's quite messy with our already rejigged batting, Ponting would have to go back to 3.

It was a big move to get Punter away from 3, they should leave well alone now that they have. As soon as Punter retires (end of summer looking more and more likely) they can move Watson to 4 and bring in another opener.

Leave Marsh at 3 for now. You need some grinders in your line-up and he looks like he enjoys that.

Watson doesn't go on enough with it, but he's ok for now I reckon. They should try and stick with this batting line-up for the next 2 series. It's stupid to keep stuffing around.

I'm sure the bowlers will be reshuffled though, they are never stable these days.

 

[Umair7]

we won the test series

 

[sifter132]

I think Watson's issue is that perhaps his success has gone to his head a little. When he came in to open back in 2009, he wasn't as flashy. Yeah he hit balls hard that were in his area, but I don't remember him trying to force the pace too much by reaching for balls. I think he's got this idea that he needs to be a bludgeoning opener and intimidate bowlers and he's just taking it a smidge too far at present. Although in this last innings, he was out defending so he needs at least some credit.

Clarke timing the ball really well this afternoon. Really interesting battle between he and Herath. I mentioned last Test that Clarke had no idea when he came over the wicket and today that continued, but interestingly Clarke marked the pitch a few feet down the wicket on a leg stump line - had no idea you could do that. Obviously he couldn't gouge the wicket - but it was outside the 'danger zone' and they let him make a small mark just to show him where the leg stump line was. That helped a little and gave a clear message to Herath that Clarke wasn't going to be drawn into shots he didn't need to play...but he is horrible at padding the ball away, twice the ball went between his legs and both times went close to the stumps. As soon as Herath came around the wicket, Clarke was more comfortable.

 

[War]

My tour review opinion

TESTS:

After the dark two year period of between South Africa 2009 - Ashes 2010/11, one can only hope that this test series starts a new phase in the post McWarne era.

Many things where encouraging in this series of course; Clarke's captaincy, Harris with the ball, Lyon, Copeland, Hussey.

One of the short term goals of the Argus review is win back the Ashes in 2013 and the bowling attack will need Harris fit for that. It seems sadly that for the next 21 months until that Ashes, Harris will become AUS version of Flintoff.

Copeland has nailed down a place in the side, his accuracy is important to balance of the side and i'm looking forward to seeing him bowl in South Africa and more seaming conditions anywhere in the world, since i reckon he can be pretty dangerous then.

Lyon what i said about him after the first test can be repeated:

But i always said if the selectors noticed a spinner who looked to have those qualities of potential test standard who may not have played many FC games, he can certainly be picked/risked. They did so with Krejza in 2008 which is why up until now i always supported his inclusion in the test team and they have done the same correctly with Lyon.

Lyon clear advantage of Krejza is that he has better control, although both can be lethal on turners/wearing 4th and 5th day wickets. Krejza leg-spinner style looseness was the Achilles heel that gave him many detractors.

So Lyon should be here for an extended stay as the main test spinner and hppefully the new panel backs him even if a bad game pops up between now and year end.[/B]

Johnson sadly cannot be a fixture in the test XI, especially if going forward Harris is going to be in & out of the test side - his good days come way too far apart, when he someone managed to fluke some swing. AUS need to have 4 dependable and disciplined quicks to pick from (given the Harris situation) and that pecking order now should be Bollinger/Harris/Copeland/Siddle.

Siddle especially sort of learnt from his Ashes errors, although he was the best bowler for AUS over 5 tests. He pitched the ball up more and was unlucky not the get a 5 for.

Hopefully a new selection panel also immediately reinstates Bollinger to the test line-up for the S tour.

Young Hughes obviously saved his face for now for the S tests. But i cant say i'm totally convinced. Before Alastair Cook superb last 8 months of batting he had 4 years (Ashes 2006/07 - Pakistan 2009) where he constantly had to save his face by scoring career saving hundreds, because he always got exposed technically against good bowling, thus having many low-scorer in between big hundreds.

So Hughes has to be consistent in S Africa or else calls for him be dropped for the IND/NZ home test will arise again very quickly.

Finally i see alot of fans regurgitating this POV & all i have to say is i fundamentally reject all calls that Ponting should be dropped or the notion that his career days is numbered.

I find it increasingly troublesome that some fans are so quick to jump on that Bandwagon instead of hoping that arguably the best AUS batsman since Bradman has a Tendulkar-like career revival. Look at how IND have been marveling and benefiting (before the ENG tour disaster) of Tendy runs at his vintage age - surely if Ponting can do that for AUS in the next 2 years or so that would be great for AUS??

Its not as it Ponting in his last couple of years is showing the late career reflexes and technique decline of Viv Richards from 1989-1991. He is fine, is he simply not converting his starts, so in my view hopefully he scores a big hundred in S Africa and shut a few people up.

Haddin needs to watch it, he had a great Ashes with the bat so he is safe for now. But has to be more consistent in the next 3 test series, or esle he can certainly be dropped for Paine or Wade.

Finally not worried bout Watson poor run with the bat, he looked good - but just got out while getting to starts. Its not as if SRI bowling was better than ENGs bowling where he averaged 95, so his lack of runs was just one of those odd weak series output with the bat i've seen other batsmen.

But as an all-rounder he made up for it with an impressive series with the ball.

Twenty20 squad

AUS had the squad selection for this team all-round from the inception. They need to correct it ASAP for the world-cup next year.

Why in god's name was Nannes, Tait and Hussey not in that squad. Those three are must picks for the T20 set-up & its madness if they are not reinstated immediately for the SA tour T20 squad.

 

[War]

Haddin quits T20: reports | Cricket | Fox Sports

Wade instead of Paine for the T20 team in the future then.

 

[Ahmad94]

True, but Dravid was horribly out of nick before the WI series. He's 38, and should have retired sometime ago. It would've given batsmen like Kohli, Pujara and Rahane more exposure to the Test arena. India need to weed out the 3 stalwarts. At this rate, they may all up going out around the same time. That is not what India needs.[/QUOTE]

kohli in test team don't make me laugh. We saw him in the west indiws and he clearly doesn't deserve it at the currebt time. He is not mature yet. People lke pujara should be there .

 

[angryangy]

The main thing for Hughes is to temper his instinct to go after the ball outside off. It's not that he chases some wide ones; those are his bread and butter, but it's those ones that are only just outside off and not full enough to drive. Maybe they bounce, maybe they straighten a touch, but basically it turns an unnecessary shot into a rather dangerous one.

That said, bowlers who can consistently bowl these sorts of deliveries don't have to rely on Phil Hughes playing a series to get wickets and he was in the end, the best performing opener in the series. Flat track or not, only Khawaja has a valid excuse for missing out. People will take different angles on this and draw different conclusions, but on the weight of this series, he's at least a better opener than his partner.

 

[Rehan_24]

I didnt expect that Sri Lanka will get thrashed like this but full Credit to Australia, Looks like that the Team is coming back to its Roots.