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:
On Lyon and i think the much maligned selectors deserve some credit here for noticing his raw talent and picking him for tests. As most know i have been a firm belief that since 2008 AUS should have been playing four (4) fast bowlers in most tests and my belief for that has always been vindicated. No spinner should have been picked unless they did something substantial over a full First-class season said:
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.