West Indies tour of Australia, November-December 2009

[ajdude]

McGain on his day is the best spinner in Australia, Hodge is retiring, Harwood's out for the season and probably will retire soon, and Jewell...he's 32. What, are you going to enforce a rule saying "No people are allowed to play UNLESS they are going to play for Australia"? Alright, goodbye Luke Ronchi, Dan Harris, Ed Cowan, Dan Smith and Lee Carseldine.

 

[drainpipe32]

I don't see any point in McGain playing, except for the Vics to win.

Holland on the other hand, could be blooded in first class cricket.

 

[Left_Hander]

I don't get it why the Aussies aren't trying out different players for the final test. Give Steve smith a go and stop playing Hauritz FFS. Also give Siddle, Johnson, Clarke, Haddin and Katich a rest. Bring in the likes of Hughes etc. because it won't hurt anybody if it's a disaster.

While I agree with your comment to some extent, I don't think trying out players in Test cricket is the way to go. That is what Twenty20's are best for. If blokes like Steve Smith were given a go, they may fall of the rails and never get picked again (like McGain). Also, I feel it devalues the Baggy Green cap if we are picking players just to give them a go.

 

[drainpipe32]

We won't let them go! It's just to give them a taste!

McGain was 37 when he made his debut, Smith is 20.

CA needs to rethink the players they give contracts too.

 

[barto123]

McGain on his day is the best spinner in Australia, QUOTE]

On my day i'm the best spinner in australia

He CAN be good like any decent spinner, but hes not always good like a good test quality spinner like Warne, May, Miller etc. There is no great spinners in Australia at the moment, and no matter what people say we wont get another for a long while. We were blessed to have Warne and Macgill at the same time, but we have to get used to being without them.

I do agree that they should be allowed to play FC though, take these players out and it will devalue the FC competition as a whole. After all, a lot of these players (Hodge for example) are still top notch and you want your youngsters playing against these high quality opponents so the leap to test isnt as big.

 

[sifter132]

McGain on his day is the best spinner in Australia, Hodge is retiring, Harwood's out for the season and probably will retire soon, and Jewell...he's 32. What, are you going to enforce a rule saying "No people are allowed to play UNLESS they are going to play for Australia"? Alright, goodbye Luke Ronchi, Dan Harris, Ed Cowan, Dan Smith and Lee Carseldine.

Yeah Nick Jewell is 32. About as old as his average Well not quite, but my point being that unless a guy is quite good, he should be replaced by someone with more potential. Rough exemptions to that rule might be:
*He's playing quite well eg. Carseldine last year, or
*He's an ex-Aussie regular eg. Michael Bevan a few years back or Symonds if he rocks up for QLD, or
*He's under close consideration by the selectors eg. McGain a couple of years back, Nannes (probably) this year,
If any of those are truen, then sure, keep those guys around as it helps the quality of play.

At the moment I think the Shield is actually pretty good with young players, but occasionally you think, geez surely there's a younger guy who could get a game. I mean Gerard Denton got a game for Tassie this year for crying out loud and Grant Lambert is still floating around for NSW. When the Blues have so much young talent he shouldn't be near the squad.

But anyway, the more important rule I would make is that the states MUST PLAY A SPINNER.

 

[barto123]

But anyway, the more important rule I would make is that the states MUST PLAY A SPINNER.

I dont think any of the spinners are of good enough standard and playing them all would probably decrease the standard of our FC setup. If they were good enough they would be getting quality gametime, but they just arent at the moment. And i dont think the current bunch are likely to get that much better even with gametime.

However, one thing i dont like is how all the spinners seem to head to nsw. They barely play their spinners, the SCG doesnt turn as much as it did in the 30's, and having 3 or whatever spinners they have means that even if they do play spinners they all cant get a game. I dont know why that happens.

 

[Robelinda]

Warne had a terrible record for Victoria, and he was crap in his first 12 months for Australia. Pretty much all the spinners currently playing have superior records to Warne when he was picked for Australia, foresight anyone? None of our pitches here in Oz are raging turners, no spinner is going to be bagging 7/70 every match, we are going to have to pick them on promise, which is exactly how Warne was picked. I remember the newspaper reports from back in 1992, they were slaying the selectors for picking a beach bum overweight lazy spinner who couldnt even command a regular spot in the Vic team.

I think the spinners we have in the state system are really good, they just need opportunities and a bit of faith, and to be captained well.

 

[angryangy]

The key to Warne's early career wasn't so much the home cricket, but the wealth of foreign cricket he played. As a 21 year old, he toured the West Indies with an 'Australia Young Cricketers' team and then the following year he toured Zimbabwe with Australia B; it was his seven wicket haul there that propelled his career forward. I think this is what we're not seeing happen for our young spinners.

 

[TumTum]

Whatever Warny did early in his career, I really can't see Hauritz ever picking up 5 wickets in an innings.

 

[Robelinda]

Agreed. The only spinner in the SS with enough variation to pick up a bag of test wickets is McGain. Smith may come on and I really hope he does but until then McGain is the best pick. But it wont happen!!!!!!

 

[drainpipe32]

Why would you pick McGain? What value does he bring against a team we will almost definitely not lose too?

 

[Robelinda]

He spins the ball. As Ian Chappell says, containers are for shipping yards. I dont love McGain but it would be nice to see our one spinner in the team actually spin a ball.

 

[barto123]

Agreed. The only spinner in the SS with enough variation to pick up a bag of test wickets is McGain. Smith may come on and I really hope he does but until then McGain is the best pick. But it wont happen!!!!!!

Mcgain is 37. Why not try to lure back warnie? he'd be a better bet. Or how about ask richie benaud to send a few down? surely better than the current lot. and he'd have "experience"

 

[aussie1st]

Warne joins the "On ya bike, Hussey" club. 'On yer bike, Mike': Warne - Australia - Fox Sports