Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

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Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

You have summed up my sentiments perfectly, Caesar. The success/progress of the entire Test team has been put on hold whilst this bloke sorts out his own personal war with confidence and form. There's no future investment here, I don't know why we should be so accomodating.

(I know what you're going to say, Boris. But quite frankly, he's only going to be around another couple of years at best. In the meantime, we're losing winnable series, and winning the ones we should be anyway. It's achieving zilch.)
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Meanwhile the batting side is superb with its only fault being in random collapses occuring every now and then where the WHOLE side has been collapsing.

I really don't see an issue with having him in there even just to show the ropes to a youngster when there hasn't been any pressure from behind him and he seems to be scoring again. As you said he's not going to be round long so while the batting side is capable of making a 650 score with four 100s in it I see no reason to change it.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Sober Symonds;379401 said:
You have summed up my sentiments perfectly, Caesar. The success/progress of the entire Test team has been put on hold whilst this bloke sorts out his own personal war with confidence and form. There's no future investment here, I don't know why we should be so accomodating.

(I know what you're going to say, Boris. But quite frankly, he's only going to be around another couple of years at best. In the meantime, we're losing winnable series, and winning the ones we should be anyway. It's achieving zilch.)
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Well who do you replace him with, not much point in calling for a player to be dropped if your not going to name a prospective replacment?
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Boris;379426 said:
I really don't see an issue with having him in there even just to show the ropes to a youngster when there hasn't been any pressure from behind him and he seems to be scoring again. As you said he's not going to be round long so while the batting side is capable of making a 650 score with four 100s in it I see no reason to change it.
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How capable the rest of the batting order is irrelevant to whether they should keep carrying Hussey. He's dead weight.

If our attitude is going to be "oh well, we're doing okay batting with ten men so it doesn't matter", then why don't we stick the spot on rotation and let people buy a baggy green? I'd fancy a knock in the middle order sometime.

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;379437 said:
Well who do you replace him with, not much point in calling for a player to be dropped if your not going to name a prospective replacment?
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Drop Watson down the order and bring in Rogers or Jacques. Or heck, bring back Hughes - even without fixing his issues he'd still be better than Hussey, plus he's got his career ahead of him.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Only because you're cherrypicking. He's averaged 32 in his last 10 matches at a strike rate of 40.

By rights, a couple of scratchy innings against a toothless Windies bowling attack and a dead-rubber century at the Oval shouldn't save a career that's been mediocre at best for almost a year.

But he'll continue making moderate to good runs at the WACA and against New Zealand, which will keep him in the team until the next time we play somebody decent. We all knew this before the summer started.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Boris;379426 said:
Meanwhile the batting side is superb with its only fault being in random collapses occuring every now and then where the WHOLE side has been collapsing.

I really don't see an issue with having him in there even just to show the ropes to a youngster when there hasn't been any pressure from behind him and he seems to be scoring again. As you said he's not going to be round long so while the batting side is capable of making a 650 score with four 100s in it I see no reason to change it.
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Are you being sarcastic? That's fine if you are, I speak the language well! I'm just having trouble picking your tone.

I don't understand what you're saying about collapses. I don't think they are a problem, actually. Most are getting starts, just not capitalising.

Who's making 650? I'm lost. Personally, I'd rather any young blokes were not shown the ropes by Mr.Cricket at the moment. They'd be better off watching the "Best of" DVD which encompassed 2005-2008.

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;379437 said:
Well who do you replace him with, not much point in calling for a player to be dropped if your not going to name a prospective replacment?
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What about his brother? Surely several seasons of heavy scoring domestically count for something, as they did with Mike. Averaging 71 this season (no not outs either). Even better, Rogers opening the innings (Ave.74 + prolific seasons to back it up), and Watson to middle order where he can come in and murder tiring attacks.

I don't submit these simply because they're Victorians - WA can take the credit for both if you like.

I've done Hodge to death. Now it's too late. Both he and I agreed it was pointless and need to move on.

Or, as Caesar suggested, Hughes or Jacques have both demonstrated their credentials enough to be given further opportunities.

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;379444 said:
Husseys last 4 test innings are 120 odd, 66, 41, 24.

Hardly a sackable list?
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No, but the long trail of sad figures preceeding those is. C'mon guys, you have to look at the way he's making them. He's labouring, and it's sad to watch. You may not remember David Boon towards the end. Credit to him he made a ton in his last innings, but all that innings did was confirm why it was time to give it away.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Caesar;379441 said:
How capable the rest of the batting order is irrelevant to whether they should keep carrying Hussey. He's dead weight.

If our attitude is going to be "oh well, we're doing okay batting with ten men so it doesn't matter", then why don't we stick the spot on rotation and let people buy a baggy green? I'd fancy a knock in the middle order sometime.


Drop Watson down the order and bring in Rogers or Jacques. Or heck, bring back Hughes - even without fixing his issues he'd still be better than Hussey, plus he's got his career ahead of him.
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Haven't we been doing it for over 20 years now? Just carrying one person in the team that doesn't have form but with the strength of others let them get back into form to help the next person out of form. A Test team isn't like an ODI team that you can chuck players in and out of. If one person is out of form you can't just go 'oh well, next one' and pick the next one after next one. Teams have to work together to work through weaknesses and strengths together. At the moment the team has a problem with unpredictable collapses but the rest of the time they are scoring up around the 450-500 mark. Mostly it is a hit or miss line up with a mostly hit percentage rate. The way things are going replacing Hussey won't have much effect on the matter when he has been scoring better than he has in 2 years over the past two series. And before that he was averaging 80.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Sober Symonds;379479 said:
Are you being sarcastic? That's fine if you are, I speak the language well! I'm just having trouble picking your tone.

I don't understand what you're saying about collapses. I don't think they are a problem, actually. Most are getting starts, just not capitalising.

Who's making 650? I'm lost. Personally, I'd rather any young blokes were not shown the ropes by Mr.Cricket at the moment. They'd be better off watching the "Best of" DVD which encompassed 2005-2008.



What about his brother? Surely several seasons of heavy scoring domestically count for something, as they did with Mike. Averaging 71 this season (no not outs either). Even better, Rogers opening the innings (Ave.74 + prolific seasons to back it up), and Watson to middle order where he can come in and murder tiring attacks.

I don't submit these simply because they're Victorians - WA can take the credit for both if you like.

I've done Hodge to death. Now it's too late. Both he and I agreed it was pointless and need to move on.

Or, as Caesar suggested, Hughes or Jacques have both demonstrated their credentials enough to be given further opportunities.
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I was being partly sarcastic.

The batting line up at the moment is either scoring big as a whole, or all getting out cheaply and the total being a let down. And when everyone collapses its not just Hussey doing it, its everyone.

Remember the first Test of the Ashes? 650 with 4 centuries and Hussey score 4? They can cover for him which is what they are meant to do as explained in my last post.

Don't get me wrong though, Huss has been out of form too long to still be in the side, but not going to be dropped now.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Im quite happy to give Hussey until the end of the summer, and then go from there, especially considering the form he displayed during the Inida ODI series. That surely proves that he isn't all finished up at this level.

Leaving the decision until the end of the summer also gives the selectors longer to evaluate any prospective replacement through a full season of shield cricket.

I think that is the most suitable option, and I'll stick to it thank you very much.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Throughout his test slump he has been scoring runs at ODI level, no reason that should influence them now
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

It's a completely different game. Limited overs, different state of mind for the batsmen. Keep him in there if he's still good enough in that format. Plenty of better players have been "retired" from one version of the game for the sake of prolonging the quality in another.

In the meantime, as I've said before, against pedestrian attacks Hussey strings together enough scores to hoodwink people into believing he is worth perservering with. Then we roll over into the next tour and around it goes.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Did you read me earlier post about giving it until the end of the summer?

That to me seems the entirely reasonable option now we picked Hussey in the 1st test at the Gabba, unless Hussey gets a pair at Perth and a pair at the MCG on Boxing day.

Giving it until the end of the summer allows us to assess the candidates at shield cricket after a full domestic season. That to me is the most logical reason.

I don't think the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Luke Wright will be to much of an issue in next years Ashes series. James Anderson's record away from home is deplorable - Im not even entirely convinced he'll be on the tour next year.

If your alluding to the fact that Hussey will score big against crap attacks and then fail again this time next year during the Ashes then you might want to reconsider considering the attack I mentioned above.

Outside of England, I don't see England as much of a threat however I will watch the SA series with interest.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Well then maybe they should give a young bloke a chance to get settled in at test level against such a shit attack instead of an old bloke who would likely retire after the series anyway?

No reason they can pull him aside and tell him the Perth test is his last, they have retained the trophy, they dont care about the series result as seen today
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

If we are determined to cary someone and so many people are unhappy with Pontings captaincy and our slip fielding... Bring back tubby!:D
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;379520 said:
Did you read me earlier post about giving it until the end of the summer?

That to me seems the entirely reasonable option now we picked Hussey in the 1st test at the Gabba, unless Hussey gets a pair at Perth and a pair at the MCG on Boxing day.

Giving it until the end of the summer allows us to assess the candidates at shield cricket after a full domestic season. That to me is the most logical reason.

If your alluding to the fact that Hussey will score big against crap attacks and then fail again this time next year during the Ashes then you might want to reconsider considering the attack I mentioned above.
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Yes me did read it ... and I responded. That just gives Hussey more time to claw his way towards a few more thereabouts scores - perhaps even another face-saving hundred when, as Eddie says, we could be bedding in another batsman who a) deserves a go now, and b) can feature in plans for the next few years.

To wait till the end of the summer means he's going to be even harder to get rid of due to batting himself back into credibility, and potential replacements have peaked & waned before the off-season then kicks in.

What I would like to see is someone be introduced on home soil for a couple of Tests, go over to NZ for a couple more, then be ready for Pakistan in England. I agree the following Ashes series won't be as close as the contests in the Old Dart, but by then there's every likelihood we'll have one or two others to introduce into the team anyway.

Nevertheless, you'll get your way and Mr Cricket will bore the bejesus out of us until he gets back into the more comfortable surrounds of limited overs matches. And what will we have achieved?
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

I just know a thing or two about picking cricket teams and the processes involved. You don't let gun players go lightly, especially when you don't have any clue who your going to replace them with and then, if they are going to actually improve the team.
 
Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

So do I, and you can't sit on your hands as time ticks by. You have to try something, and there is no shortage of options. Of course they're going to improve the side. We just lost the Ashes and now have the West Indies turning around ready to strike.

Border, Taylor, the Waughs - they were bigger guns, all pushed before they would have liked. Hayden & Boon should have been.
 
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