Test XI Selection Thread
- Thread starter Boris
- Start date
Beeswax
Member
The only change I would like to see for Durham, especially after his pointless codpiece of a shot down third man's throat yesterday, is Watson swapped for Faulkner. They will lose nothing and may gain some useful information about a new player.
I can't think of anyone who wants to watch any dead rubber runs from Watson.
Probably the selectors so they can justify his selection for the home Ashes series.
Milan Nerapanda
Member
Yeah, they need to allow time for the players to settle in to the team, and they need to stop switching their batting order around...
CLOCKER
Active Member
Spot on. Watson needs a kick in the pants and being dropped would do him some good. Not sure if Harris is going to come up and probably should be rested and give Bird a chance. Harris is going to have a lot of work in Australia and he should be rested up. Pointless in him risking a breakdown. I would give Ashgar another go and drop Lyon. Our batting will be deep and still have a reasonable attack.
Kram81
Well-Known Member
Well it looks like they are going in with the same team except maybe Bird in to give Harris a spell which would be a good idea imo. Watson simply has to stay down the order though, he's been rubbish at the top for, far, far too long and with Warner the side they would be idiots not to put him against seamers with the new ball rather than Swann. I'd go..
Rogers
Warner
Khawaja
Clarke
Smith
Watson
Haddin
Rogers
Warner
Khawaja
Clarke
Smith
Watson
Haddin
CLOCKER
Active Member
Watson breaks down, what a shock. I suppose he will probably be sent home.....again. He is on a million dollar contract so he can recover from injury. They need to make a decision on him soon as his best cricket is probably behind him.It also means that we are one down chasing a reasonable score. Don't believe we will chase down the runs.
Kram81
Well-Known Member
Yeah shocking dismissal although not quite as bad as Shaun Marsh being bowled by a straight one off Kaneria at the Adelaide Oval a couple of years ago lol. Never been sold on Usman but at this stage of things they may as well leave him in to find out for sure and then put a line through him. Only batting change I would probably make is Watson being replaced if he can't bowl, his privileges in being selected as a batsman only have long gone..
Beeswax
Member
He got a 50 last match. That's all he needs these days. A 50 every 5 matches or so and the hype machine kickstarts itself again. I'm hoping he's too injured to bowl AND bat so they can give Faulkner a go. They lose with Watson, they can lose without him.
Beeswax
Member
I hope it's one more match for Ussie, he is doing himself no favours, but they need to stop shoving the young players in and out of, and up and down, the line-up. They were stupid enough to drop Hughes after Lord's, but they need to give Khawaja a proper run now that they have.
There is no wonder player who is going to come in and average 50 from the get-go.
nairbe
Active Member
It is looking as though Khawaja is to be dropped. Who for No:3?? they have already tried Hughes and really his technique is not there for 3 maybe 6 is the go for him. Simply we do not have a No:3, not even captain wonderful is up to the job. I read an article from Steve Waugh where he suggests that due to the fracturing of the talent pool for T20 we may never have a dominate team again. I hope he is wrong but somehow his words have a feeling of truth. I genuinely believe that Khawaja should be left there. He has done just as much as anyone else that has been tried of late and just as much as Watson. My only change for The Oval is Hughes in for Watson.
Kram81
Well-Known Member
Khawaja's game just isn't up to it atm imo, relies too much on making runs against bad deliveries and he's just not going to get that many at Test level against sides like England. Probably should be left in there for the last game for one last chance though.
Hughes is a top order batsman and that's where he should be where he should be put, probably the best option for 3 this summer if Usman fails with him hopefully the eventual replacement for Rogers when he's finished.
Hughes is a top order batsman and that's where he should be where he should be put, probably the best option for 3 this summer if Usman fails with him hopefully the eventual replacement for Rogers when he's finished.
Kram81
Well-Known Member
Really? I reckon there has only been one innings in his 3 Tests this series that he hasn't looked like a rabbit in the headlights.
shortnwide
Active Member
Khawaja just ain't any good. Yes he has a good looking technique.. But you need to marry that with an effective one. He's not making runs. He gets bogged down at the start of his innings and can't get going. Phil HUghes deserves the extended run. Dropped on one poor test this series. Is a natural run maker. Just needs to learn his trade at test level.
Interestingly Nathan Lyon has a bet bowling average this series than swann
nairbe
Active Member
Yes Maybe Khawaja would do with a stay in shield and some county cricket for a couple of years but so could Hughes. The two of them have been in out up down and it is the problem not the players. They can never settle and find their way when they will be shot after 5 or 6 innings. The selection system is a failure and needs quickly adapting if we really think we are going to win any test matches this summer. For all the cricket and some promise we are still 3-0 down when two of those tests were there for us to win. No confidence has been created from within.
nairbe
Active Member
Khawaja dropped, Faulkner in at 7 and Watson pushed back up to 3Bird out for Starc.
Seriously either pick Khawaja or Hughes at 3 and make a decision on either playing Watson or Faulkner in the middle order.
Clearly the selectors are deeply lost and they should have gone with the coach. Steve Waugh and Alan Border need to come in to the selection panel and rotation must go.