Shane Watson?

[archie mac]

I think Shane Watson a definite starter for the first Test

And the attack to consist of:

Lee
McGrath
Watson
Wanre
Johnson

[dontcloseyoureyes]

MacGill should start every test. Johnson has a bright future if he keeps improving, but because Watson is likely to play two spinners is almost a must, considering the woes England have with quality leg-spin.

[open365]

I think picking Watson would be a good choice for Australia, i've been impressed with his bowling and his batting looks good enough, plus he is only 25 so he has the potential to improve massively

[FaaipDeOiad]

Watson is an absolute certainty, excluding injury. In fact, there's only one spot which could possibly change between now and the first test.

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Watson
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Johnson/Clark/Gillespie/MacGill
McGrath

I really doubt MacGill will play either. He'll play 2-3 tests, but another seamer will get the others, which will be Brisbane, Melbourne and possibly Perth.

[Mister Wright]

Agree with Smith.

MacGill should play, I don't care that it's Brisbane. He's our 3rd best bowler, so should be in the team.

[PhoenixFire]

1)Langer
2)Hayden
3)Ponting
4)Martyn
5)Watson
6)Hussey
7)Gilchrist
8)Warne
9)Macgill
10)Clark
11)McGrath

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hussey will bat above Watson, for sure.

[howardj]

Chappelli on Watson:

"Shane Watson has a long way to go with his bowling before he is in the allrounder class for Test cricket,"

"Every time Watson claims a victim, Australian players converge from all parts of the ground and the congratulatory ceremony leads you to assume he's performed a minor miracle and dismissed Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara with the same delivery.

"It is almost as though the team are willing Watson to perform well in order to be the bowling allrounder to answer their prayers.

"He is quite capable of performing that role in one-day cricket but I'm not convinced about his ability to achieve that level in a game where batsmen aren't so prone to throwing away their wicket."

[FaaipDeOiad]

That's all fine, but the fact is that he's taking 2 wickets per ODI at less than 20 apiece in recent times, and he averages over 50 in FC cricket with the bat. Whether or not Chappelli is "convinced", there's absolutely no reason not to give him an extended run in the test side to see what he is capable of. The amount Australia could potentially lose by having Watson in the side instead of say Michael Clarke is negligable when compared to the potential benefit of a capable 5th bowling option, and he certainly can't do any worse than Andrew Symonds, who we carried for 10 tests.

Incidentally, I think the Australians tend to react the same way to, say, Johnson taking a wicket. It's clearly as much about encouraging newer, younger players as it is about finding an all-rounder.

[raunchy_ronchi]

1)Langer
2)Hayden
3)Ponting
4)Martyn
5)Watson
6)Hussey
7)Gilchrist
8)Warne
9)Macgill
10)Clark
11)McGrath

i like this team and i agree with dont closeyoureyes watson below hussey

what about 12th man who will be the unlucky one?

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Ian Chappell's always been a drooling idiot in my opinion. It's almost like he has no idea. That rant he goes on once a session about how coaches are useless and should be done away with drives me insane.

[FaaipDeOiad]

What's with people wanting Lee to be dropped? At this point, McGrath being dropped is more likely.

[howardj]

Dropping Lee?

Oh dear.

He'd be among the first picked.

[Great Birtannia]

MacGill should be the third bowler regardless of the pitch for me as well. If it is a quick it better be Johnson. Gillespie is finished, after Bangladesh I was open to him playing as long as he averaged under 30 in county cricket and carried the form into the Australian domestic season, he had a poor county season and I think went wicketless against NSW in the first shield game which is just not good enough. We cannot afford to carry two unthreatening medium pacers into another ashes series and with McGrath struggling a little and bowling about 60% Clark should not be in the team either, he just won't do enough with the ball in Australian conditions to be a wicket taking threat. Johnson at least has the potential with pace and swing to be a very damaging weapon if he does get it right.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

He also has the potential (as he's shown on the international stage before) to be straight up and down at ~139kmph and get belted to all corners of the ground.