The "No-Loyalty" XI for the Gabba

[FaaipDeOiad]

McGrath's spell immediately after lunch on day two was his best of the match, and he had a fair bit of life about him and consistently troubled Collingwood with some seam movement back into him. He was very flat at times though, which could be related to fitness issues or fatigue or age-related waning of his powers or whatever. Hard to say on one innings, really.

[Matt79]

Yeah, I'm a bit worried too, especially about Langer. He's only averaging 93 for the series now.

Yeah, I know, but after the beat down I took for this after the first test, I'm looking for any consolation. A harsh view would say however that its 2 good performances and 1 bad effort for Langer, and in only one of those efforts did the other team actually front up, while McGrath is probably 1 good performance and 2 bad.

That said, Jaques also may well have been fairly drained after two days in the field and got out cheaply. Whether a younger man might have been able to stay fresher, or whether he would have missed the 100 tests of experience Langer brings, or whether it was a ripsnorter couple of balls that would have got most batsmen, will remain a point of conjecture.

I'm not writing them off again, they are champs and I've learned my lesson about that for this summer, but if we lose this test, they will again find themselves under pressure.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Yeah, I know, but after the beat down I took for this after the first test, I'm looking for any consolation. A harsh view would say however that its 2 good performances and 1 bad effort for Langer, and in only one of those efforts did the other team actually front up, while McGrath is probably 1 good performance and 2 bad.

That said, Jaques also may well have been fairly drained after two days in the field and got out cheaply. Whether a younger man might have been able to stay fresher, or whether he would have missed the 100 tests of experience Langer brings, or whether it was a ripsnorter couple of balls that would have got most batsmen, will remain a point of conjecture.

I'm not writing them off again, they are champs and I've learned my lesson about that for this summer, but if we lose this test, they will again find themselves under pressure.

I actually assumed you were joking with Langer. Seriously, he won't be under pressure at all. If Jaques was to come in next test it'd be for Martyn or Hayden, Langer has secured his spot until the end of the Ashes at least with his first innings performances, and suggesting that he's got problems because he got out once after making 82 and 100 in the first test is just silly. Every batsman gets out cheaply sometimes. Ponting could edge to the keeper first ball today, it wouldn't put him under pressure for his spot.

[Matt79]

I know, tongue was firmly in cheek.