The "No-Loyalty" XI for the Gabba

[Matt79]

If you disregarded past-service, reputations, and team stability and just picked the 11 players you thought would produce the most wickets and runs for the team in the 1st Test (ie. ignoring the rest of series). For the Aussie team, I'd bring in Jaques, Haddin, and Johnson AND Clark for a team of:

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Watson
Haddin
Warne
Lee
Clark
Johnson.

Obviously you'd never select this team, but for the sake of argument.

For England with Trescothick pulled out probably WILL play all the batsmen who have been in recent runs of form, but you'd surely include Monty over Giles. Harmison is a gamble, he looks dodgy, but he may click (and probably needs to if England are to win) and run through the Aussies.

[Johnners]

Originally Posted by Matt79

If you disregarded past-service, reputations, and team stability and just picked the 11 players you thought would produce the most wickets and runs for the team in the 1st Test (ie. ignoring the rest of series). For the Aussie team, I'd bring in Jaques, Haddin, and Johnson AND Clark for a team of:

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Watson
Haddin
Warne
Lee
Clark
Johnson.

Obviously you'd never select this team, but for the sake of argument.

For England with Trescothick pulled out probably WILL play all the batsmen who have been in recent runs of form, but you'd surely include Monty over Giles. Harmison is a gamble, he looks dodgy, but he may click (and probably needs to if England are to win) and run through the Aussies.

Could argue a case for Clarke or Hodge in place of Watson on the account that they'd more than likely score more runs than him, and i'm not quite convinced that Watto will be making huge impacts with the ball.

[Pedro Delgado]

I think we, but KP especially, will take Watto to the cleaners. He has to play though, best AR prospect for years and he looks like Corey Feldman.

[chaminda_00]

One gets the feeling that KP will take everyone to the cleaners, even Warne.

[cameeel]

Jaques
Langer
Ponting
Hodge
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Johnson
McGrath

[FaaipDeOiad]

I'd go with the same XI that I think will be picked, to be honest. I don't think Jaques should be in the side just yet, and I certainly don't think McGrath should be out of it. Martyn's in good form and should be picked also.

The only questionable one for me is Watson, who I think should be picked mainly because of what he is capable of in the long term. Clarke or Hodge are probably more likely to make big runs in the first test.

[howardj]

If my life depended on Australia winning the Ashes

Jacques
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Haddin
Lee
Warne
MacGill
Clark

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by howardj

If my life depended on Australia winning the Ashes

Jacques
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Haddin
Lee
Warne
MacGill
Clark

No McGrath is insane. He's not only your best bowler, he's the most experienced one to boot. If things start to go wrong, I'd rather have McGrath than anyone else in the world with the ball in his hand.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Yeah. He's easily the most reliable bowler in the country under pressure. It'd be insane to leave him out of the side, whether he's in form or not. And seriously, he bowled pretty damn well in India. Give him a pitch with a bit of life in it like we saw last year and I think he'll run through England.

[PhoenixFire]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

No McGrath is insane. He's not only your best bowler, he's the most experienced one to boot. If things start to go wrong, I'd rather have McGrath than anyone else in the world with the ball in his hand.

Please give it a rest, you don't have to take any possible inkling that somebody might be better than McGrath as a personal insult.

The whole point of the thread is that it is about current form and so on, and for mine and few other people's money, Johnson is just a better bet than McGrath.

[Neil Pickup]

Originally Posted by PhoenixFire

Please give it a rest, you don't have to take any possible inkling that somebody might be better than McGrath as a personal insult.

The whole point of the thread is that it is about current form and so on, and for mine and few other people's money, Johnson is just a better bet than McGrath.

I wish you were an Aussie selector.

[PhoenixFire]

Originally Posted by Neil Pickup

I wish you were an Aussie selector.

So do I.

[Matt79]

I left out McGrath and specified that you're selecting for a one-off match at the Gabba, not for the whole series. I think McGrath will obviously do better than Johnson across the 5 match series, but I also think he's played 1 FC game and half a dozen ODIs in a year, so to expect him to rock up to the Gabba and be the best bowler in the team is damn unrealistic. But he'll still be a force to be reckoned with and will be a lot better for the run. If he doesn't get injured, I'd expect him to improve throughout the series until he's back near top form for the last couple of tests. But if I wanted somebody to play tomorrow and didn't want to be concerned about them being shagged after two decent length spells and rusty to boot, and wasn't worried about playing anyone back into form, I'd pick Johnson..

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Originally Posted by PhoenixFire

The whole point of the thread is that it is about current form and so on, and for mine and few other people's money, Johnson is just a better bet than McGrath.

Is that why McGrath was the better bowler in the most recent series - the CT?

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Originally Posted by Matt79

I left out McGrath and specified that you're selecting for a one-off match at the Gabba, not for the whole series. I think McGrath will obviously do better than Johnson across the 5 match series, but I also think he's played 1 FC game and half a dozen ODIs in a year, so to expect him to rock up to the Gabba and be the best bowler in the team is damn unrealistic. But he'll still be a force to be reckoned with and will be a lot better for the run. If he doesn't get injured, I'd expect him to improve throughout the series until he's back near top form for the last couple of tests. But if I wanted somebody to play tomorrow and didn't want to be concerned about them being shagged after two decent length spells and rusty to boot, and wasn't worried about playing anyone back into form, I'd pick Johnson..

I'd still take McGrath - short on match form and all - ahead of an untried and still raw Mitchell Johnson. I'd fully expect McGrath to have a bigger impact. The expectations upon Johnson are unrealistic. He's only just started to really come along as a bowler.