Clarke called up

[Johnners]

Watson is not only good enough to be the fifth bowler (we dont have anyone that can even roll their arm over serviceably without him) but he's also a better bat than Clarke who hasnt done a thing to justify a recall.

You mean apart from Making 508 runs @ 169.33, with 2 centuries & 2 Half Centuries in his limited FC matches after being initially dropped?? And also being probably 1 of our top 3 ODI batsmen for the past year. Makes you wonder really what has he done??

 

[burr]

I think this is great news. IMO Watson's injury is a blessing in disguise. Clarke is a far better prospect. However the prob with this is now the selectors are likely going to be too gun-shy to pick Tait or Johnson, I really wanted one of those to play.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

He got two tests against Bangladesh, on roads, and got nothing.

 

[pasag]

At worst it's just one match though, it's not doomsday ffs. If he doesn't perfom he'll be dropped right away. Anyways, he'll grind out a 50 in each innings imo.

 

[social]

You mean apart from Making 508 runs @ 169.33, with 2 centuries & 2 Half Centuries in his limited FC matches after being initially dropped?? And also being probably 1 of our top 3 ODI batsmen for the past year. Makes you wonder really what has he done??

Failed against the worst team in world cricket and the half centuries are representative of why Clarke has not improved at all in the past 2 years - wasted starts

As for ODI form, on that basis, Symonds is miles ahead of Clarke.

Anyway, wish him luck but he continues to be picked on potential alone and realistically would be behind any no. of players (Watson, Hodge, Jacques, etc, etc) if he didnt play for NSW

 

[Johnners]

Failed against the worst team in world cricket and the half centuries are representative of why Clarke has not improved at all in the past 2 years - wasted starts

As for ODI form, on that basis, Symonds is miles ahead of Clarke.

Anyway, wish him luck but he continues to be picked on potential alone and realistically would be behind any no. of players (Watson, Hodge, Jacques, etc, etc) if he didnt play for NSW

Jaques plays for NSW. In realation to the 2 Half Centuries, you seem to have missed the two Centuries, 1 of which was a double, hardly a wasted start.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

He got two tests against Bangladesh, on roads, and got nothing.

He got one test in Bangladesh where he actually got to bat, and that was on a difficult and uneven wicket where every batsman aside from Gilchrist and Ponting struggled. In the other test, he batted once and was not out after Gillespie and Hussey made huge runs, so I hardly see how that qualifies as a failure.

I hardly see how you can pick a guy for what is effectively one test match on his recall to the team and then drop him because he doesn't make runs. Fair enough if he is pushed out of the side due to team makeup, but dropping him in favour of another batsmen is silly.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Jaques plays for NSW. In realation to the 2 Half Centuries, you seem to have missed the two Centuries, 1 of which was a double, hardly a wasted start.

IIRC the double was about 12 months ago, though? A fair long time.

 

[Johnners]

Yeah, in fairness it was, but it was in one of only 3 FC matches he has played in since being dropped in the WI series so he must be judged on it.

 

[social]

Jaques plays for NSW. In realation to the 2 Half Centuries, you seem to have missed the two Centuries, 1 of which was a double, hardly a wasted start.

Every player in or near the test team has scored mountains of runs.

Clarke has an ordinary fc and test record because he scores nice 20s and 30s.

Compare his record to Hussey or Jacques or Hodge or Love or North or Rogers etc etc etc

He's an ordinary player with extraordinary talent that's been picked on potential alone

 

[social]

He got one test in Bangladesh where he actually got to bat, and that was on a difficult and uneven wicket where every batsman aside from Gilchrist and Ponting struggled. In the other test, he batted once and was not out after Gillespie and Hussey made huge runs, so I hardly see how that qualifies as a failure.

I hardly see how you can pick a guy for what is effectively one test match on his recall to the team and then drop him because he doesn't make runs. Fair enough if he is pushed out of the side due to team makeup, but dropping him in favour of another batsmen is silly.

Unfortunately, that innings in Banga summed his batting up - backed away on an up-and-down wicket to cut the left hand spinner a no. of times before getting an edge. In a word, dumb

Selectors had 2 choices with Clarke - send him back to fc and hope he finally scores the runs of which he is capable or take a punt and continue to select him in the test team regardless. They've chosen the latter.

On merit, he's not amongst the top 8 in Oz IMO

 

[vic_orthdox]

Unfortunately, that innings in Banga summed his batting up - backed away on an up-and-down wicket to cut the left hand spinner a no. of times before getting an edge. In a word, dumb

Selectors had 2 choices with Clarke - send him back to fc and hope he finally scores the runs of which he is capable or take a punt and continue to select him in the test team regardless. They've chosen the latter.

On merit, he's not amongst the top 8 in Oz IMO

The saddest thing is that they tried to take the hard option, but didn't follow through.

 

[howardj]

Michael Clarke will be a very good player.

Averaged 38 against the Poms in the last Series.

That was as much as Ponting and Hayden.

I think it's a myth that his shot selection is his problem though.

Look at his dismissals - his problem is being caught on the crease, and getting done LBW and caught edging behind the wicket, as a result.

That's the main weakness he needs to work on.