*Official* First Test at the Gabba

[iamdavid]

Originally Posted by Craig

I would honestly consider bowling first in the Test, especially if we get more wet weather.

I think Strauss might be hesitant to make that call after what happened last time an English captain elected to bowl first at the Gabba

[Spark]

I would be absolutely astonished if Ricky ever bowled first in a test match again.

[GIMH]

Originally Posted by sifter132

Replace England with Australia, Strauss with Marcus North and Jimmeh with Dougie and that's my exact prediction

So you think North will outscore Australia and Dougie will pwn the hapless convict batsmen?

[Spark]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

So you think North will outscore Australia and Dougie will pwn the hapless convict batsmen?

[Marcuss]

That's the point GIMH was making...

[howardj]

Originally Posted by Craig

I would honestly consider bowling first in the Test, especially if we get more wet weather.

Nasser says hi.

[ripper868]

Going to the Third day, stoked! Will get to see England go 1-0 down

[marc71178]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

So you think North will outscore Australia and Dougie will pwn the hapless convict batsmen?

So in 8 of the 10 innings Australia will be all out for about 50 (North 26) and in the other 2 it'll be all out 250 (North 130)

[Spark]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

That's the point GIMH was making...

Oh, he means the rest of the Australian batsmen. That doesn't seem so confusing now.

[Marcuss]

I think he was mocking sifter for only changing half of the post tbf.

[Spark]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

I think he was mocking sifter for only changing half of the post tbf.

Oh, I realised that, but I thought he was making a joke about how it implied that Marcus North would outscore all the batsmen... including himself.

[Tom 1972]

Originally Posted by flibbertyjibber

Will be fascinating to see if Australia have the bottle to make the changes the fans seem to want to the batting order.Not too fussed either way,either you have under the pump oldtimers struggling for form under pressure or new kids expected to produce the goods right away.Win win for England really.

Mate, as an Aussie, you've completely nailed it in one. Our selectors have absolutely no imagination and we've slid down a slippery slope.

Grimly held onto Hussey & North. Watson & Clarke should be batting at #3 and #4. We should have kept playing Phil Hughes (still averages 51 in Tests and nearly 57 in FC). Ponting should have dropped down to #6 as part of sucession planning. Haddin shouldn't walk back into the side.

Bottom line, if we don't win back the Ashes, based firstly on age, secondly on ability:
Hussey gone. In decline over the past few years.
Ponting gone. Ditto.
Haddin gone. Keeping is a liability. Been dismissed 40 times in Tests, scored >50 seven times.
North going, going. Unreliable.
Katich going, going. Maybe 18 months left in him as long as his form is good.
Clarke on notice.

Then you ask, who is the long-term captain of Australia?

If it isn't Clarke, Cameron White from Victoria has the best leadership pedigree, leading the Vics since he was 20, in 2003/04, with pretty good success:
FC Winners: 03/04, 08/09, 09/10
FC Runners Up: 05/06, 07/08
1-day Domestic: got the Vics to the last 4 finals (we choked each time)


But we really need to bottom out and play the kids.

[GotSpin]

Just no lol.

Ponting
Clarke
Katich
Watson
Haddin

Are all safe and so they should be (Paine is close though) - And batting where they are.

We'll end up like the West Indies with your line of thinking. Just playing inexperienced kids in the hope they click.

The only ones who deserve the kick are North and Hussey.

[vic_orthdox]

Originally Posted by Got_Spin

Just no lol.

Ponting
Clarke
Katich
Watson
Haddin

Are all safe and so they should be (Paine is close though) - And batting where they are.

We'll end up like the West Indies with your line of thinking. Just playing inexperienced kids in the hope they click.

The only ones who deserve the kick are North and Hussey.

He's saying after the Ashes if we lose.

[Spark]

Our bowling attack being as it is with replacements such as Sids and Harris in the wing means that a stable middle order is really our one impediment to good success. Domination, no, but much more success, quite probably.