*Official* First Test at the Gabba

[simmy]

Just seen the Steve Smith selection. What is going on over there with the selectors? Did Bell not make the point clear enough re: Smith?

[outbreak]

Either their looking for early excuses or Smith and others may get a game.

Concerns grow over Clarke's fitness | Fox Sports

[Ruckus]

Lets have a worst case team scenario:

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
North
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Doherty
Siddle

Given that could be the case if the selectors are stupid enough to give preference to Siddle over Bollinger, and Clarke is not fit enough, how do you think that team would go? Personally, I think if that's the team playing, we are royally ****ed.

[Nnanden]

It's not ideal but it's not terrible.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Nnanden

It's not ideal but it's not terrible.

Athlai to confirm.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by Nnanden

It's not ideal but it's not terrible.

The bowling is still alright, but the batting looks pretty damn fragile. I mean I could easily envisage Hussey, North, Haddin and Smith and Johnson all bombing out at the same time and essentially losing us the game. The problem with that middle order is there are no really gritty batsmen - Hussey used to play that role, but it's quite possible he will continue his bad form, North is literally hit or miss (the latter being more likely), Haddin is one-dimensional and bad at saving an innings, Smith is simply inexperienced, and Johnson is basically a slogger. There is no balance in that line-up at all. Clarke's presence would make a massive difference, so fingers crossed...

[howardj]

Selectors Treat Batsmen Like Koalas

more than a kernel of truth to this piece...

[DragonPunk]

That worst case scenario team isn't bad, besides having no Dougeh and having Siddle.

[pup11]

Originally Posted by DeusEx

Lets have a worst case team scenario:

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
North
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Doherty
Siddle

Given that could be the case if the selectors are stupid enough to give preference to Siddle over Bollinger, and Clarke is not fit enough, how do you think that team would go? Personally, I think if that's the team playing, we are royally ****ed.

Pretty sure we can bring in a replacement if it becomes clear that a player from the squad won't be able to play in the test.
Though I've a feeling both Bollinger and Clarke are going to rush themselves into this game, and we would be taking a huge punt if they do that, also read somewhere that Watson too isn't fully fit.
So...there you go it surely doesn't look good for us atm, unsettled team, out of form batsmen and injured key players.

[pup11]

Originally Posted by howardj

Selectors Treat Batsmen Like Koalas

more than a kernel of truth to this piece...

In the case of Hussey and North it might be true, but people like Hodge, Rogers, Jacques, Dussey, McDonald would disagree with this theory.
The thing is these days favoritism plays a big part in who gets picked and who doesn't, in the Australian team. Now that's nothing new and happens everywhere around the world, but when the players you are backing aren't that good or aren't performing and the players who you are continuously ignoring are consistently doing well, then the motives of the people who are running the show certainly become questionable.
Selection should be an answerable job IMO, and like players if selectors can't do their job properly then they too should be shown the door.

[GotSpin]

So much relies on Ponting this series. Unbelievable pressure, especially if Clarke goes down with a back injury.

Surely if Clarke can't play they'd bring Usman in to replace him. That'd be the logical step though

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by pup11

Pretty sure we can bring in a replacement if it becomes clear that a player from the squad won't be able to play in the test.
Though I've a feeling both Bollinger and Clarke are going to rush themselves into this game, and we would be taking a huge punt if they do that, also read somewhere that Watson too isn't fully fit.
So...there you go it surely doesn't look good for us atm, unsettled team, out of form batsmen and injured key players.

Watson as well!? Where did you here that?

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by Got_Spin

Surely if Clarke can't play they'd bring Usman in to replace him. That'd be the logical step though

Yeh but Clarke's problem will likely go right down to (and be decided) the time of the first test, in which case Smith is the only immediate backup.

[GotSpin]

Originally Posted by pup11

In the case of Hussey and North it might be true, but people like Hodge, Rogers, Jacques, Dussey, McDonald would disagree with this theory.
The thing is these days favoritism plays a big part in who gets picked and who doesn't, in the Australian team. Now that's nothing new and happens everywhere around the world, but when the players you are backing aren't that good or aren't performing and the players who you are continuously ignoring are consistently doing well, then the motives of the people who are running the show certainly become questionable.
Selection should be an answerable job IMO, and like players if selectors can't do their job properly then they too should be shown the door.

Yeah the current selectors seem to have certain favourites, pointing towards 'experience' as the factor behind their continued selection, while choosing to ignore the string of failures that have accompanied said batsmen. There's really no other explanation for why Hussey and North will be lining up on Thursday

[GotSpin]

Originally Posted by DeusEx

Yeh but Clarke's problem will likely go right down to (and be decided) the time of the first test, in which case Smith is the only immediate backup.

Surely they can fly Usman into Brisbane now on standby just in case, knowing that Clarke may be unable to play

Not that hard to do