*Official* Fifth Test at the SCG

[MW1304]

Everyone is calling for Bollinger and i would looove to seem him there. I'm think he's a decent bowler and everything, but he'll create some nice rough for Swanneh too - always the danger with having two left armers. I do hope its a turner. What do the locals think? Has it been turning in Shield games?

[Howe_zat]

Well Nathan Hauritz has been taking wickets, so there's good evidence that the pitch is taking turn.

However, the wickets prepared for Shield matches are not the same as those put together for Tests. Take the Gabba for example.

[Burgey]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

Well Nathan Hauritz has been taking wickets, so there's good evidence that the pitch is taking turn.

However, the wickets prepared for Shield matches are not the same as those put together for Tests. Take the Gabba for example.

I think Haurie took his 5 fer in Perth of all places, this year. It will always take turn in Sydney, but without looking at the Shield stats, I think the quicks have done well here this season, it bring a damp summer so far.

[gettingbetter]

1. Strauss
2. Cook
3. Trott
4. Pietersen
5. Bell
6. Prior
7. Bresnan
8. Swann
9. Tremlett
10. Anderson
11. Panesar

[grecian]

Originally Posted by gettingbetter

1. Strauss
2. Cook
3. Trott
4. Pietersen
5. Bell
6. Prior
7. Bresnan
8. Swann
9. Tremlett
10. Anderson
11. Panesar

Well, IF it looks like being a spinners wicket, I would have no probs with this, Colly isn't performing, moves Bell up to five, and yet still with plenty of support after him. Will never in a million years happen though

[King Pietersen]

We still need to win this game, I think it's a massive risk playing Bresnan at 7, especially without Broad in the side. Swann will be enough spin against this Australian batting line-up to get the job done, we don't need 5 bowlers. Same team for me.

[vic_orthdox]

Originally Posted by Nnanden

Wouldn't say Ponting's series was very good. And Clarke's technical flaw has been back in his game for a while now, I'm hardly surprised.

Originally Posted by Spark

This being playing away from his body? He's never stopped doing that...

Originally Posted by Nnanden

Stronger bottom hand, resulting with him going harder at the ball. Just asking to edge it.

Watch closely, I think the bigger problem is that his front foot is moving across the crease as the ball is being bowled. It means that he struggles to get a positive stride in when the ball is straight, as his momentum is going across the crease; it stops any access to stepping down the pitch with a big stride to play at the straight ball. It is, in my opinion, why he ends up playing so many balls on the walk.

Originally Posted by Son Of Coco

I wonder if this started to appear a few months after Lara left him? Takes a while to build that muscle up...or so I'm told.

Clarke's left handed, if anything losing Lara should have helped his top hand strength...

[pasag]

Originally Posted by Jono

What's your beef with Khawaja?

In an ideal world, I'd like to see him play perhaps another season of domestic cricket, a season in England and a couple of ODIs for international exposure before he gets given the baggy green, so when he does debut he's much more of a finished product. He's such an exciting prospect that I don't want to see his transition into Tests mismanaged. However, I do concede that he's probably one of the best bats in the country at the moment and thus has every right to be in the side, hence "begrudgingly".

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by wpdavid

Judging by what Strauss said after this game, I think the focus should be OK. But you're right: a drawn series would be a let-down after what's happened to date. Maybe that's why I was less elated today than after Day 3, when the game was pretty much won. Now the focus has to be on sealing the deal at Sydney.

Strauss, Cook, Pietersen, Collingwood, Bell and Anderson were all at Sydney 4 years ago when Australia confirmed the first Ashes whitewash for 80 odd years and watched as Ponting lifted the urn and McGrath, Warne and Langer all took their curtain calls after proceedings were done.

I don't doubt for a second that those guys in particular will be motivated to put that right.

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by pasag

In an ideal world, I'd like to see him play perhaps another season of domestic cricket, a season in England and a couple of ODIs for international exposure before he gets given the baggy green, so when he does debut he's much more of a finished product. He's such an exciting prospect that I don't want to see his transition into Tests mismanaged. However, I do concede that he's probably one of the best bats in the country at the moment and thus has every right to be in the side, therefore "begrudgingly".

Except Khawaja in his short career so far has been horrible in one dayers, bar his recent ton domestically. In fact, just checking who's been doing what in the Ryobi Cup, Khawaja has scored 20 runs in his other 4 innings this season. Blooding him in ODIs is a stupid idea IMO - why should a failure there (which would be expected) preclude him from selection in the format to which he seems best suited at the moment? That sounds like something England would have done 5 years ago.

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by pasag

In an ideal world, I'd like to see him play perhaps another season of domestic cricket, a season in England and a couple of ODIs for international exposure before he gets given the baggy green, so when he does debut he's much more of a finished product. He's such an exciting prospect that I don't want to see his transition into Tests mismanaged. However, I do concede that he's probably one of the best bats in the country at the moment and thus has every right to be in the side, hence "begrudgingly".

I think it would be unfair for Khawaja if he had to play a couple of ODIs first when clearly the longer format is the one he is best suited to.

Khawaja has averaged over 40 3 seasons in a row, I think he is ready now especially when you have Smithers in the team!

[pasag]

Originally Posted by GingerFurball

Except Khawaja in his short career so far has been horrible in one dayers, bar his recent ton domestically. In fact, just checking who's been doing what in the Ryobi Cup, Khawaja has scored 20 runs in his other 4 innings this season. Blooding him in ODIs is a stupid idea IMO - why should a failure there (which would be expected) preclude him from selection in the format to which he seems best suited at the moment? That sounds like something England would have done 5 years ago.

I'm not saying his Test inclusion should be predicated upon success in ODIs, I'd just like him to soak up some time in big stadiums and enjoy a little bit of less meaningful international cricket so it's one less thing he has to deal with mentally before he debuts in the real thing.

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by pasag

I'm not saying his Test inclusion should be predicated upon success in ODIs, I'd just like him to soak up some time in big stadiums and enjoy a little bit of less meaningful international cricket so it's one less thing he has to deal with mentally before he debuts in the real thing.

But then that weakens the ODI side.

Getting international experience is fine, but what do you do if he has a few failures in the ODI side and fails in his first few Tests because being introduced to international cricket in the wrong format has knocked his self confidence?

[pasag]

Originally Posted by GingerFurball

But then that weakens the ODI side.

Depends who he replaces, really. That said, it would have to be after the world cup, because you don't chop and change your side in the months leading up to a WC.

Getting international experience is fine, but what do you do if he has a few failures in the ODI side and fails in his first few Tests because being introduced to international cricket in the wrong format has knocked his self confidence?

And what if he does that much better in his first Test because he's already done the media, knows most of the blokes and has experience playing in front of crowds with more than 50 people? I know what you're saying, but I think it's a sensible risk.

[Spark]

Originally Posted by vic_orthdox

Clarke's left handed, if anything losing Lara should have helped his top hand strength...