*Official* Fifth Test at the SCG

[Dissector]

Would you say this is a recent change, PEWS? England have had this obsession towards the Ashes for a long time, but Waugh's Australia didn't appear to me as singularly focussed as that.

Well, Waugh's career coincided almost perfectly with England's two decades of mediocrity. They have been a lot better after he retired. The Ashes become that much more important if you feel you are playing against one of the world's top teams which England certainly is now.

[Ruckus]

See thats where the difference in perception lies. I can only speak from personal experience that retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2004 was nowhere near as satisfying as winning it in Sydney would have been. I certainly hope the Australian team isn't taking this as light heartedly as you guys are.

I genuinely believe though with the changes the team would actually have a better chance of winning anyway. Sure it's a risk to debut some new players, but hell the selectors were already willing to do that in the series at times far more important than what Sydney will be. Doherty, Smith, Beer?

[social]

All the guys treating Sydney as adead rubber, you do realise that beyond the Ashes, there's also the small matter of avoiding a home series defeat, don't you? Sydney is not a dead rubber by any means.

**** that

Every series there has been some excuse for why changes cant be made e.g. playing India, the Ashes, Rooty Hill RSL next so we cant do that

How about we try a novel approach and actually pick a combination that represents arguably the best player for each position

If that means punting some "established"but consistently underperforming players then so be it

Subject to fitness, I'd pick

Watson
Hughes
Katich
Hussey
Ponting - (c) for the very last time
Khawaja
Haddin
Hauritz
Johnson
Siddle
Dougeh/Cameron/Copeland
Smith - 12th man

[Spark]

Here's the problem with dropping Clarke though and then bringing him back when Ponting retires. Ghappel has said in no uncertain terms that Clarke will be the next captain. If you drop him, then bring him back and make him captain, what kind of message will that send to the team?

[Son Of Coco]

Clarrie Grimmett's dead

Maybe so, but at least he'd put up a bit more of a fight than our current team.

[Midwinter]

Without Katich's injury there has been only one change to the batting in this series. Smith for North.

And now we are likely to be 2-1 down

Was there any warning signs that the batting was weak ?

[social]

Here's the problem with dropping Clarke though and then bringing him back when Ponting retires. Ghappel has said in no uncertain terms that Clarke will be the next captain. If you drop him, then bring him back and make him captain, what kind of message will that send to the team?

a. There is no room for two charity cases in Ponting and Clarke

b. I wouldnt have Clarke as the next captain

c. They wont pick this team

[Spark]

Not really. Ponting as stated had a very good series in India, and Clarke, whilst failing in India, looked in supreme touch just before the injury. So that's taken everyone by surprise.

[NUFAN]

1 S Watson 2 P Hughes 3 R Ponting 4 U Khawaja 5 M Clarke 6 M Hussey 7 B Haddin 8 M Johnson 9 P Siddle 10 M Beer 11 D Bollinger.

Beer has to be given a chance, but even if he does well I'm not sure what it will prove.. I've kept Hughes if Katich isn't back yet,

[Spark]

a. There is no room for two charity cases in Ponting and Clarke

b. I wouldnt have Clarke as the next captain

c. They wont pick this team

All fair stuff, but given that (b) is irrelevant regardless.

Although (c) kind of nullifies that point.

[marc71178]

Without Katich's injury there has been only one change to the batting in this series. Smith for North.

And now we are likely to be 2-1 down

Was there any warning signs that the batting was weak ?

Pre-series one of the biggest concerns was Hussey - imagine he'd been dropped pre-series?

[Spark]

1 S Watson 2 P Hughes 3 R Ponting 4 U Khawaja 5 M Clarke 6 M Hussey 7 B Haddin 8 M Johnson 9 P Siddle 10 M Beer 11 D Bollinger.

Beer has to be given a chance, but even if he does well I'm not sure what it will prove.. I've kept Hughes if Katich isn't back yet,

This is the team/order that I'd pick given the squad I think they'll name.

[Prince EWS]

There were warning signs about the batting, but not so much about Ponting and Clarke. Sure you could say that Ponting hadn't had a big series in a while and that Clarke was poor in a two-match series against India, but I don't think there were any real indications that they'd average under 10 over four Ashes Tests.

There were massive, massive warning signs about Hussey, though, funnily enough. Hussey's performances should be a reminder of why not to drop Clarke. I'd much sooner drop Ponting because I think he's genuinely declined; Clarke has just had a bad patch. A little longer than a routine bad patch and at a terrible time, but I don't think it's a genuine decline.

[Nnanden]

Not really. Ponting as stated had a very good series in India, and Clarke, whilst failing in India, looked in supreme touch just before the injury. So that's taken everyone by surprise.

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.

[Nnanden]

Was there any warning signs that the batting was weak ?

The constant batting collapses since 2007. So, so many.