Australia's Post Ashes Blueprint

[aussie]

I think batting him at 7 will reduce his workload, if he is to bowl even just 10 or 15 overs each day, it significant workload. So by batting him at 7, his still plays as frontline batsmen, but has extra rest during innings. The only reason Australia have kept Gilly at 7 is to reduce his workload, but now they have another all rounder to manage, so its probably time for him to move one up.

well probably, well that decison whether Watson will bat at 6 or 7 willbe the selectors, oops looks like they've already decided

 

[aussie]

but looking at what sehwag and kallis did to him,he needs something else IMO.

having clarke and martyn in the side is a lot better than having watson and clarke.

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1. yea, i didn't expect his bowling to be fantastic againts these top class batsmen his bowling is very predictable he needs to find some swing & that will only come form more bowling in test cricket, so don't be all down on him after one innings.

2. Cant see how, having all 3 would be good though...

 

[marc71178]

1. His bowling isn't ready but i reckon his batting can come to terms with test cricket

But if his bowling isn't up to it, then surely he can't be selected in that role?

 

[chaminda_00]

It took Flintoff 30odd tests for his bowling to be good enough to play in the same role, so i think it might be the same situation. TBH i don't think his bowling will ever be good enough but you never know, it worth a try if it is.

 

[aussie]

But if his bowling isn't up to it, then surely he can't be selected in that role?

he is still in the early stages of his career so we'll see what happens...

 

[Stuart]

Watson wasnt brilliant, but he wasnt the only cog in the bowling attack who went for lots of runs, failed to move the ball and was pretty much dead straight. Lee was just as ineffective and he is meant to be a frontline bowler FFS.

Watson is defiantely a gamble, his bowling isnt quite there yet but if he does manage to get there he will be increadibly valuable, if he doesnt i dont think we've lost much by giving it a go, so im 100% behind the experiment for the time being.

 

[chalky]

Buchannan's been given an extened contract, which is a big suprise to me. In England Australia struggled with certain parts of their game throughout the series that can be corrected by the coaching.
No balls - for me cost Australia at least one test match.

Running between wickets - Absolutely abysmal all series suffered a couple of crucial run outs - England also missed hatfulls of chances were Australian batsmen were dead. (I see this has carried on in Superseries test asell)

Catching - Australia shelled bucket loads chances (so did England but England always has). It wasreportedthat Buchanan has spent less and less time on fielding drills.

I remember when Michael Slater first started commentatin in England he said what seperated Australia from every other cricket team was their focus on the 1 percenters in their preparation. Looks like to me Australia have deviated from this to their detriment.

How has this been recieved in Australia as Buchannan took a lot of stick from within the Aussie media after the Ashes loss.

 

[howardj]

In terms of Australia's batting line-up this summer, the next week or so will be fairly crucial. Simon Katich will need some sort of a score when he turns out for NSW against SA this week. If he misses out, and Hodge makes a score in Perth, it wouldn't surprise me to see a change for the First Test against the West Indies. Both players are roughly the same age, so I don't think - particularly after Trevor Hohns' comments last week that 'it's probably time (Katich) delivered' - the selectors will as reluctant as some people think to make that change. Furthermore, I don't think Australia's current middle order - Clarke, Katich and Watson - has a reassuring look, or any kind of permanent look, to it.

 

[Mister Wright]

In terms of Australia's batting line-up this summer, the next week or so will be fairly crucial. Simon Katich will need some sort of a score when he turns out for NSW against SA this week. If he misses out, and Hodge makes a score in Perth, it wouldn't surprise me to see a change for the First Test against the West Indies. Both players are roughly the same age, so I don't think - particularly after Trevor Hohns' comments last week that 'it's probably time (Katich) delivered' - the selectors will as reluctant as some people think to make that change. Furthermore, I don't think Australia's current middle order - Clarke, Katich and Watson - has a reassuring look, or any kind of permanent look, to it.

Katich has an injury and is unlikely to play again before the first test.

Symonds & Hodge must come into contention for a test spot now. I'm not confident with Carke at 4. Watson should be batting with batsman not trying to score runs with the tail he should be no lower than 6 with batsman ahead of him and Gilchrist to follow.

 

[chaminda_00]

I think if Katich is injured the selectors should play Phil Jaques, he started his career as a middle order batsmen and wouldn't look out of place at 5, he could also play 3 and let Ponting drop to 4 and Clarke to 5. Like others i think the Australian middle order looks pretty weak with Clarke at 4.

 

[shaka]

I hope the Aussie Selectors become more eager to play MacGill in the team to combine with Warne. From a guy who does not like Australian cricket team, I have always thought MacGill should be more involved in the lineup. He proved it again in the super test.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I think if Katich is injured the selectors should play Phil Jaques, he started his career as a middle order batsmen and wouldn't look out of place at 5, he could also play 3 and let Ponting drop to 4 and Clarke to 5. Like others i think the Australian middle order looks pretty weak with Clarke at 4.

Ponting won't be dropped from three in the forseeable future. When he has an awful slump, they'll hide him down the order, but until then he's a fixture there, IMO.

 

[howardj]

With Watson and Katich struggling for runs, and the selectors prematurely moving Clarke to second drop, suddenly I think people are realising how valuable Damien Martyn was.

 

[vic_orthdox]

With Watson and Katich struggling for runs, and the selectors prematurely moving Clarke to second drop, suddenly I think people are realising how valuable Damien Martyn was.

Or how important to the Australian side those two massive inside edges that he got on those LBWs were in the long term?

 

[howardj]

Or how important to the Australian side those two massive inside edges that he got on those LBWs were in the long term?

Yeah, pity they didn't occur in the SuperSeries.....then again bloody Rudi probably wouldn't have referred 'em

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

It's a bit early to suggest Watson is "struggling for runs". He's played one test, and while he obviously struggled against Murali he looked good otherwise and got a start in both innings. And obviously, he played the best innings of his career in an ODI a week ago.

Anyway, dropping Martyn was clearly a shocking decision, and I think the chance of someone like Hodge making their way into the team this summer in the search for the stability they lost by dropping him is quite high.

 

[howardj]

It's a bit early to suggest Watson is "struggling for runs". He's played one test, and while he obviously struggled against Murali he looked good otherwise and got a start in both innings. And obviously, he played the best innings of his career in an ODI a week ago.

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Yeah, a bit harsh, I guess. However, I was going more on the way that he batted, not just his lack of runs. In the second innings anyway, he really struggled to get the ball away I thought - not just Murali either. I'd persist with Watson though, although it's a bit of a worry that Ponting didnt bowl him today.

 

[Mister Wright]

Yeah, a bit harsh, I guess. However, I was going more on the way that he batted, not just his lack of runs. In the second innings anyway, he really struggled to get the ball away I thought - not just Murali either. I'd persist with Watson though, although it's a bit of a worry that Ponting didnt bowl him today.

Yeah, I find that a bit surprising aswell considering Lee didn't warrant getting 10 overs especially when McGrath only bowled 6. Watson really needs to bat higher.

 

[howardj]

Watson really needs to bat higher.

For sure. If they are going to retain him, then put him under the pump and expose him to pressure up the order - only then can a proper assessment be made of him.

 

[Mister Wright]

For sure. If they are going to retain him, then put him under the pump and expose him to pressure up the order - only then can a proper assessment be made of him.

It's more than just testing him. I've said somewhere else that he needs to be batting with batsman because he is a batsman. If he is only going to bowl 6 overs in a test match he should either be replaced or bat in the top 6 (I'd like to see him at 4 or 5). That way when he comes in there with a batsman with him and if a wicket falls Gilchrist follows. With him batting at 7 it is an unfamiliar position for him (at least in first class cricket) and like on Sunday he is in two minds as whether to bat aggressively or milk runs. Especially with Gillespie gone our tail isn't as strong as it used to be.