Next generation Australian keepers.

[Mister Wright]

Yeah, I think one of the traps you can fall into in predicting the next Ashes squad, is thinking that there will be heaps of changes, just because it is three years away. Three years is not really that much time. Five of our seven batsmen toured in 2001 and 2005; In 2005, we had the same Test attack for the first Test that we had in 2001. So, things don't change that much- even with the squad getting older. Anyway, if I had to speculate, my 2009 squad would look something like:

Langer; Jacques; Ponting; Clarke; Cosgrove; MHussey; Watson.

Haddin; Hartley.

Warne; Cullen.

Bracken; Lee; Tait; Dorey; and one of Henriques/Bird/Johnson.

Langer won't be there. He missed three of the six tests this summer due to injury. He is getting old. If he keeps missing tests and doesn't consistently score runs he will either be dropped or get overtaken by Jaques if he misses too many more test matches. The way Hayden is playing at the moment he is more likely than Langer to last to 2009.

 

[aussie]

all true but somehow you do get the feeling that one of either Langer or Hayden will be around until 2009.

 

[Mister Wright]

all true but somehow you do get the feeling that one of either Langer or Hayden will be around until 2009.

Or both...

 

[aussie]

Or both...

hmm well they would have to be playing superbly at that age because it will take some great from from both of them to hold out Jaques from the test side for that long.

 

[Mister Wright]

hmm well they would have to be playing superbly at that age because it will take some great from from both of them to hold out Jaques from the test side for that long.

I think after Hussey has shown that openers can bat in the middle order Jaques may get his fulltime oportunity there and perhaps replace whoever goes first as opener.

 

[howardj]

Langer won't be there. He missed three of the six tests this summer due to injury. He is getting old. If he keeps missing tests and doesn't consistently score runs he will either be dropped or get overtaken by Jaques if he misses too many more test matches. The way Hayden is playing at the moment he is more likely than Langer to last to 2009.

Two of the three Tests he missed, though, were due to a broken rib - which was more of a freak injury, than anything to do with fitness or age. To that end, Langer is a fitness freak, with an insatiable love for cricket. Moreover, Langer has a tighter technique than Hayden, which should serve him well, while the years gradually erode the reflexes.

 

[aussie]

I think after Hussey has shown that openers can bat in the middle order Jaques may get his fulltime oportunity there and perhaps replace whoever goes first as opener.

could happen, but well have to wait and see..

 

[Mister Wright]

Two of the three Tests he missed, though, were due to a broken rib - which was more of a freak injury, than anything to do with fitness or age. To that end, Langer is a fitness freak, with an insatiable love for cricket. Moreover, Langer has a tighter technique than Hayden, which should serve him well, while the years gradually erode the reflexes.

That's true, but he has come close to missing several tests due to back injuries etc. As he gets older it will be harder for him to get right for games he normally would play at 70-odd%. Whereas Hayden who probably has the worst back in the team, is only behind Gilchrist in consecutive test matches played by current Australian players.

 

[howardj]

Also, Langer's game is less likely to disintegrate, for he only has three shots!: the tuck behind 'square'; the front foot glide down to the third man; and, if there's a half volley on-off stump, the punch through cover!

 

[andyc]

In terms of an opener for Jaques, could Katich be considered?

 

[Mister Wright]

In terms of an opener for Jaques, could Katich be considered?

Katich's test days are over. (Hopefully).

 

[aussie]

Katich's test days are over. (Hopefully).

so in the coming years has the younger set of batsman fight for spaces in the middle order i.e Cosgrove, Marsh, Ferguson you won't mind having Hodge around the mix?

 

[howardj]

so in the coming years has the younger set of batsman fight for spaces in the middle order i.e Cosgrove, Marsh, Ferguson you won't mind having Hodge around the mix?

Hodge, in my view, will be out of the team within 12 months. He just doesn't seem a Test-quality batsman.

 

[Mister Wright]

Hodge, in my view, will be out of the team within 12 months. He just doesn't seem a Test-quality batsman.

Agreed. Hodge is too eratic to be a quality test batsman. He'll struggle to make the Ashes or through the Ashes IMO.

 

[Mister Wright]

so in the coming years has the younger set of batsman fight for spaces in the middle order i.e Cosgrove, Marsh, Ferguson you won't mind having Hodge around the mix?

Hodge won't be in the mix. I don't see what that has to do with Katich though.

 

[aussie]

Hodge won't be in the mix. I don't see what that has to do with Katich though.

well you said that for you hopefully Katich's test days are over & he is one of the older batsman around, so i was asking if you wont mind seeing Hodge then around as the next generation batsmen push for places.

 

[Haddin]

Chris Hartley from Queensland, and Sean Clingeleffer from Tasmania.

 

[luckyeddie]

Perhaps that's what Warney's legendary extra-curricular activities have been about over the years? A terrible misunderstanding?

I mean (ladies, none of this is to be taken personally).... we've all heard the expressions describing relative ugliness - dogs, baggers, double-baggers and so on?

Well, what's the absolute pinnacle?

A KEEPER.

Shane has obviously put it about for the good of the game, and NOT for personal pleasure. What a hero.

 

[marc71178]

Hodge, in my view, will be out of the team within 12 months. He just doesn't seem a Test-quality batsman.

Is this the same person who before he got a game we were being told he was that good that he'd get into any other Test side and would've played 100 Tests if he weren't Australian?!

 

[Mister Wright]

well you said that for you hopefully Katich's test days are over & he is one of the older batsman around, so i was asking if you wont mind seeing Hodge then around as the next generation batsmen push for places.

I don't want either of them in the side.