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Room For Symonds in Aus test side?

Matt79

Matt79

Global Moderator
Pup Clarke said:
Why pick a spinner just for the sake of it though?. You might be better of putting aside MacGill and Hogg and picking another seamer.
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Because you don't know what pitches are going to do, and at least a couple of the pitches around Australia normally take a bit of spin. I dislike an all pace attack - I think its worth carrying a spinner who doesn't do much for four days of the test if they are then able to take a bag of wickets and win you the game on the fifth day. I think the option of switching from a quick to a slow and then back, or in different combinations gives captains an additional option to attack batsmen who are comfortable against your quicks, and I think they also let you rest your quicks up a bit by bowling 15-20 over spells. They also help you get through your overs - which probably means squat to any captain trying to win a game or the selectors trying to do the same, but which is a particular bug-bear of mine.
 
Matt79

Matt79

Global Moderator
Pup Clarke said:
What about this team then...

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Hodge
Gilchrist
Lee
Clark
Hilfenhaus
Tait
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I suppose at least with that both Clarke and Hodge can bowl some spin if the wicket really deteriorates, but I'd prefer a spinner.

Realistically, I'd prefer MacGill to get his act together and stop bowling pus.
 
Perm

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Matt79 said:
Because you don't know what pitches are going to do, and at least a couple of the pitches around Australia normally take a bit of spin. I dislike an all pace attack - I think its worth carrying a spinner who doesn't do much for four days of the test if they are then able to take a bag of wickets and win you the game on the fifth day. I think the option of switching from a quick to a slow and then back, or in different combinations gives captains an additional option to attack batsmen who are comfortable against your quicks, and I think they also let you rest your quicks up a bit by bowling 15-20 over spells. They also help you get through your overs - which probably means squat to any captain trying to win a game or the selectors trying to do the same, but which is a particular bug-bear of mine.
Click to expand...
This would be all well and good if you had a good spinner, but with MacGill out of form and Hogg not even an option, an all-seam attack may be more effective.
 
Matt79

Matt79

Global Moderator
Yeah, it must be said Hogg's massively less effective with a red ball - as has been mentioned before it is apparently a lot easier to read his wrong'un in the air when the red ball is shined on one side and not the other, compared to the white ball in the same condition.
 
I

iamdavid

International Debutant
Pup Clarke said:
What about this team then...

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Hodge
Gilchrist
Lee
Clark
Hilfenhaus
Tait
Click to expand...
The top 7 of that is the team I feel should be selected, given Watson's injury.
Bottom 4 still up in the air, lets see how MacGill goes for NSW, how Tait's injury comes along and how Hilf, Johnson and Hogg go in India.
 
FaaipDeOiad

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
Matt79 said:
I'm certainly not suggesting Clarke would get selected ahead of Kallis. I don't think its at all laughable to suggest Hussey would get selected ahead of him. Debatable, but not laughable. (might to a separate thread with a poll - and will get slammed no doubt ;) )
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In all absolute seriousness and candor, in my opinion the only two players in world cricket who would be selected in a test side ahead of Michael Hussey right now are Murali and Ponting. I suppose you could argue about Asif and Clark depending on what the side actually needed, but I think most teams in the world would rather have Hussey right at this stage than Kallis.

Kallis is obviously the superior player based on his record though, and Hussey has a lot to prove. In an all-time team or whatever it'd be Kallis by a mile, but if I was a selector right now and could have one or the other, I'd take Hussey in either form of the game.
 
pup11

pup11

International Coach
Though i love Hussey i would still like him to prove himself on slowish tracks in the sub-continet, that is one area of weakness that i can see in Hussey's game but other than that he is just a fantastic player.
As far as the combination of the team is concerned, i would still have MacGill because without a spinner the Aussie attack would get a bit one paced and i don't think Clarke or Hodge are good enough spin bowlers too make any impact at the test level, they would get owned.
 
pup11

pup11

International Coach
Warne would have had a pretty good chance of talking a 10-for if he would have bowled on that pitch, it was an absolute dust-bowl.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Yes, and might also have helped to rectify his record against India. It was a great shame he missed it.
 
aussie

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
Pup Clarke said:
Why pick a spinner just for the sake of it though?. You might be better of putting aside MacGill and Hogg and picking another seamer.
Click to expand...
Word out, personally even though i am a fan of Hogg gettting a chance in test cricket for a short period even though they are some question marks about him cutting it & test level. Plus the fact that deep down i think MacGill could be losing it a bit with age, i reckon picking a 4-prong pace attack will be the go for Australia very soon.
 
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