Future changes to Aussie team

[G.I.Joe]

This is a viewpoint which I find very frustrating. Our bowling problem in India isn't a lack of 'menace', it's that none of our bowlers have any control over where they want to put the ball.[/hyperbole]

I believe we should be selecting bowlers who can actually land the pill where they want it consistently enough to frustrate the batsmen, especially as the rebuilding phase begins.

Which is why I'm such fans of Bracken, Noffke and Heal. Their control is superb and I believe that's what is needed.

Yeah, if the Aussies really flew into India with a plan to play containment cricket like in 2004, the least they could have done was included some bowlers who could stick to one line consistently.

 

[G.I.Joe]

You dropped a cup 5 years ago.

Not allowed to use cups ever again.

I see your cups and raise you a Saucer card.

 

[social]

Agree to some extent.

What I find even more bermusing is the fact that he'd surely be more 'menacing' in India with that early swing and then those cutters he bowls later on than someone like Siddle. None of the bowlers can move the ball at all ATM for various reasons - not even the spinner! Bracken would have been awesome over there.

He's really the only bowler in the country to have a consistent enough First Class bowling record between seasons to actually justify Test selection, his bowling style suits the conditions on tour perfectly, we're going through a period of change within the fast bowling ranks and yet he's overlooked for a bowler who has only played six First Class games.

I'm actually *not* a huge Bracken fan by any stretch of the imagination but he should at least be in the reckoning for Tests in the subcontinent.

If Zaheer Khan can be effective in test cricket then Bracken certainly can

Unfortunately, he's been pigeon-holed as not being quick enough and that is seemingly all she wrote

 

[social]

Unfortunately, Bracken is now the latest in a long line of injured players

Looks as though Jack will have to go off the long run

 

[Oli]

yeah i admit i have a fair bias towards SA players haha. just because i get to see more of them.
And Jaques would definately be in there before Marsh if he is fit.

Tait took 5/27 from 10 overs today against NSW, so i would still like to see him at some stage soon.

Cullen 3/62 off 10. was ok, perhaps i was quite ambicious putting him in my test team, but i still like the kid. hopefully we see some improvement from him.

Voges was put in because i thought he deserved a chance before it is too late for him and he is forgotten because he is 29 now. but if he doesnt do well then leave him out. Symonds as impressive as he may be hasnt proved he can be a real handy bowler at test level with a career average of 36.47 and strike rate of 82.9. But if he can find his feet again and make is way back then he would replace Voges purely on his batting ability.

Haddin is the man of starts. Thats all there is to say about him.

 

[stephen]

This is a viewpoint which I find very frustrating. Our bowling problem in India isn't a lack of 'menace', it's that none of our bowlers have any control over where they want to put the ball.[/hyperbole]

I believe we should be selecting bowlers who can actually land the pill where they want it consistently enough to frustrate the batsmen, especially as the rebuilding phase begins.

Which is why I'm such fans of Bracken, Noffke and Heal. Their control is superb and I believe that's what is needed.

While I like Bracken (seems like a cool guy and a very excellent one day bowler), he should be behind other domestic performers who seem more likely to take wickets when the pressure to score runs is off.

That's not to say he's ridiculously far behind, but like Clark in ODIs, I think Australia has better options.

It could well be that India may well have suited Brackens bowling style and if he got selected I would be ecstatic to be proved wrong. However, I just don't think that he is in the top 3 quick bowlers Australia has to offer (I don't think that Siddle is either, even after injuries).

 

[NUFAN]

The worst thing about Siddle is that he's the first cricketer to play a Test for Australia who was born after me.

 

[social]

Brett Geeves must be rising up the pecking order - good season last year and a very good start to this one

 

[Richard]

The worst thing about Siddle is that he's the first cricketer to play a Test for Australia who was born after me.

It's been depressing in the last year or three to see the number of players playing county cricket born from September '86 onwards.

No-one's played Test cricket - yet - but Stuart Broad is younger than me. I was always the oldest in my year though so I'm used to that.

 

[gettingbetter]

Haddin is the man of starts. Thats all there is to say about him.

Could also say he is the best keeper/bat in Australia. Could say that there is no one near him to even challenge him, could say that he would make it into a number of other Test sides too.

 

[tooextracool]

If Zaheer Khan can be effective in test cricket then Bracken certainly can

Thats a very very poor analogy. Zaheer has his issues with his bowling action, but he has an easy case of being the best left-handed fast bowler in the world at the moment.

 

[social]

Thats a very very poor analogy. Zaheer has his issues with his bowling action, but he has an easy case of being the best left-handed fast bowler in the world at the moment.

The sun shines on every dog's butt every now and again

 

[tooextracool]

Well all I can say to anyone that thinks that Bracken is in the same bracket (no pun intended) as Zaheer is that they just havent been watching. Zaheer's performances over in England were rated as some of the finest since Wasim and Waqar in their pomp in 92. When even an opposing captain suggests that there was little the team could have done better against him then you know it was an exceptional spell of bowling.

Bracken on the other hand is the kind of test bowler that you find in almost every county in England.

 

[NUFAN]

It's been depressing in the last year or three to see the number of players playing county cricket born from September '86 onwards.

No-one's played Test cricket - yet - but Stuart Broad is younger than me. I was always the oldest in my year though so I'm used to that.

Oh yeah, read your post in the other thread. It's actually even worse that Siddle wasn't the first, it was bloody Dan Cullen, who I totally forgot about.

 

[Julian87]

The worst thing about Siddle is that he's the first cricketer to play a Test for Australia who was born after me.

Hahaha, I've still got a while yet I reckon. Rugby League on the other hand....

Could also say he is the best keeper/bat in Australia. Could say that there is no one near him to even challenge him, could say that he would make it into a number of other Test sides too.

Great post, I agree with all of it.

 

[Nate]

He actually did it a few times last season for extended spells with the old ball if match reports are to be believed; don't remember how successful it actually was though.

Remember trying to do the stats, ended up taking wickets at an average of 28.5 or something. Katich has credited that style of bowling to some key breakthroughs.

 

[social]

Well all I can say to anyone that thinks that Bracken is in the same bracket (no pun intended) as Zaheer is that they just havent been watching. Zaheer's performances over in England were rated as some of the finest since Wasim and Waqar in their pomp in 92. When even an opposing captain suggests that there was little the team could have done better against him then you know it was an exceptional spell of bowling.

Bracken on the other hand is the kind of test bowler that you find in almost every county in England.

http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru...s=1;template=results;type=bowling;view=series

Zaheer's record says it all - he is a talented but highly inconsistent bowler

Whilst he has made improvements to his technique over the last couple of years, he is still just as likely to dish up rubbish next test as he has ever been - have a look at his stats beween Eng and now,1 great series followed by 6 tests of poor returns

With Bracken, you know what you will get - steady rather than earth shattering results

However, as other posters have mentioned, he could have proven to be a valuable member of this attack in this series for that very reason

 

[NZTailender]

Franklin better than both imo.

 

[tooextracool]

http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru...s=1;template=results;type=bowling;view=series

Zaheer's record says it all - he is a talented but highly inconsistent bowler

Whilst he has made improvements to his technique over the last couple of years, he is still just as likely to dish up rubbish next test as he has ever been - have a look at his stats beween Eng and now,1 great series followed by 6 tests of poor returns

With Bracken, you know what you will get - steady rather than earth shattering results

However, as other posters have mentioned, he could have proven to be a valuable member of this attack in this series for that very reason

With Bracken, you will get mediocrity IMO and consistently that, which is great but you''d expect better from a world-beating side in Australia.

Look, I have already mentioned that Zaheer Khan is inconsistent, his bowling action, particularly just before delivery is what is responsible for that. However, there is no question that on his day, and hes had plenty of those since his return in 2007, he is as good a bowler as anyone in world cricket. On such days, Bracken is not even worthy of cleaning his shoes let alone carrying his drinks.

As far as his overall record is concerned, i fail to see how this is relevant. Zaheer before his stint at Worcestshire or rather before 2007 was rubbish, no one will deny that. But since 2007 he has been excellent. Btw how many of those '6 tests of poor returns's did you actually watch? Because figures dont always tell the story and Zaheer Khan impressed many people in SL and was easily the best fast bowler on either side.