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***Official*** Australia in South Africa

hang on

State Vice-Captain
Have you forgotten the presence of a certain Eoin Morgan in the England Test side?

Personally, I'd pick Watson, Hussey, Clarke, probably Ponting over him at a bare minimum.
morgan. yep. knew i had forgotten someone.

so, who are the others who would make the english test lineup?

what about watto for strauss and clarke for morgan?
 

Ruckus

International Captain
Copeland averages low 20s in Aus and Philander will be lucky to average the 35+ Copeland averages in tests.
I can't disagree with you on Philander cause I haven't seen him bowl, but the few tests Copeland has bowled in on predominately roads in SL is hardly a good measure of how he will fare in test cricket.
 

Ruckus

International Captain
I actually think Ponting is a better chance against properly good, quick bowlers like Steyn/Morkel, for the simple reason that he's more likely to actually concentrate against them.
I can't say I share your optimism...a few years ago I would have said the same, but going by Ponting's woes with the pull/hook shot against even moderate pace, I just don't like to think about it against Steyn. Here's to be wrong though :thumbup:
 

Spark

Global Moderator
I can't say I share your optimism...a few years ago I would have said the same, but going by Ponting's woes with the pull/hook shot against even moderate pace, I just don't like to think about it against Steyn. Here's to be wrong though :thumbup:
He's starting from a seriously low base, remember.

morgan. yep. knew i had forgotten someone.

so, who are the others who would make the english test lineup?

what about watto for strauss and clarke for morgan?
Hussey would have to be in serious competition with KP.

That's about it, I reckon.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
How can you say he is under pressure then?
Because there were murmurs about moving him down the order after Sri Lanka. If he has a poor series here then those murmurs might grow. Particularly when it comes to managing Watson's workload - his only.significant score in the Ashes came after an innimgs where he didn't bowl.
 

Howe_zat

Audio File
Yeah, agreed. We can moan at Paul Harris all we like but it's not like Botha and Peterson are kicking the door down for Test selection. For a backup squad member you can do worse than a bloke with a hundred Test wickets. It'll only be a poor call if he gets into the XI ahead of Tahir.

Rudolph seems nailed on, so I presume Duminy is there as cover in case AB isn't fit.

So that means the last spot goes to either Philander or Tsotsobe. Both will have a similar, relatively defensive role so it depends on whether you want to give credence to Tsotsobe's ODI experience or Philander's domestic record. Not bothered either way.
 

aussie tragic

International Captain
Because there were murmurs about moving him down the order after Sri Lanka. If he has a poor series here then those murmurs might grow. Particularly when it comes to managing Watson's workload - his only.significant score in the Ashes came after an innimgs where he didn't bowl.
Murmurs?....Watto himself said he may need to move down the order if he had to keep bowling as many overs as he did in SL....Clarke then came out and said Watto would stay at opener at least for the SA series (I read into that Watto may drop to #3 or 4 when Ponting retires)
 
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stephen

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Watson is currently ranked higher than Strauss as a batsman. He's the 28th ranked bat in the world and the 23rd ranked bowler - and this is after a dire series with the bat in Sri Lanka. He'd make the English side for his batting but would struggle to get a bowl. He's ranked lower than Anderson, Swann, Broad, Bresnan, Tremlett and Finn with the ball.

As far as the English go, he's ranking behind 5 of their top 7 with his batting, but he's still ahead of both Strauss and Morgan, so there's no doubt that he'd be picked for his batting alone. It's also likely that his ranking would go up in such a side (because he wouldn't be facing their bowlers and there'd be less pressure on him etc...).
 

Jayzamann

International Regular
Don't even need an Englishman coming into tour threads to start conversations about their test team any more, the Aussie posters are doing fine by themselves it seems. :ph34r:
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Mm, but there's a difference between discussion, which is what's going on here, and trolling, which is what our friend OMM! was doing.
 

Cabinet96

Global Moderator
Slim to zero chance Harris will play but he had to be selected as part of an extended squad because he has had a great start to the domestic season and the first test is at Cape Town and the last time Aus played, Harris took a 10 wicket haul. Think Harris has lost his national contract, so a decent performance from Tahir and then Harro is free to go Kolpak.

Decent enough squad. Would go with this...

Smith
Rudolph
Amla
Kallis
Prince
AB
Boucher
Pro
Steyn
Tahir
Morne
Who's Pro

Think SA's squad is fine. Harris won't make the starting line up. Besides I don't think he's that bad. Should think they will go with Lopsy but they might want to play a defensive medium pacer with the leg spinner coming in. Anyone no why Phillander has leapfrogged McLaren, when I saw him in 2008 in England he didn't look that great and dropped a few clangers.

England vs South Africa 1st ODI Highlights 2008 | CricFire - YouTube

Go to 6:10
 

timet

Cricket Spectator
Despite the many reasons for Watson not to open (technical imperfections, bowling, unable to convert starts), his stats aren't too bad.

According to the latest on Cricinfo figures, Watson averages 45.7 when batting at the top of the order in Tests. If it ain't broke don't fix it I say.
 
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andyc

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Can't believe Australia and South Africa scheduled a game on the same night as the RWC world final. Yeah it'll be starting after the rugby's over, but if the two teams had made it through to tonight, I doubt there would have been much of a crowd at the cricket...
 

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