***Official*** South Africa in Australia 2012

[benchmark00]

uvelocity is a well known little bish.

[Spikey]

we could just make starc captain for the game

[chaminda_00]

Originally Posted by Andre

I'd have to disagree, he's very good with the gloves. Streets ahead of Wade. His batting has been disappointing but his glovework and feet are exceptional.

Wade to me looks like a very good batsman who can keep reasonably well. Can see him as a specialist bat in a year if he's still around.

We must have different definitions of exceptional. Paine for mine is solid keeper at most.

Agree with your assessment of Wade's keeping.

Also reckon Paine is better outfielder then keeper. If he could hold bat beyond 50, would be a better bet for the specialist batsmen slot.

[uvelocity]

Originally Posted by Spikey

we could just make starc captain for the game

evil genius

bring it monkey boy

[Justo]

Over rates aren't a concern if you bowl em out before Tea.

[LongHopCassidy]

Lyon must play.

Unless Clarke's balls enough to win the toss and bowl, his four quicks have two sessions to get them out else him, Warner and other sorry part-timers go in to be cannon-fodder to keep the over-rate beneath capital punishment levels.

And how the **** will four quicks take wickets if three can't?

[Cabinet96]

I think Burgey makes a good point about going in without Lyon. Watson is a quality bowler, and having him as the 5th fast bowler is just excessive and a waste IMO. The only time he'd bowl is if the 4 quicks weren't doing anything, in which case Clarke would want to try spin to change things up, so would probably end up bowling himself/Warner more than Watson.

You have 4 quality seamers already. There really isn't need for a 5th.

[NUFAN]

Yeah Lyon is a certainty, looking forward to the commentators mentioning the fun fact that Warney used to always say how much he enjoyed bowling at the Gabba.

Lyon could be useful in getting out the tail, getting out Duminy, helping the overrates and potential making a big impact if we are bowling come day 5.

I have confidence in Clarke that he'll use Lyon wisely.

[flibbertyjibber]

Surely Lyon has to play, can't really go into many tests without a spinner and get away with it especially when one of the part timers has a long history of back problems as well.

[Burgey]

I just don't htink you need five quicks. I mean, you might if an innings goes three and a half days, but fmd it's a bit of overkill, surely.

[Top_Cat]

Can only think those advocating Lyon play outright haven't seen him bowl this Shield season. I'm not a fan of 4 quicks either but he's not just struggling to get ****s out, he's struggling to keep them from bashing him for under 5/over, something he's never struggled with before. Confidence has to be shot and I wonder whether the thing for him is to play him against the best side in the world.

[flibbertyjibber]

If that is the case then pick another spinner then, would always want to have a spinner in my test side unless it is a real greentop.

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

Can only think those advocating Lyon play outright haven't seen him bowl this Shield season. I'm not a fan of 4 quicks either but he's not just struggling to get ****s out, he's struggling to keep them from bashing him for under 5/over, something he's never struggled with before. Confidence has to be shot and I wonder whether the thing for him is to play him against the best side in the world.

I thought you've been saying all summer that he's not bowling as bad as his figures suggest?

I've seen him bowl a bit and yeah he's not putting enough pressure on the batsman. Nowhere near enough dot balls but I don't think SA are the worst team for him to bowl at.

Lyon will be needed at Adelaide for the second Test so hopefully he does a respectable job at Brisbane.

[uvelocity]

he'll be right. I mean he's been skippering, and the playing under another "spinner"

I have full confidence that clarkeh will massage the best out of him

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by NUFAN

I thought you've been saying all summer that he's not bowling as bad as his figures suggest?

Is true from the perspective of not bowling half-trackers every ball because his line hasn't been bad. A spinner getting milked you can use, a guy getting smashed but taking wickets you can use. A bloke getting smashed, tucked away even when he lands one and not taking any wickets is a big risk for the Test side.

From the outside, it looks like he's just not getting the work on the ball he should. Mind you, it probably depends on net form too. If he's just trying a bunch of stuff out and it's not coming off but you can see his stock ball is okay, you might consider playing him anyway. But if he really is struggling to know where they're going and you play him, that **** ends careers. Like I said, I'm a big fan of playing a spinner in all but the most pace-friendly of conditions but if your best spinner is really down in the dumps, worth considering another combo.