**Official** Australia in West Indies

[roseboy64]

I see your point but just don't have much faith in Powell. Sammy'll pick up a few wickets and won't bowl as many bad balls as Powell. Genuinely feel two strike bowlers are enough especially with Edwards' tendency to sometimes go wayward. Sammy's steadiness is welcome and bring balance. Taylro and Edwards as striker bowlers. Sammy as the steady one. Bravo as multifaceted. And Jaggernauth to provide some aggresive spin along with Gayle and Hinds to contain and chip in with a few overs.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I genuinely don't think that Sammy will take a couple of wickets in most innings. Thus, I don't see room for him and Bravo in the same team. And Bravo is a vastly superior batsman. It'd be a hugely conservative move to pick them both. I'd love for Sammy to surprise me against Australia though.

 

[aussie tragic]

Katich to ton up, Symonds to miss out and be replaced by Clarke, and by next year Watson will be the Test all rounder.

A bit harsh given Symonds Test record over the last 2 years....in fact it could be argued that he was Australia's most valuable player

9 tests, 745 runs @ 74.50, 2 centuries, 4 fifties; 13 wkts @ 27.46, SR 61.3

 

[Burgey]

A bit harsh given Symonds Test record over the last 2 years....in fact it could be argued that he was Australia's most valuable player

9 tests, 745 runs @ 74.50, 2 centuries, 4 fifties; 13 wkts @ 27.46, SR 61.3

True. I've nothing against Symonds, I just want to see Watson get an injury free run at it - reckon he could be a really fine player if he could only stay on the field.

 

[morgieb]

Will Kat be selected, or will Australia go with 5 bowlers and have Noffke in there?

 

[Prince EWS]

Will Kat be selected, or will Australia go with 5 bowlers and have Noffke in there?

Selecting Symonds despite having five specialist bowlers in the team would make me cry a thousand rivers.

 

[SJS]

Its difficult to keep Symonds out on his batting form alone.

Maybe we will see a different Symonds and should get used to him as a batsman who can bowl a la Clarke.

 

[Nate]

Jaques
Hayden
Ponting (c)
Hussey
Clarke/Katich
Symonds
Haddin (wk)
Lee
Heal
Bracken
Clark


Anything else a travesty itbt.

 

[howardj]

Will Kat be selected, or will Australia go with 5 bowlers and have Noffke in there?

Noffers Set For Debut

 

[morgieb]

That's dire IIRC.

 

[NZTailender]

Surely not. FFS.

 

[sideshowtim]

Noffers Set For Debut

QUEENSLAND'S Ashley Noffke is a strong chance of becoming Australia's 400th Test cricketer if Michael Clarke is ruled out of the first Test in the West Indies.

He is no chance of becoming Australia's 400th Test cricket. H (Haddin) comes before N (Noffke) in the alphabet last time I checked, and that's how they work these things out (with the notable exception of Michael Slater).

 

[Burgey]

He shouldn't be ahead of Bollinger anyway, even if they play 5 bowlers, which imo they shouldn't.

 

[sideshowtim]

He shouldn't be ahead of Bollinger anyway, even if they play 5 bowlers, which imo they shouldn't.

5 bowlers would be ridiculous...It would suggest we've been having a problem bowling sides out...Which we haven't...I think we took 20 wickets in every single Test this summer bar the last one on a ridiculous road at Adelaide, and even then we got close. Furthermore, the West Indies batting line up isn't as good as Sri Lanka's or India's...I would just really fail to see the logic in it.

If they must go with 5 bowlers though, I'd prefer Noffke over Bollinger because of his batting. If we were talking 4 bowlers and one had to make a choice between Noffke and Bollinger I'd take Bollinger.

 

[Top_Cat]

Sounds like the selectors are a bit spooked by whether the support for Lee can take 20 wickets. Clark was solid but unspectacular against India, Midge had a solid start but is inexperienced. I believe it's Magill who is really got them a bit worried, though; he's coming off bugger-all cricket and even though he took a few wickets in the Pura Cup final, I'd suggest they're worried about him. Because if they were settled on the bowling line-up, The Kat would have to play.

EDIT: Wait, Rob Craddock wrote the above article. Move along, nothing to see here, Kat to play the first Test if Clarke can't make it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

EDIT: Wait, Rob Craddock wrote the above article. Move along, nothing to see here, Kat to play the first Test if Clarke can't make it.

Haha, I was about to make this point. Kudos.

 

[NZTailender]

Don't really know who Craddock is, but glad it appears he's an idiot?

Most other online Aussie newspapers are tipping Katich at 5.

 

[Mister Wright]

Don't really know who Craddock is, but glad it appears he's an idiot?

Most other online Aussie newspapers are tipping Katich at 5.

Nah, he's a Queenslander. The man behind the infamous 'Matt the Batt' fax this poster to the ACB back in 1997.

I don't know why you guys are getting so worked up over this article. This is classic QLD bias, however when it does come to selections The Courier Mail is usually spot on.

 

[Laurrz]

Sounds like the selectors are a bit spooked by whether the support for Lee can take 20 wickets. Clark was solid but unspectacular against India, Midge had a solid start but is inexperienced. I believe it's Magill who is really got them a bit worried, though; he's coming off bugger-all cricket and even though he took a few wickets in the Pura Cup final, I'd suggest they're worried about him. Because if they were settled on the bowling line-up, The Kat would have to play.

EDIT: Wait, Rob Craddock wrote the above article. Move along, nothing to see here, Kat to play the first Test if Clarke can't make it.

bold - agreed
Playing MacGill nowadays could be like playing 3 quicks, and thats it
and bowling a team out twice with 3 quicks isnt easy... with 4 bowlers you need everyone contributing

I am all for Kat btw, i think support for Lee is good enough.. well i think Fraz and Midge are definitely good enough... very solid pace attack

 

[social]

What r u guys on about?

IF Clarke doesnt play and IF they decide on a 5 man attack, then Noffke is a STRONG CHANCE to play

Of course he will be a strong chance to play IF they go down that rout because he is one of the back-up bowlers and can bat

The guy might be doing nothing more than filling up column inches by stating the obvious but he is hardly talking crap IF those 2 scenarios eventuate