2004/05 Australian domestic season thread

[Mister Wright]

That depends. New South Wales were probably deserved winners this year, but I don't think any of them warrant immediate selection into the international side. Jaques is probably second in line for an openers spot in my books now, and Bracken probably third in line for a pace bowlers spot. Thornley is a fair way back in terms of middle order selection too. Even if they win next year as well, nothing will necessarily change.

However, the only double standard I have seen recently is the Symonds/Lee situation. Symonds was picked over an established player in good form because he was dominating in the ODIs against the opposition in question, and Lee found himself in the same situation (only his dominance was more pronounced), and was not picked. Even this however has much more to do with the selectors learning from prior mistakes and public pressure to keep Kasprowicz in the team than any kind of bias. Honestly I think the selectors are doing a great job at the moment.

I've always thought that the Symonds selection was a bit dodgy, but the selectors backed their judgement, which is fair enough and it wasn't like Katich didn't get his chance at test level again through a creative selection policy.

However, I also think that Symonds shouldn't have been shoved behind Clarke, Hodge, Watson and Hussey for a test spot.

 

[Hoggy31]

Rumours - Dave Hussey to SA or WA, Dighton back to WA, MacGill to QLD, Bollinger to WA.

 

[James90]

I think the NSW bias is now dead and buried but there certainly was a time when Gavin Robinson and Simon Cook donned the baggy green, which showed some bias.

 

[Mister Wright]

It seems like the off season will be as active as last off-season.

 

[vic_orthdox]

david hussey just bought a house in melbourne, and has said a couple of times since the rumours started floating that he wants to stay. victoria might be chasing bollinger too, coz they'll be losing one left armer this year, you would think. wa should be all over "mini".

there was an article in the paper about jon moss wanting to going back home to nsw. doubt if that would come to fruition, because he's exactly the same sort of player as thornley, except not as good at batting or bowling.

 

[Mister Wright]

david hussey just bought a house in melbourne, and has said a couple of times since the rumours started floating that he wants to stay. victoria might be chasing bollinger too.

That would put the end to Inness' chances then wouldn't it?

Do those in Victoria think Inness will play again?

 

[Mister Wright]

there was an article in the paper about jon moss wanting to going back home to nsw. doubt if that would come to fruition, because he's exactly the same sort of player as thornley, except not as good at batting or bowling.

I disagree, Moss & Thornely are both fairly ordinary batsman, but can have their moments, but Thornely hardly bowls for N.S.W. now and when he does he gets carted, at least Moss has the ability to take wickets.

 

[vic_orthdox]

personally i don't think we'll see inness in bushranger colours any time soon. but hopefully in another state. he's taken three 7 wicket hauls this year in grade cricket, and has taken the most wickets (from memory) in about half the games of his rivals, but they still won't give him a game.

 

[Hoggy31]

That would put the end to Inness' chances then wouldn't it?

Do those in Victoria think Inness will play again?

The word is if WA dont get Bollinger, they will go for Inness.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I've always thought that the Symonds selection was a bit dodgy, but the selectors backed their judgement, which is fair enough and it wasn't like Katich didn't get his chance at test level again through a creative selection policy.

Katich has been mistreated more than any other player in recent times - surely you recognise that? He made a top century against India and helped save the match, then was dropped for an unproven player with a good but not great FC record on the back of some good ODI games. He was then brought back in and was the third best Australian batsman playing in a tough position at number three in his first Indian tour... then was dropped to let an out-of-form Lehmann back in the side. He should never have been dropped in the first place. And why isn't it just "the selectors backing their judgement" when Clarke is picked? Especially since he has actually been good. Would it be "the selectors backing their judgement" if Kasprowicz was dropped for Lee? He certainly has a stronger case for the Kasprowicz spot than Symonds did for Katich's.

However, I also think that Symonds shouldn't have been shoved behind Clarke, Hodge, Watson and Hussey for a test spot.

I don't see why not. Hodge clearly has a much better FC record than Symonds and is more consistent in the long form of the game. When Symonds was picked he could rely on a fantastic run of ODI form to support his case, now he can't. Watson and Clarke have been earmarked quite rightly as the future of the Australian team, and Hussey is the best opening batsman in Australia not currently in the test side.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I disagree, Moss & Thornely are both fairly ordinary batsman, but can have their moments, but Thornely hardly bowls for N.S.W. now and when he does he gets carted, at least Moss has the ability to take wickets.

can accept that. i just don't think that nsw would give mossy much of an arm chair ride into the side if he went back to his home state.

The word is if WA dont get Bollinger, they will go for Inness

don't know why they wouldn't go for inness first. proven first class player who isn't really that old. why not get them both??

 

[Mister Wright]

I was talking about Katich getting picked to play against Zimbabwe. He was picked as an "allrounder" and although he got 5 fer, you really have to quesiton it's worth. An allrounder was not needed against Zimbabwe, especially one who hardly bowls as Katich does. Love should have been picked, as he was the next in line, then suddenly Love gets thrown on the scrap heap.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I'm basing my comments on what Mark Waugh has said on Queensland being biased at the selection table. When a team makes 7 finals in a row, and the last 2 One Day finals and come close in previous seasons, they must be doing something right and therefore deserve selection.

You could say the same about a team that's actually won 2 of the last 3 finals too.

As far as the first class averages go, McGrath played about 8 games before being picked for Australia and I doubt anyone is questioning that decision now.

Love was unlucky, yes, but his current form did him no favours when a spot actually became available. Symonds had a test opportunity and blew it, and unfortunately that's the way it goes when there's so much competition for spots. I've heard Maher mentioned, but I personally prefer Hayden and Langer for the opening spots, and Slater before that. There's a lot of unlucky players from a lot of states, the Australian team features 6 batting spots...let's say 4 of them are filled by fairly consistent players then we see an opportunity for maybe between 4-6 players (if that) over a period of 7-8 years (not including one off games replacing injured batsmen). If it was the Aussie team of the 80's then everyone would get a go, including probably you and me.

 

[Mister Wright]

You could say the same about a team that's actually won 2 of the last 3 finals too.

As far as the first class averages go, McGrath played about 8 games before being picked for Australia and I doubt anyone is questioning that decision now.

Love was unlucky, yes, but his current form did him no favours when a spot actually became available. Symonds had a test opportunity and blew it, and unfortunately that's the way it goes when there's so much competition for spots. I've heard Maher mentioned, but I personally prefer Hayden and Langer for the opening spots, and Slater before that. There's a lot of unlucky players from a lot of states, the Australian team features 6 batting spots...let's say 4 of them are filled by fairly consistent players then we see an opportunity for maybe between 4-6 players (if that) over a period of 7-8 years (not including one off games replacing injured batsmen). If it was the Aussie team of the 80's then everyone would get a go, including probably you and me.

Love had just come off the back of a summer where he hit a few 200s, 2 against England, and he also had a very good season for Durham as well, later in the summer he scored 300* against Victoria just after that Victorian series, it wasn't like the guy was short of runs.

 

[mavric41]

I've always thought that the Symonds selection was a bit dodgy, but the selectors backed their judgement, which is fair enough and it wasn't like Katich didn't get his chance at test level again through a creative selection policy.

However, I also think that Symonds shouldn't have been shoved behind Clarke, Hodge, Watson and Hussey for a test spot.

Symonds was picked over Katich as it was perceived that his bowling was better and would be used more than that of Katich. Don't forget Warne was just coming back after a year off for his drug suspension and no one knew how he would bowl. McGrath was also missing and Kaspa was playing his first test for years. Its very easy to look back and say that Symonds selection was a poor one, but he got 2 bad calls from the umps when batting and because the other bowlers bowled so well, he didn't get as much chance at the bowling crease. At the time, I thought it was a worthwhile gamble. Harsh on Katich, yes but it was a team picked for the conditions, much like MacGill was picked over Kaspa for the SCG.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Love had just come off the back of a summer where he hit a few 200s, 2 against England, and he also had a very good season for Durham as well, later in the summer he scored 300* against Victoria just after that Victorian series, it wasn't like the guy was short of runs.

He lost his place in the team though after two ducks when Martyn came back from injury. Given the amount of runs he scored you definately have a case for him being unlucky - I was referring to his form when Clarke was picked though and its descent downwards towards his current form.

 

[mavric41]

He lost his place in the team though after two ducks when Martyn came back from injury. Given the amount of runs he scored you definately have a case for him being unlucky - I was referring to his form when Clarke was picked though and its descent downwards towards his current form.

What, a hundred in a Pura Cup final?

 

[Mister Wright]

He lost his place in the team though after two ducks when Martyn came back from injury. Given the amount of runs he scored you definately have a case for him being unlucky - I was referring to his form when Clarke was picked though and its descent downwards towards his current form.

The Indian tour was before the current Australian season, Love had a perfectly respectable season last season, and should have been a contender for the Indian series, because he is a very good player of spin. Love should have been selected ahead of Elliot for the home series v Sri Lanka when Ponting was injured. I think he has been just as unlucky as Katich.

 

[vic_orthdox]

heard a pretty funny story the other day. brett geeves, the fast bowler from tasmania, after taking part in winning the ING cup, was too hungover a week later to play in the pura cup game for tasmania.

just thought it was a good story.

 

[chaminda_00]

heard a pretty funny story the other day. brett geeves, the fast bowler from tasmania, after taking part in winning the ING cup, was too hungover a week later to play in the pura cup game for tasmania.

just thought it was a good story.

I remember hearing him on radio in sydney after the win and he said that he might miss the pura cup game with a hangover. i guess he was true to his world, but from i don't think he was a major fixture in the pura cup side anyway. But i could be wrong