***Official*** 3rd Test at the WACA

[Barney Rubble]

Strauss
Cook
Bell
Colly
KP
Flintoff
Jones
Mahmood
Hoggard
harmison
Panesar

Been disappointed with Jimmy A, I was hoping for great things from him. I don't think Read will score any more than Geraint, and I don't think his keeping would be any better either so I wouldn't change anything there. I would rather have a 4-man attack tbh, which would probably mean no Mahmood, and Ed Joyce coming in, batting 6 I guess.

I'm actually all for Mahmood at the moment. As much as I like him, I don't ever want to see Ashley Giles in an England shirt ever again, and Anderson has been equally shocking so far, so he's gotta go too. I'd rather Mahmood than Plunkett because if Mahmood gets it right, he'll be a real threat, so as unlikely as that is, it'll make him better than Plunkett. Plunkett's more dependable (marginally) but is less likely to run through a lineup. Plus Saj has shown more with the bat than the supposedly capable Plunkett.

 

[greg]

I'm actually all for Mahmood at the moment. As much as I like him, I don't ever want to see Ashley Giles in an England shirt ever again, and Anderson has been equally shocking so far, so he's gotta go too. I'd rather Mahmood than Plunkett because if Mahmood gets it right, he'll be a real threat, so as unlikely as that is, it'll make him better than Plunkett. Plunkett's more dependable (marginally) but is less likely to run through a lineup. Plus Saj has shown more with the bat than the supposedly capable Plunkett.

Ridiculous though it sounds, I can't see how they are going to pick a different team unless they publicly admit that they got it wrong in the previous tests.

Put it this way, short of Monty taking a load of wickets in the 2day match at Perth (not particularly likely), can anyone make a case for changing the team which doesn't involve Duncan Fletcher going back on some of his previous statements (including how well Anderson bowled at Adelaide and how Harmison had "turned the corner"). About the only get slight chink i can see, is the implication he's been trying to spin that it was Anderson vs Panesar at Adelaide which came down on Anderson's side because of the wickets he got in the warm up game there. Can't see how he's going to justify dropping Giles.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Ridiculous though it sounds, I can't see how they are going to pick a different team unless they publicly admit that they got it wrong in the previous tests.

Put it this way, short of Monty taking a load of wickets in the 2day match at Perth (not particularly likely), can anyone make a case for changing the team which doesn't involve Duncan Fletcher going back on some of his previous statements (including how well Anderson bowled at Adelaide and how Harmison had "turned the corner"). About the only get slight chink i can see, is the implication he's been trying to spin that it was Anderson vs Panesar at Adelaide which came down on Anderson's side because of the wickets he got in the warm up game there. Can't see how he's going to justify dropping Giles.

Yeah, as I said earlier in the thread, Fletcher won't drop Giles. He's there as a star number 8 batsman and specialist fielder, and evidently he's fulfilled those roles pretty well in Fletcher's mind. I do think Panesar will be picked for at least one test. Possibly two or three. I'd have assumed he'd be picked in Adelaide, as it's a pretty nice pitch for fingerspinners normally, but it's a bit hard to predict what Fletcher will do.

I read today that Geraint Jones is one of the three "senior players" who assist Fletcher in their selections. Absolutely unbelievable really. Jones has kept pretty well and all, but he's hardly one of the first names on the team sheet, surely. So realistically, the only possible change one could see occuring would be Panesar in for Anderson.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Watson won't be fit, reports indicate.

Geez, poor guy. He's the one addition Australia could really use, too. Not that the team has been playing badly, but a fifth bowler and a replacement for Martyn would be a step forward, and with Clarke's second coming we'd have two younger options in the top order, which can't hurt either.

 

[Nate]

Mahmood in for Harmison is another, but we all know that`s not going to happen.

 

[greg]

I read today that Geraint Jones is one of the three "senior players" who assist Fletcher in their selections. Absolutely unbelievable really. Jones has kept pretty well and all, but he's hardly one of the first names on the team sheet, surely. So realistically, the only possible change one could see occuring would be Panesar in for Anderson.

Which, as i think i've said before, leaves us in the ridiculous position of removing even the pretence of a five man attack. With Giles and Panesar unlikely to bowl more than a handful of overs in tandem, there isn't any over that Giles bowls that couldn't instead be bowled better and with more threat by Panesar. Tiredness is of course not an issue (unlike, for example the case for playing, say, McGrath and Clark in the same team)

So you might as well pick an extra batsman, and have Pietersen bowl the "in tandem overs"

nb. on the basis that there appears to be no requirement for them to do anything significant to justify their place, with no apparent competition, I think it is true that Jones and Giles ARE (along with Flintoff) the first names on the team sheet.

 

[BingLeeElectric]

Yeah, as I said earlier in the thread, Fletcher won't drop Giles. He's there as a star number 8 batsman and specialist fielder, and evidently he's fulfilled those roles pretty well in Fletcher's mind. I do think Panesar will be picked for at least one test. Possibly two or three. I'd have assumed he'd be picked in Adelaide, as it's a pretty nice pitch for fingerspinners normally, but it's a bit hard to predict what Fletcher will do.

I read today that Geraint Jones is one of the three "senior players" who assist Fletcher in their selections. Absolutely unbelievable really. Jones has kept pretty well and all, but he's hardly one of the first names on the team sheet, surely. So realistically, the only possible change one could see occuring would be Panesar in for Anderson.

That probably goes towards explaining why Panesar doesn't get picked.

Jones probably associates Panesar with bad recent memories and is bitter about Read being the keeper during Monty's recent success.

 

[greg]

That probably goes towards explaining why Panesar doesn't get picked.

Jones probably associates Panesar with bad recent memories and is bitter about Read being the keeper during Monty's recent success.

Jones was the keeper for half the Pakistan series and kept pretty well to him.

 

[marc71178]

Hope this isnt braking any rules on here but unfortunately due to a wedding I am unable to attend day 3 (SAT) of the 3rd test in Perth so I have 2 x Adult tickets Section 5 Row E up for grabs.

email jays_way@hotmail.com if you are interested.

I'd hang on if I were you - Aus will have won by the end of Friday.

 

[marc71178]

FWIIW Chris Read won't play either because Fletcher loves Geriant too much. And for Marc to defend Giles in 5..4..3

If you bothered to read what I've said all series about the spinner position, you'd realise that I'm not "defending Giles"

 

[BingLeeElectric]

And for Marc to defend Giles in 5..4..3

 

[Johnners]

I'd hang on if I were you - Aus will have won by the end of Friday.

Seems as if it's more than just the players who live with a pessimistic attitude

 

[marc71178]

It's realism, not pessimism.

If we can lose from the position we were in in the Second Test, then I don't see how we can avoid defeat in any of the remaining games.

Hence the favourite series score is now 5-0.

Can only get 7-4 on that as well

 

[greg]

It's realism, not pessimism.

If we can lose from the position we were in in the Second Test, then I don't see how we can avoid defeat in any of the remaining games.

Hence the favourite series score is now 5-0.

Can only get 7-4 on that as well

Disasters and losing from seemingly very strong positions happen.

Miracles happen

 

[pasag]

Don't forget the Red Sox in 2004.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Which, as i think i've said before, leaves us in the ridiculous position of removing even the pretence of a five man attack. With Giles and Panesar unlikely to bowl more than a handful of overs in tandem, there isn't any over that Giles bowls that couldn't instead be bowled better and with more threat by Panesar. Tiredness is of course not an issue (unlike, for example the case for playing, say, McGrath and Clark in the same team)

So you might as well pick an extra batsman, and have Pietersen bowl the "in tandem overs"

nb. on the basis that there appears to be no requirement for them to do anything significant to justify their place, with no apparent competition, I think it is true that Jones and Giles ARE (along with Flintoff) the first names on the team sheet.

I'd like to know why Fletcher announced Monty as the best finger spinner in the world, yet won't play him. He could hardly be worse than Giles, even his if has the biggest case of
1st ashes test nerves in history and hits the square leg umpire. I struggle to believe Monty wouldn't bowl better than Giles...and I haven't even seen him bowl.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I want to now why they dropped Jones, brought in Read who did everything right, then brought Jones back in after he has done **** all to prove he's good enough at batting. Fools.

 

[Craig]

Go away troll.

 

[Craig]

If you bothered to read what I've said all series about the spinner position, you'd realise that I'm not "defending Giles"

Well assuming I have had all the time to read every single thing that is posted all series. I work too mate so don't give me this "if you bothered..." crap. It won't work with me.

Anyway my post was light-hearted in reference to past form of you and your love Giles even with his negative over the wicket outside leg stump to the right hander tatics.

So yes I do apologise for not spending my entire life on here.

 

[marc71178]

Well maybe you'd not have made that comment if you had bothered to read what I've said.

All along I've defended Giles because there was simply nobody around who could do the job he did any better.

There still isn't anyone who can do the number 8 and spin option.

There is however someone who could play as a more attacking spinner (and as either one of a 4 man attack or as the lone spinner in a 5 man attack provided another number 8 comes along)