Sri Lanka v Australia, 1st Test, Galle, 31 Aug - 4 Sep, 2011

The hit and giggle stuff is over. Bring on the real thing (and get that Russell Morris song out of your head).

Is Clarke ever going to be a credible captain? Is Hughes ever going to be a credible Test opener? Is there an Australian spinner on the horizon? Is it well past time for Haddin to quit? How many Australian fast bowlers can break down in a 3-Test series? Where will Ponting field now that he can no longer field in slips ... does this mean he's back to being a runout expert?

Will Australia win survive a single game, let alone win one, with Dilshan, Jayawardene and Sanga in particular looking good chances to cash in on unseasoned bowlers?

It's an intriguing series in prospect ...

Hazzah

Is Clarke ever going to be a credible captain?

He has already shown signs that he is considerably better than the last one. Not quite sure if that qualifies as credible at the moment. But will his batting continue to warrant his place in the side?

Is Hughes ever going to be a credible Test opener?

no, the flaw is too great

Is there an Australian spinner on the horizon?

Not the way we treat them

Is it well past time for Haddin to quit?

Clearly

How many Australian fast bowlers can break down in a 3-Test series?

4

Where will Ponting field now that he can no longer field in slips ?

Put him under the lid

does this mean he's back to being a runout expert?

They will just hit our pies to the fence so there won't be the opportunity

Will Australia win survive a single game,

WTAAS

What's our likely first test team?

Watto
Phews
Pont
Pup
Paris
Ussie
Haddin
Midge
Cot
Ryano
Mmmmm


Looks a bit too similar to the team that was buttfarked by the Poms last year.

Khwaja has no right to be picked. His form is dismal (he was even outscored by Krazy on the A tour). Post Argus, he should just be sent home.

Who else is there? Bog? With 6 FC tons in 10 years of cricket.

JGK wrote:Who else is there? Bog? With 6 FC tons in 10 years of cricket.

You could pretty well throw a dart at the selection list & come up with a better player. He is the new Steve Smith.

Bog is a talent

He seems to have finally worked out how to score more than a pretty 30

His early FC stats badly skew his overall position ...and being in the JAMODI squad (and having a dodgy hammy) have slowed down the recovery of his average

I'd have Koaja over him at the moment ...Bog will probably have to take Floosy's place when his technique gets found out again

lardbucket wrote:The hit and giggle stuff is over. Bring on the real thing (and get that Russell Morris song out of your head).

Is Clarke ever going to be a credible captain? Is Hughes ever going to be a credible Test opener? Is there an Australian spinner on the horizon? Is it well past time for Haddin to quit? How many Australian fast bowlers can break down in a 3-Test series? Where will Ponting field now that he can no longer field in slips ... does this mean he's back to being a runout expert?

Will Australia survive a single game, let alone win one, with Dilshan, Jayawardene and Sanga in particular looking good chances to cash in on unseasoned bowlers?

It's an intriguing series in prospect ...

fixed

JGK wrote:What's our likely first test team?

Watto
Phews
Pont
Pup
Paris
Ussie
Haddin
Midge
Cot
Ryano
Mmmmm


Looks a bit too similar to the team that was buttfarked by the Poms last year.

With luck Hughes might tear a heart muscle before the first Test and Katich could still be subbed in.

If not, I'd think seriously about opening with Watson and Khawaja (sink or swim, Usman) and push the unorthodox Hughes down to 6 behind Ponting, Clarke, and Hussey; perhaps even behind Haddin.

At last.



A Pom view is irrelevant, true, but - all being fit - I'd go with:

Watson
Marsh
Ponting
Hussey M
Khawaja
Katich (!) * (!!)
Paine +
Johnson (for shock factor - if he is looking shook/staring, SIddle AND Hilfenhaus)
Hauritz (or Doherty if he is genuinely showing signs of form)
Harris
Siddle or Hilfenhaus (is he injured?)


Yes/no, I know it's not going to happen.

I don't believe in Hughes or Clarke at this stage. Who knows, they may turn 180 degrees and be world beaters again. But one looks obstinate-thick, and the other lacking bottle or clue.

Katich would add the spin option (better than Clarke at that, too ...)

Khawaja - because "class is permanent", and the future needs faith.

I don't know what you've seen that makes you believe in Khawaja. He MIGHT be good, but he's not shown that much yet. Custard arm, too.

Guess there's no point in suggesting that Haddin bats at 6 so we can play 3 quicks and 2 spinners, given how crap our batting is.

lardbucket wrote:I don't know what you've seen that makes you believe in Khawaja.

The best 37 on Test debut in history, wasn't it?

I think Gary Cosier's debut was better.

lardbucket wrote:I don't know what you've seen that makes you believe in Khawaja. He MIGHT be good, but he's not shown that much yet. Custard arm, too.

The Ashes. Even when he didn't get going, he looked to have the coordination and cricket brain.

His arm would be a worry. Can he catch? (> lid, slip, etc.)

I do also realise UK has hardly been able to buy a run domestically of late.

Doesn't matter.

If he has the class (obviously the moot point here!) and the backing.

lardbucket wrote:I don't know what you've seen that makes you believe in Khawaja. He MIGHT be good, but he's not shown that much yet. Custard arm, too.

Koaja has played precisely one decent shot in Test cricket. I was at the ground and happened to be being distracted by those Balmy qunts momentarily, but allegedly he smoked a clip off his toes through midwicket for his 1st boundary in Tests. Since then he's done squat, including failing dismally in the A tour of Zimbotland. I hope the lad makes good but I am struggling to see this being any more than an outstanding Mudge ploy to further undermine Aus cricket.

Hussey has to move up. He must bear the brunt. I'd have him open, but should at least be at 4. Khawaja? Let him get runs first.

skully wrote:

lardbucket wrote:I don't know what you've seen that makes you believe in Khawaja. He MIGHT be good, but he's not shown that much yet. Custard arm, too.

Koaja has played precisely one decent shot in Test cricket. I was at the ground and happened to be being distracted by those Balmy qunts momentarily, but allegedly he smoked a clip off his toes through midwicket for his 1st boundary in Tests. Since then he's done squat, including failing dismally in the A tour of Zimbotland. I hope the lad makes good but I am struggling to see this being any more than an outstanding Mudge ploy to further undermine Aus cricket.

It was a pull shot actually and it was sublime.

Cheers JGK. I heard to crisp crack of the bat and jolted the head around to see the ball clattering into the advertising hoardings. And, as you know, we were at the southern end of the O'Reilly with not the best view of the scoreboard.

I have always been amazed at the number of people you can see looking away from the action when a wicket or good shot is replayed on the Teev, but I was caught out on this occasion by the antics of the Smarmy Army to my left.

As I said, I hope the lad makes good, otherwise I may never get to see him play a decent shot live.

skully wrote:Cheers JGK. I heard to crisp crack of the bat and jolted the head around to see the ball clattering into the advertising hoardings. And, as you know, we were at the southern end of the O'Reilly with not the best view of the scoreboard.

I have always been amazed at the number of people you can see looking away from the action when a wicket or good shot is replayed on the Teev, but I was caught out on this occasion by the antics of the Smarmy Army to my left.

As I said, I hope the lad makes good, otherwise I may never get to see him play a decent shot live.

It's about 41s into this:

Cheers, man. Most enjoyable. Wonder why he's going so bad at the moment.

skully wrote:Wonder why he's going so bad at the moment.

the Mudge Curse



why anyone would want Trev on their back is beyond me

skully wrote:

lardbucket wrote:I don't know what you've seen that makes you believe in Khawaja. He MIGHT be good, but he's not shown that much yet. Custard arm, too.

Koaja has played precisely one decent shot in Test cricket. I was at the ground and happened to be being distracted by those Balmy qunts momentarily, but allegedly he smoked a clip off his toes through midwicket for his 1st boundary in Tests. Since then he's done squat, including failing dismally in the A tour of Zimbotland. I hope the lad makes good but I am struggling to see this being any more than an outstanding Mudge ploy to further undermine Aus cricket.

Quite right Skullmeister. He is just another classic Hildick selection clusterfark. Has'nt made a score since before his first international selection & was a total loss in the Shield final. There is absolutely no logical reason why he is in this side. His selection just perpetuates the decline in Australian cricket by selecting players on reputation rather than form.