Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Perth, Dec 17-21

Not sure if anyone's opened the bidding on this yet, so here goes...

Cricket Australia’s (CA) National Selection Panel (NSP) today announced a 12-man squad for next week’s first 3 Mobile Test match against South Africa in Perth.

The 12-man squad is:
State Age
Ricky Ponting (C) TAS 33
Michael Clarke (vc) NSW 27
Stuart Clark NSW 27
Brad Haddin NSW 31
Matthew Hayden QLD 37
Michael Hussey WA 33
Mitchell Johnson WA 27
Simon Katich NSW 33
Jason Krejza (subject to fitness) TAS 25
Brett Lee NSW 32
Andrew Symonds QLD 33
Shane Watson QLD 27

Commenting on the squad, NSP Chairman Andrew Hilditch said:

“The 12 picked for the first 3 Mobile Test match against South Africa reflects the fact that the NSP thinks the team played well against New Zealand recently. It is quite difficult to bounce back from the series in India, which was a tough tour, and to adapt quickly to Australian conditions. One of the most pleasing parts of the New Zealand series was the good form of Brett Lee, whose bowling improved as the series went on. We expect him to be back to his very best against South Africa.

“Brad Haddin has been under extreme focus since he’s taken over the gloves in Test cricket following Adam Gilchrist’s retirement. Brad’s emerged from that period of scrutiny well, his ‘keeping improves with each Test and his batting blossomed in Adelaide as we would’ve expected with someone with such a good domestic record.

“Mitchell Johnson had an outstanding tour of India and his progress continued against New Zealand. He’s presenting himself as a very exciting, wicket-taking package for Australia. The batting group played very well against New Zealand and we consider that all our batsmen are in good form for the coming series.

“As far as the South Africa series is concerned we expect it to be a very tough series of Test matches. South Africa is an excellent side and we’ll have to be at our best against them. In terms of the 12, Jason Krejza comes back in to the squad. He’s been picked subject to fitness but all reports suggest he’ll be fit and will resume cricket for Tasmania this week. Jason richly deserves to be back in the Test squad following his debut in India. Having said that, Nathan Hauritz bowled well in Adelaide and we were pleased with his performance.

“Shane Watson is back into the 12 and one of the main reasons he wasn’t in the 12 for Adelaide was that we wanted to take the opportunity for him to play for Queensland. He had a good Weetbix Sheffield Shield game against South Australia, taking wickets and making runs, and adds great flexibility to the squad for this first Test. Peter Siddle is omitted from the 12 but he continues to impress following his debut in India. We’re keen for him to resume State cricket for Victoria and expect Peter to continue to push hard for national selection,” Hilditch said.

Gump is 27?

I only cut and pasted the thing...

From cricinfo:
Full name Stuart Rupert Clark
Born September 28, 1975, Sutherland, Sydney, New South Wales
Current age 33 years 71 days

Well done CricAus.

Zat wrote:I only cut and pasted the thing...

That didn't wash at Nuremberg and it doesn't wash here.

cripes hilditch is a prat...as his son in law, the gross simmo line lives on...the defence of bunk and haddit is risible...

interestingly I read over the weekend that fleas gives a lot of credit to simmo for helping him sort out his technique....smart move by fleas

Zimmy handing down family wisdom . . .

Invader Zim wrote:

Zat wrote:I only cut and pasted the thing...

That didn't wash at Nuremberg and it doesn't wash here.

Ah well, in that case... click here.

Zat wrote:

Invader Zim wrote:

Zat wrote:I only cut and pasted the thing...

That didn't wash at Nuremberg and it doesn't wash here.

Ah well, in that case... click here.

All I get is this:

Please take a moment to consider whether access to this site is “appropriate use”, that it is consistent with your work, study or research.

Of course it's appropriate.

Hilditch is a poor media performer.

I was interested though in one of the newspaper articles on the build-up to the test which talked about our young team with all our personnel changes etc. I can only think of Johnson and Clarke who are below age thirty.

We've changed names and become a little younger but we're hardly a young team.

Red wrote:I was interested though in one of the newspaper articles on the build-up to the test which talked about our young team with all our personnel changes etc. I can only think of Johnson and Clarke who are below age thirty.

We've changed names and become a little younger but we're hardly a young team.

Do you ever read the thread before triping posting?

The 12-man squad is:
State Age
Ricky Ponting (C) TAS 33
Michael Clarke (vc) NSW 27
Stuart Clark NSW 27
Brad Haddin NSW 31
Matthew Hayden QLD 37
Michael Hussey WA 33
Mitchell Johnson WA 27
Simon Katich NSW 33
Jason Krejza (subject to fitness) TAS 25
Brett Lee NSW 32
Andrew Symonds QLD 33
Shane Watson QLD 27

Australia's core group of players- Ponting, Katich, Hussey, Symonds, Lee, Clark are all about the same age.

Red wrote:Hilditch is a poor media performer.

I was interested though in one of the newspaper articles on the build-up to the test which talked about our young team with all our personnel changes etc. I can only think of Johnson and Clarke who are below age thirty.

We've changed names and become a little younger but we're hardly a young team.

Didn't you read the first post?

embee wrote:

para batsman wrote: I told you Watto would be back .....

Hehe.

Likely South African team-

Smith(c)
McKenzie
Amla
Kallis
Prince
DeVilliers
Boucher+
M.Morkel
Harris
Steyn
Ntini

I'm still not entirely convinced by Amla and Prince against top quality bowling, but despite their slightly odd looking techniques, they've made a lot of runs in the last couple of years.

taipan wrote:

Red wrote:I was interested though in one of the newspaper articles on the build-up to the test which talked about our young team with all our personnel changes etc. I can only think of Johnson and Clarke who are below age thirty.

We've changed names and become a little younger but we're hardly a young team.

Do you ever read the thread before triping posting?

The 12-man squad is:
State Age
Ricky Ponting (C) TAS 33
Michael Clarke (vc) NSW 27
Stuart Clark NSW 27
Brad Haddin NSW 31
Matthew Hayden QLD 37
Michael Hussey WA 33
Mitchell Johnson WA 27
Simon Katich NSW 33
Jason Krejza (subject to fitness) TAS 25
Brett Lee NSW 32
Andrew Symonds QLD 33
Shane Watson QLD 27

I did read the thread but the article was commenting on the recently completed test series against NZ and how our new-look, young team had performed. There's no guarantee that Krejza, the youngest in the squad will play at the WACA, due to a combination of fitness and suitability to conditions concerns, though Hilditch seemed adamant that he would play if fit. It may depend on the pitch closer to next Wednesday. If they replaced Krejza because they wanted another spinner, Watson wouldn't play. This still leaves very few twenty-somethings in the final XI.

Henry wrote:Likely South African team-

Smith(c)
McKenzie
Amla
Kallis
Prince
DeVilliers
Boucher+
M.Morkel
Harris
Steyn
Ntini

I'm still not entirely convinced by Amla and Prince against top quality bowling, but despite their slightly odd looking techniques, they've made a lot of runs in the last couple of years.

batting looks a touch shaky but on a flat pitch the AUS bowling is not too outstanding either


Independently speaking its basically a battle between two slightly above average sides

but despite their slightly odd looking techniques, they've made a lot of runs in the last couple of years.

Aye - the Chanderpaul effect.

PlanetPakistan wrote:

Henry wrote:Likely South African team-

Smith(c)
McKenzie
Amla
Kallis
Prince
DeVilliers
Boucher+
M.Morkel
Harris
Steyn
Ntini

I'm still not entirely convinced by Amla and Prince against top quality bowling, but despite their slightly odd looking techniques, they've made a lot of runs in the last couple of years.

batting looks a touch shaky but on a flat pitch the AUS bowling is not too outstanding either


Independently speaking its basically a battle between two slightly above average sides

Apart from their shaky looking batting with their best Kallis out of form, and some of their others such as Smith, Prince and Amla having suspect techniques, McKenzie has never been a natural opener, Boucher has been problematic in the past couple of years, Bangladesh ton notwithstanding, while their tail has no batting sting in it. Can anybody from #8 onwards actually bat?

Red wrote:

Apart from their shaky looking batting with their best Kallis out of form, and some of their others such as Smith, Prince and Amla having suspect techniques, McKenzie has never been a natural opener, Boucher has been problematic in the past couple of years, Bangladesh ton notwithstanding, while their tail has no batting sting in it. Can anybody from #8 onwards actually bat?

to make up for ALL of that they have the world's best captain who we all greatly respect and admire.

Red wrote:

I did read the thread

Still can't admit screwing up?

taipan wrote:

Red wrote:

I did read the thread

Still can't admit screwing up?

But I'm a putative illiterate so reading takes on a different meaning.