Has Merv Hughes cost us two series?

Let's face it, the idiot Vixen alcoholic on the NSP was the catalyst for YT to play 3 tests in India ahead of Krazier and Siddle to play in India and now in Perth notwithstanding he has only ever played once in Perth in his career.

The Siddle selection looks like costing us the current match (and possibly the series) and the YT fiasco almost certainly cost us the first test in India which would have made the rest of the series quite a different prospect.

So the quicker the big man is dumped from his NSP duties and replaced with a Dubber or even a Wozzie, the better for us all.

Hard to argue, JGK. Merv is a legend but thick as two short planks. Whoever thought he should be on the NSP needs a good floggin'.

I don't think it's fair to scapegoat Siddle ... he has bowled some good overs, but the Saffie top-order batsmen have played well on a very true deck. Nowhere near the worst debut performances I've seen. He bowls straight and moves the ball a bit. I would have chosen several other bowlers ahead of him for this game (Bracken, Hilfenhaus, maybe a local eg Dorey, or even gone in with Watson); but he isn't as 'shit' as the tenor of this thread makes out.

Noone should be surprised that SA batsmen have prospered.

The pitch is remarkably good for batting. Australian tailenders scored a million and most batsmen succumbed only to ill- discipline.

Nonetheless, Siddle never looked an inspired selection.

peterg wrote:Noone should be surprised that SA batsmen have prospered.

The pitch is remarkably good for batting. Australian tailenders scored a million and most batsmen succumbed only to ill- discipline.

Nonetheless, Siddle never looked an inspired selection.

aye to all that peter. Well the big subi opted out I'd have chosen Watson.

A Banjo opting for Watson. Colour me shocked.

But it's probably what this joke of an NSP will do.

Let's not do this to ourselves.

he could have picked Tait

Bracken is the blindingly obvious choice. He is the most "Clark like" bowler in Aus at the moment, and Aus clrealy miss Clark's control when Johnson and Lee are having a break.

Any one of Bracken, Wright, Noffke (though I think he's injured) would do. Someone yesterday suggested that Dirk Nannes was in line ... if so, the 'malign Vomit influence' theory would seem to have a firmer basis.

I would literally piss myself with howls of laughter if Nannes plays.

This all reminds me a bit of the 03-04 series... where is Brad Williams nowadays?

Who?

The Pig faced guy.


You know, the guy that looked like someone that comes from Queensland.

He was a Victorian. He never had anything except pace, and he didn't have much of that for very long.

Oh. He looked like a Queenslander. All meat and no head.

It's such a shame Gabba Dan isn't here.

That's a new meaning of the word 'shame' that I was previously unaware of, lardy.

I do think it is strange Bracken is not being spoken of as a possibility.

He's the number 1 ranked bowler in the world in the ODI table, and has always outperformed Lee in that form.

Obviously this doesn't always translate to success in the test arena, and he didn't set the world alight in his first brief spell in test cricket, but flamin' hell we are running short of options.

JGK wrote:Let's face it, the idiot Vixen alcoholic on the NSP was the catalyst for YT to play 3 tests in India ahead of Krazier and Siddle to play in India and now in Perth notwithstanding he has only ever played once in Perth in his career.

The Siddle selection looks like costing us the current match (and possibly the series) and the YT fiasco almost certainly cost us the first test in India which would have made the rest of the series quite a different prospect.

So the quicker the big man is dumped from his NSP duties and replaced with a Dubber or even a Wozzie, the better for us all.

twaddle....siddle clearly outblowled the 'sponsors exemption'...YT is more economical than krazy...not that that means much...

what merv and hilditch and co are responsible for is the continued selection of weak reeds - hayden, symonds (another sponsor's exemption?) and Bunk...trying new players who have form is the way to go...roy, mtb, clark, bunk are too old or not good enough for an ashes tour

That's right, always blaming the Victorians...

As average as he was, Siddle was the team's second best bowler for the match. Doesn't say much for the other bowlers, one of whom has five times the Test experience as Siddle does FC games.

Ross wrote:That's right, always blaming the Victorians...

As average as he was, Siddle was the team's second best bowler for the match. Doesn't say much for the other bowlers, one of whom has five times the Test experience as Siddle does FC games.

Siddle's only contribution was to deny Midge a 9 for by getting the No 11 out. He didn't look like taking a wicket otherwise.

Lee's bowling on Day 4 was outstanding and unlucky.

Siddle got Boucher out, Bung got Amla out. Not much difference.

I wouldn't cry if Siddle was left out but he had plenty of company in being shite.

complete tosh jgk...siddle actually moved the ball...bunk did not...siddle clearly outblowled bunk (not that this says much)

bunk also hogged and wasted the downwind, forcing our ace bowler to bowl into it...he bowled with less than his usual stupidity - that is the best that can be said...against that he failed AGAIN with the new ball...his animated rejoicing at his one wicket recalled the chainsaw when he knocked off a taily...his repeated hogging into the camera when Midge got a wicket or walked from the field was appalling

he is an embarassing, underperforming, overpaid twat who over a long career has existed on sponsors exmptions, getting the odd wicket when batsman (usually from 2nd grade countries) had been tied down by TGM and tgm

Ross wrote:That's right, always blaming the Victorians...

As average as he was, Siddle was the team's second best bowler for the match. Doesn't say much for the other bowlers, one of whom has five times the Test experience as Siddle does FC games.

You are forgetting the golden rule of Aus cricket, Ross.

Never pick a Victorian to play for Aus unless his name is "Warne".

JGK wrote:

Ross wrote:That's right, always blaming the Victorians...

As average as he was, Siddle was the team's second best bowler for the match. Doesn't say much for the other bowlers, one of whom has five times the Test experience as Siddle does FC games.

Siddle's only contribution was to deny Midge a 9 for by getting the No 11 out. He didn't look like taking a wicket otherwise.

Lee's bowling on Day 4 was outstanding and unlucky.

Siddle was involved in 2 decent last wicket partnerships. What did Lee do with the bat?