*Official* Road to the 2010/11 Ashes

[aussie]

The woefulness at Lords was mainly down to one chap in particular. Siddle and Hilfy bowled steadily for the most part and Hauritz dislocated a finger so barely bowled first innings.

If Hughes had been dropped for the all-round skills of Watson one might've thought that the selectors would've told him this to cusion the blow and then, subsequently, he might've made reference to it in his injudicious tweet, which was how the world first heard of his axing.

The facts don't support the idea Watson was selected as an all-rounder at all. 8 overs in 3 tests? Come on.

The Watson gamble pays off | Cricket News | England v Australia 2009 | Cricinfo.com

with Watson called up as much for seam bowling insurance as top-of-the-order runs.

.

The fact that Watto didn't bowl more than 3 overs ATT. Basically just had to do with circumstances. With the match being rain effected & teams going on & of the field. Ponting coming out back after starts just simply preferred to bowl his main 3 quicks in those overcast conditions.

In Headingley. The 4-quicks owned ENG so Ponting didn't need to call on Watson or any 5th bowler.

At the Oval especially in the 2nd innings when the ball was turning. Ponting just didn't use him then.

Overall though he was certainly picked as an-allrounder after Hughes axing. Just circumstances in various innings made Ponting didn't use him much with the ball.

 

[four_or_six]

It was said before the tour here, when people worried about Hughes being so inexperienced, that Watto was able to cover the opening batting slot.

 

[four_or_six]

We think that some of the fans come up with mad teams for the Ashes, but here is Darren Berry's:

1. Katich
2. Watson
3. Ponting
4. Khawaja
5. Clarke
6. Ferguson
7. Paine
8. Smith
9. Siddle
10. Bollinger
11. Hilfenhaus

Apart from saying that Ferguson is obviously a 100-test player, the most bizarre bit has to be dropping Johnson.

 

[social]

We think that some of the fans come up with mad teams for the Ashes, but here is Darren Berry's:

1. Katich
2. Watson
3. Ponting
4. Khawaja
5. Clarke
6. Ferguson
7. Paine
8. Smith
9. Siddle
10. Bollinger
11. Hilfenhaus

Apart from saying that Ferguson is obviously a 100-test player, the most bizarre bit has to be dropping Johnson.

Johnson is a disappointment in that whilst on one hand he's good enough to be named World Cricketer of the Year, on the other he's prone to bowling complete dross on a semi-regular basis

Now you either take the view that, on average, it's worth it or you demand more consistency.

IMO, apart from the last innings, he bowled very well in India so dropping him would be harsh particularly when the odds are on him being a real handful at the Gabba

In terms of this team, I dont agree with the selections of either Ferguson or Siddle as neither has done enough to warrant inclusion

Ferguson is yet to have a breakthrough season at fc level and Siddle was crap prior to his injury

 

[social]

It was said before the tour here, when people worried about Hughes being so inexperienced, that Watto was able to cover the opening batting slot.

TBH, I dont think too many people were worried about Hughes after SA

It was more a case of it being highlighted that no backup openers were selected and the selectors nominated Watson as an option (a suggestion that was pretty much laughed off at the time btw)

 

[GIMH]

We think that some of the fans come up with mad teams for the Ashes, but here is Darren Berry's:

1. Katich
2. Watson
3. Ponting
4. Khawaja
5. Clarke
6. Ferguson
7. Paine
8. Smith
9. Siddle
10. Bollinger
11. Hilfenhaus

Apart from saying that Ferguson is obviously a 100-test player, the most bizarre bit has to be dropping Johnson.

As an England fan, I will be distraught if Mitchell Johnson and his awful sleeve tattoo get dropped

 

[Woodster]

Paine is a better glove-man than Haddin. Both great against the fast bowlers but Haddin is woeful against spin. Although tbh I haven't seen Paine receive any edges from Hauritz

My predictions:

- I reckon Swann will have an average series overall wise, but he will pick up a bag of wickets at certain times, hopefully it all comes in vain, but I doubt we would get on top of him forever.

- Punter will get at-least 3 tons this series and it will be the start of another purple patch for him.

- Watson will look great all series, but won't have the scores to back it up with.

- Katich will score at-least 2 tons this series, but they will all come in the 1st innings and he will average about 40.

- Hussey will continue to be dire, however he will produce at least 1 match winning knock.

- Hauritz (if he plays) will be **** (if the series against SA is anything to go by)

- North will fail for the first 2 Tests and will be dropped (but will return just after as his replacement will get injured in their 1st match)

- Clarke will play the patience game outside off-stump, get sucked in a few times but will also get many 70s/80s.

- Hilfenhaus and Johnson will get the most wickets this series.

- Bollinger will bowl with a lot of heart but his length will be inconsistent and will have an average series.

- KP will play at-least a couple of innings of note, but will struggle getting out in the strangest of ways.

- Collingwood will make 1 big hundred, but will fail rest of series, consequently being called Hilfy's bunny.

- Strauss will feast on our short and wide bowling on many occasions and will have a good series, but still won't play any significant innings (kinda like Watson).

- Cook will fail at the start of the series but will get a 100 later on and show his mental toughness, will still have an average series though.

- Finn will bowl terribly and the crowd will treat him like Harmison of 06/07. He will still pick up some wickets though, but will mostly be due to stupid batting mistakes.

- Broad will be the leader of attack and will bowl pretty decently and economically. However he will end up close to the least wicket of the series and will pose no threat.

- Anderson (if he plays) will enjoy some of the green wickets CA will produce and will be tough to handle with the new ball on those green pitches. Which will in the end justify him for the other Test matches with not so green wickets, where he will get carted

- Prior will be a dud.

- Haddin/Paine will also be duds, however they will prove to be good pinch hitters when Aus has a decent total.

Time to save this quote for later and see how many humble pies I will eat after we regain the Ashes

Barring one or two comments all what you have said is what has happened in the last 12/18 months, so nothing too outrageous in this tbf.

 

[social]

If the weather forecasts leading up to the first test in Brisbane are accurate (basically rain), then I'll name a bolter

Andrew McDonald is an outstanding fc cricketer (Andrew McDonald | Australia Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | Cricinfo.com), a "winner" at every level of the game, criminally underrated and, most importantly, Oz's attack has looked totally bereft of containment options since they prematurely punted him and are far the worse for it.

Plus, he's started converting starts into hundreds

He's unlikely to win you too many matches but I doubt he'll lose you any and the same cant be said for others

 

[Marcuss]

Would love to see McDonald play, am a big fan.

What role would you have him playing though social? I mean, he's an ok 6, a good number 7 and an awesome number 8 with the bat. And then with the ball he's a commendable first change bowler or an excellent 4th seamer. Obviously the 4th seamer role is currently occupied by Watson, so he'd have to bowl first change really.... could punt Hauritz I guess.
Bollinger, Hilfenhaus, Johnson, McDonald, Watson. Probably overkill.
The masses are calling for Smith for North... but then that makes Watson's bowling redundant. Not maximising resources or whatever

 

[Woodster]

If the weather forecasts leading up to the first test in Brisbane are accurate (basically rain), then I'll name a bolter

Andrew McDonald is an outstanding fc cricketer (Andrew McDonald | Australia Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | Cricinfo.com), a "winner" at every level of the game, criminally underrated and, most importantly, Oz's attack has looked totally bereft of containment options since they prematurely punted him and are far the worse for it.

Plus, he's started converting starts into hundreds

He's unlikely to win you too many matches but I doubt he'll lose you any and the same cant be said for others

I agree that containment options are crucial to give a side control. He would most probably benefit from having more of a cutting edge, but he would give Punter some control, which is lacking right now.

My concern, from an Aussie point of view, is whether he is good enough in either discipline to warrant a place. For example, it's unlikely he'd bat in the top six, but you wouldn't use him as a specialist bowler either.

 

[aussie]

If the weather forecasts leading up to the first test in Brisbane are accurate (basically rain), then I'll name a bolter

Andrew McDonald is an outstanding fc cricketer (Andrew McDonald | Australia Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | Cricinfo.com), a "winner" at every level of the game, criminally underrated and, most importantly, Oz's attack has looked totally bereft of containment options since they prematurely punted him and are far the worse for it.

Plus, he's started converting starts into hundreds

He's unlikely to win you too many matches but I doubt he'll lose you any and the same cant be said for others

Capetown 09. Tells us that top quality batsmen would not have any problem negotiating McDonald. They should have issue hitting him of his lenght. If ENG bat properly they shouldn't have an issue with him.

Ryan Harris if fit in time, would provide a fairly similar contating quick bowling option. Along with a MUCH bigger wicket-taking threat.

McDonald is not a test cricketer for AUS standards. He might fit in well with NZ or WI however.

 

[aussie]

I agree that containment options are crucial to give a side control. He would most probably benefit from having more of a cutting edge, but he would give Punter some control, which is lacking right now.

My concern, from an Aussie point of view, is whether he is good enough in either discipline to warrant a place. For example, it's unlikely he'd bat in the top six, but you wouldn't use him as a specialist bowler either.

Thats the concern & his problem with picking him. He shouldn't be anywhere near the AUS test side.

 

[Woodster]

Capetown 09. Tells us that top quality batsmen would not have any problem negotiating McDonald. They should have issue hitting him of his lenght. If ENG bat properly they shouldn't have an issue with him.

Ryan Harris if fit in time, would provide a fairly similar contating quick bowling option. Along with a MUCH bigger wicket-taking threat.

McDonald is not a test cricketer for AUS standards. He might fit in well with NZ or WI however.

I agree, think he could be most effective at a lesser nation, a competent batsman as an economical bowling option. Surely not an Aussie Test player, especially in home conditions.

 

[social]

4th seamer and bats 7

Problem for Oz in the "backup" bowling department is that you know within an over whether Watson is fit and it's 50/50 who turns up - in India he was crocked and an all-rounder in name only

"If" the weather forecast in Brisbane is correct, then forget about our "spinners" - wicket wont suit Hauritz (couldnt buy a wicket for Queensland) and Smith doesnt justify a place on his bowling ability alone

It looks as though the selectors will stick with North so let him bowl a few hand-grenades or pick a better batsman

 

[aussie]

I agree, think he could be most effective at a lesser nation, a competent batsman as an economical bowling option. Surely not an Aussie Test player, especially in home conditions.

Ye AUS & the world used to laugh @ us in the 90s for the amout of bits of pieces joke county allr-ounders in tests like David Capel, Chris Lewis, Ealham, Watkinson, young Flintoff, Irani, Hollioake (although McDonald is slightly better than most of them). AUS dont to need to bring themselves down to that level, especially with so much better options around.

 

[social]

Capetown 09. Tells us that top quality batsmen would not have any problem negotiating McDonald. They should have issue hitting him of his lenght. If ENG bat properly they shouldn't have an issue with him.

Ryan Harris if fit in time, would provide a fairly similar contating quick bowling option. Along with a MUCH bigger wicket-taking threat.

McDonald is not a test cricketer for AUS standards. He might fit in well with NZ or WI however.

Scored 68

Contributed every match he played for Oz

 

[Woodster]

Ye AUS & the world used to laugh @ us in the 90s for the amout of bits of pieces joke county allr-ounders in tests like David Capel, Chris Lewis, Ealham, Watkinson, young Flintoff, Irani, Hollioake (although McDonald is slightly better than most of them). AUS dont to need to bring themselves down to that level, especially with so much better options around.

We were as obsessed with finding a new Botham as the Aussies were with finding an Andrew Flintoff. Fact is these players are very rare, and so a player must have a discipline that is good enough to hold their place down in the side. Unfortunately a player like McDonald, imo, is not quite good enough in either.

 

[social]

Ye AUS & the world used to laugh @ us in the 90s for the amout of bits of pieces joke county allr-ounders in tests like David Capel, Chris Lewis, Ealham, Watkinson, young Flintoff, Irani, Hollioake (although McDonald is slightly better than most of them). AUS dont to need to bring themselves down to that level, especially with so much better options around.

Dont embarrass yourself by comparing him to those hacks - Oz won 3/4 test matches with him in the side and he'd bring much needed consistency

 

[social]

We were as obsessed with finding a new Botham as the Aussies were with finding an Andrew Flintoff. Fact is these players are very rare, and so a player must have a discipline that is good enough to hold their place down in the side. Unfortunately a player like McDonald, imo, is not quite good enough in either.

So let's play North, who averages a whole 3 runs more at fc level with the bat and is a part-time bowler

Give me a break!

 

[aussie]

4th seamer and bats 7

Problem for Oz in the "backup" bowling department is that you know within an over whether Watson is fit and it's 50/50 who turns up - in India he was crocked and an all-rounder in name only

"If" the weather forecast in Brisbane is correct, then forget about our "spinners" - wicket wont suit Hauritz (couldnt buy a wicket for Queensland) and Smith doesnt justify a place on his bowling ability alone

It looks as though the selectors will stick with North so let him bowl a few hand-grenades or pick a better batsman

Where would the keeper bat if McDonald plays @ # 7?.

I was about to talk about Watson as well. Since he got that injury before the 1st test vs NZ earlier this year, his bowling in all formats has this lazy look to it.

Yea he took those two 5 for vs PAK in ENG. But PAKs batting was so poor at times, you really can't judge that well TBH. He certainly this year especially in tests, hasn't looked the same with the ball as he was during the last AUS summer.

I presume its injury. But their sorta of lies the danger of relying of Watson as the 4th seamer as part of a 5-man pace attack, especially with no effective spinner. The risk of him either breaking down with the ball or being off colour due to injury would affect the balance of the bowling attack. This is why AUS should emply an 4 front line quicks as i've been saying since end of the 2008 tour to the windies.

If that weather conditions in Brisbane is right, then indeed dont think of spinners. But TBF even if Brisbane conditions wasn't going to be that. I would always have advocated if in any of the Ashes test, Brisbane was the ground where 4 quicks certainly had to play. The rest of the venues you would have to consider having a spinner though (although i would back the 4 quicks to continue throughout).