*Official* Road to the 2010/11 Ashes

[aussie]

Funny because when I've seen him he's look completely at sea as soon as the ball gets off straight.

Watching a different Johnson with the bat then. All i can tell you is be prepared for Johnson to contribute fairly significantly in a few innings with the bat in the Ashes.

 

[Marcuss]

DEAR GOD. You cannot be serious. If this is how you view the threat Hilfenhaus brings with the ball & comparing that to what McDonald can do with the ball againts international batsmen??.

I wonder what you then think about Anderson's threat?. At least Hilfenhaus can bowl well on flat pitches. Anderos has yet to prove he can bowl well when the sun comes out. Plus of course Hilfenhaus outbowled Anderson in Ashes 09, so i dont what madness your are talking about there.

What I'm talking about is results... how effective has Hilf been on flat decks? He did well in England... when conditions were decent, he feasted on a weak West Indies side and he demolished a pathetic Pakistan side in perfect swing bowling conditions. In the two tough series in challenging conditions he's played in... he's averaged 52 and 44.

What I'm talking about is results, it's not like Hilfenhaus has had 12 sitters dropped off his bowling. He just not got batsmen out on good decks, like you're pretending he has.

Presuming you didn't see a great deal of the Indian series, but despite conditions being against Hilf's preference, he looked the only one capable of getting the breakthrough. He has the control to not just bowl tightly, but work to a plan accurately and effectively. He may not yet have reaped the rewards in terms of wickets, but he earns wickets for bowlers at the other end, should they bowl with equal discipline, and his own personal rewards are surely imminent. Just hopefully not during the Ashes.

Key phrase that.

 

[aussie]

Been called many things but never smart!!

Ha well compared to what i've been reading here in the last few pages. Its good to see someone else basically saying what i'm saying. At times arguing on CW can be like a lonely walk on a deserted road.

 

[Marcuss]

Watching a different Johnson with the bat then. All i can tell you is be prepared for Johnson to contribute fairly significantly in a few innings with the bat in the Ashes.

I am. Johnson does have the potential to smack a quick score, and I am wary of that. But to pretend that his woeful batting of the last 16 months just hasn't happened is stupid.

 

[BoyBrumby]

What I'm talking about is results... how effective has Hilf been on flat decks? He did well in England... when conditions were decent, he feasted on a weak West Indies side and he demolished a pathetic Pakistan side in perfect swing bowling conditions. In the two tough series in challenging conditions he's played in... he's averaged 52 and 44.

What I'm talking about is results, it's not like Hilfenhaus has had 12 sitters dropped off his bowling. He just not got batsmen out on good decks, like you're pretending he has.

Hilfenhaus was Australia's best bowler in India hands down, regardless of what the stats say. Kept it tight and was cripplingly unlucky.

 

[Woodster]

Watching a different Johnson with the bat then. All i can tell you is be prepared for Johnson to contribute fairly significantly in a few innings with the bat in the Ashes.

That is my absolute worry. Can see him climbing into us in a couple of innings, just hoping we are are in a solid position when it does happen.

Ha well compared to what i've been reading here in the last few pages. Its good to see someone else basically saying what i'm saying. At times arguing on CW can be like a lonely walk on a deserted road.

Think we've all been there on occasions!

 

[Woodster]

What I'm talking about is results, it's not like Hilfenhaus has had 12 sitters dropped off his bowling. He just not got batsmen out on good decks, like you're pretending he has.

Pretty sure he removed Sehwag three times on flat decks recently!

 

[aussie]

What I'm talking about is results... how effective has Hilf been on flat decks? He did well in England... when conditions were decent, he feasted on a weak West Indies side and he demolished a pathetic Pakistan side in perfect swing bowling conditions. In the two tough series in challenging conditions he's played in... he's averaged 52 and 44.

What I'm talking about is results, it's not like Hilfenhaus has had 12 sitters dropped off his bowling. He just not got batsmen out on good decks, like you're pretending he has.

Ok this is crazy.

Firslty i am convinced you didn't watch the recent series in India. Since it was clear to all those who saw Hilfenhaus bowl that he was superb. That 44 series average does not reflect how well he bowled.

I am also convinced you didn't watch his debut series in SA. Since again it was clear he bowled better than his series average. It is always fairly ludicrous as basis to critique him, given not many players have fantastic debut series. How many players have fantastic debut series???. Most people after that SA series expected Hilfy to be do well in ENG - which he eventually was.

The most you can say about him, is he hasn't taken any big wicket hauls to date for his efforts. But clearly he has been very solid & has improved in every test he has played.

Overall your judgement on Hilfenhaus is terribly unreasonable. I dont understand how anyone who has seen him bowl in all his test to date like i have, would not be completely impressed by all his efforts to date.

 

[robelinda]

Teams can win series carrying weak links in a side like McDonald was in all of test he played for AUS. Perfect example of this was the 2001 Ashes, with AUS basically carrying Brett Lee throughout that series when the better option in Damien Fleming should have been picked.

God that annoyed me, havent met many people who share that view!! Fleming was in great form but SRW just loved Lee. And gosh did Lee bowled like crap.

 

[Marcuss]

I saw the South Africa series and only saw highlights of most of the India series.
But let's just say, I'll be ecstatic if Hilfenhaus looks a million dollars this Ashes and carries on averaging 50 on flat decks.


Which qualifies as bowling well apparently.

 

[aussie]

I am. Johnson does have the potential to smack a quick score, and I am wary of that. But to pretend that his woeful batting of the last 16 months just hasn't happened is stupid.

Where have i prented that his batting form has not been woeful in the last 16 months?.

I thought i was quite clear when i said i acknowledged his woeful form. But given most of dismissals was down to dumb/overly aggressive shots instead of him looking/being technically exposed, thus resulting in him being dismissed one way all time time. For eg how England in Ashes 05 exposed Hayden technically & kept getting him out to planned dismissals.

That given that wasn't the case. I expect him to bring more consistently to his batting once he focuses more.

Is that clear now sir Marcus??????

 

[Woodster]

I saw the South Africa series and only saw highlights of most of the India series.
But let's just say, I'll be ecstatic if Hilfenhaus looks a million dollars this Ashes and carries on averaging 50 on flat decks.


Which qualifies as bowling well apparently.

There's a pretty good chance he'll bowl worse than he has of late, and pick up more wickets at a better average, and you'll be singing his praises, That's cricket!

 

[Marcuss]

That's poor clarification on my part, by his poor form I was also alluding to the fact he has been hugely susceptible against the bowling that deviates from straight. Although he hasn't been worked out, in a manner where he gets out in the same manner again and again... he's just been proper bad at batting.

 

[Marcuss]

There's a pretty good chance he'll bowl worse than he has of late, and pick up more wickets at a better average, and you'll be singing his praises, That's cricket!

Like all the Johnson fans on CW?

 

[King Pietersen]

After all this talk, it's guaranteed Johnson will be leading wicket-taker and chip in with some very useful runs on more than one ocassion.

 

[Woodster]

Like all the Johnson fans on CW?

? Sorry mate don't follow.

 

[Marcuss]

? Sorry mate don't follow.

Championing a bowler who takes wickets with pies.

 

[Woodster]

Championing a bowler who takes wickets with pies.

Mmmhhh. Suppose time will tell.

 

[NUFAN]

FFS, I wrote a long (for me) post just now and it didn't work. arrgghhhh.

Basically I think McDonald would be a decent selection at the GABBA, he's way more suited to bowling there compared to Hauritz. My slight concern with Andrew is that in the conditions that suit his bowling, his batting will struggle more and vice versa. He is in good form though it appears since he made 163 in his only first class innings this summer!

Whenever I see teams with Khawaja and Harris or Siddle I get excited! Khawaja is a must IMO and I just think that Harris or Siddle in our pace attack is a great addition as I just don't think the balance is correct with Hilfenhaus, Johnson and Bollinger at the moment.

I know Harris isn't back yet and Siddle is only just back from injury and looks to be being monitored closely by Victoria, but we still have about a month before the first test starts.

My 12 for the first Test at the GABBA would be:
Katich, Watson, Ponting, Clarke, Khawaja, Hussey, Haddin, Johnson, Hilfenhaus, Siddle/Harris, Bollinger, McDonald.

If McDonald is 12th man, the tail starts a little early, but really lets hope the batsman make the big scores and the bowlers are the ones taking the wickets, surely that's not too big an ask.

 

[GotSpin]

Hilfenhaus was Australia's best bowler in India hands down, regardless of what the stats say. Kept it tight and was cripplingly unlucky.

This. Wickets will follow soon if he continues to bowl like he did in India