Cricket 2014/15

[jimandr]

Hmm, same old story on a slow turner.

They make it look like a piece of cake with the bat, and we struggle on the same wicket. A couple of bats look good but don't go on, and Mitch Johnson looks as good as anybody.

I don't have an answer though. It looks like we'll just have to put up with it for a while when we go overseas, then come good on our home pitches (I hope).

[coalesce]

If it's any consolation that's exactly what happen to us poms. It was the beginning of the end of that team...

[Wardy101]

Great win by the warriors in matador cup this afternoon

[TheNuclearOne]

If it's any consolation that's exactly what happen to us poms. It was the beginning of the end of that team...

You guys actually pumped India in India at the end of 2012. Your spinners matched if not surpassed theirs and your batting held together by Cook with a couple of brilliant cameo's was good enough to get you home. Anderson had a good spell or two of swing too. It was a sensational series win abroad. We have to look back to the days of Hayden and co for some joy.

[coalesce]

Then we went to the UAE and got served

[TheNuclearOne]

Then we went to the UAE and got served

Then you went to NZ for 3 draws before we came over to England.

[coalesce]

Then you went to NZ for 3 draws before we came over to England.

Like I said, beginning of the end

We only beat you guys at home because you were an even bigger shambles than us before Lehmann took over. Oh and Ian Bell.

[LarryLong]

Doolan and SOK dropped from the test side, ins are Starc and....

Maxwell.

Seriously, WTF?

I hope he proves me wrong, but I have no faith in selecting a guy on X factor, and even less faith in a test side with two all-rounders who couldn't command a spot on one discipline alone.

Pakistan batting first.

[coalesce]

If Maxwell bats at 3 the world's gone mad

[backintheswing]

Surely Steve Smith would go to 3? Maxwell at 5 I would think.

[Sydney Hacker]

Surely Steve Smith would go to 3? Maxwell at 5 I would think.

How does Clarke keep avoiding the responsibility of going up the order?

[backintheswing]

The 'C' beside his name is his ticket to self preservation.

[TheNuclearOne]

If Maxwell bats at 3 the world's gone mad

Smith is at 3.

[coalesce]

There was a story on ABC news this afternoon saying it would be Maxwell. Smith is a much better choice on the subcontinent. I wouldn't put Clarke there with no form

[Wardy101]

The 'C' beside his name is his ticket to self preservation.

surely that will only last so long. Was very disappointing last test given he is historically such a great player of spin

[TheNuclearOne]

Injuries, lack of match fitness, lack of match practise and all the rest of it have decimated Clarkes form in recent history.

It must have been a difficult decision to drop Doolan when we are one Test away from being back out here against India. Conditions are a world away from what we will have in Australia and they had earmarked him for a position in which are grossly short of talent. He just got so damn bogged down against the spinners and it was hard to see how he could change it. Maxwell would be mostly picked in the hope he can bat aggressively against their tweakers and knock them off their stride. Should be interesting.

Smith to 3 is very interesting and i wonder if it is a bit of a dabble toward a more long term outcome down the track. He has been a very important batting cog for a while now batting down the order and is still improving. I hope the move, whether short term or long term works to his benefit.

[jimandr]

I don't like this side. The batting is a weakness, so we weaken it further. It is just as well all our bowlers can bat.

I can't see anyone but Smith batting at three, but I don't like him there. He has only recently established himself at 5, and two failures may dent his confidence. Clarke is still our number one bat despite his recent form, so you don't want to put him under more pressure than he is already under, so I leave him at 4.

This will make either Marsh or Maxwell the least credentialed number 5 in recent history, unless Haddin moves up (and he's out of form as well).

I reckon it might all be a conspiracy to get Watson back in the team. Eliminate all his competitors, then he strolls back in against a popgun attack on good wickets.

However, if the pitch keep playing as it is doing it might not matter. It looks pretty easy at the moment, but that might just be their good batting. Younus looks very hard to dismiss.

[coalesce]

Pick Phil Hughes!!

[Jarro]

Pick Phil Hughes!!

Pick Usman !!

Pity he's injured

[backintheswing]

Pick Joe Burns

[jimandr]

Pick Phil Hughes!!

If they were dropping Doolan, I can't believe they didn't. Why did he tour at all if you are picking part time allrounders instead of him.

They pick 3 quicks, and leave Mitch Marsh in the team. Why? Surely Marsh is only there to give quicks a spell when they need one under a two pace/two spin scenario.

It makes no sense.

Already, we will need tons from Warner and Clarke, and maybe one other, just to save the game.

[markTHEblake]

8 Bowlers used by Tea (or thereabouts) on the first day of a test match. Gotta be a record!
If you cant trust your main bowlers that early in the game, might us well surrender.

[Sydney Hacker]

Pick Usman !!Pity he's injured

Usman is the worst player of spin out of the lot of them!

[LarryLong]

Looks like we're just a little screwed. What's Maxwell like at batting for a draw?

[TheNuclearOne]

What are any of our bats like at playing for a draw. I'm trying to remember any notable rearguard actions from us to save a Test in recent history and things are pretty blank. We've been particlularly woeful batting many overs during the second innings in the subcontinent.