Ashes 2010

[David]

England 2/62
Two-Metre Peter has 2/16 off 8.
Nice impression for the selectors.

[Scotty]

3/18 from 9 overs now

[Russ]

watching Peter George bowl tilts me. he bowls round arm, if he stood up in his delivery he'd be an even better bowler.

[bennymacca]

3/18 from 9 overs now

4/99

george bowling well

[Scotty]

England have regained the momentum since then - although just as I type this, Collingwood is caught in gully for 94

5/226

[Scotty]

So Australia have named an extended 17-man squad for the opening test at the Gabba - who would everyone actually like to see as the starting 11 (or 12)? Feel free to list player(s) that didn't make the ridiculously long extended squad.

Squad: R Ponting (capt), M Clarke (vice-capt), D Bollinger, X Doherty, C Ferguson, B Haddin, R Harris, N Hauritz, M Hussey, B Hilfenhaus, M Johnson, S Katich, U Khawaja, M North, P Siddle, S Smith, S Watson.

[rcon]

Is it just me or does naming a 17 man squad smack of indecision? it speaks volumes of the incompetence/arrogance of previous selection efforts.

I still remember hearing CEO of ACB back in late 2000 lamenting the lack of succession/transition planning the WI did as they lost all their greats and how that would never happen with Australia. Even Dizzy in 2004? when they started to discuss the idea of a rotation system for test players saying how that would never fly. Looks very much now like the selectors lacked the courage to blood young players with our greats to give them a taste of a winning culture. Now they have to rebuild without those pillars of the game around them. We might not fall as far as the WI, but wow, we have mangled the transition.

As for the team, I think dropping Johnson would be a good start and Hussey/Clarke have to perform pretty quickly. Tough tho, its not during the Ashes you want to be experimenting. Johnson does not appear to take the game seriously, boot him for year and let him develop some desire.

Tuesday rant over.

[maccatak11]

as much as the selectors want to appear as though they are looking toward the future by naming such a big squad, the actuall test team will be same old same old im afraid.

This will be the team. In brackets is who i think should be there instead.

Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey (Ferg)
North (deserves one more chance i think, otherwise kawahja)
Haddin
Hauritz (Smith)
Johnson (Bollinger)
Siddle
Hilfenhouse


It actually pains me to say it, but i think kawahja and steve smith are knocking down the door in terms of deserving a spot in this team (even though they are from NSW). But these guys are actually talented, not like the overated hacks that are moises henriques, phil hughes and steven o'keefe who have all been in and around national squads recently. (And odnt even get me started on the farce that is John Hastings being selected above Dan Christian for the recent Twenty20 and one day games).

[Russ]

we need Colin Miller back.

[maccatak11]

And simon cook, and scott muller, and dan cullen (are we just making a list now of the worst test players of all time lol) Although i do like funky miller.