Changes for the next test

[MADDOG3]

I reckon you could do worse than pick McDonald. He certainly wouldn't be my first choice, but he can't be any worse than Cameron Shite.

If it was me I'd try sneak Hughes or Klinger in there.

[whufc]

My 3rd test team if i was a selector.

1. Simon Katich
2. Matthew Hayden
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Michael Hussey
5. Michael Clarke
6. Marcus North
7. Brad Haddin
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Jason Krezja
10. Ben Hilfenhaus
11. Peter Siddle

Reasoning- I would give Hayden one more chance especially with two players in my team debuting he would still add some experience to a young side.

Jason Krejza- comes in his bowling is more attacking than Hauritz and he definatley can hold an end up with the bat. I don't believe at this current time there is a spin bowler in the country who could take a 5 for, So Krejza batting will make up for what he will cost with his bowling.

Ben Hilfanhaus- Give the guy the new cherry and let him swing the thing with attacking fields. He adds some variety to the Australian attack. I would open him up with Johnson and try to take some early wickets. His ability to swing the 2nd new ball would also be very valuable.

Marcus North- has been consistenly hitting runs at Shield level for years, but what i really like is his ability to bowl part time spin, between North, Katich, Clarke we have the second spinner covered and North in my opinion would be a better test bat than a one legged Symonds.

[am Bays]

Hasn't North got personal issues he is dealing with, went home from Victoria before the mcDonalds CUp match after playing teh shield game before Xmas. I too thought about him before I named my side but discounted him because he has "issues".

Despite being happy with the selection of McDonald i would have been happier to got with six genuine batsmen rather than five bats and an alrounder. North would have been a better bet than Klinger, Hussey, Marsh or Hughes IMO

[Adelaide Hawk]

How bad are we travelling when McDonald can get a baggy green? Time to end this all-rounder BS and get back to picking 6 batsmen.

Unfortunately Australia is struggling with the bat and ball.
No point loading up the batting if you can't bowl teams out.
The selectors have gone each way to cover over the cracks (more like a grand canyon) of the underperformers.

People have been getting into the bowlers for losing 2 Tests, but the batsmen were probably more to blame. Sure, you need 20 wickets to win a Test, but had the Aussie batting made the 450-500+ they SHOULD have made in the first two Tests, Australia wouldn't have lost. May not have won, but wouldn't have lost.

I can't see McDonald being any more successful at Test level than that Tassie all-rounder who played a few years back .. can't remember his name at the moment.

Edit: Shaun Young

Hayden and Hussey are very lucky they aren't bowlers.

[catchisthecry]

I guess with bowlers it's easier to see when they are bowling poorly.
Watching Brett Lee over the last few matches and Peter Siddle (except for one spell) has been painful at times.
With Hussey - hit on the head, BANG, gone given out caught, it's easier to argue the form isn't as bad, or runs are just around the corner...

[Adelaide Hawk]

I guess with bowlers it's easier to see when they are bowling poorly.
Watching Brett Lee over the last few matches and Peter Siddle (except for one spell) has been painful at times.
With Hussey - hit on the head, BANG, gone given out caught, it's easier to argue the form isn't as bad, or runs are just around the corner...

That is true, but I rarely hear people argue that when a batsman is having a bad day, he doesn't have to stay out there all day while bowlers keep getting him out. When a bowler has a tough day, there's no escaping it, they just get mauled all day long. It's a batsman's game, there's no doubting it.

[catchisthecry]

Oh God imagine that!!
I've been so bad at times this year, I've wanted to kick over my own stumps!!

[Baron Greenback]

If I were selecting -
IN: Hilfenhaus, Bracken, Hughes, D Hussey
OUT: Lee, Symonds, Hayden, Clarke
I think Clarke will develop but he is too brittle at present, and I think we should rotate it around a bit and build up the experience of the squad, rather than keep using the same guys, fit or not, and having no experienced reserves.

What a call!

[Psyber]

If I were selecting -
IN: Hilfenhaus, Bracken, Hughes, D Hussey
OUT: Lee, Symonds, Hayden, Clarke
I think Clarke will develop but he is too brittle at present, and I think we should rotate it around a bit and build up the experience of the squad, rather than keep using the same guys, fit or not, and having no experienced reserves.

What a call!

Yes, I admit he appears has proved me wrong this time and really concentrated.
[Mind you it is about time somebody other than Ponting and the tail-enders did.]
Somebody else provided statistics to demonstrate, and I conceded on seeing them, that my perceptions of Clarke were shaped by only seeing his second innings efforts on TV, and not his first innings.
I wonder whether he maintains better focus in first innings for some reason. We'll see how he goes in the second this time.