SA Footy

Stuey McGill's knee is gone and he has to have surgery, ruling him out for the India test series. Step up Georgey boy. Sorry Stuey, but this season you are the weakest link....GOODBYE.

regards,

REB

And that most likely will be it for Stuey...

Sad state of affairs when two 36 year olds are fighting for the one spot...
Where is the YOUTH? Wouldn't Australia be better in giving a young kid a crack
and taking a chance...

Dan Cullen

silicone skyline wrote:Dan Cullen

Adcock's bowling better, and that's saying something!

SJABC wrote:Sad state of affairs when two 36 year olds are fighting for the one spot...
Where is the YOUTH? Wouldn't Australia be better in giving a young kid a crack
and taking a chance...

I would've thought Australia would be best off picking the best available side myself.

rod_rooster wrote:

SJABC wrote:Sad state of affairs when two 36 year olds are fighting for the one spot...
Where is the YOUTH? Wouldn't Australia be better in giving a young kid a crack
and taking a chance...

I would've thought Australia would be best off picking the best available side myself.

Flipping through the 'Tiser today, our best side is four quicks.
So is that Lee, Clark, Johnson and...
a) Tait
b) Hilfy
c) Bracken
d) Watson

???

Cullen is:

1. Reasonably young
2. Is spinning the ball further this year
3. Has played international level before
4. Has potential

Look at the Aus contracted list ATM, he or Cullen Bailey are the only two with age on their side.
And Cameron White's straight-breaks are hardly lethal.

silicone skyline wrote:Cullen is:

1. Reasonably young
2. Is spinning the ball further this year
3. Has played international level before
4. Has potential

Look at the Aus contracted list ATM, he or Cullen Bailey are the only two with age on their side.
And Cameron White's straight-breaks are hardly lethal.

Cameron White has a broken foot anyway so even if he could bowl (which he can't) then he is not an option. The best available spinner is Hogg so if a spinner is to be picked it should be him. The best side is 4 quicks though.

What was the situation when Warne was called into the Australian side. From memory (I was young!), he hardly set the world alight in the Shield, and his first few tests where a shambles. They persevered and it paid off...

SJABC wrote:What was the situation when Warne was called into the Australian side. From memory (I was young!), he hardly set the world alight in the Shield, and his first few tests where a shambles. They persevered and it paid off...

They took a risk with Warne as there wasn't really a better alternative. Greg Matthews was around at the time but he was also contributing well with the bat. Currently (presuming MacGill is out) Hogg is clearly the next best spin bowler in the country. Cullen (unlike Warne) has been around the first class scene fo a while now and the selectors know what they are getting if they pick him. With Warne it was a risk that had the potential to pay off with Cullen it's a much different story as he simply hasn't developed (as yet) the way many had hoped and thought he would despite being given every oppourtunity to do so.

If you're good enough you're young enough. Hogg should have been selected in the Sri Lankan series. Magill was nowhere near it before and during the Lankan series.

Cullen MAY have more of a future but right now Hogg is bowling better and deserves a shot. As rod said, you pick the best available side. No variation turns us into South Africa.

regards,

REB

They really struggled against new zealand, so that's a fair point.
Even on a seemer's paradise, NZ still managed 250 odd, and were rolled on the last ball.
Johan Botha is their best, and we have better spinners than him.

Rik E Boy wrote:If you're good enough you're young enough. Hogg should have been selected in the Sri Lankan series. Magill was nowhere near it before and during the Lankan series.

Cullen MAY have more of a future but right now Hogg is bowling better and deserves a shot. As rod said, you pick the best available side. No variation turns us into South Africa.

regards,

REB

LMAO - Hogg won't play, even if MacGill doesn't get up. The selectors will go with 4 quicks as the MCG are using a drop-in pitch - far more suited to the seamers. The argument should really be who the 4th quick will be.

blink wrote:

Rik E Boy wrote:If you're good enough you're young enough. Hogg should have been selected in the Sri Lankan series. Magill was nowhere near it before and during the Lankan series.

Cullen MAY have more of a future but right now Hogg is bowling better and deserves a shot. As rod said, you pick the best available side. No variation turns us into South Africa.

regards,

REB

LMAO - Hogg won't play, even if MacGill doesn't get up. The selectors will go with 4 quicks as the MCG are using a drop-in pitch - far more suited to the seamers. The argument should really be who the 4th quick will be.

An argument that I started above, and which was duly ignored.

No not ignored, simply not agreed with so you know what you can do with this thing (sorry mate, hate that friggin icon).

So the fourth best quick is better than the best available spinner? Did you see how Hogg bowled against the Indians in the recent (admittedly one day) series? Many of their batsmen did not pick him.

Four quicks equals a draw my friends.

regards,

REB

agreed, nothing worse than a one-dimensional attack.
Once you're in, it fast becomes more of the same.
Why McGrath and Warne teamed up so well.

sasquatch wrote:

blink wrote:

Rik E Boy wrote:If you're good enough you're young enough. Hogg should have been selected in the Sri Lankan series. Magill was nowhere near it before and during the Lankan series.

Cullen MAY have more of a future but right now Hogg is bowling better and deserves a shot. As rod said, you pick the best available side. No variation turns us into South Africa.

regards,

REB

LMAO - Hogg won't play, even if MacGill doesn't get up. The selectors will go with 4 quicks as the MCG are using a drop-in pitch - far more suited to the seamers. The argument should really be who the 4th quick will be.

An argument that I started above, and which was duly ignored.

I did mention the best option was to go with 4 quicks after your post

REB does make a valid point about variety but i reckon if they go with Tait as the 4th quick all the fast bowlers bowl very differently as opposed to some of the 4 proged attacks that consist of 4 military mediums who all bowl the same lines and lengths.

I do tend to agree with REB regarding that the spinner gives the team more dimension and variation - I also think Hogg is the man for this. BUT, if the conditions are less suited to spin, we should go for the 4 quicks and this is what I think will happen at the MCG and the WACA.

As for Adelaide and SCG tests, the selectors may look at things differently.

blink wrote:I do tend to agree with REB regarding that the spinner gives the team more dimension and variation - I also think Hogg is the man for this. BUT, if the conditions are less suited to spin, we should go for the 4 quicks and this is what I think will happen at the MCG and the WACA.

As for Adelaide and SCG tests, the selectors may look at things differently.

Well said..Four quicks, Tait, Clark, Johnson & Lee, plus Clarke & Symonds to bowl spin when required...