Tait Selected, Dizzy Shafted

[Kevin]

Title says it all.

The selectors are adopting a youth policy in selecting Shaun (23). Erm, and Marto (34) & Kasper (34).

[stan]

heres the squad:

Australian Test Squad STATE AGE MATCHES

Ricky Ponting (captain) TAS 31 100
Adam Gilchrist (VC) WA 34 80
Stuart Clark NSW 30 0
Michael Clarke NSW 24 20
Matthew Hayden QLD 34 79
Michael Hussey WA 30 6
Michael Kasprowicz QLD 34 35
Justin Langer WA 35 97
Brett Lee NSW 29 49
Stuart MacGill NSW 35 38
Damien Martyn WA 34 61
Andrew Symonds QLD 30 7
Shaun Tait SA 23 2
Shane Warne VIC 36 135

[Jimmy]

im happy for taity, just hope he gets the start ahead of kaper....he should tho...

no hodge hey??? thats a huge turn up after his 200...

whats a likely starting XI then?

mine would be

haydos
langer
punter
marto (id rather hodge)
M. clarke (he is shit, id rather cosgrove)
hussey
gilly
warne
lee
macgill (kasper)
tait

[am Bays]

Got to say that in the last 12-18 months (particularly since the ASHES) the selections have been a little more harder to fathom!!! Compared to when the team virtually picked itself.

No real problem with the Gillespie v Kasper selection as it was obviously a bowl off and Kasper has done the business like Gillespie this year. Fair rap for McGrath though as two blokes have to replace him Clark (his up and down metronome style) and KAsper (his experience)

Martyn though is damn lucky as his runs compared to Hodge aren't that different plus his age is a factor too given no real difference in their cricket performance this year (Hodge's 300 + test runs an obvious exception!!). Going off over here in Victoria over his ommission.

Clarke is quality both player and a bloke and deserves a chance again given that he has made virtually more runs at domestic level this year than anyone else in half the hits.

Interesting side the proof will be in the pudding me-thinks!!

[Booney]

Great to see Taity back.
If it was Gillespie and Kasprowicz vying for one spot,how the hell can they possibly keep Stuart Clark over there and leave one of the other two at home? He is 30,yet to play a test,boring,predictable and has hardly impressed with his one-day form. I really am at a loss to explain his inclusion.
Michael Clarke had to come back into the team,giving him a chance to settle back in,my thought is,why drop him for a home series,where the pitches he would have played on would have been familiar,but then take him off to play in a place hes never been to and anticipate good results?
Damien Martyn has been lucky aswell,but,to be honest he was unlucky to be disposed of so early in the first place,I have always felt he should be in our test team.His recent form in the Sheild were not outstanding and he has dropped off in the one-dayers.Selectors clearly looking for some "old" heads for this series.

[blink]

I strongly disagree with the selection of Martyn at number 4. Hohns has said Hodge has been dropped because his performances in the Pura Cup have not been as strong as he would have liked. So Trev, his runs mades in the series against West Indies and South Africa don't count, but his Pura Cup performances (btw which have been no worse than those of Martyn) count for nothing?!?

In contrast, the selectors have finally re-picked Tait and Kasprowicz. This could be the smartest move they have made in a long time. Tait needs to be given ample opportunity and Kaspa, although I would have preferred Dizzy, has earned his spot on the back of his excellent form. Hopefully these two are picked before Stuart Clark.

[MightyEagles]

Well done to Tait. With McGarth not going over, for personal reasons that we all know about, you would think that they would of picked a fast bowler with some experience in the Test Arena, someone like Dizzy for example. Has taken 250 Test Wickets, then has one bad series and isn't picked again. If Jane McGrath wasn't sick Glen would have been selected, because of his experience and he also didn't have the best series in England after that first test.

[Rik E Boy]

Hodge was dropped because he can't play. You'd have pup over him every time. If the South Africans could catch Hodge wouldn't have lasted as long as he did. Dizzy a bit unlucky and Clark and Marto VERY lucky in my view. Tait to shake em up one feels. Cosgrove simply won't be picked until he loses the beef..a sad reality for a talented cricketer.

regards,

REB

[stan]

So for the First test my side would be:

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Symonds
Gilly
Warne
Lee
Kasper
Tait

3 Fast men, 1 medium pacer and 1 spiner. I think thats a good balance attack due to the fact that I would be expecting more seam friendly pitches over there.

[rod_rooster]

Hodge was dropped because he can't play. You'd have pup over him every time. If the South Africans could catch Hodge wouldn't have lasted as long as he did. Dizzy a bit unlucky and Clark and Marto VERY lucky in my view. Tait to shake em up one feels. Cosgrove simply won't be picked until he loses the beef..a sad reality for a talented cricketer.

regards,

REB

Pretty good summary REB.

[westcoastpanther]

That's crap regarding Cosgrove REB, he's currently no bigger than Boof ever was and I think for his age he's one of Australias gems. In 2-3 years he'll be dominating world cricket......

Stuart Clarke's selection is baffling, he just doesn't even look like a cricketer, snoozer....

[MightyEagles]

Have to agree with WCP on Cosgrove had a great season this year and it won't be long until he's playing up in the next level.

[Aerie]

Cosgrove will need another season of consistent performances before being considered. I rate Clarke a far better prospect than Hodge. Martyn was unlucky to be dropped in the first place, but now he has been out of the Test team for 6 months and the fact he hasn't set the world on fire during that time, I'd move on. I'd keep Symonds in the team for at least the first test, just because if he finds his feet at Test level he will win matches. My team for the 1st Test...

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Warne
MacGill
Tait

[ca]

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Warne
MacGill
Tait

That would be my team, I don't really see the point wiht playing Martyn. The selectors to me are really struggling at the moment. The got away with puzzling decisions before the Ashes but things have changed now, they have no consitency and seem to have no direction.

[blink]

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Warne
MacGill
Tait

That would be my team as well, except swap Clarke & Hussey. I reckon Clarke is suited to No. 4 better. Would also replace MacGill with Kasprowicz if a seaming wicket is forecast, but I would like to see MacGill play a lot more with Warne than what he does, not just when conditions suit.

Reserve batsman should be Jaques, Cosgrove or Hodge. Not Martyn.

[MagicKiwi]

Hodge was dropped because he can't play. You'd have pup over him every time. If the South Africans could catch Hodge wouldn't have lasted as long as he did.

Whew. Thank gawd somebody else thinks this way.

[JK]

That's crap regarding Cosgrove REB, he's currently no bigger than Boof ever was and I think for his age he's one of Australias gems. In 2-3 years he'll be dominating world cricket......

Stuart Clarke's selection is baffling, he just doesn't even look like a cricketer, snoozer....

Dunno mate, look how long it took for Boof to get a reasonable go, about 10 years for memory, maybe REB has a point??

[Rik E Boy]

That's crap regarding Cosgrove REB, he's currently no bigger than Boof ever was and I think for his age he's one of Australias gems. In 2-3 years he'll be dominating world cricket......

Stuart Clarke's selection is baffling, he just doesn't even look like a cricketer, snoozer....

Open the other eye panter. Cosgrove is seriously bulky and from I saw in the ING final he is bigger than Boof or even Tubby Taylor was. Perhaps you feel Red is a colour that slims. As for dominating world cricket, he has to dominate domestic cricket first and the batsman who has been doing that in the last two years is Jaques and he hasn't set the world on fire yet at international level. If Cosgrove doesn't have a weight issue..why didn't the Jellybacks play him sooner as you blokes have virtually no batting to speak of?

regards,

REB

[MagicKiwi]

Cosgrove's weight is not so much of an issue this year REB. Compared to last year, he looks almost trim. He needs another year of consistent play like this as well as maintaining his weight.

[SANFLsponge]

Jaques did set the world on fire , then got dropped for his troubles ?? With regards to Cosgrove, he was disciplined for his weight early on in the season, and I`m sure the selectors were not to worried about the batting line up at the start of the season with the likes of - Elliot (Didn`t know he would have a Flowers year), Boof ,Blewett (See Elliot ), Ferguson all rearing to go at the start of the campaign.