AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL PREVIEW /GOSSIP 2008/2009

[mal]

NED
CASSON I believe was injured on the Australian A tour ?

WATTO is being groomed as the batsman who might bowl a few overs [ala ROY]
NOFFKE is a bowler who makes handy runs
NOFFKE is not competing with ROY/WATTO etc
He is competing with BOLLINGER/SIDDLE

PS WATTO batting at 6 will be a failure in India, the spinners will make him look ordinary
Thats a shame as I reckon WATTO at 6 would make runs v South Africa.

Mal, Watson didnt make any first class runs for QLD last year and was on the brink of being dropped, If you are going to play a batsmen who can bowl a few overs just incase where in deep trouble or our four frontline bowlers find the conditions too tough I would rather play D. Hussey twice the batsmen, and I think his spinners would be just as valuble to Watsons mediums.

Yeah I can understand the HUSSEY logic
And thats the criteria a batsman who bowls
NOFFKE does not fit the selectors criteria in this regard

[Ned]

Best Squad For India

M.Haydon
P.Jaques
R.Ponting
M.Clark
M.Hussey
S.Katich
D.Hussey
B.Haddin
B.Lee
M.Johnson
S.Clark


A.Noffke
B.McGain
B.Casson
C.White

[Rik E Boy]

HAYDEN

Haydon is locked away for that Snowtown thing.

regards,

REB

[Ned]

HAYDEN

Haydon is locked away for that Snowtown thing.

regards,

REB

Sorry mate, I hope I can still use this forum even though im not a very good speller, if not i will just have to back to redtube.

[Rik E Boy]

[re: D Hussey over Watto] Good call Ned.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

HAYDEN

Haydon is locked away for that Snowtown thing.

regards,

REB

Sorry mate, I hope I can still use this forum even though im not a very good speller, if not i will just have to back to redtube.

LOL. And another!

regards,

REB

[rod_rooster]

[re: D Hussey over Watto] Good call Ned.

regards,

REB

Ned over Watto would also be a good call

[bass_player]

It begins!

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=640348

[rod_rooster]

It begins!

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=640348

LMAO Poor guy, if he's not tearing his hamstring he's getting a virus. How anyone can think this bloke (who really should be confined to living in a safety bubble for his own protection) is a good choice to be picked to play in the longest and toughest form of the game, particularly in India where the conditions are as tough as anywhere, has me baffled.

[the joker]

expect Katich to retain his spot at the top of the order and partner Haydos, and Jaques to get axed in the first test...

Katich and Hayden got Picked for the warm up match

[blink]

LMAO Poor guy, if he's not tearing his hamstring he's getting a virus. How anyone can think this bloke (who really should be confined to living in a safety bubble for his own protection) is a good choice to be picked to play in the longest and toughest form of the game, particularly in India where the conditions are as tough as anywhere, has me baffled.

After Flintoff tore us a new one in 2005, the selectors have been hell-bent on discovering an all-rounder who can do the reciprocal in to them in 2009.
It allows us to play four quicks and a spinner. Symonds was an OK fit in the role, but they are really after another quick who can swing the ball at pace, more so than a Symonds-type bowler.
Watson is a perfect choice for this, when fit and in form.
With only this series and the Australian summer remaining before the 2009 Ashes, the time is now or never for Watto...

[bass_player]

It begins!

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=640348

LMAO Poor guy, if he's not tearing his hamstring he's getting a virus. How anyone can think this bloke (who really should be confined to living in a safety bubble for his own protection) is a good choice to be picked to play in the longest and toughest form of the game, particularly in India where the conditions are as tough as anywhere, has me baffled.

Maybe Cricket Australia can develop a modified version of this for him:

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/touchstone_pictures/bubble_boy/jake_gyllenhaal/bubble.jpg

[rod_rooster]

LMAO Poor guy, if he's not tearing his hamstring he's getting a virus. How anyone can think this bloke (who really should be confined to living in a safety bubble for his own protection) is a good choice to be picked to play in the longest and toughest form of the game, particularly in India where the conditions are as tough as anywhere, has me baffled.

After Flintoff tore us a new one in 2005, the selectors have been hell-bent on discovering an all-rounder who can do the reciprocal in to them in 2009.
It allows us to play four quicks and a spinner. Symonds was an OK fit in the role, but they are really after another quick who can swing the ball at pace, more so than a Symonds-type bowler.
Watson is a perfect choice for this, when fit and in form.
With only this series and the Australian summer remaining before the 2009 Ashes, the time is now or never for Watto...

Only a couple of problems with this blink. Firstly the chances of Watto staying (a) fit or (b) in form for any half decent length of time is about as likely as Warney giving up the smokes and joining the priesthood. Secondly even at his best Watto is not a very good bowler. He can get away with it a bit more in one dayers but even when fit and in form he really is a batsman who can bowl a bit. Would be no threat to any half decent batting line up in Test matches. Lets be honest though this is a pointless argument as if Watto is asked to bowl it is only a matter of time before he breaks down and we all know it. If he was a horse he would have been shot by now.

[the joker]

hard day for the aussies yesterday

india presidents 11 got 6 for 371

JJ Krejza 20 overs 1 maiden 0 wickets for 123 runs at 6.15 runs an over
and he is gunna be the spinner in the first test!!!!

[the joker]

LMAO Poor guy, if he's not tearing his hamstring he's getting a virus. How anyone can think this bloke (who really should be confined to living in a safety bubble for his own protection) is a good choice to be picked to play in the longest and toughest form of the game, particularly in India where the conditions are as tough as anywhere, has me baffled.

With only this series and the Australian summer remaining before the 2009 Ashes, the time is now or never for Watto...

we have a tour of South Africa in April before the ashes as well

[blink]

Only a couple of problems with this blink. Firstly the chances of Watto staying (a) fit or (b) in form for any half decent length of time is about as likely as Warney giving up the smokes and joining the priesthood. Secondly even at his best Watto is not a very good bowler. He can get away with it a bit more in one dayers but even when fit and in form he really is a batsman who can bowl a bit. Would be no threat to any half decent batting line up in Test matches. Lets be honest though this is a pointless argument as if Watto is asked to bowl it is only a matter of time before he breaks down and we all know it. If he was a horse he would have been shot by now.

I think you took my post wrong Rod. I agree with you - I don't think Watto is the answer. He is far from it in fact!
I was just giving a reason to why I think the selectors persist in trying to establish him within the test team. You're exactly right, in the ODI and T20 arena he is a servicable cricketer, but I still think the Test area is the place where you pick a cricketer who can either bat well or bowl well, not someone who can sometimes pull off one or the other, but never at the same time.
Flintoff has shown how hard it really is to put in an excellent all-round performance in a Test Series and then back it up. No one had put in a performance like that for a long time before he did it in 2005 and I can't recall anyone ever coming close since...Watto never will.

[rod_rooster]

Only a couple of problems with this blink. Firstly the chances of Watto staying (a) fit or (b) in form for any half decent length of time is about as likely as Warney giving up the smokes and joining the priesthood. Secondly even at his best Watto is not a very good bowler. He can get away with it a bit more in one dayers but even when fit and in form he really is a batsman who can bowl a bit. Would be no threat to any half decent batting line up in Test matches. Lets be honest though this is a pointless argument as if Watto is asked to bowl it is only a matter of time before he breaks down and we all know it. If he was a horse he would have been shot by now.

I think you took my post wrong Rod. I agree with you - I don't think Watto is the answer. He is far from it in fact!
I was just giving a reason to why I think the selectors persist in trying to establish him within the test team. You're exactly right, in the ODI and T20 arena he is a servicable cricketer, but I still think the Test area is the place where you pick a cricketer who can either bat well or bowl well, not someone who can sometimes pull off one or the other, but never at the same time.
Flintoff has shown how hard it really is to put in an excellent all-round performance in a Test Series and then back it up. No one had put in a performance like that for a long time before he did it in 2005 and I can't recall anyone ever coming close since...Watto never will.

Yep, looks like i did take your post the wrong way. Apologies and also well said.

[Rik E Boy]

JJ Krejza 20 overs 1 maiden 0 wickets for 123 runs at 6.15 runs an over
and he is gunna be the spinner in the first test!!!!

What a spud. We are going to get creamed. I thought McGain would do well but never had the confidence in Krejza. He couldn't even hold his place in the Blues lineup but we do have about 19 spinners trying to get a crack at the SCG. The 6.15 runs an over bothers me a lot more than the donut in the wickets column. Better off having a medium pacer like Siddle in the side and let Katich or Pup bowl a few overs of slows if that is all Krejza can offer cos their middle order will eat him alive.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

I looked at South Africa, I looked at Australia and I can no longer tell the difference!

regards,

REB

[blink]

Better off having a medium pacer like Siddle in the side and let Katich or Pup bowl a few overs of slows if that is all Krejza can offer cos their middle order will eat him alive.

regards,

REB

It really will be a baptism of fire for whoever gets the spinners gig next week against an Indian side that boasts arguably some of the most talented players of spin, ever.
This is the first Test series where Australia hasn't had at least one proven spinner (Warne, MacGill or Hogg) as part of the squad for many years. It is no secret that spinners struggle in India, the great Shane Warne was no exception.
I agree with REB that we should be putting in someone else rather than McGain or Krezja for this series. Both should be back here playing for their states to determine which one will get the gig in the NZ & Sth Africa Test Series