• Welcome to the Green and Gold Rugby forums. As you can see we've upgraded the forums to new software. Your old logon details should work, just click the 'Login' button in the top right.

2013 Ashes Part I

Status
Not open for further replies.

light

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Not the only stupid decision the ICC has made in the last 2 years either.

Covers are off and play will resume soon. The Poms must be trying to get all the tricks to removing Rogers right now, he is as solid as a rock, it kinda reminds me of Justin Langer.

Warner should hit or get out, quick runs could win us this match and we have a very attacking batting line up. Once the new ball looses its shine we have a chance if we chase this down quickly, the longer we occupy the crease the more the pitch will deteriorate. Bring on ODI mode before tea!
 

Froggy

John Solomon (38)
Don't you love the fact that when things turn to shit, the glory boys disappear and the down-to-earth tradesmen come up with the goods.

Chris Rogers, who despite one of the best 1st class averages in Aus has to wait to 35 to get a start, Ryan Harris who has had more injuries than Shane Watson has had headlines, and Nathan Lyon, the country boy who worked as a groundsman at the Adelaide oval while he tried to win a spot in the state side. These are the only guys producing performances in line with their ability.

The superstars who have been heralded as gods since they were teenagers, Warner, Khawaja, Smith, Hughes, Watson etc are nowhere to be found when the enemy fire starts to really hot up!
 

emuarse

Desmond Connor (43)
After this 4th test - where to from here.
It seems that England have become us of 5 years ago and vice versa.

Shattering!!
 

mark_s

Chilla Wilson (44)
After this 4th test - where to from here.

Being more optimistic, we genuinely aren't that far away from winning. Test matches are decided by little things, Aus was on top twice in the 4th test but let it escape both times. In warner and Clarke we have cornerstones for our batting order, Rogers may have another year or two in him after all. But we need more consistent contributions from Khawaja, Smith and one other.

Leadership is still an issue. Clarke is in the Tendulkar category of personalities, but right now we need a Ganguly or Dhoni style captain. We need a strong manager of men, someone with a ruthless streak that can create unshakeable inner belief in his team.

Remember, we have gone from a situation of having a leaderhsip group consisting of Ponting, Hayden, Langer, McGrath, Warne and Gilchrist to Clarke and (maybe) Watson.

Complicating factors are that the captaincy agrees with Clarke from a personal performance perspective and there is no other option. Boof has a key role to play, but also Clarke would benefit from having a pint or 20 with AB.

Our bowling is there or thereabouts. Not enough to win matches by itself, but can do the job if we get reasonable totals.
 

bryce

Darby Loudon (17)
Reckon there was a bit of tension between the bowlers and middle order batsmen at breakfast at the Aussies' hotel the day after that collapse?
 

The Red Baron

Chilla Wilson (44)
So true. If I was a bowler I would be mightily pissed off. The bowlers got us into a position to potentially win the match. Save for Chris Rodgers and a few cameos, the batsmen let us down. Again.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
The bowling has been fine and I'm comfortable with where we are at with our stable of quicks in particular. The issue is the middle order and how we have lacked a player like Ian Bell. He's been the difference in this series for mine and the reason is that when things get tight he grinds out a score to give his bowlers a chance. It's not a coincidence that England have won in this series when he's scored big runs. Clarke has done this for Australia on numerous occasions since becoming captain, but he can't do it alone. A few of the young blokes need to tighten up their games (like Clarke did) and learn to tough it out when the bowling is good.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Australia needs to settle on their team better and accept that it could be a while before some of our players really come to the fore.

If Hughes and Khawaja are considered long term options then they should be put in the team and left there. How are players like Hughes ever meant to settle if he keeps getting moved around the batting order and then repeatedly dropped and brought back in.

We've got one test to go before we head back to Australia for the return series and I think our batting lineup is no better settled than it was at the start of the series. I think they just need to make a call on the batting lineup and stick with it.
 

light

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Yeah the most important thing right now is consistency and we have been saying that from the start. I think it is unlikely that we will see any changes to the side from the 4th test other than Watson omitted due to injury. That being said, I think there a few guys who should be heavily looked into.

On the positive side, our openers look good and the bowlers won't need too many changes. I think Harris could be due for a break even though he is our best bowler. Rest him for the return series and maybe give a touring squad guy like Faulkner a go. Not sure what to think of Bird, he and Starc are questionable.

I'd go with.
Rogers
Warner
Cowan
Clarke (C)
Hughes
Smith
Haddin
Faulkner
Siddle
Starc
Lyon

We lose a bowler in Watto but I think we need the extra batsman and Smith can fill the all rounder position. Only concern will be taking 20 wickets, Siddle will need to have a blinder. Pitch conditions could bring Agar and Faulkner into consideration.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I think Harris has to be rested for the last test. He's easily our best bowler but he had a heavy workload in the fourth test bowling 47 overs from memory and after three tests in a row and his injury history, he shouldn't be risked. He will be an essential part of our team in the domestic Ashes series and we need him healthy.

Starc should come back in.

If Khawaja gets dropped for Cowan now then I think that Cowan has to play the first couple of domestic tests at the very least. I'd probably persist with Khawaja at this point because I think he is a better long term option.

My only changes from the fourth test would be Hughes for Watson and Starc for Harris.
 

No4918

John Hipwell (52)
Next test is not until the 21st. Would be worried if he can't get enough rest by then. After that he can have 2 monthsff and be ready to knock them over out here.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
IMO there is not such a difference between the two teams as the results would indicate. We were in the first test for quite a while, would have won the third except for the weather, and were in a winning position in the fourth before the abysmal batting collapse on Day 4. On each occasion the toss has proved to be crucial to the outcome. Better calling by our captain and there might have been better results.

Having said that, our middle order batting is a shambles. I truly believe neither Hughes nor Khawaja are test match players, and I'm not convinced about Smith although I like his fighting ability. We need to go back through the last couple of Shield seasons and look for better more solid middle order batsmen to include in the team. No more openers batting at 3, 5 or 6, and no more flashy one dayers in the test team.

For the upcoming fifth test, I would like to see Cowan replace Khawaja, and Faulkener would be a good relacement for Watson if injured, but no other changes to the batting stand out at this stage.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
It looks like Hughes will replace Khawaja at 3 in the final test.

Brumby Runner - I just don't know who we go back to Shield cricket for that isn't Hughes or Khawaja. Each time they get dropped back to Shield cricket they perform better than the other contenders (Hughes in particular) which is why they keep getting another crack.

It's not like there are a long line of Shield batsmen outscoring them.

I definitely think there is a spot available in the first Ashes test for any shield batsman who can make a couple of big scores in the first couple of games in the season
 

No4918

John Hipwell (52)
Khwaja has been disappointing. Definitely have more faith in Hughes at this level.

Looks like Watson will be fit then.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
It is a somewhat astonishing statistic that we have tried 8 different batsmen at 3 since Ponting played his last test in 2011.

In that time, Hughes has the best record averaging 37.2 at 3 (which is by no means good).

Marsh, Khawaja, Watson, Cowan, Warner, Quiney and Clarke are the other players to have a crack.
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
It is times like these that one appreciates what an absolute blessing Shane Warne was to Australian Cricket.

We have some good spinners now but gee whiskers Warney was good and reliable. It may be a long time before we see another of his capability.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top