The Ashes 2010/11
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I'll stick with what I said a while ago about four seamers - it's a losers' formula (unless you're the 1970s/80s West Indies or have a proper all rounder). Assuming it's four seamers and a spinner that is. Basically you're saying you don't trust your four best men to do the job so you're bringing in another who isn't as good as the first four to try and do it. With 90 overs in a day, one of those bowlers is going to be redundant. It stinks of panic and it isn't even remotely attacking.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
I was talking about Bollinger, actually. But the comparison of Harris with Willis is an interesting one. Back in the pre-20/20 days, Willis had no option but to persevere with test cricket with fucked knees. He lasted a few years.
Well there's Tait and Lee but they're not playing Tests any more
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Harmison, Hoggard, Flintoff, Jones and Giles worked for a while, didn't it?
oops, sorry. All these ineffectual seamers kind of merge into one
Flintoff was in as an all rounder though
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Yep, I was just thinking that. I grew up with the great WI teams and back then it seemed there was nothing better than a four-man pace attack. You've seen off the new ball attack of Marshall and Holding? Phew. Here come Croft and Garner. (perm your favourites from the list and delete as appropriate - Roberts, Clarke, etc.)
Joel Garner as second change? Scary stuff. Courtney Walsh didn't get anywhere near the new ball for years.
If they don't fancy Hauritz, I say they should keep North and go with an all-seam attack. Especially at Perth.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Yeah, but if he hadn't been, I'd have dumped Giles and gone with an extra batter.
By all means go with an all seam attack as long as you're not shoving a specialist spinner in there too. My point is that five specialist bowlers doesn't work - you end up with a massive tail and it's bet hedging of the worst kind. Hoping someone comes up with the goods because you're not confident in any of them. Six batsmen, wicketkeeper, four bowlers. Unless you've got a proper all rounder
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Fair enough. I agree with your last point. A long tail only encourages the opposition.
Giles is actually the role model for how Australia need to approach their spinner situation. Make do with what you have and bring the best out in them. Hauritz is a perfectly capable cricketer, knows how to hold a bat, can do a little with the ball, gives you options. They're falling into the trap we did with Ian Botham - trying to replace an all time great when such a replacement doesn't exist. Thankfully we're not trying to do the same with Flintoff's replacement and just picking a balanced side. 15-20 years ago we ended up with Pringle, Ealham et al, Australia are going to end up with the same unless they get out of this mindset that they have to go through umpteen spinners to find the new Warne. It's not happening, he doesn't exist.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Yep. I agree. Giles did maximise himself. He'd never have been taken apart like Doherty was. He took pride in the fact that he fielded at gully. He was sort of the spare part of the team, but yes, he had a role.
His weakness – his essentially defensive nature as a bowler – would have been more exposed in a four-man attack, though.
His weakness – his essentially defensive nature as a bowler – would have been more exposed in a four-man attack, though.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
"an all time great" your words young man.
Idaho
blah blah blah
Cruel
I'm sure they have some Hollioake equivalents, or alternatively they could find some players who are great at Shield level but choke in the pressure.. oh yes, they are bringing in Hughes.
Idaho
blah blah blah
ah yes i remember those feelings well,we had 16 years straight to bask in the glory that our side delivered to us,now i know the utter frustration of watching your team going down the gurgler
.My unswerving belief in fact it wont last for long makes me happy though.Australia will return to its powerhouse status a lot sooner than most of the world expects
We'll see the mettle of the Aussie fans. Can they stay supporting their team through 15 crap years? Seems like the stadiums empty out after 2 crap days.
Cruel
I'm sure they have some Hollioake equivalents, or alternatively they could find some players who are great at Shield level but choke in the pressure.. oh yes, they are bringing in Hughes.
Actually Hughes has been shit at domestic level so far this year.
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
Yahoo/eurosport sez Harris may yet play in third test
e2a; beaten to it, yet again!
e2a; beaten to it, yet again!
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
OK if we rip it out of you while we can, then? LOSERRR!ah yes i remember those feelings .Enjoy it while you can my traditional enemy(pommy bastards for ashes series only btw)and rest assured we will be back
I just can't see them going this way. Firstly I doubt they'll pick 5 bowlers especially when only one of them can sort of bat.
Secondly both Hilfenhaus and Bollinger bowl around 80mph which is hardly a great threat in aussie conditions. Can you really see Austrlia playing at Perth with two medium pace trundlers, a containing spinner and a couple of try hard medium-quicks? That just seems like a slow death to me.
Surely Johnson has to come back? If for no other reason then they need a spark, something different. Ok he may be all over the place, then again on his home ground he might put in the sort of performance that justifies his position as number 7 in the ICC rankings.
For me I think they should replace Katich with Hughes, perhaps North will be given one last chance (his home ground isnt it?) and the bowlers will be Harris, Johnson, Hilfenhaus and either Hauritz or this Smith chap.
Also, not that I neccesairly agree but I think Bresnan will play England.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Bollinger gets it up to 86-87 usually. He was down at 79-80 in the last test because, as Ponting put it, he 'hit the wall'.
I really don't see how attacking Dravid is going to help?
So what happens in Perth when they've been out in the field for a while and Ponting chucks him the ball and asks him to bowl 8 overs into the 'doctor'? I suspect he may be carrying 'the wall' in his kit bag.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Well yes, Hilfenhaus into the wind and Johnson and Harris downwind would seem the way to go. However you perm it, it doesn't look too good though.
ETA: I think Bresnan will play too, and will have to bowl into the wind. I don't agree with it, but hopefully it won't matter too much – I fancy Finn to do well at Perth.
ETA: I think Bresnan will play too, and will have to bowl into the wind. I don't agree with it, but hopefully it won't matter too much – I fancy Finn to do well at Perth.
Yes my choice would rely quite heavily on Johnson not bowling utter filth.
I do think a lot of this is based upon intangibles though, England have the momentum and all the confidence but if you think about it we've got problems of our own. We will more than likely opt for 3 seamers, two of which will be very inexperienced at this level and our one true strike bowler is circumnavigating the globe, hardly ideal. Of course we have Swann, thank fuck we have Swann.
I do think a lot of this is based upon intangibles though, England have the momentum and all the confidence but if you think about it we've got problems of our own. We will more than likely opt for 3 seamers, two of which will be very inexperienced at this level and our one true strike bowler is circumnavigating the globe, hardly ideal. Of course we have Swann, thank fuck we have Swann.
Idaho
blah blah blah
I don't think that the inexperience matters too much if they are well supported and guided by the team around them. Finn has had a few matches now. He knows what he's about.
I think Anderson can be forgiven for travelling to see his child born!
