we are stuffed.........2 wickets too many. umpires have both been atrocious. actually, make that all three. And I agree with Warney, Alem Daar is, & has been for a long time, a very poor, over officious umpire.
The most galling thing for me last night.......fatty David Sakers smug smirk on his face when Rogers chipped it to mid wicket. Never much of an individual in the first place, that was the icing on the cake.
Talking commentary team again Brian "Blues Trasher" Taylor and Luke Darcehole are a disgrace and their bias knows no bounds. Just a couple of motor-mouth morons who provide no meaningful analysis or insights into the game. Are they having a lend of us? Just a constant stream of biassed drivel - Foxtel please note, "Get Rid of Them please!"
I'm backing Sticks over BT and Darcy every day of the week... And twice on Sundays!
When it comes to commentating Carlton, BT is the biggest Fn C god ever shovelled guts into. It is honestly laughable. Anyone who uses his comment about Carlton as backup for their point is in reality disproving it.
As for Sticks coming out and supporting the team publicly... Well, do we really need to ask whether our club president did the right thing in getting behind the team and supporting them after such a horror week?
Hughes did a brilliant job taking most of Swann in the early part of Agars innings. And even that nearly didn't work. He was very, very lucky to survive that stumping.
Agar, great, great knock. Also good to see the bowlers make to Poms work bloody hard for runs in the 2nd innings, no freebies like the 1st. It'll be a battle from here, but looks like we're up for one now.
I don't know about you Boof, but the big blond bloke at first slip needs to start contributing something - ANYTHING - because we've got enough passengers in this team as it is.
Please play Clarke at 5 and bat Siddle at 4. Don't bother with the others, we may as well paint a garbage bin white and lean a Gray Nick against it for all the defensive nous those blokes have.
Actually, the unattended Grey Nick would last longer......the bowlers would be forced to bowl at the stumps to dismiss it. Our blokes play get out shots at balls 2 foot wide of off stump !
Waaay to many four balls from Starc, Pattinson & Agar. Especially with Harris & Bird on the sidelines. Changes for next test unless they produce soemthing out of the ordinary in the 2nd dig. Siddle showed how to come back from an early poor spell.
batting....well, less said the better from the great white dope & Ed. Awful.
Shane Watson Chris Rogers Phil Hughes Michael Clarke David Warner Steve Smith Brad Haddin Mitchell Starc Peter Siddle James Pattinson Nathan Lyon
12th Man: Jackson Bird
Siddle under pressure to perform or else Harris or Bird will take his place.
Bird has done well there thus far but I think Siddle will keep his spot. Runs are gold at this venue so playing the extra bat makes sense. They may be tempted to go with Faulkner as who gives them another left armer who's been accurate but can also bat. Warner hasn't played any lead up games and wasn't in good form to begin with.
It certainly not easy to select this team. Warner doesn't really deserve selection, but IMO, he's a better option than Cowan. Khawaja just misses out. Again.
I really like James Faulkner. But for the 1st Test, I reckon they'll be inclined to pick Starc because he has a few tests under his belt. His batting has improved dramatically and hopefully he can bowl a few ripping spells. His only drawback is that he is prone to Mitchell Johnson type eraticism
Just too many Lefties to pay Khawaja as well, can't afford to play into Swanns hands too much. One of either Warner or Cowen will have to miss as well......when can we get some right handers back in the frame for Test selection ? It's not like this current crop of cack handers are Langer, Hayden or Hussey either.
Smith showed enough in India to warrant selection & much as I am fearful about picking Hughes.....if you pick blokes on scoring runs in the lead up games, then he has to be selected. Maybe suit him more batting at 5.
Yep, it's not a good read. I just don't get the likes of Callum Ferguson sitting there with a sub 40 average ! That's just not good enough for someone with his ability. Alex Doolan should be next in line for a Test tryout depending on the batting performances in a certain 5 test series starting tomorrow.
.....oops, I've said too much
