The Ashes Discussion Thread

[Hawka]

i want them to name the squad soon they named the squad for this test few hours after it and theres only a few days between tests

[BratPack]

We should lay the plans for the future.

However knowing the Australian Selectors we won't

[Justin Bieber]

Siddle and Haddin did pretty well at least ::).

We need to start dropping the guys out of form instead of giving them 1 more test the entire series ::). Hughes, Punter and Clarke just haven't been in form. Why are they still in there?

[Hawka]

ponting has to stay until we find our nxt captain

[HillHero13]

Ponting and Hussey need that last test.. could be retiring..

but even though Ponting is as a good as a bat as he is.. (not now) he needs to go.. it's sad that he said a couple weeks ago with Warne he hasnt thought about retiring..

play them guys..
and play the guys that will be in the future test teams.. get them ready..

but it will be sad to see Ponting retire at the end of an Ashes series that they lost in Australial..

[Hawka]

ponting should go down the order and put khawja stight in at 3

[HillHero13]

ponting should go down the order and put khawja stight in at 3

ok.. keep ponting in there until the next captain..

Ponting to 4-5 not 6 thats Haddins spot..

may have to drop the captaincy and might have to give it to Clarke.

Put Kawarja in at 3

Hussey may retire.. Bring in White..

and may have to think Haddin may not go to England for the next ashes..

he will be 37..

[Hawka]

hh we have a ready made replacemtn in paine i reckon and steve waugh reckons that paine good be a futre captain so have haddin and him in the team becos he is a great batter

and y not have 2 keepers in the team if there in the best 7 batters in the country NZ do it

[Alex7089]

Hawka is right I want Paine and Haddin in the team together, this way Paine could bat at 7 or 8 with Smith filling whatever position Paine didn't.  Then we would have Usman Khawaja in at 3 with Hughes and Watto opening, 4 Hussey, 5 Haddin and Clarke in at 6 until he finds some form then he can bat at 5.

[valkorum]

1)  Watson
2)  Marsh
3)  Khawaja
4)  Ponting (a)
5)  Hussey
6)  Clarke (b)
7)  Haddin (c)
8)  Smith (d)
9)  Johnson
10) Siddle
11) Hilfenhaus


(a) I still think Ponting should be captain for a little while longer as I cant see anyone good enough to take over.

(b) If you can think of another batsman to replace Clarke then that needs to be done as he has done bugger all for 12 months - Marcus North maybe?

(c) Need to make a succession plan from Haddin to Paine.  Haddin is 36/37 so he wont be in the game much longer so need to start getting some experience in to Paine

(d) Not sure if Smith is the right option here.  The other option here is Cam White and make Clarke/North more accountable by making them bowl more.

[Cicjose]

(a) pick watson as captain

(b) Ferguson to replace Clarke

(c) Paine should play next test or in the one dayers as the keeper

(d) Smith is an okay option but i don't know who else to pick

[Hawka]

in respone to cj
a-no way there are 2 beta captain options besides punter and clrake in the team

c-paine should play as a batter and have both in the team

[Bazinga]

Best job in the world for 15 years - Australian Selector .. now the worst job imaginable.
It's fair enough to go about saying that we need radical changes, but seriously the guys that we are considering replacing the current players with have hardly set the world on fire in state cricket.
The main reason we have under-performed is because England prepared much better than Australia did. 90% of our dismissals were balls that could've (or should've) been left. Our players are in a one day (or T20) mode where their techniques have adjusted to a  mentality where they think that they need to play a shot at every ball. England left the ball well. We didn't .

[Hawka]

pPonting has confirmed he is considering mvin to number 4

[Cicjose]

http://www.bigpondsport.com/player-ratings-australia/tabid/91/newsid/65357/default.aspx

very accurate descriptions IMO