Aussie tour of Sri Lanka

[Coxy]

I'll say it. I'm very impressed with how Clarke has captained the team on this tour. Both in the ODIs and Tests. Happy to say he's proven me wrong at this point :)

 

[Bucking Beads]

He just needs runs.

 

[Browny]

No need for Ponting to come back.

Just need to break this current partnership now

 

[Bucking Beads]

No need for Ponting to come back.

Just need to break this current partnership now

But he will. Arrogance personified in him

 

[Coxy]

No need for Ponting to come back.

Just need to break this current partnership now

If Ponting comes back it should be at the expense of Khawaja IMO. Don't get me wrong, Khawaja has a bright future in Test cricket, but the maturity and poise shown by Shaun Marsh shows he's the answer at number 3 right now.

I'd bring Ponting back to play at 6.

But, as Beads said, he won't accept that.

Key now as you say is to break this partnership early on day 5. Really need to cause a collapse to have any chance of getting the result.

 

[Jeba]

I'd drop Hughes and have Marsh open. Leave Khawaja at 6.

 

[Coxy]

I'd drop Hughes and have Marsh open. Leave Khawaja at 6.

True, that's an option.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I'd drop Hughes and have Marsh open. Leave Khawaja at 6.

I'd be in favor of having openers actually open. Marsh is much better suited to batting down the order in tests IMO . Khawaja goes if punter comes back in.

 

[Jeba]

Hughes has shown nothing though. Khawaja looks to have so much more class and potential.

 

[Coxy]

Hughes has shown nothing though. Khawaja looks to have so much more class and potential.

And technique. I hate to be too critical of Hughes with an unorthodox technique, because it was that kind of criticism that kept Hayden out of the Test team for so long, but Hughes lacks the mental toughness Hayden had. Combine that with substandard technique and he's never going to be consistent at this level.

Hughes has to fix one of those areas.

Khawaja seems cool and calm and has a classical technique. He's the real deal. Marsh also showed great commitment and application during his knock, something the Australian top order (bar Watson and Hussey) has lacked in the last 2 years and he's worth persevering with.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Hughes has shown nothing though. Khawaja looks to have so much more class and potential.

Has improved plenty since he debuted. Is not throwing his wicket away and really doing the job as an opener this series. No big scores yet but it is coming. Gotta look past his weird technique. Would be fine with khawaja staying in the side but he should open not marsh IMO.

 

[Browny]

Just drop ponting ffs

 

[Coxy]

I wonder how long we'll ignore the elephant in the room before we start thinking we should move Watson down the order? He's doing a great job, but he's there by default because of lack of opening options. Imagine how much damage he could do to attacks at 5 or 6? He somewhat has the shackles on him as opener because he can't afford to give his wicket away. That's especially so when you've got Ponting at 3 who's as likely to get out for 1 in 40 balls as 12 in 4.

 

[Coxy]

Khawaja
Hughes
Marsh
Clarke
Hussey
Watson
Haddin (until Paine is up to it - Haddin is ####)
Johnson
Copeland
Harris
[insert spinner experiment here] - at the moment, Lyon

 

[ethos]

A top four of Khawaja, Hughes, Marsh and Clarke looks way too brittle. Three are rookies coupled with the fact that Clarke's too flashy and likely to get out in a crisis. Watson's too consistent to move down the order at this point. Plus I think Ponting is in pretty good form. And the jury is still out on Marsh, granted it was great application on debut but flat pitch and his first class record isn't great.

I reckon the side as it stands now is pretty much spot on. Although I'd have O'Keefe as the spinner and Bollinger as 12th man.

 

[Meat77]

Yeah I still don't get why people would be in a rush to get rid of Ponting.

 

[Browny]

He's ####

 

[Meat77]

Since when? Sure, he's nowhere near the player we was at his peak but he's still got plenty to offer this current side.