The Ashes 2010-2011

[Raw Boned Youngster]

With a name like 'Beer', he needs to be fast tracked.
This is a throw back to the great days and I totally support the decision.

Let's face it, Beer is a hopeless joke as a player but we need him in the team. Hopefully he can also grow a droopy moustache and be photographed smoking at training or something.

Hats off A Hilditch - he has finally come up with a sensible selection.

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

Is O'Keefe not manlovable enough for Ponting and the selectors?

NSW don't even love him enough, let alone Australia.

Touche Pete.

However, if Beer can get a crack, then they can call O'Keefe up from park Cricket as far as I'm concerned. He has a fantastic first class record in a relatively short period of time and has already performed well against England.

I'm not against the selection of Beer on it's own (and I hope he does well, of course), but rather the fact that we've gone straight to the bottom, so to speak. It's just a complete lottery/hope selection - that's the trap England always fell into.

Bollinger did not look fit.

Agreed mate, lacked 15k's of pace and seemed to just roll his arm over most of the time. But unless he's carrying an injury I reckon he should find his feet while playing, which shouldn't take long at all. If Mitch 'earned' his spot back in the team, I'd have no problem with it though.

I believe that switching two blokes who've dropped one game after another is clearly more of a sign that the selectors have no idea - and no confidence - in what they're doing, more than anything else.

If they really must replace Bollinger, like replacing Doherty, how about picking a form or highly capable State player instead of playing musical chairs with the rest of them? Copeland, Cameron, etc. If a guy is unfit (Bollinger) or severely out of touch (Johnson), then simply don't play them. Play someone in form with a perceived potential to be effective at a higher level.

JMO.

 

[Big Pete]

Oh don't get me wrong I agree but I can see the selectors point re: Bollinger and O'Keefe.

Beer's selection is puzzling but I'll take it ahead of Hauritz and Johnson is basically back in because of his reputation. I don't agree with either and I believe our sides would look similar JW, but just adding another perspective to the mix.

 

[Fozz]

Johnson did have extra coaching with Cooley and other coaches during the Adelaide Test so maybe he has earned their stamp of approval if he's fixed up any issues.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Johnson did have extra coaching with Cooley and other coaches during the Adelaide Test so maybe he has earned their stamp of approval if he's fixed up any issues.

That means nothing IMO. Apparently Johnson wanted to play for WA vs the Bulls in the shield game that started to do but Tim Nielsen and Ricky Ponting thought he would get more out of bowling in the nets.

I do think Johnson at his best would give us our best chance of winning at the WACA, problem is we don't know if he will be at his best.

 

[The Brizz]

No ones game has ever improved by doing more in the nets and not playing. I am sure Marcus North has been spending double the time in the nets and it hasn't made any difference. You need to play the game and I cannot understand why Johnson isn't playing Shield cricket this weekend.

 

[ningnangnong]

No ones game has ever improved by doing more in the nets and not playing. I am sure Marcus North has been spending double the time in the nets and it hasn't made any difference. You need to play the game and I cannot understand why Johnson isn't playing Shield cricket this weekend.

Spot on.

Batting and bowling in the nets is entirely different to a game situation. You can relax a lot more, try different things and have nothing to lose. A real match is the polar opposite.

 

[m1c]

OKeefe was the pick of the bowlers for Aus A against the Poms. The only reason he's not playing for NSW is because they somehow have to squeeze Hauritz, Clark, Cameron and Copeland into the lineup and have the back up spin of Smith anyhow.

OKeefe is without doubt the best left arm finger spinner in Australia. IMO the selectors screwed up big time by dumping Hauritz. Should have given him a couple of games. Instead they were faced with a scenario of being to proud to admit they were wrong, and even then to pick a bowler who NSW regard as secondary to Hauritz.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Hauritz had a big falling out with Punter after the India tour, I think Punter is the biggest problem when it comes to the selection table at the moment. I just hope the next captain takes the team he is given and makes it into a side that has the will to win.

 

[Jeba]

I think the problem there, Beads, lies in the fact that our selectors have shown complete incompetence over the last two years especially, and Punter feels compelled to take more control. Unfortunately he has shown that he is nearly as moronic as they are.

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

'Why change must begin at the top'

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/why ... 18tjk.html

Couldn't agree more with this.

 

[Browny]

Spot on

Hauritz had to come back into the side, he did exactly what most selection panels would want after being dropped.

Maybe it will take a 4-0 series loss to see change

 

[Bannermania]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...off-cricket-gear/story-fn67x93d-1225969798368

 

[Fozz]

What a fool!

 

[Jeba]

That's just silly. He deserves to be in the side but he seems a bit high on himself at the moment.

 

[m1c]

Yeah I don't think that even happened... their source is a London tabloid. Courier Fail.

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/joh ... 18vhf.html

[icon_lol1.

 

[Scumbag]

Oh gosh. Have a go. Johnson is cod useless. He was dumped on form and should be still in the wilderness. What a nuffie. CA must be holding his balls for him and using his bat to keep up the incessant love they have for him.