You’ve got to laugh at the Aussie selectors. It seems they’re playing a game of Simon Says with media pundits. Or should that be ‘Shane’ Says? After all, nobody had heard of their latest recruit, Michael Beer, before Shane Warne gave him a ringing endorsement on Tuesday.
Mike Beer has only played five first class matches and taken sixteen wickets at an average of forty. His record is therefore inferior to that of Sussex’s spin prospect, Will Beer, who has played a similar number of games yet is as close to England selection as Warney is to a comeback. In other words, not very.
The Aussies have also responded to their defeat in Adelaide by making two further changes. They’ve addressed their problems with the batting line-up rather curiously – by weakening it. Marcus North’s place in the team will be taken by leg-spinner Steve Smith, so Brad Haddin will bat six. Interesting plan that.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Johnson, who wasn’t good enough to play a week ago, has been miraculously recalled at the expense of Doug the Rug. Johnson said before the Adelaide Test that he was looking forward to finding form in state cricket. However, after a few days in the nets – and zero appearances for Western Australia – he’s suddenly back in the international reckoning.
The final change is also mind-boggling. Phil Hughes has been named as the replacement for Simon Katich. Given that Hughes is vulnerable to the short ball, the selectors believed he was the ideal candidate to open the batting at the fast and bouncy WACA.
In other news, Kevin Pietersen was yesterday fined $239 Australian dollars (about five quid) for speeding in Shane Warne’s Lamborghini. Naughty boy. Rumour has it that the patrolling policeman inquired ‘who do you think you are mate, Lewis Hamilton?’
James Morgan
Excellent volte face, Morgsy. I shall completely ignore the article yesterday warning against triumphalism. ;)
England are still capable of losing to any XI put in front of them – no matter how badly selected. Does that redress the balance somewhat?!
Not sure how dropping North for Smith is weakening the batting? Smith averages an ok 44 in first class cricket compared to North’s 42.
Hughes was always going to be the next opener in, no-one else has any form in Australia including Jacques or Rogers. Plus nowadays Perth is nothing like the bouncy decks you are used to seeing there, so I eouldn’t place to much in his apparent inability to play the short ball.
Have you seen Smith bat? He’s a fidgety unorthodox all-rounder with a few shots. Has talent, but very much a work in progress. He might become a proper batsman one day, but he’s far from being an accomplished top order player like North. Smith’s average is 44 because he’s only played a handful of first class games. Smith was considered to be a leggie who batted a bit until this season … primarily because his bowling has not improved at the rate many expected, whilst his batting has improved at a faster rate. If Smith was a better batsman than North, he wouldn’t be scheduled to come in after Haddin.
Where has the batting order come from? Smith will bat ahead of Haddin. The only way Haddin will go up the order is if Smith doesn’t play and they go with 5 bowlers
I live in Perth, and I must say the poor Aussies here are in a state of bewildered panic. All but the most astute cricket watchers amongst them seem covinced that all they have to do is pick out the next Warne and McGrath, who apparently are floating (invisibly?) around in shield cricket, and normal service will be resumed. I don’t think Australia are nearly as bad as they themselves seem to think, perhaps it would be better if they focused on their current players strangths and weaknesses instead of trying to pluck the elusive saviour from the haystack. If they continue to lose like this, I fear an implosion of epic proportions…think ‘ll crack another bottle of red.
I tend to agree RLP. Before the series everyone said the teams were very close and the series would be tight. Australia have a decent team – they’re just having a bad run. In our opinion, they should have stuck to their XI from 2009 (more or less), a series they were a little unlucky to lose, and had faith that home advantage would be decisive.
I think the Aussie selectors have a lot to answer for. The panic after Brisbane was wholly unnecessary. It was just a very flat deck. Dropping players and drafting unknowns just creates an unstable team environment. Current players start looking over their shoulders, wondering whether they’ll be next out of the door, and the pressure mounts. Madness. Meanwhile England get a boost from seeing the selectors panic.
Putting the demoralising effect of all this chopping and changing to one side for a moment, this is a brave squad selected by the Aussies.
They have given notice they will play 5 bowlers (well, four plus Smith’s leggies which should be good for a couple of wickets). Beer will play – to Border’s dismay – why pick the local man otherwise.
Smith can bat. Yes, he is not technically orthodox, but neither is KP and I do not recall TFT ever questioning his selection.
Hughes is a weird one. I’d have gone for Sean Marsh. Hughes was next in line though, I guess.
It is indeed possible to argue that the Aussie selectors have been brave, but I would worry that the final Australia XI is likely to have too much bowling at the expense of the batting.
If they go with Watson, Hughes, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Haddin, Smith, Johnson, Harris, Beer, Hilfenhaus they would effectively have 6 bowlers (Hilfenhaus, Harris, Johnson, Watson, Beer and Smith), but only 4 specialist batsman (although Watson counts as a frontline batter as well as a bowler)
If I was an Australian selector, I would have included Khawaja / Ferguson (or whoever the next middle order hope might be) instead of a bowler. Australia do not need more bowlers. If five can’t do the job, I can’t see how six will. The problem is the quality of their bowlers, not the quantity. After all, England seem to get by with four! I would say that five is the perfect amount.
Fair enough – Watson’s useful bowling had slipped my mind. I think you are correct with that XI. Tough on Siddle, who has been the best of the seamers thus far.
Beer isn’t local, he’s from St Kilda. He’s only played three games at the WACA, about the same as Anderson.
Why did Stephen O’Keefe play for the A side, then pick Beer ahead of him? I thought O’Keefe looked a better bowler than Doherty and is probably a bit unlucky not to get called up. What has happened to Jason Krejza who took 8 wickets in an innings and then was dropped a test later?
Because the little ball with his name on it didn’t pop out of the lottery machine this week….
im the aussie who bagged the english beer now i cant find it in australia and i miss it. I blame a fiery english git from London for my addiction, they say he’s goes red when he comes into bowl in fact purple.. the legend of jones…
… love the blog, great work mate… julian from australia
Cheers Julian. Hope you’re enjoying life down under. Don’t think you’d be missing England at the moment – it’s bloody freezing. And at least you don’t have to get up at (or stay up until!) 2.30 in the morning to watch the cricket. Perth is always the killer test.
Julian,
Have you tried Little Creatures Brewery? Top beer.