What with the Australian test team look like in the next series it plays?

The retirements of Langer, Martyn, Warne and McGrath have left some large gaps to be filled in the Australian team, who will be the players to step up?

for mine the team would look like this:

1.Jaques
2.Hayden
3.Ponting
4.Hussey
5.Clarke
6.Watson
7.Gilchrist
8.Lee
9.Clark
10.MacGill
11.Johnson

Has Langer retired?

Beat me to it TGMW

Please, no Brett Lee!

I hear that Brett is going to retire to open a hairdressing salon in Darlinghurst?

I doubt Hayden, Gilchrist, Magill, Clark would be in that side come 2009

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Originally posted by Meow:
I doubt Hayden, Gilchrist, Magill, Clark would be in that side come 2009

Think Clark will still be there. As for MacGill, depends whether the selectors look to the future - the Syndey test should give us some indication.

Australia's top/middle order still looks strong with Ponting, Hussey and the maturing Clarke. Much will depend on whether they can find a reliable opening pair to replace Hayden/Langer.

quote:

the Syndey test should give us some indication.

Aye. Drop Warne and Mcgrath for Sydney. May as well try some fresh blood in a dead rubber match. Who cares is it causes mass riots?

quote:

I doubt Hayden, Gilchrist, Magill, Clark would be in that side come 2009

Im not talking about the 2009 ashes series im talking about next time we play test Cricket.

Langer said at the begging of the series that he would retire after this Ashes.

quote:

Originally posted by Big_Turn:

quote:

I doubt Hayden, Gilchrist, Magill, Clark would be in that side come 2009

Im not talking about the 2009 ashes series im talking about next time we play test Cricket.

Langer said at the begging of the series that he would retire after this Ashes.

Aye, but since the retirement of Marto, he's changed his tune. Doesn't want to go yet.

quote:

Originally posted by Big_Turn:
6.Watson
8.Lee
9.Clark
10.MacGill
11.Johnson

Hmm, an attack featuring an injury-prone all-rounder, a fast but inconsistent quick, a reliable medium-fast seamer, an attacking spinner not known for his batting and a promising rookie fast-medium swinger...seems familiar, somehow...

They won't lack for runs - they haven't done for as long as I can remember.

I think Gilchrist may well retire after the Gilly as well.

The selectors will have to make a decision on Hayden and Langer even if they decide to carry on as well bearing in mind the next test is in 11 months time.

BTW - the McGrath-Gilly combo needs 8 more dismissals to equal c Marsh b Lillee.

quote:

Originally posted by JGK:
BTW - the McGrath-Gilly combo needs 8 more dismissals to equal c Marsh b Lillee.

Probably not going to happen then, unless McGrath adjusts his length to a little shorter to get the thin snick to the keeper rather than the thicker edge to 2nd slip.

Who has played more tests together Marsh / Lillee, or McGrath / Gilly?

It looks now that Symonds in the team now after the ashes and what about Hilfenhaus might give Johnson or Macgill a run for there money.

quote:

Originally posted by Nath:
Please, no Brett Lee!

He's a good bowler who is useful with the bat. 4 more wickets today too. Much underrated player by Australians on this forum.

bowls too many pies though. Is a follower and not a leader.

next season:
MTB
Watto
Drunk
Paris
Kid
Token
Haddit
Bung
Gump
Michelle
Magoo

By 2009 Ashes:

Froggy
Rogers
Drunk
Paris
Kid
Watto
Haddit
Gump
Michelle
Milf
Magoo

I think the selectors will make the mistake of allowing Watto to open to keep Token in the team. Although by 2k9 they'll have dropped Token for only scoring when we need the runs instead of in every innings.

quote:

Originally posted by County Player:

quote:

Originally posted by Nath:
Please, no Brett Lee!

He's a good bowler who is useful with the bat. 4 more wickets today too. Much underrated player by Australians on this forum.

No he's not - he is perfectly rated by the Australians on this forum. He had all the gifts to be one of the greats - except the gift of a cricketing brain.

quote:

Originally posted by JGK:

quote:

Originally posted by County Player:

quote:

Originally posted by Nath:
Please, no Brett Lee!

He's a good bowler who is useful with the bat. 4 more wickets today too. Much underrated player by Australians on this forum.

No he's not - he is perfectly rated by the Australians on this forum. He had all the gifts to be one of the greats - except the gift of a cricketing brain.

And that's why he's the most frustrating player to watch. Especially after seeing his performances in JAMODIs.

Agree - he's been the best JAMODI bowler since 2003.

But he's a terrible test bowler because good batsmen don't have to go after him and can wait for the inevitable bad ball every over.

Well it's not just that. It's that he doesn't make an attempt to keep the ball in the right areas and build up pressure. If he doesn't get a wicket in an over he'll throw one down leg or revert to his bouncer/yorker mode. It really is frustrating. I'd say we should drop him and then bring him back in a year or two when he's matured, but that didn't work when we did it last time. I'd be tempted to run Clark/Hilf/Johnson or Clark/Tait/Johnson instead in tests.

quote:

Originally posted by smegged99:

quote:

Originally posted by JGK:

quote:

Originally posted by County Player:

quote:

Originally posted by Nath:
Please, no Brett Lee!

He's a good bowler who is useful with the bat. 4 more wickets today too. Much underrated player by Australians on this forum.

No he's not - he is perfectly rated by the Australians on this forum. He had all the gifts to be one of the greats - except the gift of a cricketing brain.

And that's why he's the most frustrating player to watch. Especially after seeing his performances in JAMODIs.

Exactly. He's shown in this game that he can do it properly, but just watch him go back to the same old two length crap. Probably in Sydney.

If Lee can average 25 with the bat, he's worth keeping. Otherwise, flick him. He bowls good balls, but he is incapable of bowling a good over.

I still don't understand people trying to figure out teams for 3 years time.

2 years ago we would have said gillespie would be leading the attack now and most of us couldn't have picked s.clark out of a police line up.