posted Nov 26, 2008

"we can loan you some rugby players too.."

mate I will leave the rugby offer thanks but if you could spare half a dozen young spinners that would be great. We will give them traditional spin names like Shane and Clarrie. We will feed them VB, steaks on the barbie (cows are a different kind of sacred here!) and get them singing Advance Australia Fair and the BBQ song. Job done.

In return you can have some hockey players to teach you how that game is played...

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posted Nov 26, 2008

"In return you can have some hockey players to teach you how that game is played..."

Already tried that, Charlesworth went over in a special advisory capacity some time before the Olympics. India didn't qualify.

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posted Nov 26, 2008

Brett Lee in the 2004/05 Sydney test v India took 4/205!

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posted Nov 27, 2008

Well, get Marcus bloody North in the team then! The way the batting has been going they will need some tail-end propping up sooner rather than later.

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posted Nov 27, 2008

Well, I'll be there the next four days, and you've got to feel for Beau Casson, he would be the most shattered man in Australia. Let's hope the pitch isn't a road, and we are somehow still able to take 20 wickets!

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posted Nov 27, 2008

Marcus North should be in consideration for his batting but his bowling is strictly back-up status only.

Casson was very very unlucky not to be picked for the India tour and then he goes and injures himself... The unluckiest bloke is McGain who deserved a test cap but was injured on tour and now doesnt look likely to return.

I am seriously doubtful about the qualities of any spinner in Oz at the moment but then again England played for years with Ashley Giles and South Africa still havent found a decent spinner and both have done well regardless in that time.

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posted Nov 28, 2008

Now Hauritz is injured. Are they doing this to themselves? It seems that no-one wants Warney's mantle as they know it is too heavy.

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posted Nov 28, 2008

They twist their ankles more often than heroines in Mills and Boon novels. At Hauritz's doesn't sound too serious.

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posted Nov 30, 2008

the major issue i feel is that the media and general fans, selectors, coaches (basically everyone associated with the game) is looking for the next warne, which is simply not going to happen. we need a spinner who can take 200 wickets in a career, which would a very good career in itself. i would say casson and krejza are the most likely to be this bowler (unless dan cullen can rediscover the potential he showed when he first arrived on the scene.)

you're right in that the pitches in aus dont help produce top class spinners butthats an advantage at international level because most spinners who travekl to aus struggle so the weakness isnt shown up as much.

the only places where our lack of spin will really be an issue is in the sub continent but seeing as how we wont be playing in india for 4 years (tests at least) and we dont travel to pakistan, that only leaves SL where we will probably be caught out in the near future. In most other nations we can cover only having an average spinner

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posted Nov 30, 2008

What we could do is colonize New Zealand and bring in Daniel Vettori.

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