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Australia rebuilds?

Australia
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This is my first article on 606, having read many an article for a long time on here.

In response to some queries about Bracken, it is my understanding is that Nathan Bracken was injured but is now back and bowling well. I agree his sidelining is inexplicable. He is a very fine bowler, particularly now that he bowls in the mid 130's. When he was mid 120's I was not convinced.

There is however a real difference between Test and 1 day bowling. In one dayers the batsmen come after the bowler and can often get themselves out. In Test cricket the onus is much more on the bowler to winkle out the batsman. A wide ball can be left, unless your name is Matty and you are struggling for runs.

I think Bollinger will be a success. Many preferred him to Siddle on the India tour. He has a touch of mongrel which, imo, is necessary in a fast bowler. My stepson who is playing First Grade rates him very highly as a bowler. (This stepson has done very well in two years of grade cricket, in the final in a couple of weeks!! Another allrounder coming onto the scene?)

Matty Hayden has been one of the greats for over 100 Tests but his time should be at an end. Phil Hughes is a rising star and I'd like to see him given a shot. Aussies don't like giving up. They often need a push towards the door when it is their time: think Border, Steve Waugh, Healy, these guys are fighters who are never ready to give up, even when it is clear to others that there are others better suited to carrying on the fight.

On the spin side, NSW is playing a young leggie with promise. Smith is his name. Wouldn't it be nice to see him in England?

I'd like to stick my neck out and say that I think that Cameron White is promising. There are things he needs to work on, consistency is just one of them, but he is a Kumble type bowler with height and pace through the air who turns it enough to deceive batsmen of the calibre of Sachin more than once... that merits some approval. He compares badly with Warne, as everyone does, because we Aussies are used to someone with enormous control who can turn it 18 inches. I for one hope White bowls a lot more for Victoria and gets another shot at Tests.

Did anyone else notice that all three Aussie fast bowlers bowled at over 150 kph in the first session of the second Test? That is serious pace. For me, it is the lack of consistency which is a worry, playing well one day and then running out of puff the next.

It really does remind me of England, as Graeme Smith said.

I look forward to today's first day of play. I'll be like so many others here in Oz: TV on, volume down and ABC radio on. Although here I'd like to say the radio commentary has been lack lustre. It does rather show them up when you can see what they are describing. I understand that being opinionated is what the media likes but an informed and considered opinion is rare to find. I won't name names but certain ex-English Wisden's Cricketers of the Year commentating on ABC radio should really temper their comments.

Let me say that SA have been wonderful. They have caught everything, they have believed in themselves and they have relentlessly fought. I have enjoyed watching them. The Aussies now really do have a fight to win this Test. We'll see in a few days where they are.

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comment by Wing Back (U9900949)

posted Jan 3, 2009

Matty Hayden should retire with grace while he still can. I shows just how Australia are struggling to find top class players now, otherwise Hayden would have been dropped and replace a year or so back, in the same manner as Boon & Jones were back in the 90's

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comment by Lord Cuthbert Roth (U12961381)

posted Jan 3, 2009

What a mess you aussies are in.
Now that you empire is crumbling we will see how good your support is for your team. I'm sure England will give you a good thrashing.
To be honest England are poor themselves however they are far better than you at the moment.
I hope you get your act together as I want to see a competitive ashes this summer.

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comment by caymankai (U3288516)

posted Jan 3, 2009

Lets hope the end result is a whitewash, would be great to shut the Aussies up !!

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comment by DelhiGunner (U13707248)

posted Jan 3, 2009

Is it only me - but I think Brett Lee needs a rest. Siddle and Johnson have more pace than Lee at the moment. Clark should take lee's place - have always thought he's a great bowler - Mcgratesque.

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comment by bsurat (U8866572)

posted Jan 3, 2009

Oz have done ok so far, let's say honors even. A lot will depend on how they will bowl. With the new pace sensation Bollinger in the team anything could happen.

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comment by fairandbalancedfan (U13654179)

posted Jan 3, 2009

South Africa is doing well - but Kallis, Boucher, Ntini are due for retirement - Amla, Prince are no Sachin and Laxman

The world eleven if listed today would read

Sehwag
Gambhir
Pieterson
Sachin
Clarke
Kallis
Dhoni
Steyn
Ishant
Mendis
Bond


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comment by BowlersHoldingBatsmansWilly (U8941512)

posted Jan 3, 2009

i disagree with ur world XI fairandbalanced..cant leave graeme smith out..highest runscorer this year on top of being the captain of the most successful test team this year. my team would be
Graeme Smith(Captain)
Virender Sehwag
Ricky ponting
Sachin tendulkar
Kevin Pietersen
M S Dhoni
Andrew Flintoff
Daniel Vettori
Harbhajan Singh
Dale Steyn
Ishant Sharma

agree anyone??

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comment by maddogsettee (U8963984)

posted Jan 3, 2009

The comments toward Ma
tthew Hayden amaze me ! Lets get one thing clear, Phil Jaques has done brilliantly well for Yorkshire & Australia when called up. Matthew Hayden has been pivotal to the new president test cricket aspires to nowadays, being a 3 to 4 runs an over game. Would his head be called for now if he scored at the same rate that Simon Kattich is now ? Hayden has been a very aggresive opening batsmen backed up by the CLASS, TOUGH, DURABLE & RELIABLE Langer for most of his test career.
Allan Border could not even live with Hayden's scoring rate, a great to all Aussies and the cricketing world. I think the Aussies should give Matty a break and get Jaques back to open with him asap to sort the top order. As we English said with Atherton so many years ago, form is temporary, class is permanent ! I would like to know what happened with Macgill ? To me the guy was mistreated / got the monk on ! True, he existed in an era of a true great in Warne, he changed the game not many cricketers have been able to do in the history of cricket, but could Australia have accomodated both in one side ? I say Yes ! How the hell did Colin Miller deserve a spot before Macgill ? Do not even insult my inteligence and come back and inform me he was a variation the side ! Australia now exist as a result of their own successes. I am an Englishman / Yorkshireman ! lover of their cricket ! I loved reading justmycorrectopinion's article, it was really good, but have the Aussies handled the previous fast bowling candidates correctley ? I think not ? Look forward to beating you hopefully this year but it will still be tough for us, as for Graeme Smith of SA, I still remember him scoring heavily in England years ago and one man came to the frontier of my thoughts !!!??? Steve Waugh!!!!! Thats why SA are the best now, Graeme Smith is just like him.

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comment by Srilanka (U2896725)

posted Jan 3, 2009

after looking through the year my world 11 will be
G Smith (c)
G gambhir
S tendulkar
M ulhq
AB Devilliers
J Kallis
M Dhoni
D Vettori
H singh
Z Khan
D Steyn



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comment by handy-legend (U6618796)

posted Jan 3, 2009

Australia's era of dominance has ended. Windies were unbeatable in the 80's, then Australia, with Warne and McGrath, now India or SA have a chance to seize the moment.

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