Ashes

[Charles49]

Not to be held back, I see the Aus X1 for Perth has been announced. Lawry Simpson Chappell I Chappell G Walters Yallop Marsh Benaud Lillee Thomson McKenzie.

Wheelchair cricket?????

[Firkinelle]

The real 3rd Test squad Ponting, Clarke, Beer, Haddin, Harris, Hughes, Hilfenhaus, M.Hussey, Johnson, Siddle, Smith, Watson

[Firkinelle]

WESTERN Australian spin bowler Michael Beer is a surprise addition to the 12-man Australian squad to face England in the Third Ashes Test in Perth on Thursday.

Paceman Mitchell Johnson has also been added after missing the Second Test in Adelaide while NSW opener Phillip Hughes and his State teammate, allrounder Steven Smith, is also an inclusion into the squad and Tasmanian speedster Ben Hilfenhous has been recalled.

Missing is the injured Simon Katich while Doug Bollinger, Xavier Doherty and Marcus North have been dropped.

"Michael Beer replaces Xavier Doherty in the squad,'' chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said.

"Michael is a left-arm orthodox spinner who has been very impressive at domestic level this year. He took wickets against England in the tour match earlier this summer and we expect he will bowl very well against the English on his home ground.''

He added that both Johnson and Hilfenhaus who did not play in the Australian innings defeat in Adelaide will come under strong consideration because the Perth conditions will suit.

"The squad is a very exciting one with a blend of talented young players and experienced international cricketers,'' he said.

"We are confident it will play an aggressive brand of cricket as we try to change the momentum of the Test series in this critical Vodafone Ashes Perth Test match.

[Emkayracing]

Dare I say GOOD CALL (Up) ??

[mark]

Wow I have to say Australia seem to be giving this to England on a plate!! Michael Beer FFS that is a bit of a shock and I might be very wrong but he is not test match class and why on earth Hauritz is not being given another chance I dont really know, ok he wont spin a team out but he has more control and variation than any of the others the Aussies have tried so far or are trying in the 3rd test. Steve Smith I can understand as he is a decent batsman and while he will likely leak runs at an alarming rate if bowled he can produce the odd wicket taking delivery amongst the deliveries that will be despatched to the boundary. Phil Hughes should be entertaining at the top of the order and I am guessing a few short balls will be destined for Mr Hughes after his awful attempts to play it in the past but he is a player I like and they should of kept faith with him and give him a decent run in the team and the best news for England..............THE CLOWN IS BACK.............

[Temujin]

"Michael is a left-arm orthodox spinner who has been very impressive at domestic level this year. He took wickets against England in the tour match earlier this summer and we expect he will bowl very well against the English on his home ground.''

Yeah, well. Thing is, Michael Beer is a Victorian. He had to move to Perth because he couldn't get a game in the Victorian team ffs. He has only played 5 games at state level? At an average of 40? 16 wickets?
Home ground? Let's be honest here, he has only ever played there 3 times.

How Australia is so short still is way beyond me. Maybe they will get lucky and justify his selection, but seriously, when you need to move interstate to a low population state just to get a game doesn't scream "Play for Australia" for mine. This will be a slaughter, pure and simple.

Only thing stopping an England victory here, is a delayed declaration, or weather. Or a bomb threat? Hmmmm...

[Firkinelle]

Yeah, well. Thing is, Michael Beer is a Victorian. He had to move to Perth because he couldn't get a game in the Victorian team ffs. He has only played 5 games at state level? At an average of 40? 16 wickets?
Home ground? Let's be honest here, he has only ever played there 3 times.

You'd have thought Hilditch might have known this or been told before he came out with the statement wouldn't you?

[Temujin]

You'd have thought Hilditch might have known this or been told before he came out with the statement wouldn't you?

Well I suspect it is more of a case of treating people like they are stupid more than him simply not knowing. All good trying to justify something with "facts", but he should know that those "facts" are going to be studied to the core. Problem for him, is the core was already showing.
This wasn't a questionable decision, it was downright desperation. Yes, a few big shots have talked him up a bit to get him there, more so I believe than his record suggests, but at the end of the day, the guy couldn't get a game in Victoria and had to move just to even get a game at state level.

Don't get me wrong, it is a gamble I hope pays off. But not one I will be following. My "gamble" will be that this will be a massive failure.

Nathan Hauritz has experience, coming off 5 wickets in Perth, and just made 146 in a shield match. 60+ wickets averaging ~35 at test level... Why not?

Guess we will see what happens, but I think I am happy to risk a grand to say you shouldn't gamble....

[Temujin]

Great start.. How Australia started so short is beyond me. How they are still 4.00 at 4/40 in the first session is also baffling.. Let the lay ride.. Go England...
Well, for now....

[ForeTwo]

Market was very strange last night, didn't trust England what so ever!

Its a shame we couldn't of knocked them over quicker, but I would of bitten your hand off for this position before the game!

Any plans for tonight? Early england wickets may make there price interesting again,

[Firkinelle]

Not me, before you start

Ponting should move down the order and away from the new ball to prolong his career. That may be only until the end of this series unless he and his vice-captain can produce the results that will somehow save what appears to be a hopeless Ashes campaign.

The continued failure by Ponting and Clarke in the key batting positions highlights a wider malaise. It starts at the top with the Cricket Australia board, where petty, parochial politics continues to stand in the way of an AFL-style independent commission to run the game for the greater good.

Hughes scored four and 0 to continue a miserable season for NSW before he was recalled to open the batting in place of an injured Simon Katich.

If Hughes plays another feeble shot in the second innings, he must be sent back to NSW to work on his technique and state of mind.

Australia has belatedly began the rebuilding process but this has been frustrated by the next generation failing to put their hand up at state level.

However, Ponting and Clarke are the major problems.

Clarke's move from five to four in a swap with Hussey to help shore up the West Australian's recently fading career has worked a treat for Hussey but it's been a disaster for Clarke. He has been exposed by short bowling with a newer ball and has not coped well.

A fine player of spin, Clarke has spent most of his career at five, averaging 56 and scoring 11 of his 14 centuries there. The other three have been scored at six.

At four he has now played 19 innings for an average of 20.5 with just two half-centuries, including the 80 he made during the second innings of the Adelaide Test.

Ponting is 36 on Sunday and his figures have been fading for two years. Now they are in free fall.

He has scored just one century in each of the past two years and his most recent, last January against Pakistan in Hobart, was a double century after he was dropped at fine leg hooking for a duck.

At the mid-point of this series, Ponting has scored just 82 runs at 20.5, most of them a largely meaningless 51 not out in drawn first Test.

Ponting and Clarke must perform to keep their places, yet there is no one performing to replace them.

[Temujin]

Well there are people performing at state level. Hodge is averaging 100, and there has been some big innings from unknown players also. Well, down to 88 now, but still. What about Christian? Averaging 55 with the bat, 24 with the ball in the one dayers? I know we are talking about test matches, but as far as I can tell, cricket is cricket. If you can see the ball as a batsmen, that doesn't change. The only difference is pace. Plenty of people seeing the ball well..

And realistically, todays play will be a continuation of easy batting, as shown by the Australian lower order. No there was no huge innings, but there is a reason that most of them scored decent (talking about bowlers here) scores after a pathetic batsmen performance, and that is because the pitch is good for batting.
A bit of patience, see off the new ball, and England are well on their way. There are some big scores for the taking. Sure the odd one will do the unexpected, but I can't see the market being steady any more for England. No way in hell Australia should be those odds, and at some point, the market will correct in a big spike, and the only way that is going is up. Only really 2 prices that will move today imho. Draw isn't one of them. The longer England bat, the draw will remain similar prices. Australia, will shoot up, unless they get early wickets. Give it a few more overs, and even if they do get a wicket, the play will be lay Australia. If they get a wicket, lay them again. Lay, lay, lay.. All the way...
Sure, Australia could get lucky, but the correct play today, is lay. I traded out after last night at 5.3 (don't like overnight positions), and for some reason Australia is now 4.7. What happened?

Either way, the market is wrong. For whatever reason, they are rating the Australians way too high. Trade value long enough, you make money. Give it a few overs, watch the batsmen. If they are seeing it reasonably well, lay Aus. Simple as that. Trade back out at 12s if you like later in the day, or wait until England are 6-7 down,,, whenever that may be.



Please note: These are the reasons I will be doing what I will be doing. I am not telling people what to do, or that doing this will make money.

[Temujin]

Well, in all fairness, the odds did get out to 9.4 within about 30 minutes of play. But who would have seen this coming? (Except all the mugs keeping the price down of course.. )..
Mitchell Johnson? Hmmm.. Bit of time home with the missus and look at him, playing out of his skin so he doesn't have to go back there for a while...

[ForeTwo]

Wow what a day....really didnt think Mitch had anything in him!! Mug backers got lucky I think.

I backed Aus on the way down, missed out on 9's but just got on England 8.4 before the first wicket.

Aussie price short? Will the pitch be a road towards the end of the test?? I am unsure of my next move hmmmmm.

[Temujin]

Australia have been too short the whole time. Got out to 9.4, I think another 2 overs and I would have got my 12.
Ball was swinging wildly still in the 50th over, I think somebody must have put some electrical tape on it overnight.
Who knows what to expect really. End of the day England went in only 80 runs down. On current form, that is nothing. 2 wickets down, 125 in front, 3+ days left, I think Australia are still a big lay.

What could happen? Can't see the pitch getting too bad at the end, or why go so many quicks? Think it was greener than expected, so probably bat through til the end with it drying out a little, game won't go full 5 days anyway.
Realistically, if Australia score 320, England need 400 to win.. Pitch should still allow it. Any more than that, and England become very unlikely.
If nothing too drastic happens, then I can't see any real play. Obvious one is to lay Australia. Clearly not in the best of form with the bat, and you wouldn't expect too many freakish days like today. No idea on the "history" in chasing down last innings scores, but I suspect England will have the best part of 2 days to get them, assuming Australia can bat through tomorrow. I suspect they will bat for most of it, and then anything can happen.

Moral of the story, busy tomorrow so doubt I will play. Only move I could make is to lay Australia at some point, because at the end of the day on current form, if Australia can make 400, you would expect England could make 480.
As I say this, Aus lost their 3rd wicket, still 1.48.. Stick with my current thoughts and lay after a few overs, maybe 5 or so, should get that down to 1.40....