Aust vs Sth Africa 1st Test

[The Mad Hatter]

47.

47!!!???!!!

I'd be thinking some time this afternoon Messrs Haddin, Hussey, Ponting and Johnson would all be welcomed to professional retirement.

Sure Clarke batted poorly too, but he got 151 in the first innings.

Hughes is a myth of the highest order, only slightly less so than the 'once in a generation' tag bestowed upon Mitchell Johnson by Dennis Lillee. I've shot deers that were more nimble footed and less spooked in a target than dear Phillip. Whatever CA did to him on the 2009 Ashes tour, I dunno. Or maybe Shield standards were so poor he just looked good.

Watson...you're a wonderful NUMBER SIX batsman! And a tops bowler.

Surely must be the time for CA to flick the dead wood and bring in some fresh blood. Warner, Khwaja, Wade/Paine, Ferguson, Cummins, Mitch Marsh...

Finally...Peter Siddle you are a LIONHEART! If the pretty boys in the Aust Test Squad showed as much intestinal fortitude, we'd be unbeatable.

And yes, you reap what you sow. 20-20 cricket has seen the decline in test standards. Now, Australia are the West Indies.

To lose 23 wickets in a day of a Test...well...

To be all out for 47 and 9/21 with the last partnership gaining 26 runs just shows you how ******* bad Australian Test Cricket has got.

 

[BLOWN8]

im in shock this morning. cant believe what im seeing. hughes gone, haddin gone. this is just a disgrace.

 

[Matty76]

Yep, lets sack the lot of them and replace them with keyboard heroes who simply lie in wait for a poor performance from the national team and then sink the boot in

I have followed the Aussies since the Brisbane Test of 1990 and have seen plenty of good and a lot of bad too. It happens. As for us being the "West Indies" - I don't THINK we have a group of senior players refusing to play for us due to contract and sponsorship disputes do we??

I would laugh like a hyena if we get up and win this Test, might put a few people back in their box.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

I'm no keyboard hero dude. I go to Shield matches - was at Bankstown this week and I go to the Sydney Test EVERY year.

And I've been watching Test Cricket since I got my first Scanlens sticker book back in 1983. So trumped again.

And yep - sure we're still in it to win it. But because of the bowlers, not the batsmen.

We had a glimpse of the post legend era - no Warne, McGrath, etc back on 2003/04 and it wasn't pretty. 8 years later, and as I said, you reap what you sow.

We've now been thumped in the Ashes, dawdled along in a ODI World Cup and beaten Sri Lanka 1-0.

Surely out of the list of players...Haddin, Hussey and Ponting are all way on the wrong side of 30...even 35. Hughes was a never was and Johnson needs his head checked.

Harris, Lyon, Watson, Siddle and Clarke have all put it. I have never been on Clarke's case. EVER!!! So I like six of the 11 and think Watson should be at 6. Marsh is injured. Australia weren't bold to play Cummins, Sth Africa played their new quick and look at the result.

I have been saying since BEFORE we lost Gilchrist, Warne, McGrath, Hayden, Langer, Martyn, Symonds, MacGill...that we needed a clear policy. CA buried their head in the sand.

But hey, if you think being 9/21 and all out for 47 is good and not worthy of criticism Matty, you go right ahead!

 

[walshy]

47.

47!!!???!!!

I'd be thinking some time this afternoon Messrs Haddin, Hussey, Ponting and Johnson would all be welcomed to professional retirement.

Sure Clarke batted poorly too, but he got 151 in the first innings.

Hughes is a myth of the highest order, only slightly less so than the 'once in a generation' tag bestowed upon Mitchell Johnson by Dennis Lillee. I've shot deers that were more nimble footed and less spooked in a target than dear Phillip. Whatever CA did to him on the 2009 Ashes tour, I dunno. Or maybe Shield standards were so poor he just looked good.

Watson...you're a wonderful NUMBER SIX batsman! And a tops bowler.

Surely must be the time for CA to flick the dead wood and bring in some fresh blood. Warner, Khwaja, Wade/Paine, Ferguson, Cummins, Mitch Marsh...

Finally...Peter Siddle you are a LIONHEART! If the pretty boys in the Aust Test Squad showed as much intestinal fortitude, we'd be unbeatable.

And yes, you reap what you sow. 20-20 cricket has seen the decline in test standards. Now, Australia are the West Indies.

To lose 23 wickets in a day of a Test...well...

To be all out for 47 and 9/21 with the last partnership gaining 26 runs just shows you how ******* bad Australian Test Cricket has got.

Good thinking, let's bring in Ferguson, because he makes runs at shield level... You can't thrash at Hughes, he has just come of a test ton, and seriously name a someone who could face Steyn bowling 150 clicks, swinging it on an green top.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Just before I log out...and cry then laugh myself to sleep...at least we can all say we've seen the worst performance from an Aussie Test team in 100 years. Can go up there with the 5-0 whitewash in 2006/07, the threepeat World Cups and sadly, losing at Lords for the first time in 100 odd years.

---------- Post added 11-11-2011 at 08:54 AM ----------

Good thinking, let's bring in Ferguson, because he makes runs at shield level... You can't thrash at Hughes, he has just come of a test ton, and seriously name a someone who could face Steyn bowling 150 clicks, swinging it on an green top.

I've scratched about less with eczema.

 

[ooneil]

Bring back Katich, get rid of Clarke as Captain. He is not fit to lead.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Bring back Katich, get rid of Clarke as Captain. He is not fit to lead.

LMAO.

It looks like they got rid of the wrong 30-something.

 

[axeman23]

Bring back Katich, get rid of Clarke as Captain. He is not fit to lead.

Yeah, coz Clarkey and his damn "Jedi mind tricks" scattered Hughes', Ponting's, Hussey's, and Haddin's stumps TWICE, and told Mitchell Johnson to bowl like a Libyan rebel shoots...

 

[Harsha_12]

Im surprised they even got 47 as they were 9-21 at one stage. Shocking!

 

[BLOWN8]

Yep, lets sack the lot of them and replace them with keyboard heroes who simply lie in wait for a poor performance from the national team and then sink the boot in
I would laugh like a hyena if we get up and win this Test, might put a few people back in their box.

really hope this wasnt directed at me champ. cant remember anyone saying sack the lot of them. this is called a forum mate, we all get on here with our ideas and thoughts, we call them our opinions. if you disagree thats fine, but dont go calling anyone a keyboard hero just because you disagree.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

The 10th wicket was the highest scoring.

They scored over 50% of the runs.

We might be headed for the perfect storm: WI's decline mid-90's, England's woeful ineptness in the 90's and matching Pakistan's feats of low scoring.

 

[ooneil]

Yeah, coz Clarkey and his damn "Jedi mind tricks" scattered Hughes', Ponting's, Hussey's, and Haddin's stumps TWICE, and told Mitchell Johnson to bowl like a Libyan rebel shoots...

Its well known that there has been significant issues in the locker room for a number of years - a lot surrounding Clarke.

Its time that the issues are dealt with - today is just consequence of it.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Surely when they had Sth Africa out for 96 with a lead of nearly 200, they thought 150-200 and we've got em.

I just don't know what goes through the heads of sportspeople these days.

Rod Marsh and Andy Bichel will sort 'em out ;-)

 

[axeman23]

Its well known that there has been significant issues in the locker room for a number of years - a lot surrounding Clarke.

Its time that the issues are dealt with - today is just consequence of it.

Well, IF thats true, the players should who are against Clarke's captaincy should suck it up and out-perform him! Or at least try to reach double figures... THEN they might give the team/selectors a viable alternative! If they can't do that, and are still unwilling to go with what's decided by their supperiors, they can retire as far as I'm concerned!

 

[Matty76]

My point, more or less, is that one bad day (or in this case 90 minutes) at the office ALWAYS brings knee-jerk reactions.

I once saw Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh, Greg Blewett, Ian Healy and Brendon Julian be dismissed during a collapse of 5 for 2 in the 1995 Trinidad Test vs West Indies (started at 3-85, finished at 8-87) and also saw Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh and Matthew Hayden all dismissed without addition to the scoreboard (started at 1-74, finished at 5-74). It happens.

It is why the game is so unpredictably brilliant. To watch South Africa get knocked over for 96, then shuffle off to bed with us 1 for 6 (from memory) and then wake up bleary-eyed to the news of 47 all-out justifies why you spend so much of your leisure time absorbing the game, you never quite know what is around the corner.

There is always an insistance that "player x" and "player y" should be sacked, and I just don't GET that. How would you feel, at the age of 34-35-36, if someone told you to "f**k off" doing something that you have enjoyed for twenty or more years because you are washed up?

Some of the blokes that people want axed are younger than I am

 

[ooneil]

I dont want Clarke axed I just think he is a poor leader and should not be Captain.

I lost all respect for him when he walked out mid tour on the team to break up with Lara Bingle.

And then there is the Katich thing. Even if he had nothing to do with his axing as Captain he should have at least given the guy a phone call. In my book thats poor leadership.

But an opinion is like an asshole - everyone has one.

 

[Richo]

I am too upset to talk about this match

 

[Harsha_12]

Why don't we make this thread as the Series thread? seeming that we already talking about the 1st Test.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

I'm still bitter about Dean Jones' axing...



I wasn't trying to be knee jerk and slay em all BUT there are a couple of people in that team who are at their end. Ponting was lambasted and derided by Jim Maxwell on ABC Radio and I respect his comments. I love Punter but sadly, his day has come.

Hussey did score runs in Sri Lanka, so there's a reprieve there. But Haddin? He has been shaky for the last 2 years anyway and I don't rate him as a keeper either. Johnson...the Barmy Army have got it right...he bowls to the left, he bowls to the right, Dear Mitchell...you're bowling is s#ite. We can't carry two toilers in Siddle and Harris with Johnson as some X-Factor if he only delivers 1 in 5 tests. We need a pace attack that people fear.

Hughes...I loved the guy when he first came around but whatever CA or he did to change his game since 2009 Ashes has ruined him. He was unconventional and fun to watch. Now...I dunno. May be I am being extremely rough on the guy. Watson should be at 6.

I believe we have the genesis of a good side that can build. Cummins, both Marsh brothers, Khawaja, Wade/Paine, Warner...they all offer something. Hell, bite the bullet and can Ponting and shift Watson down the order and build the opening order around these guys. Keep Clarke as captain too.

Australian cricket was always ruthless and dropped players when their time was up (sometimes before the player and/or the public thought so) ... Dean Jones, Geoff Marsh, Mark Waugh... or tapped 'em on the shoulder. We need that ruthlessness back. The sad thing is, we knew this was coming. We had Langer, Hayden, Ponting, Martyn, Hussey, Gilchrist, Warne, McGrath, Lee, MacGill who were all of the same generation, hitting their mid-30's. CA told us the Academy was churning out talent, that the future's league was the ant-pants and that Shield cricket was the bee's knees. Somewhere, CA dropped the ball, thought we were impervious and didn't cull a star a year and blood young guns with the older stars to continue the streak. Now, we have to build a new winning culture. Hopefully being absolutely disgraced in that 2nd innings will galvanise Clarke and some of the players but even so, I'd still be pruning Johnson, Haddin and Ponting for the 1st Test on Aussie soil.

I am happy to chat these things. I know its unpalatable as everyone has a fave player and I don't mean to crap on you. These are my opinions (shared by the missus and within my circle of cricket mates). This site is cool because we can talk it through. If you think I am a d!ck, say it, but please back it up with something to reinforce that. Hell...convince me otherwise and I might change my opinion.