There's no doubt that Siddle puts in the effort....but he can't take enough wickets and that is what wins games...Hilfenhaus is even worse at getting wickets. I know these guys are trying their hearts out but the results are not good enough. That game should have been won easily. If you are trying really hard at your job but getting bad results....guess what you get fired. As soon as there are good fit replacements available for them they need to be dropped.
I am sorry but I have to disagree with some of points; I agree that our bowlers need to take more wickets but we have to put the game into context. All SA wanted to do for the last 4 sessions was save the game do they played such a defensive game which on a very flat and mostly true wicket really worked in their favour. Let's not forget our best quick was out of action also and the amount if times Siddle beat the bat was astonishing. SA apparently have the best fast bowling attack in the world but aldo struggled to bowl Aust out. If we drop Hilfy we lose our only genuine swing bowler and if we drop Siddle we loseour best stump to stump bowler who is able to easily tie one end up in the high 130's for long spells. Really tough call to drop either one but if we had to I would say Hilfy first
PS : Siddle the Lionheart should be first man picked. He picks up his cherries and is one of the unluckiest bowlers in this country for dropped catches off his bowling.
14 Man Squad -David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Jack, I can't help but think that Ian Chappell was on the money last week - he said that he would like to see the selectors say to Ricky "we'll give you a farewell game in Perth, mate..and then that's it". Regardless of whose decision it is, I think it is a really classy way to leave the game - Ricky's Test debut was at the WACA and he was famously given out LBW incorrectly on 96.
I just read somewhere that Khawaja, Hughes and Alex Doolan are in contention for Punter's spot
I definitely hope its either Hughes or Khawaja they are both great young players with loads of potential to offer, would be nice to see Hughes get the nod though because he was close to replacing Watson for the 1st 2 Tests but Quiney got chosen over him
So how many wickets do you reckon we'd have by now if Hilfenhaus and Siddle played...1...2 at the most? Giving Hilfenhaus a "rest" is pretty much the easy way of saying he's not coming back from that rest if people bowl well in this game.
The bowlers have bowled really well for the most part today except for too much short stuff in the first hour. If they keep it up i can see Starc and Johnson staying in the side at the expense of Hilfenhaus and injured bowlers. Watson is good for a short spell so it's handy to have him back. I guess Siddle will be back in the team though as the selectors have a hard-on for him.