Aus v WI First Test Thread.

[PARANoIR]

Your judging seemingly Watsons exploits with the ball after only two tests which both happened to be at the spin friendly SCG where the spinners dominate. Watson is pacey as they say, he is quick enough to be our 3rd or 4th seamer and will swing the ball

Im not judging him after 2 tests, Im judging him after watching him play since he was about 19. I'm not saying hes not quick enough to be our 3rd quick, hes got the pace, no worries, I dont know how many times I have to say that. I have also said that Watson would be great as our 4th quick in test matches, as there is not as much emphasis on him, as our 4th quick hed be great, but as a third, hes not good enough.

In the first test if they go with McGrath, Lee and Bracken aswell, I have no doubt that Watson will bowl much better with a lot more focus on the 3 specialist quicks.

The art of swing bowling is not a matter of rocking up to the ground, rolling your arm over and the ball starts 'dancing' through the air. There are many variables that contribute to the ball moving and even the great bowlers can have trouble inducing swing with the ball if the conditions do not suit.

Gee. You don't say? Thank you for such intelligent insight. I would never have been aware of such a claim had you not made such a statement.

If he bowls well, swings the ball...you give him no credit as it is at the GABBA or WACA.

If he bowls with no success...we will get a Gould-like "I told you so" when you get the chance. Very clever.

No no no Deegan, youve got that wrong aswell, I will not be like I told you so, I will give the guy the credit he deserved, Im not gonna come out and say he should have swung it. I hope he does well, but whether he does or not remains to be seen.

I don't know how much you know about cricket but Adam Dale has been retired fro 3 years now. i think you mean bichel. Kaspers coming back from injury aswell.

lol...haha. I'm quite aware that Adam Dale is retired, so I don't know how much you know about Cricket, but Adam Dale is now in on the Coaching side of things.

It doesnt matter whether Kaspers injured or not, he can still teach the guy how to swing the thing.

[DeeGan]

I love the attempt at sarchasim in your post:

"Gee. You don't say? Thank you for such intelligent insight. I would never have been aware of such a claim had you not made such a statement."

You give us an insiders look into the workings of PaRaNoIR. Sarchasim can be used in a few ways, this is simply straight out of an episode of Home and Away

Again, he (Watson) and Michael Clarke are long term projects with the Australian selectors and we will persist with them at test level. Watson is a batsmen/bowler all-rounder (not bowler/batsmen) who with time will be viewed as a legit test all-rounder IMO.

Truth be known, unlike PaRaNoIR who has since 13 y.o. has been following Shane Watson, I do get to the GABBA to watch the Bulls more often than most and will stick to the opinion he is worthy of selection as a number 6/7 batsmen who can be relied upon to be the 3/4 seamer in our team.

Apparently I have got a few things wrong here, that's fine I can live with that given it is my opinion, though we'll see how it all pans out at the end of the summer and in 5 years time with Shane Watson.


DeeGan

[PARANoIR]

Again, he (Watson) and Michael Clarke are long term projects with the Australian selectors and we will persist with them at test level. Watson is a batsmen/bowler all-rounder (not bowler/batsmen) who with time will be viewed as a legit test all-rounder IMO.

Exactly why he should not be relied upon as the third fast bowler for the side.

Truth be known, unlike PaRaNoIR who has since 13 y.o. has been following Shane Watson, I do get to the GABBA to watch the Bulls more often than most and will stick to the opinion he is worthy of selection as a number 6/7 batsmen who can be relied upon to be the 3/4 seamer in our team.

I never recall saying that hes not worthy of batting a 7, and Im pretty sure I said that he would be great as the 4th quick, he would be much more effective if there were 3 specialist quicks there. No doubt in 5 years or so, when he is better for the experience, he will be much more effective as a 3rd quick, but right now he simply is not. Hes barely even used for the Bulls as a 3rd quick, so hows he gonna go for the Test side?

Apparently I have got a few things wrong here, that's fine I can live with that given it is my opinion, though we'll see how it all pans out at the end of the summer and in 5 years time with Shane Watson.

Exactly. In 5 years time, Watson will be considered near the same league as Kallis and Flintoff.

[ridgey]

i just hope they don't put to much pressure on shane watson and let him develop into the terrific allrounder we all know he could be.alot has been written and said after the ashes series loss about developing a genuine allrounder just because flintoff creamed us.but shane watson isn't andy flintoff he's shane watson and i think we have to remember the aussies have some other aspects of their game to take care of before we throw the weight of the world on watsons shoulders.the more experience he gets the better he will be,i just hope fans and the media don't crucify him if he doesn't perform because they want him to be the next kallis or flintoff.

[Dakink]

On Sunrise this morning - Hussey looking likely to be called in to replace Langer.

Langer showing bravery but facing 4 quicks on a pace friendly GABBA if he isnt absolutely 100% he should be rested.

[DeeGan]

On Sunrise this morning - Hussey looking likely to be called in to replace Langer.

Langer showing bravery but facing 4 quicks on a pace friendly GABBA if he isnt absolutely 100% he should be rested.

Agreed and Mike Hussey is finally getting a shot he deserves which will be the first of many once Langer and Hayden leave the test arena.

DeeGan

[Dakink]

Hussey is a favourite of mine now after seeing him perform in the ODI's. Didnt know a real lot about him before - but thoroughly enjoy his cricket now!!!

Who do you think the next opener will be? Jaques has been looking good and has a solid technique. Any other stand out openers?

[Dakink]

Hussey poised as Langer concedes
By Andrew Ramsey and Malcolm Conn
November 1, 2005

MICHAEL HUSSEY arrived in Brisbane poised to make an unexpected Test debut after his friend and West Australia teammate Justin Langer all but ruled himself out of the season opener with a fractured rib.

Hussey ... his path to the elite level has been blocked by Langer.
Video: Courtney Walks talks about the West Indies attack

A final decision on Langer's availability will not be made until this morning, but Australia medical staff and even the ever-courageous Langer conceded he was fighting a losing battle.

Having suffered a fracture to the seventh rib on his right side after being struck while batting in Melbourne last Saturday, Langer attempted to join in training with the Test squad yesterday morning but could not raise a jog because of the searing pain.

The 35-year-old then held a lengthy conversation with team physiotherapist Errol Alcott during which Langer is understood to have been told he faces two to three weeks on the sidelines to allow the injury to fully heal.

Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns was informed, and Hohns immediately phoned Hussey, who had just finished a walk along a Perth beach with his wife and daughter and was told to "get on a plane to Brisbane as soon as possible".

"I'm definitely just over on standby at the moment," Hussey said yesterday. "It's a bit of a weird feeling I guess because Justin and I are very good friends.

"For his sake I obviously hope he's all right and fit to play but, then on the other hand, I'm quite excited about the chance to maybe wear the baggy green (cap). I've got to try and prepare as though I'm going to play so that if the opportunity comes, I'll be ready. I said that I'd expect him (Langer) to play and you'd probably have to cut one of his arms or his legs off not to, but even then he'd probably still try and play."

That was Langer's view when he optimistically declared on arrival in Brisbane last Sunday that he was "100 per cent" ready to tackle the West Indies in the first of three Tests, which begins at the Gabba on Thursday.

But, despite suffering a bevy of body blows and bruises since making his Test debut against a rampaging West Indian pace attack more than 12 years ago, Langer had never before sustained a broken bone and underestimated the physical toll.

"To be honest, it was a lot more painful than I was expecting it to be this morning," Langer said yesterday. "I said to Errol (Alcott) and Trevor Hohns and (coach) John Buchanan this morning that if they could just give me another 24 hours to see if there's any improvement. I've seen over the years how quickly the body can recover, so if I give it another day and a decision will be probably be made (this morning) one way or the other.

"The fact is it's not a soft tissue injury, it's a broken bone and you need to give broken bones a bit of time to heal.

"From that point of view he (Alcott) probably wasn't as optimistic as I was hoping for and I'm not as optimistic now as I was 24 hours ago."

Langer, who was on target to play his 100th Test against South Africa in Sydney next January until this setback, is acutely aware of the risk of allowing a replacement of Hussey's ability a shot at Test level.

Langer's floundering Test career was revived when he was called up as a shock replacement for a wayward Michael Slater during Australia's 2001 Ashes tour. The dogged opener responded with a century (retired hurt) and has played every one of Australia's 52 Test matches since that game at The Oval as an opener, alongside his great mate Matthew Hayden.

But Langer welcomed Hussey's call-up and claimed that if he was to surrender his place in the Australian XI - albeit temporarily, as he hopes to be fit for the second Test in Hobart starting on November 17 - he could think of no better replacement.

"I've watched him since he was an 18-year-old kid and I'm not sure I've ever met a guy who wants to wear the baggy green cap as much as Mike Hussey does," Langer said.

Hussey is a contracted Cricket Australia player who recently captained the Australia A team to Pakistan and led Durham in England's county championship during the 2005 northern summer. His accomplished batting during the one-day series which preceded the Ashes this year left many England critics perplexed as to why he was not in the Test squad, but his path to the elite level has been blocked by Langer and Hayden's incumbency.

"It's a bit of a weird feeling if the opportunity does come into play because it feels like it's been a lifetime since I first started playing for WA with aspirations to play for Australia," Hussey said yesterday. "I definitely feel a lot more relaxed with my game (than in the past). I know my game very well now. My goal, if I do play, is to go out there and really enjoy it and try and get Australia off to a good start."

After a rest day yesterday, the West Indies will train at the Gabba this afternoon. Opening batsman Wavell Hinds (fractured finger) is the only member of the 15-man squad unavailable for selection for the first Test.

The Australian

Alright Hussey gets a start. Be great to see how he bats with Hayden.

[ridgey]

anyone else going to the test,i'm thinking of goin sat if it last's that long!

[DeeGan]

I am sure you there will be cricket to played Saturday.

Who will the other opener be Dakink? Phil Jacques is promising and I think WA's Marcus North can bat further up the order if required.

Jacques and Hussey though IMO will be the next opening pair for Australia.

DeeGan

[Cliffy GC]

i wanna go sunday

[Teegy]

I am sure you there will be cricket to played Saturday.

Who will the other opener be Dakink? Phil Jacques is promising and I think WA's Marcus North can bat further up the order if required.

Jacques and Hussey though IMO will be the next opening pair for Australia.

DeeGan

Wat about James Hopes. he deserves a chance

[PARANoIR]

I am sure you there will be cricket to played Saturday.

Who will the other opener be Dakink? Phil Jacques is promising and I think WA's Marcus North can bat further up the order if required.

Jacques and Hussey though IMO will be the next opening pair for Australia.

DeeGan

Agreed, Hussey and Jacques will open for years to come.

Marcus North should fill the number 5 role for Australia for many years, and James Hopes..well I don't think we'll see him in a test match unless something happens to Watson.

[Steelers]

I am going to this game on either Sat or Sun.

[DeeGan]

James Hopes I am sure will never be a Test opener. He will be battling with Shane Watson and the like for a spot in the test side, not the openers Teegy.

DeeGan