Australia at the Crossroads
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:05 am
Australia having lost the recent Test series... for the benefit of our English readers who probably really enjoyed reading that, I'll say it again... Australia having lost the recent Test series, Michael Clarke and his merry men find themselves at the crossroads. Having watched bits and pieces of this disappointing effort, I feel that a few cracks are beginning to show in a side that smashed England less than twelve ago. With another chapter in Ashes history looming, quite a few changes are afoot in the baggygreen camp. As I set it, there are big question marks over the following spots in the Oz team;
1 – An opener's spot (Rogers)
2 – The number 3 slot (Maxwell/Doolan/Watson)
3 – The wicket-keeping position (Haddin)
4 – The spinner (Lyon)
5 – The two seamers who are not Mitchell Johnson (Siddle/Starc)
6 – The captain (Clarke)
For me, Chris Rogers has played his last game for Australia. I do like him and he is a good player, but he's simply not good enough for this Australian team, and at his age, he won't get better than he is now. His replacement would appear to be Phil Hughes, although surely this must be his last chance. Should Hughes fail in this next series against India, then it time to look at the likes of Nic Maddinson, Joe Burns or Jordan Silk.
The troubled number 3 slot has become a bit of a poisoned challis since the retirement of RT Ponting. Shane Watson will almost certainly fill the role against India, but I reckon he's one more injury away from being tapped on the shoulder. I'd like to see Alex Doolan back in there, but failing that, it might fall on one of the three mentioned above, or possibly Chris Lynn, provided he makes a successful comeback from his injury.
The much maligned Brad Haddin is at the end of the road, I feel. His replacement will be a big call. Going forward, I see Sam Whiteman as Australia's gloveman, but he's still a season or two away. In the short term, I reckon Rod Marsh will go for a pair of old hands in Chris Hartley, although I would personally prefer Tim Paine, I have a hunch about Hartley.
Nathan Lyon is Australia's best spinner in my opinion. The selectors, however, may not see it that way for much longer. He was average at best against Pakistan. I don't think we'll see O'Keefe knock him off his perch, but one of the younger brigade might knock him off. Lyon might well be safe for now, but a surrendering of the Ashes (perish the thought) might see the end of him.
Our brittle bowling attack is something I have recurring nightmares about. (The other recurring nightmare I have is being locked in room 101 and Shanky is in there.) Mitch Johnson is a nailed down starter (unless he breaks down). I reckon Peter Siddle is just about done. I'm not exactly jumping over the moon about Mitchell Starc right now. James Pattinson is injured at different times of the year. I'm not sure what the story with Jackson Bird is at present. Nathan Coultre-Nile and Josh Hazlewood are lingering.
Michael Clarke might be in a bit of trouble. His form seems to be missing in action, he seems to be at loggerheads with the selectors, and his fragile body must surely only be one more injury away from being tapped on the shoulder, similar to Twatto. It will be interesting to see who is brought in when he is eventually moved on.
Change is definitely afoot in the Oz camp. This upcoming India series might just see a few of those changes being made. The signs were not good against Pakistan, with the only bright lights being Mitchell Johnson, Dave Warner, Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh. The rest were pretty ordinary. I'd say that Rod Marsh has got some big decisions to make, sooner rather than later. I hope he has the stones to make them.
1 – An opener's spot (Rogers)
2 – The number 3 slot (Maxwell/Doolan/Watson)
3 – The wicket-keeping position (Haddin)
4 – The spinner (Lyon)
5 – The two seamers who are not Mitchell Johnson (Siddle/Starc)
6 – The captain (Clarke)
For me, Chris Rogers has played his last game for Australia. I do like him and he is a good player, but he's simply not good enough for this Australian team, and at his age, he won't get better than he is now. His replacement would appear to be Phil Hughes, although surely this must be his last chance. Should Hughes fail in this next series against India, then it time to look at the likes of Nic Maddinson, Joe Burns or Jordan Silk.
The troubled number 3 slot has become a bit of a poisoned challis since the retirement of RT Ponting. Shane Watson will almost certainly fill the role against India, but I reckon he's one more injury away from being tapped on the shoulder. I'd like to see Alex Doolan back in there, but failing that, it might fall on one of the three mentioned above, or possibly Chris Lynn, provided he makes a successful comeback from his injury.
The much maligned Brad Haddin is at the end of the road, I feel. His replacement will be a big call. Going forward, I see Sam Whiteman as Australia's gloveman, but he's still a season or two away. In the short term, I reckon Rod Marsh will go for a pair of old hands in Chris Hartley, although I would personally prefer Tim Paine, I have a hunch about Hartley.
Nathan Lyon is Australia's best spinner in my opinion. The selectors, however, may not see it that way for much longer. He was average at best against Pakistan. I don't think we'll see O'Keefe knock him off his perch, but one of the younger brigade might knock him off. Lyon might well be safe for now, but a surrendering of the Ashes (perish the thought) might see the end of him.
Our brittle bowling attack is something I have recurring nightmares about. (The other recurring nightmare I have is being locked in room 101 and Shanky is in there.) Mitch Johnson is a nailed down starter (unless he breaks down). I reckon Peter Siddle is just about done. I'm not exactly jumping over the moon about Mitchell Starc right now. James Pattinson is injured at different times of the year. I'm not sure what the story with Jackson Bird is at present. Nathan Coultre-Nile and Josh Hazlewood are lingering.
Michael Clarke might be in a bit of trouble. His form seems to be missing in action, he seems to be at loggerheads with the selectors, and his fragile body must surely only be one more injury away from being tapped on the shoulder, similar to Twatto. It will be interesting to see who is brought in when he is eventually moved on.
Change is definitely afoot in the Oz camp. This upcoming India series might just see a few of those changes being made. The signs were not good against Pakistan, with the only bright lights being Mitchell Johnson, Dave Warner, Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh. The rest were pretty ordinary. I'd say that Rod Marsh has got some big decisions to make, sooner rather than later. I hope he has the stones to make them.