Hauritz?

[aussie1st]

Should we play Hauritz for the 1st Test? Even though it is rumoured to be a turn fest, Hauritz performance so far in the tour matches has been far from convincing. He has been outbowled by both Katich and North. I'll give him the 2nd inns before making a definite decision but right now I'm on the no bangwagon.

[WORLD CHAMPIONS]

He can bat also, so definately he will be a ncie inclusion

[Howsie]

I'm pretty much thinking no at this moment. Like you said he has been out bowled by part-timers which isn't a good sign. But if Clark doesn't have that great of a game why pick him instead?

If the pitch looks as though it is going to turn and Clark hasn't been that great then I think Hauritz is your man.

[aussie1st]

Clark was good in the 1st Tour match, this one he is showing his economical side. The thing he brings is that steep bounce and accuracy ala McGrath. But if Hauritz does make it over Clark then our batting would go down to 10. Although they weren't too impressive in the 1st inns.

[kingdamo]

I've heard from a few Poms that the pitch may not be as much of a turner as was previously thought.. Perhaps that could be a factor in whether Haurie is picked I'd not. Personally, I would rather have Clarke/Katich as the main spinners.

[sifter132]

If England plays Monty/Rashid & Swann, Australia really need to play Hauritz. It would look really bad if the pitch is a turner, the 2 England tweakers have the Aussies under the pump, ripping it big - and there is no recognised spinner to use. Simple formula to use:

# of Australian Spinners played should equal: # of England spinners minus 1.

If England play only Swann, bring on the 4 man pace attack and subsequent over rate hell

[Mad Snake]

I wouldnt be playing him with all 4 quicks firing expecially Lee in these tour matches tehre is just no space for him, Tht still doesnt leave Australia with no spinner, North, Clarke and Katich can all turn a ball and bowl for Ponting its just if he decides to bowl any of them or not :rolleyes:

[aussie1st]

Katich is the main one that Ponting doesn't use but that is cause he turns up sore the next day. If only that didn't happen as Katich could be our best spinner.

[Mad Snake]

the thing from that is though, If Katich was bowling on a regular basis he wouldnt be pulling up sore the next day as his body would adjust to it, He just needs to be pulled aside and told to bowl a lot more at trainings etc and be crafted into more of an all rounder instead of someone who will bowled when called upon every 10 or so matches.

[aussie1st]

The problem comes with the fact he is an opener so him bowling long spells isn't ideal. If he was batting lower it wouldn't be such a problem. But yea I agree if he bowled more he would get use to it.

[Mad Snake]

yeah thats the ting really its him that has to go straight in after a long day in the field even without bowling it is hard, you dont really want to be having 10 or 11 over spells before going out to bat. Thats what it really comes down to, however he needs to be bowling a hell of a lot more than he does. He is a talented bowler!

[angryangy]

The trouble is when you take the lead spinner out of the side, who bowls those 20 overs? It's all very well and good to champion the part timers when they do the part-time thing, but what about when they have to bowl, no matter what? It's a different story.

In South Africa, they found the loophole, using a steady medium-pacer, whose overs were both effective and brief enough to serve as a sacrifice to the match referee. It seems unlikely that McDonald is in calculations for Cardiff, however. Is that because they expect Stuart Clark to do the same thing or are they just being foolhardy?

It's certainly not the least of all concerns that the player who would be the no. 1 spinner in the absence of Hauritz, North, is not actually doing anything at no. 6 with the bat.

I tend to think that if McDonald is not really there to play at all and if Hauritz isn't there to be the core spin bowler, then there has been a selection error.

[nz0003]

Pick your 4 best bowlers don't worry about what they bowl, Hauritz is not one of them.

[Howsie]

Originally Posted by Mad Snake

yeah thats the ting really its him that has to go straight in after a long day in the field even without bowling it is hard, you dont really want to be having 10 or 11 over spells before going out to bat. Thats what it really comes down to, however he needs to be bowling a hell of a lot more than he does. He is a talented bowler!

But it's not like Katich is a fast bowler, he is basically just rolling his arm over. I doubt very much that 10 overs from him would harm his body that much, if it does well... he kind of has a fitness problem.

[sifter132]

Originally Posted by Mad Snake

the thing from that is though, If Katich was bowling on a regular basis he wouldnt be pulling up sore the next day as his body would adjust to it, He just needs to be pulled aside and told to bowl a lot more at trainings etc and be crafted into more of an all rounder instead of someone who will bowled when called upon every 10 or so matches.

It has been mentioned (don't have link sorry) in the series lead up that he HAS been spending extra time bowling. During the IPL I think he was bowling a fair bit in the nets with the Punjab boys. After taking those cheap wickets in SA I think Ponting gave him the nod for future use. Part of the problem in the past is that Katich never jumps up and down wanting a bowl (like Michael Clarke does for example), so he's been overlooked a lot.

So it's kinda been a discovery for Ricky that he wants to bowl. It happens often with the older batsmen in Australia. Guys like Ponting, Damien Martyn, Steve Waugh, Greg Blewett all bowled a lot less when they started getting in the back end of their careers and I guess Ponting just assumed Katich was 'over' bowling because he never asked to have a bowl and he rarely practiced in the nets.

But he's useful, and I think he could be extra useful before the pitch breaks up because Katich doesn't really need the help from the pitch. He spins it a lot, but his accuracy is pretty poor. I'd bowl him in the 1st innings and Clarke in the 2nd when he can get more assistance.

Originally Posted by Howsie

But it's not like Katich is a fast bowler, he is basically just rolling his arm over. I doubt very much that 10 overs from him would harm his body that much, if it does well... he kind of has a fitness problem.

Nah he'd just be sore. I consider myself a fit(ish) guy and after my puny 3 over spell the other week, I felt the whole left side of my torso for the next week. I bowl in the nets fairly regularly, but the intensity of the match makes you more sore afterwards I think.