Let's talk about the WACA Squad

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Without further to do here is the very questionable Squad for the WACA test, where I tipped our guys to take the series to 1-1. I base this on absolutely nothing, other than a strong gut feeling and the belief that if we played that poorly at the Adelaide Oval which is usually a great hunting ground, the WACA has to go well, given it hasn’t been that great a spot for us in recent years.
You heard it here, but I believe we can win this series 2-1.

THE WACA SQUAD PICKED BY THE MUPPETS AT THE NSP:
Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Ricky Ponting (Captain), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (Wk), Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Michael Beer, Ben Hilfenhaus.

Michael Beer is the talking point. I will not resort to any puns and rather tell it like it is. This is a daft selection. Now, that isn’t meaning given the fact he only has a few games under his belt at State level daft, but rather this shows the Selectors have officially lost the plot.
Beer is another one of the trialled spinners since Shane Warne (who will not make a comeback, the publicity is just helping his soon to be talk show). The NSP has failed to develop a confident group of young players to carry forward the tradition that had kept the Baggy Green such a strong force and the prized cap is now seeming more of a giveaway nowadays.
It’s no longer who should we play, but rather who can we give a fresh cap too?
Xavier Doherty unfortunately couldn't deliver the goods.

Warnie did tip off Beer as a useful guy for the conditions at the WACA and should be trialled should Nathan Hauritz not be selected. Ritz was never my ideal candidate but I fail to see how he was overlooked. I mean, he could have atleast been chosen alongside Steven ‘The Sherminator’ Smith.
Anyway, Warnie tipped him to play and this makes two possibilities:
1)The selectors are officially clueless, dumbfounded and unsure where to turn and are just doing what Warnie stated, or;
2)Warnie has a say within the selection group or a newly obtained power we don’t know of?

I wouldn’t mind seeing number 2 being the possibility, but given Hilditch and co’s track record over the last 2 years, number 1 seems the most likely scenario.
Dammit, I hate the NSP, I hate them so much.

Should Beer get his Baggy Green cap, we’ll support him and hope he doesn’t become another casualty. As mentioned a few articles back, every 20 years an Australian spinner emerges. Could Beer be the next guy? I mean, he has the St. Kilda roots just like Warnie had. Think about it.

I am excited about Phillip Hughes being selected. I am gutted Katto is out for the series and knowing the severity of an achillies tendon I would go as far as saying his days representing the Baggy Green may be over. If Phillip makes an impact alongside Watto and they can forge a good opening relationship to see out the Ashes, Katto will call it a day for the Baggy Green. He has indicated this before and it’s a responsible choice as a senior.
I do believe he will stay on with the Blues for a while though to see through any further emerging talent. Katto is a machine with scoring runs, but only human when it comes to the risk of injury.
But it’s another chance for a young, exciting cricketer who I still believe has something special to offer Australian cricket. I am expecting positive cricket from Phillip and it’s a chance to bury those demons from the 2009 Ashes. He made progress against New Zealand earlier this year. Time to see it through, he can do it!
I am going as far as to overlook his poor outing for NSW against the Redbacks where he scored 4 and 0.

Otherwise Marcus North is finally gone. Pity cause he made such a brilliant start to his career. He waited in line a long time like Michael Hussey. In 2005 I actually spoke with a mate about Marcus and wondering when he’d get a chance. He’s become horribly inconsistent and the way to ever return would be a series of 4 or 5 consistent games for the Warriors.
Cricket is a bastard of a game and test cricket is no arena for the faint hearted. As fans, we only know a small taste of what it’s like for these guys. Financially it’s great, to do what you love is great, but the pressure both personally, emotionally, physically, psychologically and from the public is insane! So I won’t beat up the bloke with words, it’s unfortunate but someone had to go.
No specialist has been brought into replace him, so Callum Ferguson (who scored another century, but apparently that doesn’t count), Cam White, David Hussey (showing good form) and Usman Khawaja (had a very good game against the Redbacks) can all feel a bit disheartened.
We still need big things from Punter, Clarke and of course Huss, who has found confidence again. Back on his home ground, what will he do? I hope the crowds get right behind him!

Steven Smith is the replacement. Having him there may be a cast aside ticket for Beer, but Stevo can deliver with the ball (young and still emerging) and best yet the boy can bat. His temperament is improving and his attitude is good. He may also be able to give our dull fielders a wake up call with his energetic presence.
I don’t think he is ready for the elite level as a front line spinner. I give him two seasons to go still, but I would love to proven otherwise. His aggressive tactics and no fear to flight the ball may serve useful when KP and the other clowns have a go at him. Big challenge for the young man!
His performance against the Redbacks would’ve helped him for confidence.

Off note, I also see Michael Hill scored his maiden century for the Bushrangers against the England XI. Great to see a young man I tipped for big things finally make his first impact.
Two of his team-mates from U/19 World Cup a few years back are in the WACA line-up, namely Phillip Hughes and Steven Smith.

Mitchell Johnson returns which is no surprise. It may have been a mistake to leave him out of the 2nd test, but we’ll never know. I do think the rest was a good one to put some pressure on him and give him a chance to sort his crap out. Mitch is a good athlete and I want to see a pissed off Mitchell Johnson take the field at his new home ground.
You just can’t rule out him at the WACA after the 2008 freakish spell that had us all mesmerized!

I definitely want to see Ryan Harris and Ben Hilfenhaus bowl alongside one another. Genuine swing bowlers and the breeze at the WACA does help bowlers of their class. One is a strike bowler, the other a work horse who has only played two games on Australian soil for the Baggy Green.
Throw in Mitchell Johnson and the ever ambitious Peter Siddle, it’d be awesome. I believe in that pace line-up. However, Siddle would be my last choice of the four.

Having watched England’s bowling performance again, in short we need to see two things from our guys. Attitude and patience is required, while hitting a consistent line and length to build both pressure and uncertainty as to what will follow. England executed this brilliantly.
Back to basics is my call while each bowler can use their speciality to just fine tune this simple tactic.

Other than that, have your say, but here’s my call as far as the Squad goes.
Shane Watson
Phillip Hughes
Ricky Ponting (needs runs!)
Michael Clarke (needs to cement the number 4 role)
Michael Hussey
Brad Haddin
Steven Smith
Mitchell Johnson
Ryan Harris
Peter Siddle/ Michael Beer
Ben Hilfenhaus

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