What would you do if you were Australia?

Australia look dead and buried with England having massive momentum going to Old Trafford.

Here is what I would do if I were Australia:

1. Recall Warner from wherever he has gone and get him to open the batting (dropping Hughes)
2. Bat Watson at 5
3. Bring in Lyon for Agar (the young lad's time will come but not yet)
4. Starc to replace injured Pattinson
5. Teach Clarke to call better - to fair they have lost both tosses so far

 

What would you do if you were Australia?

Catch first plane home

They really are crap,and I for one am enjoying
every second of it.

 

Me too!!

By the way - quite impressed with Hughton's signings this summer

 

We were really lucky to get Hughton,after Lambert jumped ship.

Keeping everything crossed for new season

 

Warner into the side in the middle order. It's tough to decide which batsman to drop as they're almost all averaging in the twenties for the series but with 2 runs in the last test I'd drop Hughes, bat Clarke at 4 and Warner 5. Also think they need to give Lyon a game. Even though Agar has their most runs in the series (130) it's obviously due to that freak innings of 98. He's taken 2-248 with his bowling so I'd drop Agar for Lyon. Faulkner in for injured Pattinson.

 

Yes, you could make a case for dropping a few of the batsmen - I suspect they may keep Smith in the side as his spin could come into play at Old Trafford, which is why I went for Hughes - also Hughes does not deal well with short stuff which we may see more of in this test.

Would love to see Sussex get into them and Taylor get a hundred

 

I think any of Starc, Faulkner and Bird would perform with the ball. I just went for Faulkner for the extra batting. Warner got a big hundred at 4 for Australia A which is why I'd bat him 5 incase you wondered why but I'm sure he'd probably open with Watson moving down if he did play.

 

Cowan
Rogers
Khawaja
Warner
Clarke
Watson
Hughes
Wade
Haddin
Lyon
Siddle

Surely that will get them some runs?

Seriously though I think there is a strong argument (bar his start to the series) for restoring Cowan to opening. He was just starting to get to grips with the role prior to this series. Certainly he and Warner seemed to compliment each other at times in India. It would be extremely harsh to leave out Rogers of course but its time for them to gamble somewhat.

I'd go Cowan, Warner, Khawaja, Clarke, Watson, Smith, Haddin, Siddle, Lyon, Starc, Harris.

To be honest though I think you can jiggle round any combo from Cowan, Warner, Khawaja, Clarke, Watson, Smith, Hughes, Rogers and I still think they'll come up short. I do think Watson needs to go down the order. His technique can be worked on all they like, he plays a certain way. Its a method which will always get you in trouble in England against the new ball.

 

They need to bring Warner back in and learn how to use DRS. DRS just made an already vastly complicated game just that bit more complicated, fantastic if you like that kind of thing as I do.

 

The problem with shifting Watson down is that he's averaging 42 in tests as an opener but just under 35 overall. He's also averaging 43.5 against us and all the runs are as an opener. So I'm not so sure about him moving down the order but you never know.

 

Hamilton-Brown is smashing Nathan Lyon to all parts at the moment. He's on 55 from 39 balls

 

replace MC as captain "." because this weasel is a no good leader of men.

 

"option 6" run up the white flag