time to drop the passengers

[MILF]

Time to drop the 'passengers' By Ben Dorries in Melbourne

December 30, 2008

ANDREW Symonds and Matthew Hayden are facing the sack - and Brett Lee will be rested indefinitely - after skipper Ricky Ponting last night conceded Australia were under pressure to make one of their biggest selection culls in decades.

Selection chairman Andrew Hilditch is set to usher in a new generation of cricketers after another stinker of a day.

On the back of Dale Steyn taking 10 wickets for the match, South Africa (0-30) need just another 153 runs at the MCG today to savour a 2-0 series win and the biggest moment in their cricket history.

Symonds has been a passenger throughout this Test with a dodgy knee and again failed to be the middle-order henchman Australia needed, while Ponting refused to guarantee Hayden's spot for the SCG Test beginning on Saturday.

What changes do you think need to be made to the Australian team? Let us know below:

"We are all feeling for Matthew at the moment. He is going through a rough trot," he said. "Changes tend to happen more when you are losing games. If we lose they might be thinking about changes."

Lee, battling a foot injury and exhaustion, bravely bowled late in the day but was again

hammered by South Africa's opening batsmen, especially Graeme Smith.

Captain Ponting, who bravely held up Australia's second innings before being dismissed for 99 - to go with his first innings 101 - foreshadowed sweeping changes if Australia's cricket empire crumbles with a demoralising series loss today.

"Selectors, I am sure, have had their thinking caps on over the last couple of days already," Ponting said.

"There will be time for me and the selectors to talk at the end of this game." Sources close to Hayden, 37, last night indicated the big opener could now be forced to announce his retirement as he is almost certain to be sacked anyway.

Caught at slip for a duck after just four balls, Symonds must now be dropped for fellow Queenslander Watson who has been fit and firing for months.

NSW young gun Phillip Hughes, prolific left-hand batsman Chris Rogers, bowlers Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger and all-rounder Shane Watson could all be new faces in Sydney.

In a last throw of the dice last night, Lee tried to bowl with the foot injury that will rule him out for six weeks but even that turned up snake eyes when he bowled Neil McKenzie off a no-ball.

The insipid Australians must somehow conjure an MCG miracle on the last day to avoid losing their first home series since they got thumped by the might of the West Indies in 1992-93.

Australia crumbled to 6-165 yesterday and only a fabulous innings from Ponting avoided total disaster and built the score to 247.

Cricket Australia have defended Hilditch but he now must himself be sacked if he does not wield a super-sized axe to get rid of the dead wood in an Australian side that is stuck in a deep abyss.

Australia are now under serious threat of losing their No. 1 ranking as it would not be a surprise if they lost today and then plunged to a 3-0 series whitewash in Sydney.

Hayden (23) and a hobbling Symonds (0) were abysmal under-achievers yet again and there is no way that either can be carried into this week's SCG Test.

 

[gibbo2]

Time to drop the 'passengers' By Ben Dorries in Melbourne

December 30, 2008

ANDREW Symonds and Matthew Hayden are facing the sack - and Brett Lee will be rested indefinitely - after skipper Ricky Ponting last night conceded Australia were under pressure to make one of their biggest selection culls in decades.

Selection chairman Andrew Hilditch is set to usher in a new generation of cricketers after another stinker of a day.

On the back of Dale Steyn taking 10 wickets for the match, South Africa (0-30) need just another 153 runs at the MCG today to savour a 2-0 series win and the biggest moment in their cricket history.

Symonds has been a passenger throughout this Test with a dodgy knee and again failed to be the middle-order henchman Australia needed, while Ponting refused to guarantee Hayden's spot for the SCG Test beginning on Saturday.

What changes do you think need to be made to the Australian team? Let us know below:

"We are all feeling for Matthew at the moment. He is going through a rough trot," he said. "Changes tend to happen more when you are losing games. If we lose they might be thinking about changes."

Lee, battling a foot injury and exhaustion, bravely bowled late in the day but was again

hammered by South Africa's opening batsmen, especially Graeme Smith.

Captain Ponting, who bravely held up Australia's second innings before being dismissed for 99 - to go with his first innings 101 - foreshadowed sweeping changes if Australia's cricket empire crumbles with a demoralising series loss today.

"Selectors, I am sure, have had their thinking caps on over the last couple of days already," Ponting said.

"There will be time for me and the selectors to talk at the end of this game." Sources close to Hayden, 37, last night indicated the big opener could now be forced to announce his retirement as he is almost certain to be sacked anyway.

Caught at slip for a duck after just four balls, Symonds must now be dropped for fellow Queenslander Watson who has been fit and firing for months.

NSW young gun Phillip Hughes, prolific left-hand batsman Chris Rogers, bowlers Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger and all-rounder Shane Watson could all be new faces in Sydney.

In a last throw of the dice last night, Lee tried to bowl with the foot injury that will rule him out for six weeks but even that turned up snake eyes when he bowled Neil McKenzie off a no-ball.

The insipid Australians must somehow conjure an MCG miracle on the last day to avoid losing their first home series since they got thumped by the might of the West Indies in 1992-93.

Australia crumbled to 6-165 yesterday and only a fabulous innings from Ponting avoided total disaster and built the score to 247.

Cricket Australia have defended Hilditch but he now must himself be sacked if he does not wield a super-sized axe to get rid of the dead wood in an Australian side that is stuck in a deep abyss.

Australia are now under serious threat of losing their No. 1 ranking as it would not be a surprise if they lost today and then plunged to a 3-0 series whitewash in Sydney.

Hayden (23) and a hobbling Symonds (0) were abysmal under-achievers yet again and there is no way that either can be carried into this week's SCG Test.

WHy the **** do the selctors have a hard on for an allrounder. We need our top six batters a keeper our 3 best pace bowlers and a spinner. Watson is neither in the top six batters or 4 best bowlers in test cricket in the country. In fact us i write this i hear that Watson can't bowl for six months, so he won't be picked anyway. But the slectors need to understand that we need a player at six who can make big centuries on a regular basis. When i look at allrounders who have been succesful such as , Imran, Botham, Dev Hadlee, Flintoff, etc they all have the ability to be choosen on their bowling alone.
Or in the cases of Kallis, Sobers they are good enough batters to be picked for that skill alone. I don't see Watson or Symonds in either of these lights as a test match player

 

[OTTO]

some rain would be nice today

 

[Shanked]

WHy the **** do the selctors have a hard on for an allrounder. We need our top six batters a keeper our 3 best pace bowlers and a spinner. Watson is neither in the top six batters or 4 best bowlers in test cricket in the country. In fact us i write this i hear that Watson can't bowl for six months, so he won't be picked anyway. But the slectors need to understand that we need a player at six who can make big centuries on a regular basis. When i look at allrounders who have been succesful such as , Imran, Botham, Dev Hadlee, Flintoff, etc they all have the ability to be choosen on their bowling alone.
Or in the cases of Kallis, Sobers they are good enough batters to be picked for that skill alone. I don't see Watson or Symonds in either of these lights as a test match player

ever since the ashes series where they lost they've been looking for an allrounder, but like you said it's not needed, bring in a batsmen who will hit regular centuries. symonds and watson are ok batsmen and bowlers. if they must, bring in a batsmen who can bowl a few overs e.g clarke, katich, don't know why they persist with finding an allrounder

 

[bulldogsfan_88]

Saw on the cricket today that Watson has an injury and won't be able to bowl for atleast 6 months which is a real shame wish they had have had him in this test instead of Symmonds. Symmonds has been woefull lately and should be dropped immediately clearly his heart is no longer in it hasn't been since all the dramas of the series against India at the beggining of the year

 

[Shanked]

Andrew Symonds dropped from Sydney squad, Doug Bollinger, Andrew McDonald named

From staff reporters
December 30, 2008

AUSTRALIA have dropped Andrew Symonds from the squad to play the third and final Test against against South Africa in Sydney from January 3.

Symonds had been under pressure for his position after failing with bat and ball in the second Test defeat at the MCG, but he had been considered likely to retain his spot after the injury sustained by fellow Queensland all-rounder Shane Watson.

Symonds also has a knee injury and cannot bowl medium pace.

Matthew Hayden, another Queenslander struggling for form, has retained his spot atop the batting order.

There was much speculation that Hayden would be dropped to blood a new opener before the tour of South Africa, but the loss of so much experience through injury may have saved him.

New South Wales pace bowler Doug Bollinger and Victoria all-rounder Andrew McDonald were called into the squad to replace Brett Lee, who misses the Test with a foot injury, and Symonds respectively.

McDonald, 27, has played 42 Sheffield Shield games, has a batting average of 39 and has taken 93 wickets at 20.

He has enjoyed a good summer for Victoria, scoring four 50s and averaging 46 with the bat. McDonald has taken 15 wickets at 24 with his medium pace bowling.

Bollinger, who opens the bowling for NSW, took six wickets in the recent match against South Australia to bowl his side to victory.

He has also toured India and the Caribbean with the Test team during 2008 - although he did not play a game.