Gillespie's bowling becoming a concern.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Maranello

They certainly are - just ask Laxman, Sehwag, Dravid and SRT. The Indians feasted on the back-up act the last time they visited the Aussies, and there's no reason to suggest that England or SA would fare any worse.

To be honest I don't think there are many bowlers in the history of world cricket that could have excelled on recent Aussie pitches as Warne and McGrath have done: the bounce is so true and the assistance for the bowler is so minimal that I fear even bowlers like Trueman and Lillee would routinely have been carted.

At least with a changing of the guard the Aussies will have good reason to prepare the pitches to suit all good test bowlers.

With all that said... I'd not write off Bracken yet (might well emerge as Kasprowicz did, despite an indifferent early career)... and Tait (for instance) is no LESS promising than (say) Sami (though as with Sami I'd expect few worthwhile Test performances for at least another 2-3 years). Add in the fact that Lee seems to be getting his act together at last (and the fact that Kasprowicz has yet to show any signs of failing in Tests) and that MacGill would walk into most sides as a spinner.... and I'd not dismiss the Aussie second string (minus McGrath, Warne and Gillespie).

Also consider you might end up with Symonds & Watson at 6 and 7: that's a promising all-rounder pairing... one that might soon rival Flintoff + Giles....

[Seamer]

Gillespie 0-66 off ten overs. It just goes on and on.
His stats vs England
5 matches 1 wicket 210 runs. I don't need to put the average down obviously. Lone wicket of Tremlett and i cannot even remember who that guy is.
When will the selectors stop deluding themselves, wake up and smell the roses, and bring back Kaspa? Dizzy is finished.

[Goatman]

I'm not sure they're really deluding themselves. They're just stuck in a game of "selectorial chicken". They're backing Gillespie to get back to form sooner or later, but the collision is getting near. Will they hold thier nerve and keep playing him? Or will they pull out, and give someone else the much needed match practice?

Kasprowicz has looked in little better form (at times, much worse). The youngsters are just that, and both the likely candidates - Tait and Bracken - have small but definate monkeys on thier backs. Bracken looked easy meat in his 3 tests to date, a fact reflected in a test average of 58. This is not Taits first visit to the UK. Last time he bowled so poorly Durham - at the time the weakest outfit in the county championship - dropped him, and subsequently "released him from his contract". Though statistically successful in the last Austral summer he was reported to be bowling poorly. He would have to be a superman not to connect his own "poor form" with his previous "poor record" in ENG, and Ashes debutants on either side need a certain faith in both thier own ability and in thier own form.

If they drop Gillespie he will have one 3 day game against a weak opponent to get his form back. Nets won't do him much good. If they play any one of the replacements they are not much more likely to get into the form they require than Gillespie is - the conservative ploy would be to play two of the "4th bowler" condidates from here in, thus doubling your chances. But then, which of the currently effective bowlers do you drop? The supersub will help with this, but not much. And worst of all, if they play a "weak" attack in the next two ODI's they risk ENG - and Tres, Strauss and Vaughan in particular - getting confidence and a head of steam up and if all three have a good Ashes series even this very, very strong AUS team will have to work as hard as they ever have to remain in contention.

Put it this way; I'm glad I'm not an AUS selector right now!

[acker]

Gillespee and Kasperwicz are both getting complacent about their form and ability. Unfortunately niether have enough ability to get complacent about. These are two guys who do have to train to the enth degree to stay at international form. McGrath, Warne and Lee have a bit more going for them ability wise hence can occasionally drop off training intensity and maintain form.

Kasper and Gillespee definitely can not afford to.

[Paoli]

Gilespie's bowling is becoming a terrible concern. He is bowling like an absolute dog at the moment and couldn't buy a wicket. It's not as if he is unlucky, he is just bowling poorly. The best he has bowled all year was in the New Years test against Pakistan in which he had the new ball swinging everywhere and two dropped catches in his first over. I think Gillespie has alot of ability acker; at least alot more than you think he does, and he just isn't performing. He will play in the first and second tests at least, and then perhaps we have to look at dropping him. This Ashes could well turn out to be a debarcle for Dizzy if he doesn't get it right. I honestly don't know who to pick. We've resisted Lee for so long, and McGrath is the only one who poses a threat. Maybe it's time to give into 160kmh temptation.

[greg]

Not only his bowling but his fielding too.Although he has never been your best fielder you never thought of him as a poor one,but yesterday when he slipped over he looked a lumbering oaf chasing the ball (Giles and Munton sprang into my head) totally against what you think of an Australian fielder.

[Mongoose]

Maybe Dizzy needs a haircut. He's the opposite of Samson. I seem to remember him being a top bowler when his hair wasn't too long i.e. when he could actually see where he was meant to be bowling it. Ponting and Buchanan should frog-match him down to the barber's immediately.

[Seamer]

It won't make any difference - against England anyway. He would probably still do OK against all the other teams in the world but the English batting line up is too powerful for him. And any other Aussie bowler for that matter. May as well play him i suppose, won't make any difference to the series result.

[Mongoose]

Seamer, are you really as despondent about these Ashes as you seem? You seem to have given up on Australia's chances already. I wouldn't be against Aus winning 3-1, with Dizzy finally showing some form. And I'm a Pom!

[Mongoose]

Originally Posted by Seamer

won't make any difference to the series result.

Or do you mean that Aus are going to win with or without an in-form Dizzy?