Old injured Batsmen maybe Old injured Quicks NO

[acker]

Quick bowling is a young mans domain, older batters may be able to get away with nous versus peak physical condition.
But crikey older pace bowlers please realise when you are carrying an injury nous versus peak physical condition does not hold anywhere near the same weight as it does for a batsman.
Pace bowling is more physically demanding than batting or even spin bowling.
Part of the equation is that you have to maintain your PACE
If you are carrying an INJURY and your PEAK physical condition has diminished much the same way as a 36 year olds would compared to when they were a 26 year old. Maybe on your part you should withdraw from the team until you are right.
Or better still you should not be even troubled by that dilemma, because the selectors of the team should not be picking an old injured quick anyway.
All these selectors need to be given the bullet. IMMEDIATELY FOR STUPIDITY

[flanflinger]

Aker,

The reason why McGrath was called onto bowl was because last year, when he was out England won. The guy has a hold over England that no other seam bowl can match!!

The question the selectors had to ask was, what was the better option an unfit McGrath or the untried Johnson or the inconsistent Tait.

The very fact that they went for McGrath shows they had no faith in the two young guys, and are worried that without McGrath then they might not be able to bowl England out twice.

[acker]

The problem is that over the past 4-5 years they have shown a very short sighted selection policy where they threw out the window two fundamental critical criterias
"people age" and "renewel"
I would play Glenn if he was fully fit. But they are playing him when he is not.
I would have blooded Stuart Clark in the team 3-4 years ago. Not 1
I would have blooded Mitchell Johnson in the team yesterday for the injured McGrath.
Glenn is 36, at that age he needs more time to recover than when he was 5 years younger.

[flanflinger]

Completely agree Acker, why has Clark only just got selected, why was an unfit McGrath preferred to a fully fit Johnson..

Originally Posted by acker

they have shown a very short sighted selection policy

Read my posts on this forum, and I have been saying for months that the age factor will catch up soon, (and have been derided by Australian fans for saying it) and that if Australia are not careful, they will lose this Ashes and the next...

If Hussey was English he would have been in the team years ago, and yet he makes his debut in his 30's, same with Clark. Why are Jacques, Cosgrove, Johnson and Tait still fringe players, whereas England are playing Bell, Cook and Anderson, all sub 25!!

Yes, players like McGrath are still good enough, but how long for? Martyn, Langer, and Hayden have spent a two days chasing leather, Gilchrist has had to keep wicket for the same length of time, this is hard enough, but when you are 33+ it is going to take it out of you more, it will be interesting to see how their bodies react, and how it effects their batting...

[John]

I am not sure they have picked the wrong team.
I share the premsis that McGrath and Warne are past their best. No doubt about that. But its not as if Brett Lee is that much better.
This pitch is a really good one and age was showing but I thought McGrath and Warne didn't do all that badly considering there were four bowlers. In the next Text they will add Watson to the team and reduce the work load.
I think they will have to stick with these bowlers more or less during the series.
Its hardly as if the England bowlers have been great so far.

[acker]

Originally Posted by John

I think they will have to stick with these bowlers more or less during the series.

I would have preffered to see a raw youthfull Mitchell Johnson or even Shaun Tait get carted for none for a hundred plus and pick up some invaluable development time. Rather than watch an injury carrying Glenn McGrath rotating on and off the feild for treatment in between maulings by Pieterson and Collingwood.
I would have preffered seeing Glenn McGrath resting his heel injury and coming back fully fit in Perth.
Things have been to easy for Australian selectors for to many years. We now actualy now need selectors who work harder and think harder by identifying new talent and who are prepared to introduce that new talent into the team.

[Ernest]

Glen Mcgrath got those wickets at the Gabba, but was he that good?, or were England that poor?.

I remember seeing Bothan and Lillee playing some years back - Botham ay half pace (injured like Mcgrath -getting on like Mcgrath) - Lillee was quicker, but by his standards he had gone pedestrian.

I thought it was sad watching great players ending their careers this way.

I think I would rather remember Mcgrath for the times he had Atherton as his bunny, rather than watching a great man get carted.

Time IMO for the great man to move over and let Tait or Johnson take his place, at least untill McGrath is 100% - IMO he should retire while still at the top, not like Botham and to an extent Lilee.

[Beny]

I think we might be reading too much into a single innings.... Though it's not like anybody on this fourm to jump to conclusions.

The Aussie bowlers were bowling on a flat wicket against a team that was playing very carefully, and very slowly... The SA 2nd XI could have made 500... How about we see how Australia goes before we start calling the series?

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Beny

. How about we see how Australia goes before we start calling the series?

Beny - I will never call a series with Ponting in the team, or Warne - I just think the Aussie selectors are helping England not picking Tait.
I have a feeling this guy will come good.

[Beny]

Right now I'd take Johnson before Tait... The guy's attitude worries me. He's arrogant, cocky and far too obsessed with speed. Johnson on the other hand has the head to make an impact.