Elliot or Katich

[Paoli]

Being a good Victorian, I'd have loved to have seen Matthew Elliot be selected. I believe that he is far and away the next best opener in Australia and should have been given a go. Katich's results opening in the shorter version of the game have been less than flattering, however, Elliot made 3 centuries at the top of the order for Australia. And he was dropped after 2 bad tests in the Windies.

Although Kat deserves a turn after Lehmann was controversially selected for NZ series, shouldn't the more acclimatised player be selected. You wouldn't choose Lee over MacGill if Warnie was injured.

Your thoughts would be appreciated

[Zainub]

You raise a good point Pabs, but I'm not in a position to comment, I'd take anything but Langer following our performance at Perth.

[Beny]

I think that at the end of the day, Elliot has had his chance and not proformed as well as we all know he could.

Katich is the next batsmen in line and it's not really worth giving Elliot one test where, even if he does proform he won't get selected again.

[ILoveShaunPollock]

it depends on the position. to replace langer i would have gone elliott being an
opener, but to replace anyone else katich

[Zainub]

Beny, I remember watching a lad called Martin Love make a 50 on debut against England in the last ashes, later he was picked for a test in the Caribbean when Punter got ill but he didn't make many then, he later made a hundred against Bangladesh but has not been picked since.

How good/bad is he really in your opinion, and how has he been doing in the domestic competetions now-a-days?

[Paoli]

Just like Mike Hussey and Brad Hodge, Love is a fine cricketer. He made 100 not out in his last test against Bangladesh, but then Damien Martyn returned for the Zimbabwe series and he was out. When Lehmann got injured in that game, Simon Katich appeared out of the blue.

Martin Love hasn't been setting the world on fire of late, but did deserve a better go than what he got...he was a genuine No.3

[freddie flintoff 142]

personally i really like both Love and Katich, both i feel would be hard pressed not play in any other side. Katich also adds something different in the bowling while love is a fine classy batter (katich bit more workman like and at time bit ungainly but still good to watch) who has good hands.

for some reason i tend to like a few players who aint playing in the national side after having a do, ian ward (dont know why) neil macinzie, boeta dippenaar (although he plays at the moment), stewie macgill, stewie law and jim troughton. ian bell part of the list as well but sure he'll be a test regular next year.

on the subect of elliot or katich, (although irrelivant somewhat now) i would go with katich. elliot had his chances and not so long ago came in for ponting and had a shocker against sri lanka. i hope katich and love get their chances again but then clarke came in and went above both them (rightly so) and now a scrap between katich and lehmann (and maybe hodge).
interesting to see how is selected to tour over here next year

[Paoli]

If Lehmann does go, Katich will take that spot and the 2 reserve batsman for the Ashes will be Brad Hodge and i wouldn't be surprised if Matt Elliott does go (who can forget his superb 199 on the 1997 tour?). He gave the Poms a towelling last time around..

[Beny]

Zanuib:

Love is still an ACB contracted player (as is Elliot)
He has a first class batting average of 51.16 and a test batting average of 46.60.

http://aus.cricinfo.com/link_to_data...E_ML_02006262/

[Paoli]

How can you judge a player on one return match?

Elliot, unlike his dead ringer Bill Lawry, should get a happy end to his career. Matty is a gun and i believe he deserves a couple more shots to prove himself.