Wiseman? Part-timer? That's a little harsh on him. Sure, he may not have been the best spinner to ever play a test match, but he's more than a 'Part-Timer'!

As for the team for Adelaide. Sigh. I don't know. Someone should tell Strauss to stop playing such ****ing stupid shots when you're team's up against the wall and you're a senior player. Someone should stick a rocket up Harmison and Anderson should be dropped for Panesar.

Giles performed admirably considering the flak he's copped and not bowling in a year. Jones was, well, okay. He certainly wasn't to blame for the defeat.

Harmison and Strauss are most culpable - both set pretty abject tones for the England performance; one with the ball and one with the bat.

As a matter of interest, Rachael, I saw that in the latest South Africa game, Charl Langeveldt, one of your 'accurate and reliable' players got belted for over 6 an over whilst the 'erratic and unreliable' Ntini had an economy rate of 1.50! What do you reckon of that, eh?

That is VERY true. Strauss can be excused but told to sort it out. Harmison is a real worry. I'd be inclined not to play him and pick Saj (and that's most unlike me). In reality that's not going to happen, GBH will play but needs a good start. Fred was chosen as captain and one of the reasons given was that they thought he would be able to get the most out of his best mate!

Watson ruled out of second Test

So... the odds on MacGill playing drop significantly... and Tait might just be starting to get interested: Clarke's ability as a second spinner makes him a highly credible all-rounder for Adelaide... and if McGrath's heel is a concern, Adelaide might be a place to gamble on the wild-card of Tait (not least as it would be a pretty unforgiving place to offer Johnson his debut).

Edit: just found this.... Ruthless Australia take control

Despite being a batting paradise for a large part of the match (typically from halfway through day 1 to halfway through day 4), it does provide something early on the first few days for seam bowlers and often turns a bit over the last day and a half to offer something to spinners (it has even been known to turn as early as day two). Add to that the worst drought in Adelaide's history (even tho' the groundman Les Burdett has been given dispensation for the wicket) and the wicket might start taking turn early.

The ground has a history of providing results (the last draw in 97/98) and has recently been a happy hunting ground for Australia (last 10 matches W8 D1 L1), although surely all Oz grounds have recently been happy unting grounds. Tait would be on his home ground, so might be considered, despite being thought out of the reckoning without the safety of Watson as an additional seamer.

England should be smiling a little at the weather forecast for this match. Currently there's rain forecast for Saturday and cloud for some of Friday and Sunday, so Hoggard may get the ball to move a bit. If Tait does play, look for reverse swing from about over 60 - not surprisingly he seems to have mastered it better at Adelaide then elsewhere.

In any case, even with a bit of rain, I would expect there to be a result in this match. Given all the factors, winning the toss and batting first may be even more important in Adelaide than in Brisbane.

I'm not sure a captaincy change mid-series is a good idea but Freddie has to consult Strauss more. As for the side I would drop Anderson and bring in Monty on what should be a turning wicket. It's strange that Australia haven't called up MacGill, so maybe it won't turn, but the history says it will:

Strauss (Give up hooking until you have at least a hundred under your belt and Mike Hussey is bowling at you)
Cook
Bell
Collingwood
Pietersen
Flintoff* (See Strauss re: the slog-pull, when you pass 50)
Jones+
Giles
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

After championing Giles for 1st test,ive had a rethink,,,,,we need to attack these Aussies,meet fire with fire else they will walk all over us!
Bring in Monty and Mahmoud,for Giles and Anderson,and pray Harmy stops his hands from sweating..

Adalaide will be even tougher for the pacemen than the Gabba it is the same theory as the Gabba, bowl in the right areas and you can get a team out for 157 if you don't a good batting side can make 602 runs in an innings. Its a shame MacGill is not playing he is up there with Warne and Kumble, who are both champions of the game.

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

These are desperate times for England and decision needs to be made whether England should go into the test-match with 4 bowlers or 5 bowlers.

On Australian pitches, the current England bowling attack, whatever the combination, is going to struggle to dismiss twice, this strong Aussie batting line-up, in a test match. At the same time her batting has been fragile so far on this tour. Therefore it is better if England went into the test match with an extra batsman (at the expense of a bowler) to strengthen the batting. Bringing in Joyce for Anderson should achieve this objective. The toss-up than, will be between Giles and Panesar for the 4th bowler’s spot. However I am not entirely convinced that Panesar will make any difference on Australian pitches.

If England want to play 5 bowlers, then Panesar in place of Anderson appears to be a risk worth taking, at least for the Adelaide test match.

I also believe that dropping Harmison is not an option – it would send wrong signal to the Australians. Moreover Mahmood has not yet proved himself even in England where the conditions generally help the bowlers of his type. So I am not sure playing him under more batsmen-friendly conditions is the right thing to do.

My thoughts-

-Australia SHOULD go in with an unchanged lineup- but it's been as if Clark set the world on fire. Remember, when England were 7 down, Clark had the not so glamorous figures of 1-87. Bowls tight, but still is vastly overhyped. He cleaned up the tail in the 2nd dig. Still, I'd like to see him dow well. I'd be very, very tempted to bowl Johnson in Perth though. Very tempted.
-Reminds me of four years ago. England don't have much going for them. In saying that, Harmison possesses more than any bowler in the world. Can put it in at 90 mph, gets very good bounce, and as we know, can bowl a good line and length. When those three are put together, he is unplayable. But are we going to see that side of Stephen Harmison? Lets hope we do, as it'd be for the benefit of the series.
-Captaincy is too much for Flintoff. The blokes got to bowl, bat to save his team (his batting shambolic in Brisbane) and deal with field placings. Too much. I'd give it to somebody like Strauss. Seems like he might be the perfect academic for the job. His bowling was ok in Brisbane, but nothing like it was. 18 months ago, Flintoff would never give you a bad over. These days, they're getting more.
-Australia's batting is sublime despite whatever age concerns. You can't beat what they have at the moment. Every batsman, perhaps except for Damien Martyn and Michael Clarke at this point in his career, is worthy of the 'world class' tag.
-England MUST play Panesar. Giles is a joke. Can't spin the ball for ****, and at least Panesar will be able to get something out of the 4th and 5th days pitch if the test match goes that long.
-No need to play MacGill. History tells us that it isn't really worth playing two leggies in Adelaide- worked well with the likes of MacGill and Miller, Warne and Miller, etc- but I'm not concerned. Magilla will make a stunning comeback in Sydney. Besides, playing alongside Warne usually gets the best out of Stuey.
-I wouldn't rush Watson back...

I pretty much agree with all points made there Paoli.
Clark keeps it tight and all, but i doubt Les Burdett it going to prepare a dry horror wicket that cracks up on the second day (then again........ ) If the wicket is a typical Adelaide wicket, and we are stuck with three straight-up-and-down bowlers in McGrath, Clark and Lee, then Warnie might end up being our only hope to get England out. Team balance and the need for variety would indicate Johnson.

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