They shouldn't of announced their team for the last Test. They should handed it in at the last moment swaping Johnson for Symonds. Englands batting is demoralised if they saw another specialist bowler in the side they would of thrown in the towel. No England batsmen would wanted to walk to the crease.

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"Checkout the big brain on Brett" Pulp Fiction

MacGill must be thinking his only route into the national side is through the sacking of the entire selection panel: his ommission from the side was ludicrous at Adelaide and this is just downright disgraceful. No, to overlook one of the best spinners in world cricket for a game at Sydney is worse that that: it's bordering on the vindictive... especially when a place can be found for can't-bat, can't bowl Symonds!

The other guy left scratching his head is White: a better batsman than Symonds AND and better bowler than Symonds... and a guy who'd balance the side far better for the final Test.

I agree Symonds probably shouldn't have been picked to start with but you can't drop him after he got 150 can you?

Had the aussies not have half the team retiring, I'd have put out a second 11 just to take the ****. They'd probably win too.

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Nothing says "Obey Me" like a bloody head on a fence post!

Wasn't Boycott dropped after scoring 200?

What the Australians are saying is that 'we don't even need to look at the wicket in Sydney to see if we need two spinners as Warne is good enough to do the job on his own'. Having the amazing economical Clark in the side who never goes wicketless must be a reason they are not bothering with a second spinner and the new look Symonds would be hard to drop.

Yes and that was a stupid decision.

Symonds got his 150 and so he keeps his spot.

Symonds' ODI career began almost similarly to his ODI career. Potential unrealised until his brilliant knock against PAK in the 2003 WC.

Who knows, this 150 might kickstart his Test career.

Just how much of this Cameron White, who I have noticed you championing at every opportunity, have you seen? His career statistics so far don't make me sit up and say he is a shoe-in the way you seem to suggest.

I've not paid huge attention to Cameron White... and I'm far from convinced as yet: he's been talked up all over the place as a future Aussie captain... but it seems to me that he's less than great as a batsman (hence Voges getting into the Aussie squad, and Jacques being talked up as the next in line)... and pretty ordinary with the ball (he was once being talked up as Warne's successor but that talk has all died a death)... but he's not got to be THAT good to be a better bet than Symonds!

I think it may well have been an oppurtunity to blood a new guy, but bringing in a 4th seamer to bowl on the SCG wicket is not recommended. A spinner if anyone - but i suspect Warne will bowl at one end unchanged (if he gets the chance) so it would probably be pointless bringing in an extra spinner.

And dropping Symonds would be harsh too. For a guy to come in when his team is 5-83 and whack on 150 is downright awesome. It was a beautifully constructed, chanceless innings - one of the finest i have has the pleasure of watching. Despite the disparaging remarks that get levelled at him by some - i suspect that opposition players (and fans) genuinelly fear the guy when he comes to the wicket. That innings was the breakthrough for him and i won't be surprised if he goes on to play a further 50 tests.

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So were Hodge(after another test) and Gillespie,just in this year.

Whites batting average is improving rapidly since he has been concentrating on his batting.
He does not have a good first class batting average(36.63),but then again neither do Symonds(42.59) or M.Clarke.(41.80)
He is a better bowler than Symonds.
He started young,is improving his game and has done a good job captaining Victoria.
Compared to Watsons his numbers look ordinary,but Watson is physically fragile and mentally suspect.

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" You don't want the truth,you can't handle the truth."