Australia's plan B?

[Seamer]

There is one man in the Aussie squad that no-one has mentioned yet - Stuart McGill. This summer is expected to be dry and hot, thus creating suitable conditions for two spinners. Now it must be said that England's ability to play leg spin is an unknown factor - mainly because they rarely have to face one - so how would they go having to face two (very high quality) leg spinners in tandem. If the Aussie camp chooses to go down this road ( i don't think they brought McGill along for his good looks) would that be unfair and unsporting? After all, this is the one sphere of cricket England have no clue about.

[Notts Exile]

Seamer, I've just posted a short response to this suggestion in a thread further dowon. But ... MacGill's performances for Notts last summer weren't anything special. Lacking the control of Warne or Kumble though spinning the ball more, he is likely to go for more runs.

The batsmen England do have play spin OK. Trescothick has proved on the subcontinent that he can do it, Strauss seems to handle himself nicely against all sorts of bowling. Vaughan smashed MacGill all over the SCG on the last Ashes tour. KP played spin quite brilliantly in India on the Academy tour - by all accounts - and will have faced both MacGill and Warne in nets at Trent Bridge and Southampton. Bell has done ok on the sub-continent too. Thorpe used to play spin ok but was getting into a right mess against Graeme Smith in the winter, but I wouldn't pick him anyway!

It would certainly prove to be a very interesting move on the Aussies part, and a very attcking one at that. However, were I an Aussie selector I would be picking Brett Lee instead.

[Zainub]

I don't disagree with the fact that Staurt McGill is a quality leg spinner , had it not been of the fact that he and Warne were born in the same era he would have played for Australia all the time, and got many more wickets, he has one of the best strike rates still in test cricket I presume. But his one weakness is that he tends to bowl one four ball every over, Warnie gives you free bees to score of too, but much less often.

I tend to personally believe you can minimize his affect provided you can hit all of his bad balls for fours - that way he wont stay in the attack for too long. But if you allow him to settle he can bother you a bit, and some of his balls can turn even more then Warnie.

I think there is something interesting about matches in which Warnie and him have played together, I remember reading about it last season when the two played together in Sydney against Pakistan. If I'm right I'm recalling one of either Warnie or McGill tends to under perform when the play together. I'm just not sure whom.

[Seamer]

Just a couple of of extras i should have added to the thread starter
He was the domestic player of the year last summer
http://content.cricinfo.com/australi...ry/143751.html
He has an excellent record vs England
http://statserver.cricket.org/guru?sdb=player;playerid=4376;class=testplayer;fil ter=basic;team=0;opposition=ENG;notopposition=0;se ason=0;homeaway=0;continent=0;country=0;notcountry =0;groundid=0;startdefault=1998-01-30;start=1998-01-30;enddefault=2005-01-05;end=2005-01-05;tourneyid=0;finals=0;daynight=0;toss=0;schedule dovers=0;scheduleddays=0;innings=0;result=0;follow on=0;seriesresult=0;captain=0;keeper=0;dnp=0;recen t=;viewtype=aro_list;runslow=;runshigh=;batpositio n=0;dismissal=0;bowposition=0;ballslow=;ballshigh= ;bpof=0;overslow=;overshigh=;conclow=;conchigh=;wi cketslow=;wicketshigh=;dismissalslow=;dismissalshi gh=;caughtlow=;caughthigh=;caughttype=0;stumpedlow =;stumpedhigh=;csearch=;submit=1;.cgifields=viewty pe

[Notts Exile]

His average on the last tour was 40.5. This group of players and those in 2003/4 play spin far better than the 1998/9 team did.

His figures for Notts last season

14 400 74 1395 39 35.76 7-109 2 1 61.5 3.48 NOTTS

More relevant I would think than any averages on Australian pitches. English pitches are different, he won't get the same bounce anywhere apart from The Oval maybe. 39 wickets at over 35 in the 2nd Division for a team that finished top. Not overly impressive.

[Seamer]

[quote=Notts Exile ]Seamer, I've just posted a short response to this suggestion in a thread further dowon. But ... MacGill's performances for Notts last summer weren't anything special. Lacking the control of Warne or Kumble though spinning the ball more, he is likely to go for more runs.

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

The batsmen England do have play spin OK. Trescothick has proved on the subcontinent that he can do it, Strauss seems to handle himself nicely against all sorts of bowling..

McGill would be brought into the team under the premise tha McGrath had already sent them back to the pavilion

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

Vaughan smashed MacGill all over the SCG on the last Ashes tour. .

Deep down you know that Vaughan is no longer the player he was in 2003. History counts for nothing and McGill is a better bowler now

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

KP played spin quite brilliantly in India on the Academy tour - by all accounts - and will have faced both MacGill and Warne in nets at Trent Bridge and Southampton. .

That is assuming he is selected. And you can be sure that the only balls Warnie is feeding him are a whole heap of wrong-uns. Look at his technique - little footwork and compulsively swings (and very hard ) across the line to the on side. KP will be dead meat to the ball spinning away from him and deep down you must know it.

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

Bell has done ok on the sub-continent too. .

Yes but did he face any quality legspin

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

Thorpe used to play spin ok but was getting into a right mess against Graeme Smith in the winter, but I wouldn't pick him anyway!.

He is the one guy i think would do OK. For starters, he is a left hander, and has the reqiured footwork to play spin.

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

It would certainly prove to be a very interesting move on the Aussies part, and a very attcking one at that. However, were I an Aussie selector I would be picking Brett Lee instead.

Well let's be thankful that you are not an Aussie selector. Once the shine goes off the new ball, Lee would get pasted.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Seamer

That is assuming he is selected. And you can be sure that the only balls Warnie is feeding him are a whole heap of wrong-uns. Look at his technique - little footwork and compulsively swings (and very hard ) across the line to the on side. KP will be dead meat to the ball spinning away from him and deep down you must know it.

And of course Warne didn't bowl properly at him when Notts played Hampshire last season?? He's played Murali ok in the past, too. Sorry Aussies, your thinking that KP won't have a clue against spin is completely unfounded. His biggest weakness is his over-confidence.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Seamer

That is assuming he is selected. And you can be sure that the only balls Warnie is feeding him are a whole heap of wrong-uns. Look at his technique - little footwork and compulsively swings (and very hard ) across the line to the on side. KP will be dead meat to the ball spinning away from him and deep down you must know it.

Apparently he plays different in longer versions of the game. I don't know myself 'cause i've never seen any games with him playing 4 day cricket, but i'll try and find an article that Mark Nicholas wrote about it.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Pete

Apparently he plays different in longer versions of the game. I don't know myself 'cause i've never any with him playing, but i'll try and find an article that Mark Nicholas wrote about it.

It's obvious that the Aussies are already worried about him. They keep coming up with any old rubbish to suggest he won't hack it. First of all it was how the Aussie attack is far better than the Saffers so he wouldn't score any runs against them. Now he's proved that's not the case they're trying to suggest he can't play spin. Getting worried already, it's quite amusing. If his footwork and temperament against spin bowling ("swinging compulsively") weren't up to it then he wouldn't have scored all those runs against the Zone teams in India's Premier competition.

[Pete]

Here's what Mark Nicholas wrote about him on 23/05/05..

Originally Posted by Telegraph.co.uk

Warne says that Pietersen can hurt the Australians and, having studied him at the crease three times for Hampshire, I see why. He plays straighter than those amazing one-day innings in South Africa suggested and from a steady base after that initial, if less pronounced than in the winter, move across his stumps. He stands nice and tall with his head still as he moves to strike, has fast hands and an eye so good that any ball slightly misdirected is attacked with utter commitment. Pietersen cruised to a wonderful hundred on Saturday at the Rose Bowl, where batting in the middle order after the roller has worn off can be as tricky as against the new ball. He drove the faster bowlers through and over mid-off and pulled the shorter stuff with time to spare, if a slow pitch. His feet moved smoothly, his hands stayed high through the shots and there was no fear. As in South Africa when the heat was on, he looked every inch an international cricketer.