Tait chosen to replace Gillespie::Official::..

[Beny]

Originally Posted by flanflinger 65484

Means nothing mate... You can ttake all the wicketts at First Class level you like, Test Cricket is a different matter.

Look at Graeme Hick, great player at First Class Level, did practically nothing in the Test arena. Tait is unproven and will remain unproven until he has done it at the heighest level.

And anyway, he may have been the Heighest wicket taker - but South Australia still finished second from bottom.

Very true FF. However he can only achive what has been put in front of him and he has done so very well. Let's not forget that the batting line up's in Aus domestic cricket are very talented and the pitches are suited to the batsmen. It's not proof that Tait will suceed but it's a bit much for people to be saying that he is a risk when our other two choices could hardle be bowling worse. This guy is a genuine test candidate...

Anybody have an idea of what was said between Langer and Tait? I knew Langer had been hit but I dont know what he would have said about it... especialy since it was'nt a beamer or anything.

Zanuib,

I think the shaddows hide the extent of the blood too...

[Beny]

As Langer verbally chastised the bowler for breaking his groin protector into five pieces with a full toss, Hohns watched with the emotionless stare of a man gripped by the action.

Ohhh... Well that explains a bit

He felled Langer with a full-toss to the groin, prompting a tense exchange. Tait held his arms out and said: "What? . . . I was only trying to swing it." A chastened Langer took block and, after several sharp words, beckoned Tait to "just bowl".

None of the Australian camp was unsettled by the exchange between Tait and Langer because, quite frankly, there has been a noticeable lack of aggression in the entire campaign so the sight of sparks flying was almost a blessed relief.

[Seamer]

Beny, it must be said that you were a supporter of Gillespie continued inclusion based on his past record. It is far more sensible to judge a player on what comes out of his hand.
Sure, Tait has a bit of pace which is all well and good against Pura cup players. But this is a English top order that loves pace - Lee' tour avaerage of over 30 is a pretty good indication of that. He is a spray can and has no skill regarding seam and swing - and as a result, this Aussie team will be going in to this test without this important skill at thier disposal unlike England.
I would pay far more attention to Border's and Taylors assesment (Kaspa should play) than Lillie and Thommo (Tait should play)
Get ready to be dissapointed

[Beny]

Indeed I was a supporter of giving Gillespie a chance... However Jason Gillespie, with the record he has, is far more enticing that Kaspa who has only proven that he has been having a purple patch. Kaspa has bowled poorly, both in the ODI's and his single test match, If Aus had another bowler then I might be willing to take him but the fact is that taking either of these two- Kaspa or Tait, is a risk, however one risk has more potential than the other. Not to mention that I think Kaspa is a boaring bowler to watch and I would love to see what Tait can do.

Lee has averaged under 30 over this tour, unless that changed lately without my knowlage. I think everybody would agree that his inclusion has been worth it- taking wickets in quick sucsesion at crucial times when Aus we're looking down. McGrath and Warne are still our main attack. I dont really care if Tait has an ordinary debut, so long as he doesent get treated with the contempt that Gillespie has been. Even if he just roughs a few of them up it's better than watching Kaspa and Gillespie getting smashed around with ease and releasing the preassure that Warne, McGrath and Lee have built up.

Your claim that Kaspa is a better swinger and Seamer of the ball is compleatly unfounded and based on an assumption. Tait is a prodigious swinger of the ball and considered the best exponent of reverse swing in the squad. Kaspa gets very little seam movment anyway due to the way he releases the ball... he relies on angles and swing much more than seam.

Dont worry Seamer, I haven't jumped on the 'speed is everything' bandwagon... Most ex-fast bowlers that I've heard, dont tend to have much between their ears. However, aside from the excitment factor that comes from watching Tait play I think that we are at the point where the other two options arn't proforming well enough to get in the way of the future.

[Victor Frankenstein]

There was a thing on sky sports news last night when i was at the gym showing langer and tait hugging after that net session (in a joking manner) so I don't think there is any hard feelings there at all it's just the press trying to make stuff up as usual.

On reflection i think tait is the right choice, maybe not to win the series but for the future of aussie cricket. He might go for runs, but on the other hand he is quite capable of ripping out our top order, and could help lee to take more wickets by keeping the pressure on by being harder to get away than dizzy was. Really is a gamble for the aussies selectors but every other time they've gambled with a new player it's come off, even if not straight away then in the future. Kaspa is nothing new to the england batsmen, he's good and has control but they're capable of sitting out his good spell and putting away his bad balls, whereas they don't know what taits good or bad spells are, they don't know what they can leave and what they can't yet, that will help lee and mcgrath to get wickets at the other end as they take more risks to keep the strike rotating or the run rate up.

edit: just so i can say it here before he gets 7-15 and not appear as sour grapes, when i was watching him bowl on sky the other day, they kept saying he had an unorthodox action, "slingy", reminded me of fidel edwards and a faster version of james kirtley, both called for throwing...

[Ninjaman]

Originally Posted by Victor Frankenstein

edit: just so i can say it here before he gets 7-15 and not appear as sour grapes, when i was watching him bowl on sky the other day, they kept saying he had an unorthodox action, "slingy", reminded me of fidel edwards and a faster version of james kirtley, both called for throwing...

I don't remember Edwards ever being called for throwing. When was this?

[Victor Frankenstein]

I thought it was during a one day series or something before their last tour of england, if not and i've got him mixed up with someone else then i humbly apologise, i think if anything though i've just got the names mixed up rather than the player being called, it was one of the windies new young fast bowlers, slingy action like kirtleys.

i'll google..

[greg]

Lawson was done for his action.Could be him you mean.

[Victor Frankenstein]

got it, it was jermaine lawson, sorry.

[flanflinger]

Kaspa or Tait debate irrelevant thanks to McGrath's injury.

Intresting the comment I maintianed on the Age of the Australian bowlers was not that they would lose any of their quality (although Gillispie has) but that they are more likely to break down.

McGrath jhas now missed two (admitedly one through a freak injury) but this new injury was accoring to Errol Allcott the kind of injury you would expect with an older bowler.

For Australia to really compet in the Ashes they needed their bowlers to stay fit and maintian their form. Only Warne and Lee have done that.

I won't predict victory for England yet (that would be stupid) but what I can say is that the age of the Aussie side is causing problems.