One thing has become obvious during this summer. Australia’s batsmen will not win a series against India and will not reclaim the Ashes.
Through out the whole summer the Australian batting line-up has been prone to collapses, with the low point coming in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka where Australia was rolled for just 74 at the Gabba.
This problem is nothing new for Australia. It has actually been going on for a few years but the great batting form off Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey has so far kept us out off deep trouble.
But now Hussey has retired and won’t be a part of either the India or Ashes series, creating a massive hole in the batting line-up with no obvious replacement.
The selectors need to bite the bullet and play five specialist bowlers to give Australia any chance to win back the Ashes.
To win a Test match you must take 20 wickets and there is little chance Australia’s batsmen will be posting scores big enough too bat out India or England.
Our best chance is to load up on bowlers and try and get them out has cheaply and quickly as possible. This especially becomes vital with rumours that Shane Watson has given up bowling to focus on batting.
Australia did go with five bowlers at the SCG Test match. They had a bit off a batting fail but they still managed to win the Test.
Any way I look at the batting line-up it seems weak to me. But the talent is there with the ball.
Peter Siddle continued to led the attack with a few lion hearted bowling spells, James Pattinson looks a gun if he stays fit, Mitchell Starc also looks to have some great weapons and Mitchell Johnson came back into the team as a much improved bowler.
Jackson Bird also debuted and had an instant impact. Add Ryan Harris, Pat Cummins and Ben Hilfenhuas pushing for selection with support from spinner Nathan Lyon and I think there is a group off fast bowlers good enough to trouble any batting line-up.
Johnson already has a Test hundred and came close to another at the MCG. with his improved bowling he should be backed in to take the no.7 slot. Matthew Wade can bat at six where he scored a century at the SCG.
This also helps Australia in another area the side has had trouble with and that is player workloads.
Pattinson, Starc and Cummins would be given much less off a workload with older players like Siddle and Johnson in support. It also gives the selectors the option to play two spinners in India with Xavier Doherty likely to be part of the tour.
It may not be the best long term solution but for India and the Ashes it is Australia’s best chance at a short term victory.
My XI
Watson
Warner
Hughes
Khawja
Clarke
Wade
Johnson
Siddle
Harris
Pattinson
Lyon
Cav
Guest
Agree with Jammel
Just Short of a Length
Guest
I agree that we need to be bolstering the batting line up, yet this seems to be a distant wish if the current summer is anything to go by. Led at the helm by "Mr John Inver-senility" shutting a blind eye to both the viewing public as well as the best talent in the sheds. I've heard the question asked before but I will repeat it, why hasn't Khawaja been given another proper chance, has he upset someone in the camp? It seems a mute point as we will end up with ten all-rounders at the rate we are going, the interest in cricket on channel nine looks sure to hot up with Wade opening the bowling and may'be Starc doing the keeping. Let's go back to basics and put the best players on the pitch!, if we don't I may as well be watching The Block, has anyone else noticed it's coming soon? Our fate in the next few months seems to be hanging on a knife edge, pick the best team and we have a real decent chance of winning the up coming series with India and England despite the different conditions. Our bowling is the strength no doubt, but the problem is any good batting line up needs to be settled and with the changes made constantly through out the season this is going to be a major issue. All great sportsman get into the zone, and "Mr John Inver-senility" should know this, Clarke has just proven this, rotating the batting line up may just be our downfall
Brendon
Guest
I'd absolutely have Bird in the side Bird, Patto and Siddle is a great line up. Johnson can't play, I know his best is great, but he can also throw a test match away in a spell, although I don't think Clarke will allow that to happen ala Ponting style. The big problem we do have is we don't have six top order batsmen, the only two people I can think off are Haddin (I don't like him but he's in good form with the bat) and Burns, who I haven't seen, I'm just going on what people have been saying. Ideally I wouldn't choose either of these, but I don't see any other options, Khawaja must play, but that still leaves us a bat short. I don't think the answer is playing 5 bowlers, we need to strengthen the batting and our top three quicks are good enough to do the job, having a fourth quick doesn't really do anything is the point, it's just another bloke bowling overs that would have been bowled by someone else anyway.
Jammel
Guest
Disagree w this author. The batting is too weak. If that's the problem then strengthen the batting. I could see us losing a few tests w that Batting line up. An Clarke would be wasted. Bird is a must in the XI. Personally I think our best xi if Watson can bowl is: Warner Cowan Hughes Clarke Khawaja Wade Watson Pattinson Siddle Lyon Bird. And if Watson can't bowl then I'd go with the following: Warner Cowan Hughes Clarke Khawaja Burns Wade Pattinson Siddle Lyon Bird
Jammel
Guest
Agree entirely!
Timmuh
Roar Guru
If you have to give five bolwers enough work to justify their selections, you will inevitably give up a lot of runs and need all the batting you can get. That is especially true if the available batsmen don't have a record of high scores or consistency. Requiring a full workload out of five bowlers, with weak batting, mrans you have already lost. If the job can't be done with four bowlers, and a reliable keeper (not Wade in India or any time a spinner will be used more than exceptionally sparingly) and maybe a little fill-in from a part-timer; then a fifth bowler adds bugger all to the chances of winning.
Ian
Guest
So our batting is weak and we fix this problem by making it weaker. Right, that works? I think if 4 bowlers can't do the job, we've got the wrong 4 bowlers. As for all rounders, apart from Watson, only McDonald and perhaps Steve O'Keefe are remotely good enough to play test cricket.
Seano
Guest
I actually kind of like this argument especially as Macdonald is injured. However Lyon, bird, Siddle and pattinson will be in the side so the 5th bowler will be Starc or Johnson. Harris is the best bowler in the country and must tour England but he won't go to India! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
The fifth bowler you suggest should be an all rounder, but only if he is good enough to be a genuine all rounder. Johnson is not good enough and I don't see any other all rounders pushing for selection, so we have to go with six batsmen.
Dean
Guest
I agree with Varun, we don't need 5 bowlers as its our batting collapses that is the issue. After the number 1 test batsmen (our captain) our next best batter on the ICC rankings is number 39: Shane Watson. With Hussey gone, we are left with a hold for the ashes series in 2013 and we need to fill it with our next best young batsman and that is Khawaja. I ask one simple question for everyone, if our top order woes continue and we are 3 down for not much who do you want coming in for you in the ashes at 6, Khawaja or Johnson, i know who has scored runs on some absolute green decks in shield this year and its not Johnson. Keep 6 batsman, and 4 bowlers as the ratio
Varun
Guest
Our issue has been our batting collapses, and we lost a fantastic bat in mike hussey so in order to replace him we need the best batsman that we can bring in, I would initiY bring in khawaja and ensure that this is cleans last chance as watto wants to open and is better at it. If Cowan fails then get watto to open and slot khawaja in at 4 as him and Hughes will have some big partnerships for us
pope paul v11
Guest
It will give India an uneccessary advantage. Puts too much pressure on a player who is not really good enough to do both jobs.
Red Kev
Guest
Bird and Siddle and Lyon all bowl long spells. No need for 5 bowlers. Clarke showed in Sydney that 5 bowlers puts too much pressure for rotation, 4 over spells except that one 5 over stint from Bird.
TheGenuineTailender
Roar Guru
Uhm, so you're admitting that batting is our weakness and then arguing that we should further weaken it by sacrificing a batsman? Right... Good luck with that theory.
aggregated drupe
Roar Pro
Having 4 fast bowlers is no better than having three. It will just create pressure on Clarke to keep on switching them. Why haven't you got Bird in the side? He is our 3rd best bowler behind Siddle and Pattinson. Harris has not played a first class game since April. Let him get some form before picking him. Starc is a better left armer than Johnson if you're going to play five bowlers, pick him.
Jeremy
Guest
I disagree. The best way to strengthen the batting lineup shouldn't be by playing an extra bowler. Johnson is too inconsistent with both bat and ball to play as an all rounder and Wade should concentrate on his keeping without the added pressure of batting at 6, of all places in India and England. Also, come the Ashes I'm sure Watson will be thrown the ball at least a few times. We need a genuine top 6, Khawaja in for Huss, he deserves another shot.