The Peter puzzle: Why is Peter Siddle being picked for Australia?

And there’s the problem. You should be picking your best bowlers that suit the pitch, opponent and conditions for that IMMEDIATE game or series, not the one coming up in a few months time. What was the benefit for our ODI team picking Siddle? Zero. Wasted spot as far as I’m concerned.

I know why. It's so that watchers know that it's safe to go get a beer/have a slash/etc...

My mail is that one of Langer's unmarried daughters is a vegetarian.

Siddle is presumably getting picked on his County form, with both the World Cup and Ashes in mind. (Renshaw too, given he has bately scored a run since county cricket wrapped up.) That is despite Siddle's County returns being in FC and not ListA cricket. I'm not saying I agree but can be understand for limited overs stuff. But Tests are not to be used as trial games for future series.

"patty" was Cummo, not Patto. my bad.

I'm a big fan of Pattinson but he's not ready for 2 tests let alone a whole series - slow rebuild there. The irony this summer so far is our big 3 quicks have been pretty nude - not much reverse to report (ran out of abrasive material I suppose). I do think Siddle has been learning new tricks - I've been super impressed with his red ball bowling that I've seen lately - even in the shield he is generally the best of the bowlers but doesn't always get the rewards he deserves and the point there is he's the perfect bowler for bowling partnerships. But no - he's not the long term future but hey - as we've seen with quicks breaking down - there's very rarely even a medium term future!!

Yes I am no fan of Starc over there. I would expect Haze to bowl a better length than last time I would get richardson at them and a wobbler or skidder. has to move it. Siddle bowls nude stuff. maybe go 4 quicks with Patty but I am not sure he will bowl the right length after a long season of rib tickling here

#Peter Warrington Although as I mentioned in the 2013 series, after 3 of 5 tests he had 16 at less than 22. You'd take that from any of the quicks for a 3 test output. FYI. Starc in England. 8 tests, 29 wickets at 31.24 (3.45 rpo) Siddle in England. 11 tests, 43 wickets at 28.37 (3.13 rpo) What's interesting - I didn't realise - Starc in Aust is only going at 29.22 on 'home' decks. Outside of that he only goes sub 30 in SL and WI!! Career wise he's only sub 30 v NZ (29.5), Eng (27.9) and then SL (19.14) and WI (17.91). Sidds is sub 30 v Eng (28.6), NZ (26.1), India (26.8) and SL (18.2). For Starc right now - 199 wkts at 28.91, a crack against SL couldn't come at a better time. Take away the 2 recent minnows and his other 153 wickets came at almost 32 each.

#The Regulator There is of course no correct answer!!! re Renshaw - he's had the dilemma of very slow starts to home domestic seasons....that made himself unselectable. I'd've been happy enough if a Burns-Harris opening combo had been run with. Finch surprised at the time to get in but did an admirable job in the UAE and deserved retention and was pretty good in Perth in perhaps the most difficult conditions - but it was never fair on him to be a makeshift opener especially given his white ball duties cut short his red ball preparations. So - now we get Renshaw back on the radar - and lowly (currently) Sri Lanka coming to town. And ironically the below par SL side has reduced the CAXI (QLD) top 3 to rubble....good to see Pucovski settling the ship.

dead rubber and helpful deck. it was a one-off. he averaged above 30 in his full series at his peak.

I just don't know why he was permanent 12th man - and we didn't then rotate the quicks (who were struggling so sustain performance on limited prep). Siddle was bowling really well in the shield - but - now he's been limited to net sessions (under the watchful eye of the selectors!!).

I suspect you'll find that he is earmarked to go to England for the Ashes series. It's a little ironic - based on the last tour there he was finally selected for the Oval test, and produced 37,4 overs, 17 maidens and took 6-67 and the English were expressing their relief that he hadn't been picked sooner. He bowled beautifully in tandem and guys like Lyon and Mitch Marsh benefited at the other end. That series Starc and Johnson played 5 tests each for a combined 33 wickets at over 32.5. When you think back to Terry Alderman twice taking 40 wickets in a (6 test) series in 1981 (42 and Lillee 39) and 1989 (41, Lawson 29). So - gotta be clear - test guys going at a combined 3.3 wicket a test wasn't up to speed. The irony is that the previous tour in 2013 he'd started off pretty okay with 8 for 135 in Nottingham but I think it was a drier season and he/Aussies tended a little short - and while at the half way point after Manchester he had 16 for 347 (avg under 22 so perfectly fine) - he only took 1 more wicket including 0/90 at The Oval. In that tour in 2013, Harris was the star with 24 wickets in 4 matches at 19.58. Siddle still ended with 17 a 31.58 which was ahead of Starc (11 @ 32.45) and Pattinson and Bird were worse. Even back in the Brett Lee days Australia seemed to think we could blast them out with pace - it rarely worked and guys like Fleming and Reiffel who were more suited were overlooked (think 1993, 6 test series - moved McDermott out and Reiffel in the final 3 tests took 19 @ 20.84. So - horses for courses. In 1989 Alderman was 33 - and was the LBW master in English conditions. Siddle also had a ripping 2 stint season for Essex in 2018 with 37 wickets at 16.4. Given the track record of Starc in England and his tapering form since Durban - surely his position is not assured. Perhaps Hazlewood and Cummins, with Siddle and Lyon.

The selectors seem to think he'll do well in England - where the 50 over World Cup is in a few months, followed by an Ashes series - based on county form last year. It's not difficult to argue that accurate fast medium with a little movement is more successful on many of the pitches there than straight out pace (particularly pace not tied to a bit of accuracy). Whether he goes to England, gets a game or proves successful time will tell, but picking him now as a preparation for England isn't totally unreasonable.

I thought Siddle's selection for the Tests was completely based on context. He was chosen for the UAE on the strength of his bowling in England in the County summer, where he killed it. Remember at the time too, we had all 3 of our quicks coming back from injury, the Test side had a new captain, it was still coming to terms with the debacle in SA and the selectors a guy who could reliably bowl over after over. After that, I have no idea!!

His manager has a lawyer who is holding a video starring the entire CA Board, coach and selectors :)

Maybe CA don't want to be accused of being ageist Agreed too that being able to outfox domestic BBL batters is no indicator that a bowler is going to outwit international players. Brad Hogg had everyone befuddled for years in the BBL but he still was utterly ineffective when picked to play T20I's for Australia in 2012 and 2014.

i dont htink its like Touch football but agree there is a difference

I’m giving you a thumbs up for your name.

Great bloke tho