Aussie tour match vs Sussex

[Sachinism]

Looks like nobody is following it Aussies batted 1st on Day 1. Got off to an awful start 114-5 Recovered throughout the day with good contributions from Haddin (69), Lee )49), Hauritz (65) They declared in the morning at their overnight score of 349-7 Sussex batting, kept losing wickets, currently are 244/7 Lets look at the difference in both teams spinners Sussex's spinner O Rayner (some n00b) 26-4-66-2 Aussies Spinner N Hauritz 17-0-92-0

[sreej]

I wonder why they didn't play Piyush Chawla for this game. He's performed well with both bat and ball in the few games he's played for them and merited inclusion in the XI.

[Malcolm Merlyn]

any idea how quick lee bowled????

[The Outsider]

This is just awesome! Lee picks up 3/53. Another good performance from him and he surely fit into the test series. Aussies bowled 22 no balls.

[cowboysfan]

any idea how quick lee bowled????

i guess you didnt watch the world cup-the faster he bowled the faster it dissapeared out of the ground-literally.

[Ram]

Last chance saloon for Lee.

[Mamu]

I wonder why they didn't play Piyush Chawla for this game. He's performed well with both bat and ball in the few games he's played for them and merited inclusion in the XI.

They dont risk their International Stars in games which are meaningless as far as their County Championship Aspirations are concerned.

[sreej]

They dont risk their International Stars in games which are meaningless as far as their County Championship Aspirations are concerned.

Oh..that sucks. It would have been interesting to see how he would have performed against the Aussies.

[Bradman99]

Lee still has it, I think he can have a big Ashes series. Siddle is the other big option for us to go for. The thing Aussies lack the most is a spinner. Hauritz is ok for one dayers, but tests? No way.

[Dirty_South]

Clarke can bowl too :) Punter shud learn how to spin the ball :D

[Bradman99]

Australia coach Tim Nielsen says Peter Siddle will play first Ashes Test By Tom Wald in Worcester, England June 28, 2009 .The pieces in Australia's Ashes jigsaw puzzle are starting to fall into place after coach Tim Nielsen confirmed in-form quick Peter Siddle as a certain starter for Cardiff. Siddle was the outstanding quick in the four-man pace bowl-off with Sussex as Australia's bowlers failed to finish off the resilient county side in the drawn match. The Victoria quick combined accuracy with serious menace in Hove to shift the pressure on Stuart Clark and Brett Lee to capture the last guaranteed paceman's spot for the first at Sophia Gardens starting July 8. Nielsen said he had thought Siddle was a no-brainer to line up in the first Test alongside Mitchell Johnson even before the recently-completed practice match on England's south coast. "I think Peter Siddle is a lock, he is bowling beautifully," he said. "All things being equal, his body being in good shape, he is ready to go. "He is one of our two outstanding bowlers in my opinion. "Every time he bowls he gets better and I think he is going well." Nielsen maintained his stance that the Australia side could field four quicks in Wales before his catch up this week with chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch in Worcester. "I really am pretty open to the idea of waiting to see what we get in Cardiff as far as the wicket is concerned," Nielsen said. "The more I am reading about it maybe it is not going to be the spinning nightmare that everybody is talking about. "I think that 14 wickets out of 70 have been taken by spinners and the quicks have had a lot of impact there. "The quicks have had a lot of success there, just looking at the stats over the last couple of years, the opening bowlers have had some success. "They perceive it to be a bit more of a seaming wicket at times. "So we certainly are not going to say we are going to play three spinners and then find it is a green seamer, so we will see what it is." Clark and Lee, both on the comeback trail from injuries, had their moments in Hove but still looked short of a gallop and in need of playing in this week's hit-out in Worcester against a formidable England Lions outfit. Swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus seems to have slipped to the back of the fast bowling queue after playing in all three Tests in South Africa this year. The main question surrounds the selection of spinner Nathan Hauritz for Cardiff as that impacts whether there is room for both Clark and Lee. Hauritz sharpened up his act considerably in the second innings against Sussex following a poor first-up performance. But whether selectors are prepared to show faith in him or opt for strengthening their pace attack remains to be seen. Marcus North showed in Hove that he clearly needs some more time in the middle with the bat and he is set to be handed another chance in Worcester. The part-time spinner's two wickets on the final day against Sussex at least underlined his importance to the balance of the team. There is a chance Siddle will be rested from the Worcester clash to be fresh for the back-to-back Ashes Tests at Cardiff and Lord's.

Interesting, obviously the other certainty is Johnson. That leaves Hilfenhaus, Lee, Clark, Hauritz to battle it out for the other two spots. Who should get it?