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[Nickauger]

Similair to China I should think when they pull their finger out, as has been written in AOC.

[bigboy]

What rot vic, Bolinger simply needs to stay fit and take wickets to be considered again, with how well the new guys have been going he has slipped back in the pecking order. The majority of your cricket knowledge seems to come from the internet Vic, much of it unfounded rumour.

[Vic Nicholas]

Bollinger wouldn't be in the top 8 english seamers. I'm talking about Test cricket not IPL. When I watched him he showed fight and swing early on but got far too inconsistent as he tired. Maybe the selectors should have persisted with him though and he might've improved like Siddle has.

Johnson for me is a loose cannon and I honestly don't know if i'd pick him or not, he could almost be treated like a leg-spinner when weighing up the pros and cons of selection - will win matches almost singlehandedly on his day but in between will be expensive. Maybe being a decent bat at 8 has kept him in the side?

I feel for Hauritz as he certainly wasn't the worst spinner Aus have tried since Warne.

Why keep talking about stats and averages Vic? - its pointless unless the players you are comparing have played the exact same number of matches against the exact same opposition in the exact same conditions or have played long and varied careers. Its also extremely boring.

Not boring.

Just the fact that stats show that Anderson (arguably Englands best bowler) averages about the same as Mitch Johnson (Australia's worst bowler in your eyes) and they have played a similar amount of tests - save for the fact that Johnson has never had the opportunity to fill his boots against Bangladesh as we have never played them in the entirety of Johnsons career of five years.

If Johnson was afforded four tests against Bangladesh, I am sure he could get his average below that of Andersons again (even in his current form).

[petehosk]

(Bollinger) He would walk into most international line ups with the exception of South Africa's probably.

Sorry but he wouldn't get anywhere close to SA or England Test bowling attack!

[Vic Nicholas]

What rot vic, Bolinger simply needs to stay fit and take wickets to be considered again, with how well the new guys have been going he has slipped back in the pecking order. The majority of your cricket knowledge seems to come from the internet Vic, much of it unfounded rumour.

I have to laugh.

Bollinger on radio SEN (a 24 hour sports radio station here in Melbourne) stated in an interview (seriously) "I am not sure if I upset someone...I have always given my best efforts". He also said "I basically had one bad test after being rushed back from a leg injury and after all our bowlers got flogged - I was the only one dropped? I am not sure why?"

OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT.

[Vic Nicholas]

Sorry but he wouldn't get anywhere close to SA or England Test bowling attack!

Not now he wouldn't.

But 18 months ago he was better than Morkel and Ntini who was still playing.

Way better.

In mid 2010 he was way better than Broad too.

[jw17]

Vic averages aren't the be all and end all in cricket. Freddie had a average averages with both bat and ball but the presence and sense of belief he bought to the England could never be measured and underestimated. Get off cricinfo and start watching some actual cricket.

[Joe]

Vic, the problem is you're on a forum with loads of english cricket fans, at a time when England are No. 1 in the world and Australia are being routinely humiliated. You need to be weaned off the McGrath and Warne era, you've been taken off too quickly and your persona doesn't aid this in any way.

[Vic Nicholas]

Vic averages aren't the be all and end all in cricket. Freddie had a average averages with both bat and ball but the presence and sense of belief he bought to the England could never be measured and underestimated. Get off cricinfo and start watching some actual cricket.

I watch cricket basically 24/7 - so stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

When people start talking about "he brings confidence to the dressing room way beyond his actual contribution on the field" they are basically talking about someone who is an ORDINARY player.

Flintoff had TWO excellent series.

Against South Africa 2004 and Australia in 2005.

That is it.

His cod ordinary figures back up that fact.

He was a serial under performer who promised much - but delivered little.

[petehosk]

Possibly! I'll give you that 18 months ago he may have stood a chance.
But there's a very decent quality waiting list of pace in the queue for the England test team right now where you could argue a case for all of them - and even the likes of Trem will struggle to get in if Onions and co are all fit!! Granted it's a luxury we haven't experienced often!!! 

And I am of the thinking that Bollinger is decent and if he were fit and encouraged, he would be a decent bowler for Aus!

[langer17]

Sure you heard, but Paine's finger didn't heal properly and he is out for another 3-4 months.

Without his keeping, Paine wouldn't make it in the team as a batsman, as there are far better options out there.

Wade is the clear choice. He is solid, averaging 40.16 over his career, and isn't overly aggressive, as his strike rate of 49.57 shows. I'm sure the selectors probably don't want to bring another new player to the team, but when Haddin is dropping catches, not scoring any runs, and unsure of himself (doesn't know whether to play naturally and attack, or be patient) there is absolutely no advantage keeping him in the team. Would be much better off bringing in Wade now, and giving him time to develop prior to the next ashes series.

Wade has scored 316 in 6 innings at 63.20 this year, so I am at a loss as to why they presist with Haddin who isn't performing, and worse still, isn't sure of himself. I know stats aren't everything, but in this case I think they are important, as Haddin isn't offering anything to the team atm.

[jw17]

Well Bollinger never promised much and hasn't delivered much!

[Vic Nicholas]

Vic, the problem is you're on a forum with loads of english cricket fans, at a time when England are No. 1 in the world and Australia are being routinely humiliated. You need to be weaned off the McGrath and Warne era, you've been taken off too quickly and your persona doesn't aid this in any way.

I understand I am not going to get any love from an all English forum.

I DO however watch alot of English first class cricket - how many of you watch Australian first class cricket??

Routinely humiliated?

We got hammered in one Ashes series in our annus horribilus.

We have lost the odd test before and since, but by and large, we have been competitive. Even with the shyte selections and players losing all sense of form that they once possessed all at once.

We are in regeneration mode right now and it will take time. We are roughly where you guys were in 1992 when Gooch and co were retiring.

Do you honestly think it will take us 13 years to win an Ashes series again?

I will let you ponder that thought.

[langer17]

I have to laugh.

Bollinger on radio SEN (a 24 hour sports radio station here in Melbourne) stated in an interview (seriously) "I am not sure if I upset someone...I have always given my best efforts". He also said "I basically had one bad test after being rushed back from a leg injury and after all our bowlers got flogged - I was the only one dropped? I am not sure why?"

OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT.

He started off okay at best this year, but got injured a little while ago, so that meant he missed out

Bollinger is a long, long way back now, behind the likes of Harris, Siddle, Pattinson, Cummins, Hillfenhaus, Cutting, Starc, Faulkner, Hazlewood, Mitch Marsh, Bird, Herrick.

[Vic Nicholas]

Well Bollinger never promised much and hasn't delivered much!

A test bowling average of 25 would suggest otherwise I would have thought.