TOPIC:

I see Phil Hughes copped a bouncer at the SGC and has been rushed to hospital in critical condition....terrible news and fingers crossed he's ok.

Bancroft, pretty sure he's a wicketkeeper/batsman when playing grade cricket, heard Moody having a crack a Langer for selecting him to partner Harris for WA in Shield matches on 6PR, who's got egg on their face now, me wonders?
Side note, no wonder WA are doing so well, Nathan Rimington chosen as a bowler has a first class 102 not out, bats at 9 for WA after crossing from Qld.
Back to the Test match selection, no chance for Marsh, even though 70 plus not out today, replacing one dodgey hammy with another. If Clarke plays and does his again, no runner allowed making him a major liability.

BC just read it online, mouth to mouth/cpr for 40 minutes b4 heading to hospital. Serious. Thoughts and prayers.

Clarke looks like he's going to face the music, Cricket Aust not too happy with him coming out and contradicting the selectors and Pat Howard.
Ferguson & Marsh the front runners to replace Clarke or Smith.
No chance for Bancroft at this early stage, that said, if he keeps it up the Ashes could be a smokey. Marsh's 2nd ton so he's more likely as Lehmman rates him highly.

JB, I think he has some questions to answer also mate, its not the first time he has said something different to the selectors in the media recently. Like all players he needs to follow what he has been told what to do and not make himself bigger than the rest of the team.

Lets not forget he was a selector and chose to not have that duty, so he needs to do what the selectors tell him like everyone else,

PH if you go to www.cricinfo.com that's what they are saying. Apparently he crossed swords with the selectors and Lehmman over the selection of Maxwell and the non-selection of Lyon. Sutherland not impressed, rumours that powers to be want Rod Marsh as head selector to put Clarke back in his place.
Seems a generational thing, Hird & Clarke, anyone else think that? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it seems to be their way or no way. Narcissism & hubris go hand in hand with success, fame & money.
Marsh has done his cause no harm, 130 something not out at stumps, very timely.

Clark has always been willing to put his point of view across, regardless of what others think, Sometimes he can be quite blunt and he possibly needs to have some lessons in humility.

I believe this is the reason why he isn't liked as much in the public, not because he grew up in NSW or he was a prestigious talent from a young age, I think sometimes he whinges and complains and blames others rather than accepting responsibility for his team.

He is the only captain I have ever heard that has lost a game and blamed it on selectors and who they sent out with him, correct me if im wrong but I cant think of anyone else

Bill Lawry was one who spoke out. Got a video at the ABC shop (non political ) on Australian cricket, didn't realise he got the lemon and sarse for standing up to the board over wages. Ian Chappell wanted to co-sign a letter with Bill, but Bill said no he's the captain so he'll take the wrap. The board sacked him. Politics & sport....who'd have thought.

and lets not forget when Clarke dobbed in Andrew Symonds for goin Black Jewie fishing whilst in Darwin instead of preparing for battle against Bangladesh from memory in a non ICC sanctioned match. Dobbing in a mate is as unAustralian as one can be....I vowed never to watch Australian cricket if he ever became captain and have only watched WA games since and will do so to the moment he's done. If ever I felt the need to call a man a bitch, this is the fella. I mean FFS asking players to do bloody homework as skipper. It's just not cricket, not even lose.....he single handedly has ruined the game for me. As a leader of men I've got him on par with Kevin Rudd....effing useless little bitch.....not worthy and of all unholy things a bloody dobber!!!!

I would play Ferguson in the middle order, four seamers and Smith can bowl leg spin if necessary. In relation to Clarke, he should actually be left out for the whole series. He simply will not be able to play any first-class cricket between now and January. I would appoint Haddin as captain for the series. If Clarke argued with Marsh over Maxwell, good for him. In 1977, Marsh tried to argue that Robinson was a number three too. More generally, players have been falling out with the board for years, as early as 1912 when the great VT Trumper and others refused to tour England.