Difference between Sehwag and Watson is that Sehwag goes on and makes tons, big ones. And double tons. And two triples. He's made 22 tons and 27 fifties, which is a pretty fine conversion rate. Of his 22 tons, 14 of them are over 150.

By comparison, Watson has 2 tons and 15 fifties. And of those 15 fifties, he's failed to get past 65 on 9 occasions. It's an appalling conversion rate. His batting is ideally suited to muscular, fast-paced cameos down the order, but that then probably needs to be in conjunction with a bigger role as a main part of the attack, not as a fill-in bowler. You certainly wouldn't ever want to find yourself having to rely on him to be the man who defies all-comers and save the team's innings from the rubble, as has been done by all the other top-six batsmen on both sides (save for Hughes, I'm assuming the injured Katich in his place instead there).

The trouble is that the Aussies can't just sweep away their entire batting lineup and throw in half a dozen new faces who have little or no experience. If Michael Clarke is no longer seen as heir apparent to the captaincy then Ponting should probably stay in until they find someone and Clarke should be dropped from the team. Hussey should also be retained, unless he chooses to retire. You need a blend of youth and experience in there.

Steven Smith is not top-six material, and isn't good enough as a leggie to form major part of the attack (at least not yet). Assuming Katich comes back, you need another opener (assuming Hughes also gets the chop), Watson down to six (and more bowling from him instead) and another name in the middle order, while retaining Hussey and Ponting. Although I don't knowmuch about them, obviously, the names I've heard most are Khawaja and Ferguson, and perhaps they should both get a go at Sydney next week.

****ing David Warner needs to opening, he'll smash it around

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashe...ry/494663.html

No Ponting at Syndey, "due to his broken finger"

Didn't stop him playing this week tho.

No news yet on who will captain the Australians in the Fifth Test.

lol if Clarke is captain

lol david warner. I like him, but when we have batsmen with shifty techniques, warner isnt the answer...

Well i think they clearly need to rejig the batting order, problem is its difficult to do it when everybody is crap . I think they should think about getting Hussey to open with Watson as he spent time opening in domestic cricket and looks like the only guy with a strong defense in the side atm. Everyone says Kawaja is a class act and to be thrown straight into 3 with Ponting shifting down the order to 4 or 5 depending on what should be done with Clarke.

The other thing that I think they should consider is picking Payne as the keeper and playing Hadden just as a batsmen. I think Hadden as proven that he is good enough to play as solely at batter, and not having the burden of keeping might prolong is career for a few more years whilst at the same time giving payne some need experience.

There definitely needs to be some tough decisions made though, with the retirements of Kattich at the top of the list imo, along with dropping Hughes and Smith for about 10 years

Clarke will be captain according to BBC with Usman Khawaja getting his debut.

We don't just judged on results, there's also a judgement made from watching him play. I (many opthers as well) think if you stick with him as opener his results will get significantly worse.

It also neglects his bowling. Playing 5 seamers is never much use and Aus would be far better off with Watson at 6 and expected to be the 4th seamer. Then you have 5 batsmen+watson, Haddin, spinner, 3 more seamers and a far more balanced side.

Twenty/20 Big Bash starts tonight. First game my Western Warriors against the Tasmanian Tigers in Perth.

Couldnt go to the game, but some of the international stars playing in this match in particular...

WA

Chris Gayle
Sajid Mahmood (lol)
Mick Lewis (out of retirement this season to play 20/20 for us, his best Aussie moment getting carted for 113 in 10 overs in the ODI vs S.Africa where they chased down about 430...

Tasmania

Rana Naved
That dutch dude with the hard to spell surname Doeschate or whatever.
Tim Paine (Australia's next keeper IMO, gun)
Mark Cosgrove (inspiration for fatties everywhere)

Mahmood is always good value in 20-20, the balls goes everywhere.

Just read somewhere that Oz aren't scheduled to play a test until August 2011. My god, it could be such a different team by then.

Umpire just got hit by the ball lol

We are getting destroyed...

Sajid probably more value in the field then bowling...

4/72, another 120 or so from 10 overs

unlikely...

54 an over required... unlikely...

**** i hate playing Tasmania, **** off back to your own little island.

Cool story moment.

We went to the 20/20 in the first or second season it operated and had to play Tasmania first game. My mate dropped a catch in the crowd for 5k

Back then, they had nicknames on the back of the shirts, and I gave a particularly high amount of stick to "Subway" manning the cover point boundary, in particular mentioning that moving to a state whos team plays in green and yellow dosent count as playing for Australia, and mentioning he never would play for the Aussies...

About 10 months later, one Jason Krejza takes IIRC 9/225 or so in the first innings vs India on the sub-continent...

yes australian domestic cricket must be really going to the pits if old saj mahmood is getting a game.

I see Mark Cosgrove is second highest run scorer in the sheffield shield this year. Any chance of the fattest man in cricket getting a game for the aussies. Would be pretty damn hilarious.

Watson always looks pretty damn amazing when hes batting, he hits the ball so cleanly, and his foot movement early on against the moving ball seems to be excellent. Personally i think he is thinking too much currently, he gets to 50 and thinks 'right i need to bed in and get a hundred here'. He should just continue on as hes playing and remember hes through the hard part of his innings similiar to sehwag and keep being positive. It's great though as an english fan watching him though because i know at present that hes gonna find some way of getting out in the near future and there might even be a runout around the corner.

Happy new year all. more of the same please England.

Clarke wins toss and bats. Beer playing.

happy new year everyone

Aussies pick Beer...if Foster's and Castlemaine are anything to go by, he'll be s**t.

what is it with pietersen and crap throws ???

Lol Hughes and that's lunch.

I'm off to bed

Absorbing morning, 55-1 off 30 overs welcome to 30 years ago.

They did pretty well to get 55 - Tremlett and Anderson were awesome.

I think this kid is going to play a shot to some ball that's not there to hit.

Good start for him though.

They left the ball very well.

Khawaja looks ok, just assuming he can't be very good as Hughes, North and Smith (lol) were picked ahead of him. Similar story with Beer.

well i just think its a disgrace that this guy plays his first game when the series is over, particularly given our top order woes. I know he's only been in for 15 minutes but clearly looks up to test cricket. Selectors should be sacked and deported imo.

Already done.

wtf with going off for bad light.