O'Keefe can't be considered neither can Smith tbh... the only change will come from the batting lineup because the bowlers have done well, the spinners aren't good enough to drop a fast bowler, and the batting lineup is fragile enough by making it shorter for a part time spinner

Smith is a batsmen, not a bowler. IMO, he'll be who they pick, because they see him as a number 6 who bowls a bit, exactly like North. But yeah, fuck em all, bring in Dave Hussey, what him blast a triple, cry that they've wasted that talent for so long.

The reason for Marcus North being dropped can all be summed up in one neat stat.

Before this test North had passed 25 in only 5 of his last 25 innings.

he either scores big or does not score at all. you cant have someone like that in the team.

South Australia all out for 55, James Faulkner 5 for 5 off just 7 overs! \:d/

what the fuck is going on down there

but like the weather and the pitch, i'd assume it's a greentop, lots of moisture and there's cloud cover

Not sure why they stopped play a little early.

So the first test just finished in a draw with Australia finishing at 1/100

Not sure why they stopped play a little early.

Bit bad by England, they could have declared just before lunch and tried to make a game of it.

England with the psychological upper hand heading into Adelaide after that dominant second innings.

Before lunch they were only 180 ahead. And as the past 2 days have shown, the pitch turned into an absolute road. It wouldn't have made a game of it, it would have just handed it to the aussies on a platter.

[size=6]Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris called up into squad for second Test[/size]


Fast bowlers Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris have been called into Australia's squad for the second Test in Adelaide, beginning on Friday.

After part-time spinner Marcus North took the only wicket in England's second innings, Harris and Bollinger will both come into calculations after proving their fitness in Sheffield Shield matches for their states.

Harris, who has been troubled by a knee complaint, picked up five wickets (4-31 and 1-23) against Victoria at the MCG, while Doug Bollinger - 12th man at the Gabba - has picked up two wickets against Western Australia at the WACA.

Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus are both vulnerable after taking just one wicket between them in Brisbane in a combined 93 overs.

Johnson went wicketless (0-170 in 42 overs) for the first time in his 39 Tests but was also expensive, wayward and failed to threaten the English batsmen who were never challenged by any swing or movement off the pitch.

Hilfenhaus had his moments in Brisbane and went within a whisker of dismissing Andrew Strauss for a pair but he would be expected to shoulder another heavy workload in Adelaide.

Former South Australian Harris is better suited to his old home pitch and is also a renowned workhorse who can swing and seam new and old balls.

While Hilfenhaus is regarded as a front-line quick and averages a steady 30 per wicket, he has never taken five wickets in an innings in his 14 Tests and lacks penetration when the ball loses shine.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/the-ashes/doug-bollinger-and-ryan-harris-called-up-into-the-ashes-squad-for-the-second-test-in-adelaide/story-e6frf3gl-1225962901316

Drop Horse and Johnson for Bollinger and Harris.

That's what I hope they do. Whether they drop Johnson is another story.

What i'd like to happen. Doubt it will actually happen though. Johnson seems untouchable.

Does anyone else reckon Johnson's sleeve tattoo looks really bad on him