Totally says it like it is, pulls no punches
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A couple of young players to watch:
Thing is, I donât have to ask him.
He made a double century against South Africa, soâŠ
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Then got dropped
He was a good batsmen no doubt, but the way he portrays himself you would think he was Bradman.
Donât seem like the smartest guy either, constantly would have a go at the selectors and then want to get picked after that.
From memory he did play the Boxing Day test against SA and not do that much.
Should he of been in the Aussie side around that time, most likely. Seems his personality might of been what helped keep him out
Youâre probably right, but it seems like certain people get to be arseholes/problem children and others donât.
AB. SWaugh. Warner. Ask Whitney about Rod Marsh.
Law (although I get it was difficult to break into that side anyway), Jones, Hodge.
It seems like you can be a jerk, as long as youâre âour kind of jerk.â
Couldnât care less if Hodge was a strong personality, you wonât convince me he was the worst.
And he absolutely should have played more Tests, both prior to and after his Test career.
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Fair call. Canât argue with any of that. No doubt the selectors seem to have their favourites and stick with them no matter what.
Having some political allies in the dressing room would also make a difference. Apart from Warne(vic) I donât know if he had anyone else sticking up for him.
Whereas half the team are NSW so you know they stick together
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What I reckon killed Hodgeâs career was a test in Oz against South Africa.
Last ball of the dayâŠHodge on strikeâŠPunter at the other end
Fielder called in to forward short leg (I donât call it bat-pad)
Obvious the last ball is going to be short at the body
And Hodge fended it straight to the fieldsman
Avoid itâŠor let it hit you
Donât soil your strides and fend it to short leg
Then he spent the rest of his career whining about it
Now down on the synthetics playing at East Sandringham Boys Club.
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Itâs not always down those lines, ie Katich and Clarke hated each other, Smith doesnât seem to rate Nevill. Marshes donât have many other Westralians but keep coming back.
I think we can all agree that when you start buggerising around with team selection, when you start playing ducks and drakesâŠit â â â â â the side for years to come.
And the selection for this Test tells me weâre not even out of that pattern yet.
SoâŠweâre not as good as we could be.
Reckon you have to have a very particular point of view to think thatâs any sort of okay.
Being the protĂ©gĂ©e of Dean Jones doesnât help your selection chances.
Farkinâ Andre Nell! He was one annoying cricketer.
Has a hat ever been made that could fit on Graeme Smithâs bonce?
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âI look back and Iâve digested it many times, and the one thing that kills me is I only ever got out below 23 three times⊠that hurt. You feel when you get dropped that youâre under pressure, playing the game when you feel like youâre out of form.
âI just never felt that. One of the things that hurts is if you read those numbers out, I thought thatâs what Australian cricket wanted from me, and I donât think I could be any better.â
Yeah, not buying the last line there.
We went through a bundle of no. 6âs after that, which is where he should have always played.
Some good, some terrible.
None as good as Hodge.
His papers were stamped.
He wasnât ever going to get number 6, heâs the same age as M Hussey.
Still shouldâve played a lot more. At # 5
A Nel had quite a busy action.
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Not sure what you mean.
At a vital, psychological moment, he demonstrated a heart the size of a caraway seed. Right in front of the captain (or soon to be captain).
Compare it with Clarke (whom I canât stand) copping a barrage from Morkel, including breaking a bone in his shoulder area.