'Strange decision to drop Hilfenhaus'

They just need to be patient and take the ones and twos boring days cricket is waht we need

sorry folks but the aussies will win this test and the ashes.who dare me

Ponting and Clarke to improve their batting and north to be replaced with David Hussey to strength batting .

Still 77 days to go for ICC cup,If this situation continuous then world cup will be worst case for aus

Actually Marcus North is not worth his place - 20 tests average 36, only 9 out of 33 innings he got over 50. Bye bye Marcus - Durham needs you.

Australia since the 1989 ashes triumph believed the only way to win successfully was to have bowlers that can take 3 wickets or more, batsmen that can turn 50s into centuries and of late that is not happening in the top order as Watson should be moved into the middle as there has to be plenty of budding openers in Australia that can make regular centuries and not mere modest half centuries.

I think that Marcus North needs to be dropped and Hilfenhaus needs to be there in the team. Since the Aus bowling is struggling, why not get a 4 pace (Harris, Bollinger, Hilfenhaus, siddle) and one spinner (Doharty / Hauritz) attack to get 20 english wickets !!!

@katie welsh North is better than a grade cricketer he hit century on debut and has 5 test hundreds in his first 2 years as a test cricketer its not actually 2 years until march to be fair

I disagree Hilfenhaas has gone how many tests without a 5 wicket hall i dot think hes a test bowler even marcus north and michael clarke have 5 wicet halls in test cricket

north grade cricketer at best clarke out hodge , ferguson in . harris and Bollinger great heart.

@Rooboy you didn't answer pikman's query cos Australia lost 2 Tests to India, it wasn't that long ago, surely you remember?

Yeah real strange decision to drop Hilfenhaus. Unless you consider facts ... such as Bollinger having a better first class record in Adelaide, Hilfenhaus being unable to take a wicket in 50 overs after getting Strauss in the first over last test, that Bollinger will be much fresher and fatigue will be an issue in warm conditions and after England's marathon 2nd dig, that Adelaide suits 'hit the pitch bowlers' more than swing bowlers (even Terry Alderman only played one test in Adelaide and went wicketless, so I'm lead to believe). Ummm ... so actually maybe it's more of a logical and sensible decision than a strange one. @pikman - to answer your query as to 'When was the last time Ponting got runs when it really counted, in the first innings' - not last test but the one before that he got 77 first innings against india. And the one before that he got 71. So actually not very long ago at all!

when was the last time australia was all out on the first day in a home test match???

When was the last time Ponting got runs when it really counted, in the first innings. These days the ooposition always feel they have a chance when he comes in, especially given his nervous starts.

Would have settled for bowling them out for 350 at start of play after losing toss...

I think pup shoud be dropped...can't remember when last time he played as Vice captain...

North will go for naught.

should ricky and clarke be dropped as johnson was also dropped

Do see England batting today.

shud be a cracker..hpin fr a england win..dis cmin frm a west indian!!!