Followers of fashion,
MJ "lost and confused" Clarke is not stupid enough to sacrifice his place in the Strayan team for the next test match on account of a girl.
Never mind that he might be a touch down on form, at least he's not a cry baby like Mitch Johnson who blames his mother for single handedly losing the Ashes in England after finding himself all over the shop like a mad woman's breakfast.
Pup'll be on the plane acruss tha dutch on Sunday.
Once he's had a round of meetings with the lawyers [she keeps the two dogs, and the rock of course, worth bit, probably keeps the Aston Martin, worth more; but the expensive Bondi gaff might be something of a sticking point.
Pup wouldn't be that keen to offload it in a fire sale] he's then free to kiss goodbye to The Shire and carry on regardless.
Besides, he knows a thing or two about other blokes circling and stalking him for his spot.
Has a lot in common there with the PJ Hughes kiddie; as Clarkey was dropped for a second time for FIGJAM Watson, and only re-instated when The Great Watto did himself a mischief, and Hughes of course after being dropped once is currently being kept out of the XI by you guessed it...
Remarkable then that The Concept of Which Way's North is a classic example of it being harder to get dropped from the Strayan team, than it is to get picked.
Everywhere else in the world it would be very hard these days to promote yourself as a specialist No.6 batsman without another string to yr bow.
Aah, but not here.
He must have photo's of the selectors.
As a dear friend reminded me, during the last first class game that Marcus played in, KJ Hughes commented on national radio for all to hear that MJ North was "earning" dollars from the game under false pretences.
Always nice to be paid hansomely for doing absolutely nothing at all.
But it's only a matter of time before the cash runs out.
Seen SPD Smith aka Young Smiffy in action in the first class arena a couple of times this season for NSW, once at Newcastle Number One Ground and then at the SCG, and he's the real deal, let me tell you.
Can bat, can bowl, and Joisus, can he field.
Not yet 21, doesn't matter that, like Casey Stoner, he looks and sounds likes a 15 year old.
He'll play in Wellington, as he adds tremendous value to any side at six or seven, his chinaman will confuse the best of them, and he'd be odds on to take a screamer at some point -- so with competition like that, poor ol' Uncle Horrie would be contemplating putting his Baggy Green in a glass case.
The quick bowling department must be very iffy at present if the Chairman and the Three Wise Men scratched their heads and got around to selecting Ryan Harris as the bolter.
More the Man from Mars at 30 years of age and a similar first class bowling average.
Keeping the options open is one thing, but a 14 man squad is a lot to take for a brief two test tour of the Long White Cloud; so there's no shortage of mixed messages when it comes to the next Ashes.
The Evil Englanders would be taking a close interest in the machinations.
Touring party:
Katich, Watson, Ponting (Capt), M.Hussey, Clarke, North, Hughes, S.Smith, Haddin (wk), Johnson, Hauritz, Harris, McKay, Bollinger.
