shaun tait maybe unleashed on england

Wayne Phillips, the South Australian wicketkeeper who was part of the last Australian squad to lose an Ashes series in England, has suggested that Jason Gillespie's place in the Australian Test team could be under threat from Shaun Tait, the most promising fast bowler to emerge from Australia in almost a decade. The fact that Gillespie has been one of Tait's mentors in the South Australian set-up - Greg Chappell, the Indian coach, fast-tracked him into the side three seasons ago - lends even more spice to the situation.

Gillespie has had a wretched time of it in the one-day matches in England, carted around even by Bangladesh's batsmen. He has just five wickets from eight games, and they've come at a cost of 63 apiece. "I was interested to read what chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said about reputations not meaning much and those performing will be given a chance," said Phillips, quoted on the BBC website. "If Tait does take his place it will be very sad but it's one of those things that can happen."

Tait will arrive in England on Monday, along with Justin Langer and Stuart MacGill as Australia gear up for an eighth successful defence of the Ashes. When he was initially included in the squad, it was seen as an opportunity for him to acclimatise to life at the top. But with Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz struggling for form, Tait may well come into contention for the Lord's Test.

"Shaun is in pretty good nick," said Phillips, who is currently his coach at South Australia. "He is an exciting fast bowler who comes into a well-run group which will give him plenty of support. He is also a huge Gillespie fan, from a mentoring point of view."

Tait endured a nightmarish short stint at Durham last season but bounced back with some fiery bowling in the Pura Cup where he picked up 65 wickets at 20.16.

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bowlers in odis afta ICC trophy

bowler --- Mat O R W Ave Econ SR 4w 5w
kaspo --- 12 103.2 491 14 35.07 4.76 44.3 0 0
dizzy --- 18 149.5 696 19 36.63 4.67 47.3 0 0
mcgrath - 19 161.2 595 34 17.50 3.69 28.5 1 1
lee ------ 21 182.2 820 38 21.58 4.50 28.8 1 0

Dizzy and kaspo have been in awful odi from since the icc trophy. kaspo has already been dropped from the ODI team.

With lee having sucsess in ODIS i can see either dizzy/kaspo being dropped from test team for 1st test. if both kaspo/dizzy continue there slump lee and tait could be unleashed on england.

dizzy is only 30 but the spate of injuries hes had his body is prob that of a 35-37 year old. in 1997 dizzy had an awful odi series but then took 16 wkts @ 20 runs a-piece in test series including 7 for @ at headingley where he bowled superbly. 8 years on wether dizzy can turn the style on again is debatable.

I'm not sure playing Tait from the off would be the wisest choice. He's still very raw and from what I've heard of him it's a case of all or nothing add to that that he's only bowled 18 overs in English conditions which went for something like 176 runs and it looks like a big risk. They certainly don't want to be playing two slightly wayward express pace bowlers if Vaughan actually finds some form for once.

I'd stick with Dizzy and Kaspa for the first couple of tests.

I have a feeling Gillespie may be dropped, but Kasper will stay. He is so good as a third seamer in Tests, which means I don't think they would drop him. I presume McGrath, Lee, Kasper & Warne as the bowlers for Lord's.

Don't think Tait will be given a lords test spot. He has has little match practice before the tour and has no experiance of international test match bowling.

I think there is too much hype surronding this guy, people keep speaking of how great he is and that is fantastic, but you treat him like the next Wasim Akram or McGrath. What's funny is in home conditions against Hafeez, he got taken apart. If you get taken apart by Hafeez I am not sure if you are ready for the big stage yet

From what I have seen of Shaun, he is quite raw, and understandably so. Aussies don't believe in blooding raw cricketers, and rightly so. I think Gillespie will regain his rhythm once the tests starts. Don't see even a remote chance of Shaun getting a test cap in this Ashes, unless it all goes horribly wrong for the Aussies, which is quite unlikely to happen