Group A - Australia, South Africa, Scotland, Holland

[The_Bunny]

Err..............


No, actually.

You have destroyed my hopes and dreams.....

*Depression sets in*

 

[Pup Clarke]

Err..............


No, actually.

He was being sarcastic...

 

[irfan]

Seriously sending Watson down the order is an awful move IMO, if he wants to bat for Australia he has to be in the top 4. I know Clarke has been asking for promotions up to No. 4 but he has to look at what is going to benefit the team as a whole. So why can't Australia have:

Haydos
Gilly
Punter
Watson
Clarke
Hodge/Symonds (Hodge when Symonds is unfit)
Hussey

as their batting order. Clarke, Hodge, Hussey are >>>>> Watson in the final overs and Watson is a lot closer to par to Clarke and Hodge in the top 4.

 

[Laurrz]

Seriously sending Watson down the order is an awful move IMO, if he wants to bat for Australia he has to be in the top 4. I know Clarke has been asking for promotions up to No. 4 but he has to look at what is going to benefit the team as a whole. So why can't Australia have:

Haydos
Gilly
Punter
Watson
Clarke
Hodge/Symonds (Hodge when Symonds is unfit)
Hussey

as their batting order. Clarke, Hodge, Hussey are >>>>> Watson in the final overs and Watson is a lot closer to par to Clarke and Hodge in the top 4.

i tend to agree, but i dont think at this time its the best time to experiment if u get my drift..

who knows when Roy comes back he might force Hayden out and Watto goes opener and Hodgeeyyy stays :P

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Watson's been very consistent at the top of the order, it'd be disasterous to send him back down to 7, both from a personal and a team balance PoV. He should have been in the top 5 for some time now, really.

Hopefully if Hayden plays, Watson will go to 4.

 

[pup11]

But the problem with batting Watto at no.4 is that at that position he would have to play spin bowling(straight away) on slow and low tracks and he isn't too good against spin bowling, so either Watto opens or he bats at no.7.

He seriously needs to improve his foot-work and technique against spinners.

 

[pup11]

I would also like to see more flexibility in the aussie batting order, Hussey needs to used as a floating option according to the situation of the game.

 

[social]

The problem has only arisen because of Hayden's selection and Watson's recent run of form with the bat as opener should see him as front-runner

Personally, I think this is our best X1

Watson - bowler
Gilchrist - keeper
Ponting
Clarke - bowler
Symonds - bowler
Hussey
Hodge - bowler
Hogg - bowler
Bracken - bowler
McGrath - bowler
Tait - bowler

 

[Evermind]

The problem has only arisen because of Hayden's selection and Watson's recent run of form with the bat as opener should see him as front-runner

Personally, I think this is our best X1

Watson - bowler
Gilchrist - keeper
Ponting
Clarke - bowler
Symonds - bowler
Hussey
Hodge - bowler
Hogg - bowler
Bracken - bowler
McGrath - bowler
Tait - bowler

That order is ridiculous!

 

[social]

That order is ridiculous!

I'd actually prefer Hussey at 4, Symonds 5, Clarke 6 but that apparently wont happen

Hodge is really there as another batsman/good fielder because we dont need another bowler and he's not as good as anyone above him

 

[Jono]

Lol, the day Australia play Hodge as a bowler is the day Australia have completely lost the plot.

Fact is, you can't drop Hayden after his last knock, simple as that. In that case, simple solution is to move Clarke, Hodge and Hussey down, and have Watson at 4.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Lol, the day Australia play Hodge as a bowler is the day Australia have completely lost the plot.

Fact is, you can't drop Hayden after his last knock, simple as that. In that case, simple solution is to move Clarke, Hodge and Hussey down, and have Watson at 4.

The man speaks sense.

Gilchrist
Hayden
Ponting
Watson
Hodge/Symonds
Clarke
Hussey
Hogg
Tait/Johnson/Clark
Bracken
McGrath

 

[social]

Lol, the day Australia play Hodge as a bowler is the day Australia have completely lost the plot.

Fact is, you can't drop Hayden after his last knock, simple as that. In that case, simple solution is to move Clarke, Hodge and Hussey down, and have Watson at 4.

Watson has made 4 (?) consecutive half-centuries as an opener

Unfortunately, on that form, Hayden doesnt bring anything extra to the cause plus his inclusion weakens the rest of the batting order because Watson etc then have to bat in positions where they arent as suited

BTW, I'm not saying that Hodge should bowl 10 overs, but he's definitely been under-bowled and he has proven useful for Vic this season on slow, low decks at the MCG

 

[social]

The man speaks sense.

Gilchrist
Hayden
Ponting
Watson
Hodge/Symonds
Clarke
Hussey
Hogg
Tait/Johnson/Clark
Bracken
McGrath

So one of the world's best players (forget about just ODIs) has to bat 7 because Hayden and Hodge get to bat where they want - now that really makes no sense

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

So one of the world's best players (forget about just ODIs) has to bat 7 because Hayden and Hodge get to bat where they want - now that really makes no sense

It's just about the balance of the batting order, really. Hussey's an excellent number 7, and can easily come up the order if necessary, like in a chase if the team is in trouble, or to accelerate in the last few overs. I'd expect him to float around a bit, but under normal circumstances he's the best number 7 we've got, whereas guys like Hodge and Watson would be fairly ineffective down there, as with Hayden, obviously.

 

[irfan]

Agree with Sean & Jono here, you have to look at the overall balance of the batting lineup and not only consider where a batsman's best position is but also their worst position and if there is a significant difference between of the two you have to modify the team accordingly.

For instance Clarke & Hussey are the most versatile batsman in the opening lineup and only when you decide where the more inflexible batsman bat (e.g Hayden, Watson & Hodge) can you worry bout Clarke & Hussey's position.

 

[social]

It's just about the balance of the batting order, really. Hussey's an excellent number 7, and can easily come up the order if necessary, like in a chase if the team is in trouble, or to accelerate in the last few overs. I'd expect him to float around a bit, but under normal circumstances he's the best number 7 we've got, whereas guys like Hodge and Watson would be fairly ineffective down there, as with Hayden, obviously.

Unfortunately, the Oz management have repeatedly shown themselves to be inflexible where team tactics are concerned.

If u were to pick the 11 best players, Hayden would be there.

BUT, relying on others to pick up the slack and deviate from a plan put in motion months ago if something goes wrong is not always possible if the policy makers are inflexible.

As an opponent, having Hussey named at 7 on a team sheet would be a massive "win" before the first ball had even been bowled

 

[Laurrz]

"As an opponent, having Hussey named at 7 on a team sheet would be a massive "win" before the first ball had even been bowled"

hmmm i dunno... it would be rather daunting to know a quality batsman like Hussey is lurking at #7...and its not like the guys ahead of him are so bad that they dont know how to take control of a match...... Clarke Hodge Symonds are all capable of that...

i think i like having Hussey as 7 because he can win a match for us at any time chasing.. and he is deadly in the last 10.. but i wouldnt care that much if he was promoted... looks like he'll play at #6 for the whole tournament tho... unless Hayden gets shunted by Watto when Roy comes bak

 

[pasag]

Scotland win the toss and elect to bowl.

 

[Turbinator]

500 anyone?