**Official** Tour Matches

[TT Boy]

Experimental-looking Lions squad announced, quite like the look of it personally:

Jamie Dalrymple, captain (Glamorgan)
Michael Carberry (Hampshire)
Stephen Moore (Worcestershire)
Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)
Andrew Gale (Yorkshire)
Steven Davies (Worcestershire)
Liam Plunkett (Durham)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
James Harris (Glamorgan)
Steve Kirby (Gloucestershire)
Gary Keedy (Lancashire)

Nice mix of senior players and youth. Keedy finally gets some kind of international recognition, he must be one of the best uncapped current players.

Light on real batsman. Though, Woakes, Plunkett and Harris can all bat.

Few strange selections, Kirby is a division two cricketer who doesn't have youth as an advantage like Harris and Dalrymple has no chance of ever playing test cricket for England. Haven't been following county cricket that intently this year but Andrew Gale, what is that about?

 

[TT Boy]

Just remembered that it is the 20/20 finals next weekend, so players from Kent (Key, Denly, Khan, Joseph), Somerset (Hildreth), Northants (none), Sussex (Joyce, Wright) are unavailable for selection.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, I think a few of them would definitely have played, particularly Key and Joyce. Interestingly Joyce isn't getting a mention in the media at all as a possible selection, only on here.

 

[four_or_six]

Yeah, I think a few of them would definitely have played, particularly Key and Joyce. Interestingly Joyce isn't getting a mention in the media at all as a possible selection, only on here.

I thought he said was re-qualifying for Ireland last year sometime, but I have no idea where I got that from.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, I think a few of them would definitely have played, particularly Key and Joyce. Interestingly Joyce isn't getting a mention in the media at all as a possible selection, only on here.

I remember Jeremy Bray saying that the guy was pretty harshly done by, that he was always much more suited to the longer version. Also hinted that Vaughan didn't have much time for him.

 

[GIMH]

Just had a quick look at his profile on wiki to see if they referenced that all, they didn't. But what it did remind me was that he was in the Test squad for the 06-07 Ashes. I'd forgotten all about that.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Light on real batsman. Though, Woakes, Plunkett and Harris can all bat.

Few strange selections, Kirby is a division two cricketer who doesn't have youth as an advantage like Harris and Dalrymple has no chance of ever playing test cricket for England. Haven't been following county cricket that intently this year but Andrew Gale, what is that about?

I don't think the lack of real batting is a big issue seeing as it's only a two-day game. It'll move the game on and give others a chance anyway.

Kirby there to get in the faces of the Australians, sledge a few, bounce a few? Or am I reading too much into that? Dalrymple is a bit of a banker, you know what you're getting with him and he's got no chance as a future international so makes sense as captain.

re. Gale - not seen too much of him live (saw all of one ball of him live at OT in the Roses T20...slapped a first-ball full-toss from du Plessis straight down deep cover's throat) but he seems to have made a few quick runs in OD cricket. Again, it's a two-day game, so there'll probably be a limited-overs mentality.

Ramprakash's non-inclusion of no real significance. We know what we're getting so there's no point in either seeing what he like or risking the Australians getting stuck into him before the Oval.

 

[brockley]

Rediculous that this is a 2 dayer.

 

[Burgey]

Haha hope he is rested, anything to disrupt him regaining form will be most welcome. His over in which he got Collingwood out was absolutely immense.

Yeah I agree. Would rest Hilfy as he's bowled quite a bit so far. Clark would be in there and I'd give Hauritz and Lee a run. Siddle too. Would shorten us up on the batting to make sure the bowlers that needed a run got one.

Johnson is playing, apparently.

I'd be resting Haddin and Clarke or Ponting personally. Give Manou and the Prince a hit.

 

[brockley]

televised,hope so?

 

[Son Of Coco]

Johnson is playing, apparently.

I'd be resting Haddin and Clarke or Ponting personally. Give Manou and the Prince a hit.

Good, I think it'd be a huge mistake to rest Johnson now. He needs to keep bowling through to the next match.

In order of who has to bowl before the next match I'd have it something like this:

Johnson
Lee
Hauritz
Siddle
Clark
Hilfenhaus

Probably forgotten a bowler but anyway. Would definitely rest Hilfenhaus and play the Clark/Siddle/Hauritz in accordance with what I had in mind for The Oval. I think Clark and Siddle would both be better for another run, although an eye might need to be kept on Siddle's energy levels after playing all the tests.

 

[Jakester1288]

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Watson
Hussey
Manou
Johnson
Lee/Hilfenhaus
Clark
Hauritz


Not sure is Hilfenhaus needs to play, North and Clarke should be rested.

Try out Hussey at 5, or even at 6 with this

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Watson
Haddin
Hussey
Manou

Manou taking the gloves.

 

[Matt79]

Hilfy out for Hauritz would be the only change I'd make to the bowling. Can't see them dropping any of the quicks from Leeds to make room for Lee so it's pointless playing him vs the Lions. Johnson and Siddle need to just keep on bowling. I think this series has shown the fallacy of sparing bowlers work if you want them performing their best.

I'd rest Haddin and Clarke as well. Manou and Hughes to come in. Give Hughes a go in the
middle order.

 

[pup11]

1.Hughes
2.Katich
3.Ponting
4.Watson
5.North
6.Haddin
7.Manou
8.Johnson
9.Lee
10.Hauritz
11.Siddle

I think someone like Hussey needs a break from the game before the all important 5th test, its apparently pretty conclusive that a good hit-out in the practice games isn't helping him a great deal, so taking his mind off the game for some time would be the way to go for him.

Would play Haddin as a batsman and let Manou take on the keeping duties, Hadds hasn't had a decent bat in a long time now, and this practice game would provide him with an opportunity to have a decent hit-out before the last test.

Giving Lee a game too before the 5th test would be a wise move, because in case one of the quicks gets injured on the eve of the test, then you don't want Lee to come into the side without any match practice.

 

[four_or_six]

Chris Hartley going to keep for Australia in the tour match because Haddin needs to rest his broken finger and Manou has re-injured his hand. The keepers are in the wars a bit this summer!

 

[aussie tragic]

I'd play....

1. Hughes
2. Katich
3. Watson
4. Hussey
5. North
6. Hartley
7. Johnson
8. Lee
9. Hauritz
10. Clark
11. Siddle

2 day match so enough batting, while the 5 bowlers should all be able to bowl about 15 overs each, while Watson and North can bowl 5-10.

 

[stumpski]

Canterbury is generally pretty flat so don't expect much more than an innings apiece, with maybe a declaration around tea on Sunday. Planning on going to this tomorrow, I think it might be a good idea to set off early.

 

[stephen]

I'd play....

1. Hughes
2. Katich
3. Watson
4. Hussey
5. North
6. Hartley
7. Johnson
8. Lee
9. Hauritz
10. Clark
11. Siddle

2 day match so enough batting, while the 5 bowlers should all be able to bowl about 15 overs each, while Watson and North can bowl 5-10.

Hartley would bat no higher than 9 with Australia's tail.

 

[howardj]

I'd play....

1. Hughes
2. Katich
3. Watson
4. Hussey
5. North
6. Hartley
7. Johnson
8. Lee
9. Hauritz
10. Clark
11. Siddle

2 day match so enough batting, while the 5 bowlers should all be able to bowl about 15 overs each, while Watson and North can bowl 5-10.

Agreed mate. That's the team I'd run with.

 

[inbox24]

1. Hughes
2. Katich
3. Ponting
4. Hussey
5. Watson
6. Johnson
7. Lee
8. Hauritz
9. Clark
10. Siddle
11. Hartley