*Official* Australia in England

[BoyBrumby]

A fit Lee is the best ODI bowler we have by so far that it's absolutely laughable

As for the others, I mentioned that it was subject to availability which can also be taken as our selectors actually picking the side on merit

By the way, notice how Tait was picked out of club cricket to play T20s when the WC got close - there is a reason for that and it's simply that he is one of the best 2 bowlers in Oz in the shorter formats

A live Bradman would be your best bat too and it's only slightly more unlikely to happen.

 

[Burgey]

I thought Nannes was only available for T20s these days, Tait too.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Smith in for someone please.

Well he'll have to play in the world cup as 2 spinners will be a certainty.Seeing as England are playing 2 why not give him more exposure at the highest level.He will need every game he can before the WC which i am sure he will be in.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Looking forward to the next game, hopefully it's a bit earlier.

Day/nighter again.

Sunday is a day game.Then it is a day/nighter and a day game to finish the series.

 

[GIMH]

Going to have to work a bit harder to "own" us at ODIs seeing as in the last year we've beaten them 6-1 in their own backyard and knocked them out of the Champions Trophy semi-finals.

You're only as good as your last game

But seriously - if you're (@ social, obv) citing no Lee as a reason why that wasn't your first choice attack, well then we could start throwing around the Flintoff card. It's just ridiculous.

 

[Kylez]

Day/nighter again.

Sunday is a day game.Then it is a day/nighter and a day game to finish the series.

Bugger. It's a weekend game though so I may record it and then watch it.

 

[davidgdafter]

Happy that the game on Sunday is a day game. Hopefully this fantastic weather will hold up and I can barbecue and watch the cricket at the same time.......(bloody hell, sounding like an Australian!!)

 

[andyc]

Happy that the game on Sunday is a day game. Hopefully this fantastic weather will hold up and I can barbecue and watch the cricket at the same time.......(bloody hell, sounding like an Australian!!)

See? There's hope for everyone.

 

[social]

You're only as good as your last game

But seriously - if you're (@ social, obv) citing no Lee as a reason why that wasn't your first choice attack, well then we could start throwing around the Flintoff card. It's just ridiculous.

****ing hell

Once more for the dummies

It might be as good an attack as we can muster atm but the fact is there are a heap of guys out injured or unavailable which is precisely why a number of people in this thread referred to the touring team as Australia A

And btw, Lee played for Oz about 6 weeks ago

Last time I saw Freddie in Dubai a few weeks ago, he was still hobbling around having not played for nearly a year - if he was a racehorse, they would've shot him

 

[GIMH]

 

[FBU]

Sorry, had other things to do

Missing from the current Oz lineup are Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Lee, Tait, Nannes and Smith

Apologies if I've missed anyone but we have so many injuries and unavailabilities that I tend to lose track

Chuck those names into a hat with Harris and Hauritz and you could come up with any number of combinations better than yesterday

Fast bowlers who bowled for Australia last year -

Siddle, Bollinger, Johnson, Hilfenhaus, Clark, Watson, McKay, Bracken, Tait, Harris, Laughlin, Geeves, Harwood, Lee, Nannes, Hopes, Henriques (17)

 

[treamcast34]

Magnificent game from Morgan, some of the most fluent hitting I've seen. Interesting that he has such an average first class record, you would never have picked it watching him out there. Innings like that couldn't have come at a better time either, posting a win first up puts the pressure firmly on their inexperienced personnel to respond.

That Hazlewood kid has real ability though. Once he got the nerves out of his system he troubled everyone, got some rearing bounce and that delivery to castle Kieswetter was special. Can see why they've promoted him so early.

 

[Sir Alex]

did anybody mention the 'australia is in transistion/rebuilding phase' nonsense yet?

In rebuilding since 2007..

 

[Sir Alex]

A live Bradman would be your best bat too and it's only slightly more unlikely to happen.

Haha, social is living in the past.

 

[GotSpin]

That Hazlewood kid has real ability though. Once he got the nerves out of his system he troubled everyone, got some rearing bounce and that delivery to castle Kieswetter was special. Can see why they've promoted him so early.

It's pretty amazing how quickly he is progressing as well. A mate of mine played him in 2nd or 3rd grade just over a year ago.

 

[andyc]

In rebuilding since 2007..

Don't see what's so laughable about that tbh. You take out three ATG in one go and you're going to need to take a while to get back to where you were and ATM they're getting pretty close I'd say. That's more in regards to Tests though, the ODI team's been fine really since Gilly and McGrath left.

 

[Sir Alex]

****ing hell

Once more for the dummies

It might be as good an attack as we can muster atm but the fact is there are a heap of guys out injured or unavailable which is precisely why a number of people in this thread referred to the touring team as Australia A

And btw, Lee played for Oz about 6 weeks ago

Last time I saw Freddie in Dubai a few weeks ago, he was still hobbling around having not played for nearly a year - if he was a racehorse, they would've shot him

I can bet if Lee and Flintoff plays today Flintoff will outgun lee.

 

[Sir Alex]

Don't see what's so laughable about that tbh. You take out three ATG in one go and you're going to need to take a while to get back to where you were and ATM they're getting pretty close I'd say. That's more in regards to Tests though, the ODI team's been fine really since Gilly and McGrath left.

If Australia are getting back to the world beaters they were of 90s and 00s, I am Elvis by a comfortable distance. They are good, a very formidable side but let's not delude ourselves just because they rolled over three worst International test sides in last summer at the moment.

I agree with your observation on ODI team.

 

[Top_Cat]

Don't see what's so laughable about that tbh. You take out three ATG in one go and you're going to need to take a while to get back to where you were and ATM they're getting pretty close I'd say. That's more in regards to Tests though, the ODI team's been fine really since Gilly and McGrath left.

Yar, re-building without a huge drop in performances in Tests (they've remained pretty competitive against most teams) is a decent effort. OZ took at least 7 years after Chappell/Marsh/Lillee retired to return to being really competitive, WI have been re-building for at least 10 years now and they're still not showing any great signs. South Africa took, what, 5 years after Donald/Polly retired? India's rebuilding once Dravid/Laxman/Tendulkar go will take quite some time too and I reckon they'll see more than a minor dip in Test wins.

3 years sounds like a long time but in reality it's a blip on a Test team's history and they've still been a solid team through that time..

 

[Sir Alex]

Yar, re-building without a huge drop in performances in Tests (they've remained pretty competitive against most teams) is a decent effort. OZ took at least 7 years after Chappell/Marsh/Lillee retired to return to being really competitive, WI have been re-building for at least 10 years now and they're still not showing any great signs. South Africa took, what, 5 years after Donald/Polly retired? India's rebuilding once Dravid/Laxman/Tendulkar go will take quite some time too and I reckon they'll see more than a minor dip in Test wins.

3 years sounds like a long time but in reality it's a blip on a Test team's history and they've still been a solid team through that time..

Australia dropped from No.1 to No.4 in test rankings in a span of just over a year iirc. If that is not a huge drop, I don't know what is.