*Official* Sri Lanka in Australia 2010

[Flem274*]

Would just go in with the one spinner in the WC tbh. Smith isn't ready to be a part of a five man attack.

With the dew factor under lights over in the subcontinent, quicks will get some favourable conditions sometimes.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Would just go in with the one spinner in the WC tbh. Smith isn't ready to be a part of a five man attack.

With the dew factor under lights over in the subcontinent, quicks will get some favourable conditions sometimes.

But he doesn't have to be part of a five man attack, share overs between him and Watson depending on conditions and timing.

 

[Top_Cat]

Watson
Haddin
Marsh
Clarke
White
Hussey
Smith
Hastings
Johnson
McKay/Siddle
Doherty

Don't really see how Australia's batting is "very suspect" at all, tbh. Mike Hussey's still an absolute gun in ODIs and both Watson and White are class too. Haddin and Clarke definitely aren't mugs either although they admittedly have their faults. Darsh is a bit of a weakness but he just peeled off 200 runs in the Shield game so he should be seeing

Looks collapsy to me, especially if Marsh and Clarke hold them up in the middle overs and Watto doesn't tee off. We'll see. Having White at 5 is a massive plus, though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Dropping Hopes was probably based around the 'can we get away with 2 spinners' question. And it's a great chance to try Smith & Doherty/Hauritz against an Asian team in a series that means stuff all. Should be a good test of whether Australia can rely on spin for the World Cup.

Unfortunately, the 'series that means stuff all' part might not be accurate due to the panicky, overreacting crap I'm reading from fans and media about how Australia has suddenly lost it and is rubbish now because we've lost 5 matches in a row. A series win might shut a few people up (temporarily,)

Would just go in with the one spinner in the WC tbh. Smith isn't ready to be a part of a five man attack.

With the dew factor under lights over in the subcontinent, quicks will get some favourable conditions sometimes.

I picked Smith based almost purely on his finishing ability as a batsman and his fielding. I reckon he's only the seventh best one day bowler in that team, so he'd only ever come on to break a partnership. I don't see him as a second spinner. A lot depends, of course, on whether Watson can bowl properly.. if he's lumbering in like he did against India in the Test series then they'll probably need a more realistic bowling option at seven in that team. I don't mind the Watson/Clarke combination for ten overs as it is, though.

As for Hopes, he was dropped by the selectors for John Wayne Hastings rather than Smith. JWH is basically the same bowler IMO and a worse batsman, although he's more suited to coming in at eight and hitting boundaries than Hopes. I don't really see it as the right call but I wouldn't play either of them in my best eleven, particularly if Watson was able to bowl at something resembling a decent pace.

 

[Flem274*]

But he doesn't have to be part of a five man attack, share overs between him and Watson depending on conditions and timing.

True actually, though I'm not sure his bowling is completely ready for ODIs full stop. Worth a look though.

If I were in charge and going to pick two spinners, at this point I'd go with Hopes at seven and play a couple of specialist spinners. Always liked Hopes's bowling in ODIs.

Something like:

Watson
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
White
Hopes
Hauritz
Johnson
A.Spinner
Bollinger

 

[vic_orthdox]

Personally, still believe that Hauritz's style of bowling isn't well suited to the sub-continent. But he'll have to play. With the team that you've named, you've had to leave out Harris, who has been fantastic for us in ODIs, for Hopes.

If I had to choose between Smith with Harris, or Hopes and Doherty, I'd be taking the former for sure. Smith is a super addition in the field, and more explosive with the bat in general than Hopes who has done his best work for Qld up the order and struggles against spin. And I think that he's a better option in ODI cricket, because he gives the ball a big rip but can have five guys on the fence.

 

[Spark]

Hauritz's style of bowling is much more suited to home simply because he doesn't use his topspinner very often at all.

 

[Spark]

I picked Smith based almost purely on his finishing ability as a batsman and his fielding. I reckon he's only the seventh best one day bowler in that team, so he'd only ever come on to break a partnership. I don't see him as a second spinner. A lot depends, of course, on whether Watson can bowl properly.. if he's lumbering in like he did against India in the Test series then they'll probably need a more realistic bowling option at seven in that team. I don't mind the Watson/Clarke combination for ten overs as it is, though.

As for Hopes, he was dropped by the selectors for John Wayne Hastings rather than Smith. JWH is basically the same bowler IMO and a worse batsman, although he's more suited to coming in at eight and hitting boundaries than Hopes. I don't really see it as the right call but I wouldn't play either of them in my best eleven, particularly if Watson was able to bowl at something resembling a decent pace.

Agreed with this. Watson's growth into a full-blown allrounder capable of holding his own with both bat and ball has made Hopes's position rather redundant.

 

[Prince EWS]

Personally, still believe that Hauritz's style of bowling isn't well suited to the sub-continent.

It's an interesting point. Do you think Doherty's bowling would be more suited? He definitely does get a little bit more overspin than Hauritz, which seems to be a trait shared between a lot of spinners who have been successful over there. Harbhajan and Kumble are the obvious examples but even among Australian spinners, Krejza, Mallett, Matthews and (dare I say) Clarke were more over-spin types than Warne and Hauritz.

I just think Hauritz has got more in his arsenal for one day cricket. Doherty could do a good job of taking 1/50 consistently but I think if we need a wicket in the middle overs, Hauritz is just that little bit more willing to experiment and take a wicket these days, even though he can still bowl containing stuff with men back if the situation suits it. I'll never rate him as a Test bowler as a one day bowler I think he's come far.

 

[Prince EWS]

Hauritz's style of bowling is much more suited to home simply because he doesn't use his topspinner very often at all.

Indeed, which makes the "his bowling isn't suited to the conditions" line of defence regarding his Shield record nothing but hot air. At least with someone like Krejza it might actually be true.

 

[Top_Cat]

Hasn't Doherty toured India with youth/A team before and done well?

 

[Top_Cat]

Indeed, which makes the "his bowling isn't suited to the conditions" line of defence regarding his Shield record nothing but hot air. At least with someone like Krejza it might actually be true.

God, it's like Guiliani and 9/11. Put Krejza/Krejzeh in your sig and be done with it, fanboy!

 

[Top_Cat]

Hasn't Doherty toured India with youth/A team before and done well?

Look it up yourself, ****!

Two years ago, one-day A-team tri-series in India, 7 wickets in 4 games, averaged 21 with ERA of 4.75.

 

[Spark]

No Test Match Sofa. ****, now I have to listen to the torture trifecta of Healy, Slater and Greig...

 

[vic_orthdox]

On the main point: watched Doherty up close at a spin camp in about 2005, and he got a lot of drop and bounce, bowling with a lot of overspin. I reckon he'd operate well in the sub-continent. I think that Doherty will be prepared to do the same thing (with regards to taking wickets) once he's played 10+ games, which he probably won't get to do by the WC.

Talking about other spinners: didn't get to watch Clarke 's 6/9 live, and the vision available on youtube is too poor a quality to get a look, but in recent times Clarke pretty much bowls completely with sidespin. This could be because of his back issues, but it's why he generally gets the ball to skid on in the main. Probably why he was able to be such a huge threat at Mumbai, because the ball would grip and bite on such a turner, whereas on most pitches it would generally slide on.

Think it certainly applies to the other guys that you mentioned.

Warne got the overspin, it was just more that it was aimed at the leg and encouraging the batsman to hit towards mid-wicket, which Indians were happy to do; most others struggled with it. It was only by the end (SL and India after he returned from suspension) where he had worked out a better line, and asked the batsman to hit straighter down the ground.

Would have been interesting to see MacGill play against India in India, but he didn't perform all that well in the series against SL where he bowled alongside Warne. He had more side-spin and less overspin than Warne. But I think a different set of rules applies to the wrist spinners in a way.

 

[Prince EWS]

No Test Match Sofa. ****, now I have to listen to the torture trifecta of Healy, Slater and Greig...

I know.
They should outsource to others for games they can't be bothered getting up to cover IMO. I reckon they could find a similar group based in Australia who'd be willing to leech off their existing popularity.

 

[Prince EWS]

Talking about other spinners: didn't get to watch Clarke 's 6/9 live, and the vision available on youtube is too poor a quality to get a look, but in recent times Clarke pretty much bowls completely with sidespin.

Yeah Clarke was a completely different bowler before his back issues. Had a much higher arm action to start with IIRC.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Going to be a tiny crowd.

Cue the authorities and the papers talking about the dying state of ODI cricket, and not mention the stupid scheduling. All cricketers will be training tonight, plus people are back at work in general today.

 

[Spark]

I can only assume his 6/9 was due to balls something approaching the 3-wicket haul in Sydney. If that's so I could easily see how on a turning pitch he was a handful, the two balls that got edges to slip were properly nasty balls that were in a sense wasted on tailenders.

 

[_Ed_]

Doherty's playing?!