*Official* England in Australia (2 T20 & 7 ODIs)

[Neil Pickup]

Ian Bell, WAG

Watching him bat on the highlights just now. His cover drive is almost pornographic.

Whoever fixed him 18 months ago is an utter genius.

 

[King Pietersen]

Watching him bat on the highlights just now. His cover drive is almost pornographic.

Whoever fixed him 18 months ago is an utter genius.

This dude apparently. Colville was talking about him going away and working with a 'cage fighter' (man I hate that term, it's Mixed Martial Artist ffs) during one of the rain intervals. His work with him is discussed here in an article by one of my personal favourite journalists, Gareth A Davies. <3 Belly even more now.

 

[Jacknife]

This dude apparently. Colville was talking about him going away and working with a 'cage fighter' (man I hate that term, it's Mixed Martial Artist ffs) during one of the rain intervals. His work with him is discussed here in an article by one of my personal favourite journalists, Gareth A Davies. <3 Belly even more now.

I didn't know it was Barrington who was training him a bit, I've met Barrington a few times down at a few Cage Rages a few years ago, seems a good guy.

 

[King Pietersen]

I didn't know it was Barrington who was training him a bit, I've met Barrington a few times down at a few Cage Rages a few years ago, seems a good guy.

I consider myself a pretty hardcore MMA fan, but I'll be honest, I'd never heard of Barrington until hearing about Belly training with him. But purely the fact he's made Ian Bell into even more of a beast makes me a fan. Barrington Patterson. WAG.

 

[Spark]

When you've all finished spaffing over Ian Bell...

---

Squad Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Michael Clarke (capt), Cameron White, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Brett Lee, Xavier Doherty, Peter Siddle, Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger.

Nice to see Ritz's anonymity doesn't extend to ODIs.

 

[ajdude]

No Marsh, no Ferguson...no Hodge. I can't say I'm surprised about the latter, but Marsh did kinda just make 85 off 44 or something like that.

Good to see Dussey still around though.

 

[Spark]

This is just the 1st ODI tbf. Hodge will never be picked (...) but I'd be very surprised if Ferguson wasn't given a run later on... not like there are a shortage of matches to try people out in. Marsh is (seen as) a specialist opener basically so is behind Watson/Haddin/Paine, though he did do quite well when he did get picked in the middle order.

 

[robelinda]

Dussey back in, thats the big news I guess. Picked him over Marsh and Ferguson. Interesting. Hasnt played an ODI since that Scotland match in 09? Wonder why they went back to him now?

 

[Spark]

No idea, thought they had him tagged as a domestic bully. Good to see they're giving him another shot before the WC.

 

[Burgey]

I didn't know it was Barrington who was training him a bit, I've met Barrington a few times down at a few Cage Rages a few years ago, seems a good guy.

Does he train at Wolf's Lair? I've heard it's the ducks nuts as regards MMA gyms in England.

 

[Spikey]

No idea, thought they had him tagged as a domestic bully. Good to see they're giving him another shot before the WC.

Quite ironic considering his od performances so far this season

(143 runs at 23)

 

[Sylvester]

Quite ironic considering his od performances so far this season

(143 runs at 23)

Wasn't much better last season with 298 runs at 33 compared to Hodge 622 at 69. Pretty much says when you get dropped don't perform and we will pick you.

 

[Spark]

Don't tell me we're picking another bloke out of form...

 

[Burgey]

Isn't there only one of these ODIs before the final WC squads have to be named?

 

[Sylvester]

Yep that is why this squad is only for the first ODI.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Can't believe that they've picked Dave Hussey. Seems so much like a "Well, everyone's saying that we should have given him a chance in the Tests, so we'll give him a run in the ODIs and that'll shut them up..."

 

[Burgey]

Well you'd want to hope that once they've chosen the WC squad, only blokes in it get a run for these games. Will be beyond comedy, even for these selectors, if they go outside it for an ODI at home in the lead up (barring injury of course).

 

[ajdude]

This is just the 1st ODI tbf. Hodge will never be picked (...) but I'd be very surprised if Ferguson wasn't given a run later on... not like there are a shortage of matches to try people out in. Marsh is (seen as) a specialist opener basically so is behind Watson/Haddin/Paine, though he did do quite well when he did get picked in the middle order.

I'm referring to the fact that the 1st ODI is the only one before the WC squad has to be announced, which is why I'm surprised Ferguson and Marsh weren't given a go.

 

[Spark]

I presume, as the article suggests, that they've already been decided on. Certainly Ferguson you'd think is a certainty for the squad.

 

[ajdude]

I presume, as the article suggests, that they've already been decided on. Certainly Ferguson you'd think is a certainty for the squad.

Yeah that's fair. Gonna be interesting to see how they go with the spinners.