***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[vcs]

The only radical suggestion is dropping Ponting. Which will never happen, but at some point it's going to have to be done.

Haddin also, TBF. Thought he batted well in the Ashes.

Ponting has been in poor form alright, but axing him at this stage would destabilise Australia's already brittle-looking batting lineup IMO. Should give him the SL and SA series and re-evaluate from there.

 

[Bun]

Four, although it will be 8 months without Test cricket by the time the first Test rolls around.

Tends to happen in the aftermath of a home Ashes series for the crims, iirc they had no Test cricket for 10 months after 06/07.

thanks . dnt feel such a long layoff is gud

 

[Prince EWS]

Hughes
Cosgrove
Watson
Khawaja
Clarke
Hussey
Paine
Johnson
Hauritz
Siddle
Bollinger

is how I'd go.

The most puzzling thing about this lineup in the batting order IMO. Why would you put a reluctant opener up to open and then bat a man who wants to open and averages 50 odd in Tests in the position and another man who is a natural opener and has only batted lower down due to team balance below him?

 

[Redbacks]

Really shouldn't even be going until the UN report against the government for war crimes is investigated further.

 

[BlazeDragon]

Khawaja
Watson
Ponting
S. Marsh
Clarke
M. Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Siddle
Bollinger

That's how I would go in the 1st test and see if it works out. Katich axing was a shame. I am pretty sure Huges is the one getting the opening spot but he he fails this time he is done for. I still don't understand why Clint McKay didn't get a contract I would have picked him over Siddle if he had a contract.

 

[akilana]

really shouldn't even be going until the un report against the government for war crimes is investigated further.

awta

 

[Howe_zat]

The squad I'd pick:

Clarke, Watson, Katich, Ponting, Khawaja, Hussey, Cosgrove, Haddin, O' Keefe, Hauritz, Johnson, Siddle, Bollinger, Harris

The squad that'll go:

Clarke, Watson, Hughes, Ponting, Khawaja, Hussey, Smith, Haddin, Paine, Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Bollinger, two of Hauritz/Krezja/Beer/Random club spinner.

 

[Bun]

rubbish

 

[Furball]

The most puzzling thing about this lineup in the batting order IMO. Why would you put a reluctant opener up to open and then bat a man who wants to open and averages 50 odd in Tests in the position and another man who is a natural opener and has only batted lower down due to team balance below him?

IMO Watson is Ponting's natural replacement at 3.

Thought Cosgrove was an opener? Swap him and Khawaja if not.

 

[Nate]

Yeah I gotta admit I feel far more optimistic about this tour than I did, say, five-six months ago.

Really? Wait until we see the squad. Anyone know when it is announced?

 

[Prince EWS]

IMO Watson is Ponting's natural replacement at 3.

Yeah, I've always thought that as well itbt.

Thought Cosgrove was an opener? Swap him and Khawaja if not.

Cosgrove isn't an opener. He's opened a bit in county cricket and a fair bit in one day cricket but it's not something he prefers or is IMO suited to. It's rare to see him open up in a Shield game.

Khawaja's a better choice as opener IMO. Don't mind your side if you make that swap, but if you're going to name Cosgrove and drop Ponting you might as well name Katich as well because he has a much chance of playing as Cosgrove does of playing, and Ponting does of not playing.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah I gotta admit I feel far more optimistic about this tour than I did, say, five-six months ago.

Their pace attack will still be diabolically bad, especially if they don't play Kula, but as has been said, their spinners will be a lot more effective at home. They'll still have a poor attack but it's not something I didn't expect the minute Malinga retired.

 

[Spark]

Really? Wait until we see the squad. Anyone know when it is announced?

Starting from a very, very low base tbf

 

[NUFAN]

1. S. Marsh
2. S. Watson
3. R. Ponting
4. U. Khawaja
5. M. Clarke
6. M. Hussey
7. B. Haddin
8. M. Johnson
9. N. Hauritz
10. P. Siddle
11. R. Harris

I nearly dropped Hussey and went for Hughes opening and Marsh at 6.

 

[Top_Cat]

Wow Murali took 28 @ 23, Warne took 26@ 20, in a three match series. ****ing hell!

Yeah, bit misleading in Murali's case. Remember him being innocuous for long, long periods before taking wickets in a bunch, generally blokes new at the crease. Damien Martyn and Boof Lehmann played him brilliantly with extremely patient play until they got settled and then they'd go after him. That was the trick; pace yourself at first but once you got away, cash in because it's so hard to get started there.

It's exactly the sort of play the Aussies will need this time. Going to be relying heavily on Mick Clarke to set the tone, he certainly has the game to play as well as the above two did.

 

[Spark]

Ponting/Khawaja/Clarke/Hussey is my preferred middle order (in that general order too)

 

[SamSawnoff]

Ponting/Khawaja/Clarke/Hussey is my preferred middle order (in that general order too)

Yep, get Clarke to stick himself back down the order. He's fooling no-one with this talk of getting to face more of the ball and bat for longer.

I'm more optimisitc about this tour but that's because I've had a look at Sri Lanka's test bowling attack in England. Their spin bowlers will be dangerous at home but even Punter should be able to pull the medium pacers early without top-edging it.

Fernando is the only one that might trouble him as he has some genuine ability to bowl fast but he's all over the place.

 

[Spark]

Yeah no shame in being permanent #5. His average there is staggering too - close to 60 IIRC.

 

[SamSawnoff]

Yeah no shame in being permanent #5. His average there is staggering too - close to 60 IIRC.

At five, instead of making collapses worse, he has some ability to stop them, but then I suppose Huss does the same thing.

If they put Khawaja in at 4, then Huss could bat at 6, but of course Smith has squatters' rights at 6, or so it seems.

 

[Spark]

Huss is one of the best at batting with the tail I've ever seen (Clarke isn't hopeless himself tbf at it although the sample size is miniscule) which is why I'd put him 6.