*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[Jono]

I'm happy for Rogers. He's not Australia's saviour but at least he gets another shot.

 

[dermo]

did i miss hear or did steve smith get dropped?

 

[Jono]

Harris and Faulkner in.

 

[Jono]

Mitch Johnson dropped.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Squad as tweeted by Cricinfo:

Clarke (c), Haddin (vc), Cowan, Hughes, Warner, Watson, Khawaja, Rogers, Wade, Faulkner, Harris, Siddle, Pattinson, Starc, Lyon, Bird.

Lyon the sole spinner, fascinating. Another kick in the guts for SOK. No Johnson, Hilf or Smith either; stiff on Smitteh.

 

[Jono]

did i miss hear or did steve smith get dropped?

Yep he's dropped. Horses for courses I guess.

 

[NUFAN]

I love the squad. Think the selectors have done as good a job as possible. Now we have sufficient time to prepare so I don't mind the early announcement.

 

[dermo]

Yep he's dropped. Horses for courses I guess.

pretty tough imo, one of the few who actually performed in india, thought he'd earned first shot at the 6 spot

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Uzi and Rogers will both play at Trent Bridge, marketh my words.

 

[benchmark00]

Silly to pick 5 openers. Otherwise it's fine. Wouldn't have gone with Forkers but it doesn't matter, bit of a dearth in proper allrounders. McDonald injured in the wrong season.

 

[Nate]

Looks decent I guess, no SOK, Smith and maybe Henriques notable omissions perhaps.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

pretty tough imo, one of the few who actually performed in india, thought he'd earned first shot at the 6 spot

Yeah, I think it's a more realistic scenario that Smith will be needed than Faulkner, given we've already picked five quicks and Faulkner's a 7 at the very best.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Silly to pick 5 openers. Otherwise it's fine. Wouldn't have gone with Forkers but it doesn't matter, bit of a dearth in proper allrounders. McDonald injured in the wrong season.

Remind me again how opening experience is a bad thing, regardless of where you bat in the order.

It's an addition to your skillset. You're not trading it off for anything.

 

[uvelocity]

happy with that overall. yeah wouldn't go with forkers either, and don't know what either smith or moises did wrong

 

[uvelocity]

and if we are going to keep picking usman in the squad surely he has to get a go at some stage

 

[benchmark00]

Remind me again how opening experience is a bad thing, regardless of where you bat in the order.

It's an addition to your skillset. You're not trading it off for anything.

Yes you are, especially being the type of opener Chris Rogers is.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah, I think it's a more realistic scenario that Smith will be needed than Faulkner, given we've already picked five quicks and Faulkner's a 7 at the very best.

I can potentially see the selectors picking Haddin at 6 and Faulkner at 7 and being part of a 4 man pace attack.

I definitely want the traditional 6 bats, keeper, 3 quicks, spinner come the first Test though.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

and if we are going to keep picking usman in the squad surely he has to get a go at some stage

He'll play. Straight swap for Smith you'd think, although he might even swap positions with Twatto at 6 and him at 4.

 

[Prince EWS]

If Haddin plays but doesn't keep I will dead set kill someone.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

FWIW, with the cattle we've been given:

1. Cowan
2. Warner
3. Hughes
4. Khawaja
5. Clarke
6. Watson (only if bowling, otherwise Rogers)
7. Haddin
8. Harris
9. Siddle
10. Pattinson
11. Lyon

12. Bird