***Official*** Road to the 2015 Cricket World Cup

[NUFAN]

With the World Cup taking place within 13 months I thought having a thread to discuss squad selections and anything else is in order.

For Australia, I feel as though we need to identify who our second specialist spinner is and our backup keeper. I don't want a repeat of the last World Cup where we were trialing Krejza. At the moment the 16 players that look to be at the forefront of selection are:

Top Order
- Finch
- Warner
- Watson
- Marsh

Middle Order
- Clarke
- Bailey
(why no more middle order)

All Rounder
- Faulkner
- Maxwell
- Christian

Quicks
- Johnson
- McKay
- Coulter-Nile
- Starc (perhaps more of an assumption, than fact at the moment)
- Pattinson

Keeper
- Haddin

Spinner
- Doherty

Generally for these sort of tournaments squads are required to name a 30 man squad initially and that gets trimmed later on to probably 15, maybe 16? So with 14 other spots remaining, I would imagine spots could go to:

Batsman
- Smith
- Hughes
- Voges
- Lynn
- White
- Maddinson

Bowlers
- Cummins
- Bird
- Bollinger

All rounders
- Henriques
- M Marsh

Keeper
- Wade
- Paine

Spin
- Holland (maybe)

So I'm confident enough that the final squad and even our 30 man initial squad will be similar to this.

 

[NUFAN]

Okay ICC, can the world cup, no interest here.

 

[benchmark00]

Really interesting thread NUFAN. Tell us more about modern bats.

I think Henriques will be ahead of Christian by then (well he is already, but someone will have convinced Lehman by then)

 

[TimAngas]

It'll be interesting to see how the selectors go about chosing guys like Patto, Harris etc, guys that are crucial to the test setup and don't get risked in limited overs matches often: Whether or not they go all guns blazing 'cos it's the WC. You'd think they would, and then Harris would have to be an inclusion. I would say he's a better limited overs bowler than Pattinson.

I also agree with Benchmark about the batting allrounder spot, I have Marsh (with another whole season under his belt) ahead of Henriques, and then Christian. Mind you, Christian's tearing England up at the moment I type.

I have a feeling Voges will be brought out of cyrogensis just before the WC and make the full squad. I think your full squad there probably has one to many top order bats and the one to miss out on current form would be Marsh. Voges will give cover to both Clarke and Bailey, and allow Clarke to cover the no. 3 spot in the case of a dreaded Watson injury. On form ATM Cam White is probably more deserving but I wouldn't bet on him still in manic touch next summer. That's also my reason for Marsh's non selection. Both players form spikes are generally followed by pretty darn deep troughs.

Whiteman or Dunk a possible smokey for back-up keeper with another summer to come, although I still would put my money on Wade as gloveman numero due.

 

[NUFAN]

The first 16 names that I picked were players at the forefront of the selectors minds so it seems logical that Christian is rated above Henriques for the time being. I definitely for whatever reason forgot Harris who definitely deserves to be included.

Re: back up keepers. Unfortunately Dunk isn't getting any chances with the gloves. I mean, he is a respectable backup, but I think the backup keeper will be one that always keeps for his state. I really do like both Dunk and Whiteman as batsman though.

 

[NUFAN]

India needs to start giving Pujara opportunities in the ODI setup as he is going to be important come the World Cup. In these sort of conditions I feel as though India need a composed top order batsman to take care of the two new balls. The likes of Kohli and Dhoni can make up the run rate just by playing there natural game. Raina is the bat I would be dropping at this stage, but perhaps others are just as deserving to be dropped.

Oh and also, I know NZ are quite known for their semi final feats in previous World Cup tournaments, but anything worse than a semi final with their team would be a big disappointment as they have a quality team these days.

 

[TimAngas]

Sri Lanka have the dilemna of what opener to bat with Dilshan at the top of the order. Kusal Perera, Karunaratnae and Upul Tharanga are the one I can remember who have been given a go in the past year. Kausal Silva has also looked good in test matches so far but I can't comment on his limited overs batting. One of Sangakarra or Mahela have also opened in the past and I honestly wouldn't rule that out as an option if SL are looking for stability at the top. That would also free up another spot for a middle order bat like Vithanage, Thirrimane or Priyanjan or another allrounder like Thisara Perera, Dilurwan Perera, Jeevan Mendis or Seekkuge Prassana.

I think Sri Lanka will be one of the teams to beat at the World Cup with them in my top four along with Australia, India and New Zealand. All those teams have shown they are hard to beat in Aus-NZ conditions.

 

[TimAngas]

Retirements after the world cup?

My top picks would be Haddin, Misbah, Mahela and obviously Kallis.

 

[uvelocity]

Retirements after the world cup?

My top picks would be Haddin, Misbah, Mahela and obviously Kallis.

i was thinking of that the other day. reckon there will be plenty

 

[NUFAN]

Retirements after the world cup?

My top picks would be Haddin, Misbah, Mahela and obviously Kallis.

If you go around the different countries there are not that many older guys who are close to that retirement age.

In saying that, players like Clarke, Sanga, Dilshan and even Graeme Smith might retire from ODIs after a successful world cup and just concentrate on Tests (especially Clarke and Smith).

 

[Flem274*]

I think NZ by and large have their core sorted. Depth varies with department though.

Openers - Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, Tom Latham, Anton Devcich, Hamish Rutherford

Guptill and Ryder are class and Latham shows promise but Devcich is not ODI standard and trading on being the coaches boi at NZ A, and Rutherford struggles in domestic one day cricket. I'll be very surprised if any of the three reserves are ready for ODI cricket at world cup time. Guptill and Ryder are locks for the final eleven and heaven help us if they're not there.

Middle order - Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum

No real way in here. This has been settled for so long I'm not even sure who to include in the reserves. KW is a bit average at present but steadily improving, Taylor is Taylor and McCullum isn't as good now as he was at the end of the last decade. I also suspect World Cup 2015 will also be McCullum's last act in international cricket. This is a middle order who could go well but also fall away if KW misfires and McCullum declines.

Allrounders - Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham, Colin Munro

I love our depth here. Both Corey J and JimmyGS will play in a post McCullum world, but for now Anderson is our number one allrounder.

Keepers - Luke Ronchi, BJ Watling

Ronchi has the spot for now. Not really good for international cricket but selecting him is within the rules and it looks like he is just starting to finally find some runs. Watling was harshly dropped because Hesson is weird and Watling isn't really a power hitter suited to number seven, but his limited overs game is reportedly something he is working hard on when not playing test cricket.

Spinners - Daniel Vettori, Nathan McCullum

Looks increasingly likely McCullum will be the spinner, and he's another who might choose to bow out after the tournament.

Fast bowlers - Mills, McClenaghan, Southee, Milne

Mills, McClenaghan and Southee have to be the three unless Milne finds his feet quickly. I love Milne but he's a project player. I also think Henry, not Milne, should be next in line on merit. For those who don't know him he is a tall outswing bowler who sends it down at 135 or so. Probably the closest bowler we have to being a like for like Southee replacement. He was almost the only bowler to come away from the Ford Trophy with a record screaming pick me last season, and 350 plays 350 was common then.

I also think 2015 will signal the end of Mills. I like the NZ pace attack in ODIs because it has players for everything and they're all very different bowlers. The only niggle is whether Anderson or McClenaghan can step up to consistently bowl well at the death in tandem with Southee, and it's hard to say whether Mitch or Southee should open with Mills.

Final Squad
Martin Guptill
Jesse Ryder
Kane Williamson
Ross Taylor
Brendon McCullum
Corey Anderson
Luke Ronchi
Nathan McCullum
Kyle Mills
Tim Southee
Mitchell McClenaghan

James Neesham
Tom Latham
BJ Watling
Adam Milne/Matt Henry

 

[Prince EWS]

If you go around the different countries there are not that many older guys who are close to that retirement age.

In saying that, players like Clarke, Sanga, Dilshan and even Graeme Smith might retire from ODIs after a successful world cup and just concentrate on Tests (especially Clarke and Smith).

Would be weird for Dilshan to concentrate on Tests given he's retired from them.

 

[benchmark00]

n00fers tasting.

 

[benchmark00]

Haddin's an interesting one in the fact that the Ashes are also on that year, so maybe he'll want one last crack at that just to try and win in England.

 

[Spikey]

australia team could go in so many directions. currently believe maxwell is a good chance to be the spinner.

 

[benchmark00]

australia team could go in so many directions. currently believe maxwell is a good chance to be the spinner.

Team Australia*

 

[Spikey]

Team Australia*

Commonwealth Bank's Team Australia

 

[andyc]

Haddin's an interesting one in the fact that the Ashes are also on that year, so maybe he'll want one last crack at that just to try and win in England.

During a Cricket Show segment this summer he said his goal was making this WC. Would be very surprised if he doesn't play in it.

 

[benchmark00]

During a Cricket Show segment this summer he said his goal was making this WC. Would be very surprised if he doesn't play in it.

...I know.

The Ashes is after the World Cup.

 

[Prince EWS]

During a Cricket Show segment this summer he said his goal was making this WC. Would be very surprised if he doesn't play in it.

Yeah, benchmark was replying to the question about which players might retire after the WC. He thinks he might stay on until after the next Ashes because it's so soon afterwards.