Aussie team picked - no MacGill

[Andre]

Clarke won't lose his spot yet. He'd get in ahead of Symonds any day at number 6 I think.

Any day of a non-existant week. Symonds is firmly established in the ODI side as one of the premier batsmen - Clarke isn't. As much as Clarke is improving, Symonds has been our best performed ODI cricketer since February 2003. Not to mention, man of the series in the ODI's against Sri Lanka, so even suggesting leaving him out is plain stupid.

Personally I think Australia can afford to move Gilly out of the opening position and try someone else capable of attacking heaps. Dunno who it could be, but I think Gilchrist would be valuable down the order, and many of the players in the Aussie lineup can be as attacking as him.

Right, so there is no weakness at the top or middle order, and you admit that, but you want to change it? If they can all be as attacking as Gilchrist, leave what's working at the moment. You don't tinker with a formula that has been successful for the past 7 years for the sake of it.

 

[Loony BoB]

Top decision by Stuart MacGill on moral grounds - let's hope there will be others.

I agree. Shock decision that he chose not to go? I'm more shocked that he's the only one. I thought the Aussies would be more likely to make a stand than most countries, as Australians are firm believers in human rights. Maybe I misjudged.

 

[Gaijin-san]

Any day of a non-existant week. Symonds is firmly established in the ODI side as one of the premier batsmen - Clarke isn't. As much as Clarke is improving, Symonds has been our best performed ODI cricketer since February 2003. Not to mention, man of the series in the ODI's against Sri Lanka, so even suggesting leaving him out is plain stupid.

I never suggested leaving him out. I said he'd get in ahead at number 6, which I think he would, given that there seems to be some effort gone to to keep Symonds at 4 or 5.

Right, so there is no weakness at the top or middle order, and you admit that, but you want to change it? If they can all be as attacking as Gilchrist, leave what's working at the moment. You don't tinker with a formula that has been successful for the past 7 years for the sake of it.

But you don't leave everything the way it is if you can see something better. That's when you can be overtaken. I was pointing out something I thought would work better, and that's what the Aussies are always trying to do. Try new things, stay on top, be innovative, that sort of thing.

 

[Linda]

This is good for Watson and White (although I personally dont rate White much), but I cant help feel that this tour will be incredibly dull and boring, and I'm definately not looking much forward to it.

 

[luckyeddie]

I agree. Shock decision that he chose not to go? I'm more shocked that he's the only one. I thought the Aussies would be more likely to make a stand than most countries, as Australians are firm believers in human rights. Maybe I misjudged.

The major problem with a country boycotting the tour as opposed to a player doing so is the ICC ruling on the issue.

They will countenance any boycott if a country's government instigates a ban, but anything short of that (the British government will not do so, in fact they maintain they cannot do so) will bring them down like the proverbial ton of bricks.

My suspicion is that the Australian government would be in a similar position. I've resigned myself (through gritted teeth) to the fact that England will tour - I suspect Australia will have to too. I have just written to Peter Hain (an anti-South Africa activist in 1968/70 as well as a current government minister) - if I get a reply I will publish the details here.

 

[Slow Love™]

I thought the Aussies would be more likely to make a stand than most countries, as Australians are firm believers in human rights. Maybe I misjudged.

Hahahahaha! Oh wait, you were serious... Not your fault though, you don't live here. Sorry, there's just a terrible irony in hearing Australia described that way in these times, but I guess that's another topic.

At least the ECB actually experienced a moral dilemma, even if they were forced to cave. It has always been the position here that, unless a security risk presented itself, the tour would take place.

 

[luckyeddie]

Hahahahaha! Oh wait, you were serious... Not your fault though, you don't live here. Sorry, there's just a terrible irony in hearing Australia described that way in these times, but I guess that's another topic.

At least the ECB actually experienced a moral dilemma, even if they were forced to cave. It has always been the position here that, unless a security risk presented itself, the tour would take place.

I think he was being generous (and without raking over old coals except in my own mind, over-generous), but let's not go there.

Last year, during WC2003, the 'security' aspect was raised and that was England's publicised reason for not going - this ultimately led to the stitching-up of Nasser Hussain and the total loss of any integrity on the part of the ECB. It might not be a bad idea to try that approach again and see what happens.

 

[Loony BoB]

I was actually being P.C. if anything. I could have said "Aren't Aussies a bunch of loud mouthed gits?" but I decided against it. I mean, Ponting says what's on his mind with Lara. Gilchrist says what's on his mind with pretty much anything. Maybe they're just all talk? Hrmm.

But to be honest, I thought Aussies tend to speak out against things that conflict with their way of life. Maybe I was being generous on the thought that they would walk the walk instead of just talking the talk... but for some reason, I haven't even heard any talk on that part. All I hear is them going on about how Murali can't bowl right and Lara can't captain right.

See? They are a bunch of loud mouthed gits.

EDIT: Regarding security - would it not be sensible for all Zimbabwe cricketers to stop playing in Zimbabwe due to security issues, but still demand pay? If only. But yeah, security doesn't always go alongside lack of integrity - NZ has been right in the midst of a terrorist attack and a few of them stopped touring that country for a while after. You could almost say that the English cricketers shouldn't play for the security of Zimbabwe players.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Congratulations Stuart MacGill for being the first non-Zimbabwean to show enough balls to make a decisive stand and realise that some things are more important than cricket.

 

[Langeveldt]

Top stuff from Magilla... That will be much appreciated by a number of Zimbabweans...

 

[Langeveldt]

EDIT: Regarding security - would it not be sensible for all Zimbabwe cricketers to stop playing in Zimbabwe due to security issues, but still demand pay? If only. But yeah, security doesn't always go alongside lack of integrity - NZ has been right in the midst of a terrorist attack and a few of them stopped touring that country for a while after. You could almost say that the English cricketers shouldn't play for the security of Zimbabwe players.

Doubt it.. Zimbabwe is not as dangerous as people think for these white guys (farmers maybe tho).. Its intimidation and words at the moment, but who knows what could happen..

 

[Lions81]

I don't think MacGill should have done this without at least a few of his teammates doing the same thing. Now he's just made them look bad and seem like they don't care about what's going on, when I'm sure they do.

 

[Lions81]

Also, on a completely unrelated note, that picture of MacGill on the front page of Cricinfo.com is scaring the hell out of me...

 

[age_master]

McGrath has said he is definatley going - based on having friends over there that are looking forward to seeing the Aussie team play

 

[age_master]

Both Macgill and John Howard have praised Macgill for his decision, hopefully this will encourage a few more players to pull out

 

[anzac]

Both Macgill and John Howard have praised Macgill for his decision, hopefully this will encourage a few more players to pull out

???????

 

[anzac]

top call from MacGill...

I'd be surprised if we see a number of Aussies opt to pull out because of a number of reasons...MacGill may be the token gesture from the players.....

* IMO the ACB has more control over players towing the line at Int level - not too many Aussie players speak out publicly about such a political situation - they seem more inclined to comment about an individual performance or incident.....

* part of the reason behind this could be the potential damage to AUS cricket & the threatened fine of AUS$3mill + 12 months suspension from int cricket for the team - the Aussies have worked damn hard to get where they are & will not want to jepordise it...........as I feel that the ACB would be more inclined to pull out of the tour if more than half the team said no, rather than loose some credibility and send a very 2nd string team unless they could call it an Aus selection or something (unlike the team NZ sent to PAK for the ODI series!!!!)

 

[anzac]

Doubt it.. Zimbabwe is not as dangerous as people think for these white guys (farmers maybe tho).. Its intimidation and words at the moment, but who knows what could happen..

not according to what an ex-pat woman was saying on the TV this morning.......she indicated that in the past few years general lawlessness & abuse towards whites has escalated unchecked - to the point where there are home invasions on whites which result in beatings, torture & murder on an almost daily basis - she lost both her parents to one such attack & has friends who survived after being shot in another................

just as an aside she has had an independant journo write an article about this sort of thing (including her parent's murder), but the journo has been unable to get it published by anyone to date in AUS.........

 

[anzac]

I agree. Shock decision that he chose not to go? I'm more shocked that he's the only one. I thought the Aussies would be more likely to make a stand than most countries, as Australians are firm believers in human rights. Maybe I misjudged.

I know you've since elaborated re this post, but I'd just like to remind our viewers that I don't recall any of the Aussie players making themselves unavailable when ZIM toured here at the begining of the season.............

don't get me wrong - I admire the decision from MacGill - just as I admire the stance taken by G Flower & Olonga, and while I support the '13' I also have to question their judgement

IMO the only thing that has changed from the WC protest to the '13', is that now it has manifested inside the ZCU - who did they think they were trying to make believe that it wasn't going to happen???? as soon as a quota selection system was introduced it was going to happen sooner rather than later - they got away with dispossessing the family of one of their cricket stars during the WC so what was going to stop them now - IMO this action from the '13' won't & I doubt a ban from the Commonwealth & ICC would do so either...........

regardless of this some action needs to be taken - even if it is only a lone voice crying into the wind.................

 

[Gaijin-san]

just as I admire the stance taken by G Flower & Olonga

Who?