Australia's ODI squad

[dontcloseyoureyes]

At least he's not injured constantly any more.

Nah, shush. That's what everyone was saying about Watson...

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I'm not worried about a jinx. If Watson can't be fit, nobody can.

 

[Rant0r]

watson's had stress fractures before though hasn't he ? i thought these days they ironed out any problems in a bowling action once it's happened once, sometimes before it even happens. maybe he picked up some bad habits again, was cooley paying attention ?

 

[howardj]

Symonds, Lee and Watson will be out.

Marsh
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Hussey
Hopes
Johnson
Hauritz
Bracken
Hilfenhaus

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Symonds, Lee and Watson will be out.

Marsh
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Hussey
Hopes
Johnson
Hauritz
Bracken
Hilfenhaus

Hopes will and should open before Haddin.

 

[Top_Cat]

watson's had stress fractures before though hasn't he ? i thought these days they ironed out any problems in a bowling action once it's happened once, sometimes before it even happens. maybe he picked up some bad habits again, was cooley paying attention ?

Has had them develop every two years, almost like clockwork, since he was 14. This despite changing his action almost every time. Personally, that's evidence enough he's just not built to bowl quick, no matter how many benchpresses he does. I'd be considering cutting back on the speed or doing away with the bowling entirely. It just sets him back so far and while he has the potential to be a decent Test bat, I don't think his bowling will ever be world-class, short bursts of good form notwithstanding.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

It's almost like I've read that exact post before.

Oh wait, I have.

 

[Rant0r]

he bowled well in india, but you might be right, bruce reid continuously got stress fractures, he may not be able to avoid it, maybe he could do a bracken and bowl spin...

 

[howardj]

Hopes will and should open before Haddin.

I violently disagree...

 

[Top_Cat]

It's almost like I've read that exact post before.

Oh wait, I have.

Yeah but it's about a new stress fracture this time.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I violently disagree...

Yeah, I mean, Haddin hit a hundred opening for NSW about 10 years ago with Mark Waugh, he should certainly open ahead of someone who does it successfully week-in, week-out.

Everyone here saying Haddin should open is absolutely off their rocker. Have any of you seen him bat before? People seem to think that if someone uses a straight bat, they're an opener. Haddin plays away from his body to the pacemen and is troubled by swing early on in his innings, him opening is a terrible idea.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeah, I mean, Haddin hit a hundred opening for NSW about 10 years ago with Mark Waugh, he should certainly open ahead of someone who does it successfully week-in, week-out.

Everyone here saying Haddin should open is absolutely off their rocker. Have any of you seen him bat before? People seem to think that if someone uses a straight bat, they're an opener. Haddin plays away from his body to the pacemen and is troubled by swing early on in his innings, him opening is a terrible idea.

[insert quip about having read this before and such]

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

[insert quip about having read this before and such]

Have never gone that in depth tbh, which says something about how lazy I am because it's not very analytical.

 

[Top_Cat]

Have never gone that in depth tbh, which says something about how lazy I am because it's not very analytical.

I've read the Mark Waugh bit before.

Point well made, though. I was in the Haddin camp before too before I realised, as you said, it was so long ago and I think all his big , better than run-a-ball tons opening were at North Sydney (?), only the smallest ground in the world where even Wayne Holdsworth once got near 50. Nuff said.

 

[Rant0r]

i think hopes has a fair bit of potential as an opener, his bowling is fairly andrew hall like, but good change in the one dayers

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah, I mean, Haddin hit a hundred opening for NSW about 10 years ago with Mark Waugh, he should certainly open ahead of someone who does it successfully week-in, week-out.

Everyone here saying Haddin should open is absolutely off their rocker. Have any of you seen him bat before? People seem to think that if someone uses a straight bat, they're an opener. Haddin plays away from his body to the pacemen and is troubled by swing early on in his innings, him opening is a terrible idea.

Yeah, I agree with this strongly.

Haddin might be a better opening batsman than Hopes (IMO he isn't) but even if he is, it's pretty marginal, and he's definitely a better middle order batsman than he is an opener, and definitely a better middle order batsman than Hopes. If both are going to play and one has to open, it should be Hopes - you'll get the most value from each player that way.

Regarding Haddin opening specifically, it's pretty obvious to see he's unsuited to it just watching him bat - he rarely plays late and is really loose outside off with his footwork early in his innings. NSW figured that out (eventually) and moved him back to the middle order which, surprise surprise, resulted in him scoring big runs much more consistently. It'd be a huge waste.

Hopes opening is really far from ideal, but at least we aren't wasting someone who could really be a big asset to the batting elsewhere by having him do it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I think all his big , better than run-a-ball tons opening were at North Sydney

Yeah I'm fairly sure they were. I think a lot of the myth around his opening ability comes from the fact that the times he did well opening were frequently the old Saturday Mercatile Mutual Cup games on 9.

 

[howardj]

Yeah, I mean, Haddin hit a hundred opening for NSW about 10 years ago with Mark Waugh, he should certainly open ahead of someone who does it successfully week-in, week-out.

Everyone here saying Haddin should open is absolutely off their rocker. Have any of you seen him bat before? People seem to think that if someone uses a straight bat, they're an opener. Haddin plays away from his body to the pacemen and is troubled by swing early on in his innings, him opening is a terrible idea.

You obviously feel very strongly about this issue.

 

[Top_Cat]

You obviously feel very strongly about this issue.

Does go on about it, tbh.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

You obviously feel very strongly about this issue.

Violently, if you will.