Australia's squad

[Antihippy]

Do people really expect Smith to bowl? Can't see him getting more than 2 overs.

 

[Spikey]

average of 32

 

[Antihippy]

Haven't had a regular spell for quite awhile, though to be fair he didn't have a regular gig in the side until recently.

 

[halba]

here is my likely world cup XI updated after seeing todays performances and the pm XI vs england the other day.

WARNER
FINCH
CLARKE(c)/ BAILEY
SMITH
MAXWELL/MITCH MARSH (1 middle order power hitter)
HADDIN
FAULKNER (1 lower order power hitter)
STARC
JOHNSON
HAZLEWOOD
DOHERTY

comments:

watson's bowling is too hittable and pedestrian. not good enough anymore. His batting is not in form(but we will check it tonight).
maxwell's off spin isn't economical enough, but his hard hitting batting is an X factor ala Symonds(PM XI vs Eng). if maxy fails in the tri series with the bat, mitchell marsh gets the middle order power hitter role.

Doherty's 10 over spell was world class, albeit he got help from the pacers, so hes our best ODI spinner.
Cummins is probably too erratic, bowls a lot of wides. Hazlewood, johnson ,starc are the 3 best odi quicks in australia anyway, as we saw from recent test series.
the batting picks itself. Bailey doesn't belong in the XI, he is out of form. Wonder why he is captain, let alone in the team as a batter.

faulkner is our best finisher and lower order hitter. if they choose mitch marsh/maxwell they can get 10 overs from either incase 1 is expensive.

 

[Zinzan]

On a fair wicket I'd go with;

Warner
Watson (5)
Clarke (*)
Smith (6)
Bailey
Maxwell (7)
Haddin (+)
Faulkner (3)
Johnson (1)
Starc (2)
Doherty (4)

On a really fast track

Warner
Watson (5)
Clarke (*)
Smith (6)
Bailey
Maxwell (7)
Haddin (+)
Faulkner (4)
Johnson (3)
Starc (2)
Hazelwood (1)


Either of those sides will be damn tough to beat..

I disagree with Graeme Smith & Dravid who didn't think Clarke, Smith & Bailey could all start in the same XI.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

That's probably the team I'd like too, give or take some of the bowling options. But I think it'd be harsh to drop Finch, and more importantly they definitely won't do it, which probably means Maxwell or one of Smith/Clarke/Bailey will miss out. Or Watson i suppose, but that'd be the worst option if he's fit.

 

[Red]

Guessing our first match team will look like this.....

Warner
Finch
Watson
Smith
Bailey
Maxwell
Marsh
Haddin
Johnson
Starc
Hazelwood


The issue with taking Clarke in uncertainly is now gonna get compounded by Faulkner's injury. We are already a batsman light and Bailey's form has be ****.

 

[Prince EWS]

Twelve players for the first match, ITSTL.

 

[Red]

Yeh oops. No Doherty.

 

[Sporty1079]

I am happy to see Cummins in the squad.

 

[Julian87]

Guessing our first match team will look like this.....

Warner
Finch
Watson
Smith
Bailey
Maxwell
Marsh
Haddin
Johnson
Starc
Hazelwood


The issue with taking Clarke in uncertainly is now gonna get compounded by Faulkner's injury. We are already a batsman light and Bailey's form has be ****.

Yeah thinking about it this is what they'll go with.

And they'll give Faulkner every chance to be fit by mid tournament because he finishes the team perfectly when fit. I really don't like Marsh, Watson and Maxwell bowling 20 overs between them but it shouldn't matter in home group games.

 

[jonbrooks]

Aussie looking damn strong.

 

[Adders]

Yeah they are........the ****ers are gonna take some stopping I think.

 

[Antihippy]

Eh, I think south africa and new zealand are pretty evenly matched with australia.

 

[Adders]

Eh, I think south africa and new zealand are pretty evenly matched with australia.

Certainly they are the two sides most likely to beat the Aussies.........but I dunno, come knockout time I just can't picture the Aussies going down to either in any home games.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I think a big home crowd can be a huge source of pressure in a knockout game, actually.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Eh, I think south africa and new zealand are pretty evenly matched with australia.

Dunno what to think of SA. Have the best top 6 players, and probably the worst bottom three/four.

 

[Niall]

Eh, I think south africa and new zealand are pretty evenly matched with australia.

Australia not to long beat South Africa 4-1 in Australia and don't have Behardian in their team, they are the better side at this moment.

 

[Antihippy]

Australia not to long beat South Africa 4-1 in Australia and don't have Behardian in their team, they are the better side at this moment.

Their middle order severely let them down that tour, but in knock out stages all bets are off. I count world cup chances with how many players each squad has that can take the game away from the opponent on their day regularly and SA and Australia are pretty evenly matched. SA has the better opening combination just due to hashim amla alone, AB de Villiers is just ridiculous, but we have smith and a much, much better middle to lower order. SA has the better spin bowler, but I'd rate both teams to have the strongest bowling lineup of the tournament.

Think new zealand's squad is actually kinda roughly the same as australia I reckon. Just need to see how home advantage works for both teams.

 

[marc71178]

Surely you're not giving SA a boost on account of when it gets to knock out matches?