ING Cup

[Gaijin-san]

It was a ripper. The shot was on until the ball dropped on him.

I dunno what Clarke was doing, that second run wasn't on really. I think the umpire was a bit rich in giving that out, it was a line call. Still, I watched that whole game to see him bat and a first ball run out is what I get. That's disgraceful from everyone involved.

 

[Eclipse]

lol the Ponting ball was good but nothing special.

Everyone know's I am a big Ponting fan but if there is one shot he cant play it's the paddle sweep or infact any sweep shot at all apart from the slog sweep that he can play fairly well.

The good thing is he does not sweep very often usualy he uses his feet and on drives so it was strange to see him sweeping first ball.

 

[Gaijin-san]

On the plus side, Katich(A.K.A 'Mrs Mac')'s pies were rubbished by the Tasmanians.

 

[iamdavid]

Methinks both Katich & Hodge & possibly even Hussey have likely overtaken Maher in the race for a ODI spot.

I know there is still a long time to go but at this stage what do you guys consider the likely VB series squad , assuming they name a 14 man squad.

mine
1.A.C.Gilchrist (vc)
2.M.L.Hayden
3.R.T.Ponting (c)
4.D.R.Martyn
5.M.J.Clarke
6.M.G.Bevan
7.A.Symonds
8.I.J.Harvey
9.B.Hogg
10.B.Lee
11.J.Gillespie
12.G.McGrath
13.N.Bracken
14.S.Katich

I reckon Bracken has put himself in front of Bichel in the ODI pecking order , their performances in India were incomparable.

I doubt they'll pick Lehmann if he's only had an ING cup game , I think they'll make him play a game or 2 for Australia A , then add him to the squad mid tournament.

Australia A-
1.J.Maher
2.Blewett/Thornely/Davison/Elliott
3.B.Hodge
4.M.Hussey
5.D.Lehmann (C)
6.S.Watson
7.B.Haddin/R.Campbell
8.D.Wright
9.N.Hauritz
10.A.Bichel
11.P.Rofe

 

[Craig]

I must say Thornley has improved big time with the bat. And he is a good runner.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I must say Thornley has improved big time with the bat. And he is a good runner.

In my South Africa game on ICC he's been selected and has opened the batting for Australia in a 9 or 10 ODI's now.

 

[Mr. P]

lol the Ponting ball was good but nothing special.

Everyone know's I am a big Ponting fan but if there is one shot he cant play it's the paddle sweep or infact any sweep shot at all apart from the slog sweep that he can play fairly well.

The good thing is he does not sweep very often usualy he uses his feet and on drives so it was strange to see him sweeping first ball.

Mate I agree with you entirely. We all know how much Ponting has improved his game against the spinners in the last couple of years and one of the underlining reasons is that he uses his feet a lot more to get to the pitch of the ball. When he was pinned to the crease earlier in his career he had far more problems, the obvious example being India 2001.

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

The MacGill ball to Ponting was good.
I reckon Ponting played the wrong shot for the ball bowled.

Though NSW won which is the main thing

Di Venuto batted well for his century

Katich batted superbly for his century. Katich surely needs to be looked to be included in the ODI squad for the VB Series.

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

Methinks both Katich & Hodge & possibly even Hussey have likely overtaken Maher in the race for a ODI spot.

I know there is still a long time to go but at this stage what do you guys consider the likely VB series squad , assuming they name a 14 man squad.

mine
1.A.C.Gilchrist (vc)
2.M.L.Hayden
3.R.T.Ponting (c)
4.D.R.Martyn
5.M.J.Clarke
6.M.G.Bevan
7.A.Symonds
8.I.J.Harvey
9.B.Hogg
10.B.Lee
11.J.Gillespie
12.G.McGrath
13.N.Bracken
14.S.Katich

I reckon Bracken has put himself in front of Bichel in the ODI pecking order , their performances in India were incomparable.

I doubt they'll pick Lehmann if he's only had an ING cup game , I think they'll make him play a game or 2 for Australia A , then add him to the squad mid tournament.

Australia A-
1.J.Maher
2.Blewett/Thornely/Davison/Elliott
3.B.Hodge
4.M.Hussey
5.D.Lehmann (C)
6.S.Watson
7.B.Haddin/R.Campbell
8.D.Wright
9.N.Hauritz
10.A.Bichel
11.P.Rofe

A bit harsh there in not including Brad Williams in either the Australian or Australia A teams.

Bichel may not have had a great time during the tri series, but if Bichel does well in the Test Series, then I think that the selectors will have faith in Bichel (pick him in the squad).

Campbell should be the Aus A wicket keeper and out of Blewett/Thornley/Davison/Elliott, I think I would go for Elliott.

If MacGill bowls well in the Test Series, he should be given the opportunity to be in either squads or even replace Hogg (if Hogg has a shocker in the early VB series matches).

 

[Gaijin-san]

I'm not sure about Elliot. The selectors have a habit of not picking the best XI for the Australia A team. They leave out players often who they've had a look at and don't really need to see any more of (i.e. Elliot). Some of the older guys still manage to make the side like Blewett but I'm not sure even he'll get there, has his start to the season been very good?
I think it would come down to Blewett/Thornely. I agree Thornely has come a long way with the bat but he might still have a way to go.
If they're gonna keep Maher in there, Hussey could open with him and there's an extra batsman for you. If not, you could bring in Rogers/North who are both pretty accomplished batsmen who can open (or not).

I think the selectors still have the balls to put Clarke in Australia A.

 

[age_master]

watson wont make the Aust A squad for this summer i dont think cause his bowling will be well out of practice, though the way he batted yesterday he might just get picked. though Thornley might get in ahead of him depending on how he bowls. Di Venuto is also a good chance to get the openers spot, hes in fantastic form at the moment.

i think they will have a squad of 15 of the VB cup series and Lehmann will be picked, provided that he is fit to play.


i salso think Ian Harvey will struggle to hold his spot in the side this summer, players like Blewett, Thornley, Watson, Katich, Davison are much better batsmen and can bowl just as well in most situations.

my guess - Aust A
Di Venuto
Davison
Hodge
Blewett (c)
Hussey
Watson
Campbell
D Wright
S Clark
B Williams
Rofe

other players that i think will be cllose are Scott Brant, Thornley, Tait, Dan Marsh, Macgill, Nicholson, Noffke and the young spinners in Hauritz, White and Doherty

 

[Gaijin-san]

i salso think Ian Harvey will struggle to hold his spot in the side this summer

I don't know about that... Ian Harvey's done nothing wrong with the ball. Some people might offer more penetration than him but I think he can adapt to different situations better than most. He used to make the side as a bowling allrounder by the way he kept runs down at the death, whereas now he can be brought on earlier and he's taken a few 4 wicket hauls.
As for his batting, I think he's coming along, internationally. He hasn't had many opportunities lately in the ODI team but he chips in the odd 20 or so and doesn't hang around, which is often all he needs to do given his batting position.

I don't think any of those guys you mentioned stand a chance against Harvey except Watson. If Watson is at least as good as he was when he left the team, he should make it very difficult for Harvey to keep his place. Even Symonds shouldn't get TOO comfortable with Watson around.
Your bowling comment was plain silly in my opinion. Blewett and Katich are absolute pie-chuckers. Katich had one good game against Zimbabwe and a good game against WA last season, and that's about it. Do you know the ratio for how many times he gets absolutely flogged to how many times he has any decency? It's definitely in favour of the first. Harvey can hold off all those guys for bowling.

 

[iamdavid]

I really hope Dan Marsh is at least named in the A side , his batting has improved out of sight , he's a great slip & his bowling is better than that of Lehmann or Katich.

Ged I'd lay off Blewett's bowling , Trevor Hohns said he ame within a whisker of making Australias world cup squad as an allrounder.

 

[Gaijin-san]

Simon Katich makes Australian squads as an allrounder. It doesn't mean anything to me, as I rate neither of them. :P

 

[marc71178]

Simon Katich makes Australian squads as an allrounder.

In the same way that A McGrath was an "All-rounder" when selected?

In other words, as a batsman who can fill in a few overs as a 5th bowler.

 

[Gaijin-san]

Yet his finest moment in test cricket to date has nothing to do with batting?

 

[marc71178]

That means absolutely nothing - the seectors have never mentioned the all-rounder thing at all, because quite simply they've not selected him as anything other than a batsman who can provide a few overs of spin.

Heck, Vaughan's done it before (but not now he's skipper unfortunately), but no-one has ever said he's an all rounder.

 

[Gaijin-san]

Vaughan would make any team for his batting alone whereas Katich relies on his (rubbish) bowling to make the Australian team. That's the only reason he made the team over Martin Love, because of the bonus of his bowling. He's expected to play more of a part as a bowler than most part timers, despite the lack of talent.

 

[marc71178]

But that's nothing like being selected as an All Rounder, as you claimed.

Exactly the same thing happened with McGrath's selection last summer for England, it was a batsman who could fill in as 4th Seamer.

Despite the selectors continually stressing that was why he was picked, the media decided he was selected as an all rounder.

 

[Gaijin-san]

Down at number 6, they certainly weren't selecting a specialist batsman.
Maybe he was picked as an allrounder because he might not bat all that often.