***Official*** Australia in England 2012

[Red]

I'd forgotten Christian, why isn't he playing?

What do you think our ideal line up is without injuries and with everyone available?

Maybe...


Wade
Warner
Watson
Clarke
D.Hussey
M.Hussey
Christian/Bailey (depending on how much we want Watson to bowl)
Smith/ O'Keefe
Lee
McKay
Cummins/ Pattinson


With Bailey, Hilf and Starc on the bench.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Why is everyone so obsessed with Mike Hussey? Cracking one day player he may be but will he still be around for the World Cup? If the answer is yes, then fine bring him back. If not then you need to find a younger man asap to give him a chance to gain enough experience before it starts.

 

[marc71178]

There can be no place for acceptance of medicority in competitive sport. None.

Yet Mitchell keeps coming back.

 

[social]

Why is everyone so obsessed with Mike Hussey? Cracking one day player he may be but will he still be around for the World Cup? If the answer is yes, then fine bring him back. If not then you need to find a younger man asap to give him a chance to gain enough experience before it starts.

Subject to form and family, Hussey will still be around I'd say

Tbh, he doesnt concern me very much because he will be back at some time

Of more immediate concern are some of the selections for this series and the games themselves

Steve Smith playing as a specialist bat

35 yo Brett Lee, a guy unsuited to English conditions (his ODI performances in England are comfortably the worst of his career) continues to be picked

Johnson hasnt played for a year and is also unsuited to English conditions

And we've only played one guy (Cummins) who should be an automatic choice for our first choice attack in these conditions and he hasnt played for a year either

 

[Burgey]

Yet Mitchell keeps coming back.

How is that remotely inconsistent with what I said? Did I pick him?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Social I must admit I have been surprised at your side. Never rated Lee particularly in England but he is still miles better than Johnson. I can only assume Pattinson is here for the ride to get used to the conditions in the nets without exposing him and keeping his powder dry for next summer. Only reason not to pick him I can see.

As for Doherty,

 

[social]

Social I must admit I have been surprised at your side. Never rated Lee particularly in England but he is still miles better than Johnson. I can only assume Pattinson is here for the ride to get used to the conditions in the nets without exposing him and keeping his powder dry for next summer. Only reason not to pick him I can see.

As for Doherty,

The whole thing is a bit strange to me

It's as if they couldnt make up their mind between picking the best available X1, giving some young guys experience and providing some guys returning from injury with match practice

And then, to compound the error, the selections for the matches themselves have been a totally unbalanced basket case and this is where guys like Watto need their arses kicked because he falls short when the going is tough

 

[Ruckus]

Could always open with Wade and Watson, with Warner at three or four.

Our very own Three W's.

Yeah I wouldn't mind seeing Warner come in at 3. It sort of seems a bit of a waste every time he goes very early against the new ball, because when he gets in he can obviously be very destructive. At the same time though, an obvious benefit of a player like Warner is the intimidation factor. He doesn't have that kind of aura at the moment (too inexperienced a player really) but nevertheless at 3 it kind of dampens that effect a little. I really like the idea of having a Gilchrist like player opening, forcing the opposition bowlers to get it right straight away.

Also on an unrelated point, I still don't get why players like Khawaja and Hughes don't get the job over someone like Forrest. If the argument is Forrest is being prepped for test cricket - so are they. If the argument is he is better at limited overs cricket - the evidence is flimsy to say the least (at least they have had good success in the format domestically).

Would also like to see some prospective test bowlers trialled sometime as well, like Bird and McDermott. Feel our fast bowling attack and reserves are far too one sided atm. So many super quick, aggressive options (Cummins, Johnson, Lee, Pattinson, Starc etc.) and not enough containing options. It's great when those bowlers can blast out sides quickly on their day, but in between there is often just this annoying imbalance resulting in lots of leaked runs. Also desperately need someone who can bowl at the death consistently.

 

[Son Of Coco]

where is that CWB guy who was ranting about Bell ?

Is it me?

 

[Son Of Coco]

Anyway, things to improve for next time:

- ****ing everything

This list is not exhaustive.

By all reports Mitch bowled a pile of ****. Quite frankly, I'm shocked. He's a match- winner.

 

[Ruckus]

I dunno he didn't bowl thaaat bad, most of the chaos happened off free hits and stuff. But nonetheless, it isn't an excuse, and surely it shouldn't be used as one. Only Johnson could pull out such a shambles of a performance. He has been a decent OD bowler for us in the past, but it's not like he is has been exceptional or irreplaceable or anything and frankly I wouldn't care at all if we dumped him for good even in this format. His presence in the team just has such a destabilising effect...not fun to watch.

 

[uvelocity]

hes never been that great, and is living recently off the 6 fa in sri lanka which was about 4 garbage wickets anyway

you couldn't pick hughes, but why they never did is bizarre. instead of some christian or a mitch marsh we get fergie's poor cousins in bailey and forrest to tap it around unsuccessfully.

you're picking the wrong guys burgey

 

[Ruckus]

why couldn't you pick Hughes?

 

[uvelocity]

well he couldn't get a game when he was in favour and hitting test hundreds, so how could you pick him now?

 

[Ruckus]

Well I don't think particularly consistent or rigid policies are the selectors strong point, so I don't see why they couldn't make an exception. I mean there are a fair few good reasons for picking him; already in England, would mainly have missed only few t20's, in very good limited overs form in county cricket (two tons, plus multiple 50's) and has a solid list A record overall. Would surely give him a bit of a morale boost too, knowing that he is still in the picture.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

When will Atherton learn to shut up?

The great Richie Benauld was the best cricket commentator, and he know when to keep quiet. He was the master.

I think it's an instruction from the directors that they have to keep talking - they don't like 'dead air'.

In the past it was the opposite.

I recall watching the old John Player League in the mid 70s when John Arlott (and as good as Richie was he was no better than Arlott) and Jim Laker would often not say anything through a whole over - wouldn't be accepted now.

Brian Johnson used to tell the story of his commentary on Brenda's Coronation in 1953.

He covered (I think) the precession down The Mall to Whitehall.

He began by saying "And the State Landau enters The Mall."

Some minutes later he said "And the State Landau turns left into Whitehall."

Nothing in between.

People wrote in saying what a great commentary it was.........

 

[uvelocity]

won't happen ruckus. we already have 3 guys who can open with one of them wasting away at 7 getting less than 5 overs when we are going at 4rpo. the best 4 bats we have on tour are warner, watson, wade and clarke. they need to be the top 4.

 

[Ruckus]

He wouldn't have to open though. Would probably be better if he didn't actually, given his technical issues. Has been playing at 3 for Worcestershire anyway. Have no problem with the 4 you mentioned though, but he would be replacing someone like Forrest. I mean surely he couldn't do much worse?

 

[uvelocity]

he probably wouldn't do worse. not sure that's what we are looking for though

 

[amanuensis]

Any chance of Australia actually giving England a game at some stage of this series? It's a pretty desperate state of affairs when you make Bopara look good, but they've managed to do that. I'm guessing they can't field McKay & Hilfenhaus in the same team, so surely Pattinson must come in?