***Official*** Australia in India 2012/13

[Spark]

serious? okay, they're bleak, but... doolan? bailey?

 

[vic_orthdox]

Allows them to play four bowlers, and use Smith as a second spinner without relying on Clarke, I guess.

Same spot that Maxwell was probably being groomed for, but might've gone cold on him?

 

[Spikey]

serious? okay, they're bleak, but... doolan? bailey?

reserve batsman. i'm assuming that means one of the doolan/bailey etc group are better than that....(edit oh wait. they say Usman. hmmm. i have my doubts. about that being true)

i think Smith being almost the only young-ish guy in domestic cricket to be sorta consistent over the past 24 months plays a part here. he's not doing this hot/cold **** like doolan/forrest etc. he's been fairly consistent, he's lost his conversion rate a bit which has hurt the bottom line, but he's stayed in the aus a teams, performed in them once or twice. it kinda makes sense on that level

 

[Spikey]

i don't think they would pick both of usman/smith. that seems really odd. i could understand usman/bailey or maybe bailey/smith but usman/smith...just seems weird.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah, Smith's bowling is the reason why they're considering him. No other way.

 

[Tangles]

I'm sure I read an article saying he hardly bowls anymore. So have a spot and start rolling your arm over son?

 

[uvelocity]

 

[Jono]

Spikey's post

 

[howardj]

My Squad of 15

1st Test
Cowan
Warner
Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Haddin
Wade
Lyon
Pattinson
Siddle
Bird/Starc

Reserves
Usman
O’Keefe
Starc/Bird
Johnson

I just think, for this tour, Haddin is the most likely player to score runs at number six – depressing that we have to go back to a 36 year old, but meh

Harris, if fit, would be a monty

 

[Dan]

I'm sure I read an article saying he hardly bowls anymore. So have a spot and start rolling your arm over son?

Apparently he's dedicating his entire off-season to bowling.

Definitely taking the Maxwell spot IMO. His batting isn't necessarily any better (he makes more runs, but his technique is more ****), but his temperament is way ahead of Maxwell's, not to mention the impact of their bowling is equally non-existent at Test level so isn't really a justifiable selection factor.

And if the bowlers aren't taking wickets, at least we can field.

Cribb to tear me apart.

 

[howardj]

I hope we steer away from bit part players like Maxwell, Smith, Moises etc

I think our best chance is the 2004 blueprint - pick a conventional top six, and try to win with pace (not spin).

 

[Dan]

My Squad of 15

1st Test
Cowan
Warner
Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Haddin
Wade
Lyon
Pattinson
Siddle
Bird/Starc

Reserves
Usman
O’Keefe
Starc/Bird
Johnson

I just think, for this tour, Haddin is the most likely player to score runs at number six – depressing that we have to go back to a 36 year old, but meh

Harris, if fit, would be a monty

Cowan
Warner
Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Bailey
Wade
Siddle
Starc
Lyon
Bird

Pattinson
Smith
O'Keefe
Johnson


Invers and co clearly like Bailey, and he's the closest style of batsman to Hussey we're likely to find (busy at the crease, hard runner, thinker .etc).

With Beer out, you've gotta give the slot to O'Keefe IMO. Better to have a mediocre second spinner who can bat than a mediocre second spinner who can't.

Pattinson walks into the XI at the expense of Bird if he's fully fit. I don't know if he will be for the First Test, but he'll tour regardless.

Johnson is going on the back of recent performance, hopefully he keeps his **** together and can still bowl.

Smith there on the basis that he's not as crap as Maxwell.

 

[uvelocity]

I think I'd honestly take doherty

warner
cowan
hughes
clarke
watson
khawaja
wade
starc
siddle
lyon
bird

backup
patto
johnson
haddin
doherty
quiney/d00lan/bailey pick one

rotate the young bowlers & johnson. tempted to play siddle/bird/lyon/doherty (would play quiney instead of khawaja in this case and get some overs out of him)

 

[the big bambino]

For mine its Warner, Cowan, Hughes, Usman, Clarke, Watson, Wade, Starc, Siddle, Griffin (Lyon and Bird).

I think its time for Usman and leave Clarke at 5. He's scored a crapload of runs there and is at the stage in his career where he'd probably be tending towards a lower rather than a higher middle order spot. Watson at 6 with the idea of giving him a settled spot rather than migrating him around the order. And yep I want him to bowl and tell him he's not likely to bowl as many overs as he did at Hobart ever again so stop ya bellyaching.

Reserves: Pattinson, Johnson, Doolan, Haddin, Doherty

Mitch is fit and bowling well plus he seems to have done ok in India previously. Pattinson should be fit. I like Harris but think his time has gone. He can't guarantee his fitness for more than 1 game so keep persisting with those who can. Never a big fan of Hilf I wouldn't pick him even if fit. He just seems too flat and friendly. Doolan's ave is par with Quiney and Bailey but he's younger. Doherty and Haddin by default.

 

[Spikey]

I'm sure I read an article saying he hardly bowls anymore. So have a spot and start rolling your arm over son?

he recently rejected all the advice given to him since he first turned up, didn't bowl at all for a month (bar a spell of off-spin when two left handers were in and NSW didn't have any other bowlers who could spin it away) so yeah i guess he isn't bowling that much, but he hasn't forgot about it.

i guess if smith does tour haddin would actually be the reserve batsman, which i'm cool with

 

[Briony]

Hopefully the shield matches will sort out some things. Wonder though whether they will look at preservation re. the pace bowlers bearing in mind the Ashes.

 

[Prince EWS]

Doherty's taken two wickets in four Shield games this season at an average of 80. Combined with a career FC average over 40, I'm not sure I'd bother playing him even if Lyon was injured and he was the only other specialist spinner on tour. I'd sooner bat Maxwell at 7 followed by four quicks I think, and that's really not an option I'm keen on.

 

[uvelocity]

I'd take any other bat over maxwell.

the conditions in india would benefit even dohers though

 

[TimAngas]

I hope CA soon quit this policy of playing all these bits and pieces players.

In general I think the kinds of players that are being picked are not ones that are likely to go on and win you the match with either their batting or their bowling.

 

[Spikey]

Doherty's taken two wickets in four Shield games this season at an average of 80. Combined with a career FC average over 40, I'm not sure I'd bother playing him even if Lyon was injured and he was the only other specialist spinner on tour. I'd sooner bat Maxwell at 7 followed by four quicks I think, and that's really not an option I'm keen on.

you do love maxwell though