***Official*** Australia in New Zealand 2016

[cnerd123]

Our entire ODI pool of batsmen is oddly imbalanced right now. A lot of openers/top three bats, a lot of lower order finishers/allrounders, not that many really good middle order bats who are known to be able to play that sort of Clarke/Hussey role. Plenty of hitters, not quite enough batsmen. It's why I find it genuinely hard to come up with a convincing replacement for Bailey or even Maxwell to play a similar role (Lynn is the first name that comes to mind, I guess)

...can we trade you one of the lower order finishers/allrounders for a Rayudu or Kedar Jadhav?

 

[Spark]

I think the best option is for Smith to drop down to four and Khawaja to bat three. If Finch stops hacking ODI runs then there are plenty of other opening options to consider.

Yeah agree

 

[Howe_zat]

It feels like legspin as a thing has pretty much come back from the dead over the last three years. Most of that is Yasir Shah but Tahir, Rashid and Sodhi all establishing themselves in limited overs teams to varying degrees has made it seem like an actual trend. Strangely it's come due to T20 success where legspinners were supposed to be fodder. Even Australia are playing a leggie in some T20Is and because of what he's done in the big bash.

 

[Crazy Sam]

Can't help but wonder if they should go the way of the test team and play Khawaja at 3 and Smith at 4 once Finch inevitably comes back in. Bailey-Maxwell-Marsh at 5-6-7, keeper then 3 more bowlers. Would be ideal if the number 5 could also bowl a few overs, and a bonus if we could ever find another keeper who is capable of batting in the top order.

 

[Howe_zat]

Our entire ODI pool of batsmen is oddly imbalanced right now. A lot of openers/top three bats, a lot of lower order finishers/allrounders, not that many really good middle order bats who are known to be able to play that sort of Clarke/Hussey role. Plenty of hitters, not quite enough batsmen. It's why I find it genuinely hard to come up with a convincing replacement for Bailey or even Maxwell to play a similar role (Lynn is the first name that comes to mind, I guess)

Would you pick James Taylor? England are supposed to have batting depth because he's being left out.

If not then I think it's a bit of a nitpick to be disappointed in Bailey. I think there isn't much of that sort of player around world cricket at the moment.

 

[Spark]

Would you pick James Taylor? England are supposed to have batting depth because he's being left out.

If not then I think it's a bit of a nitpick to be disappointed in Bailey. I think there isn't much of that sort of player around world cricket at the moment.

Yeah I don't think Bailey is bad, merely that he's coming towards the end of his career, and his technique means there's reason to fear a sharp and irreversible drop-off in his case.

 

[Energetic]

It's a poor Australian bowling attack. Seriously! losing wickets to Boland, Hastings and Marsh? try reading Mustafizur Rahman.

 

[Flem274*]

things mitchell marsh would be if he was bangladeshi

- their greatest ever fast bowler

 

[vic_orthdox]

It was our batting that let us down in the tournament, our only win was off the back of a very important innings from Hastings.

 

[CM Punk]

It's a poor Australian bowling attack. Seriously! losing wickets to Boland, Hastings and Marsh? try reading Mustafizur Rahman.

Never heard of her.

 

[91Jmay]

Our entire ODI pool of batsmen is oddly imbalanced right now. A lot of openers/top three bats, a lot of lower order finishers/allrounders, not that many really good middle order bats who are known to be able to play that sort of Clarke/Hussey role. Plenty of hitters, not quite enough batsmen. It's why I find it genuinely hard to come up with a convincing replacement for Bailey or even Maxwell to play a similar role (Lynn is the first name that comes to mind, I guess)

Yeah the Khawaja to 3, Smith to 4 suggestion solves this in large part.

To be honest, most pitches in most countries around the world suit a team full of very good hitters which Aus has so will still likely dominate most series.

 

[Prince EWS]

Would you pick James Taylor? England are supposed to have batting depth because he's being left out.

If not then I think it's a bit of a nitpick to be disappointed in Bailey. I think there isn't much of that sort of player around world cricket at the moment.

Yeah I don't think Bailey is bad, merely that he's coming towards the end of his career, and his technique means there's reason to fear a sharp and irreversible drop-off in his case.

Yeah there's probably not much between Taylor and Bailey at the moment. Taylor's a more reliable starter with a better technique while Bailey offers more at the end of an innings if he sticks around.

Ultimately you'd much rather have Taylor than Bailey at this stage though because the WC is so far away and the former is likely to enter his prime as he gets more international experience while the latter will probably decline and/or retire.

 

[Spikey]

I think the best option is for Smith to drop down to four and Khawaja to bat three. If Finch stops hacking ODI runs then there are plenty of other opening options to consider.

Well per the Age, Finch was to be dropped for game 5 of the last series, although he was told this after game 3 and played game 4, so they're all over the place......

 

[Spark]

Yeah the Khawaja to 3, Smith to 4 suggestion solves this in large part.

To be honest, most pitches in most countries around the world suit a team full of very good hitters which Aus has so will still likely dominate most series.

I mean, the main reason for this is Starc. Without him Aus is a good, solid but hardly unbeatable team; with him at full fitness it becomes a silly and broken team.

 

[Bahnz]

Just like to take a moment to appreciate Baz as an ODI player and captain. Statistically, his 35-21 win:loss record makes him our greatest ever captain (take that Hurricane!). Important to remember that we were ranked 9th in the world when he took over. Of course McCullum can't take all the credit for the turnaround (just as Ross shouldn't cop the blame for the state of affairs before the changeover). But there's no doubt that he galvanised the team and instilled them with a confidence that has been sadly lacking from NZ cricket since the retirement of Hadlee.

And as a batsman he's been just ridiculous, especially since moving up the order to open last year. He's averaging 33 at a strike rate of 155(!). Truly a once in a lifetime LO cricketer and supporting NZ won't be the same (for better and worse) without him.

 

[Gob]

Usman should open imo. Won't mind Smith heading to 4 to add some stability so Arun can maybe fit in to 3

 

[Spikey]

yes, farewell to Afridi without the bowling

 

[Spark]

Usman should open imo. Won't mind Smith heading to 4 to add some stability so Arun can maybe fit in to 3

please god no

 

[Burgey]

Been a long time between #HarrisTrollFaces

 

[Gob]

Can't wait for the tests especially to see the state of pitches