***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[adub]

Yeah, different sort of losing the plot though. Aussies can hack it when someone is all over the shop, but look very very poorly on someone who dead set runs out of gas.

So we discard the bowler with the best Test record we have (apart from maybe Harris) because he blew out once after being bowled into the ground on a road in over 40 degrees, but we cling to a bowler who seems to follow a game plan of "if I don't know what I'm bowling the batsman won't have any idea either" in the hope he might one day repeat his WACA feats somewhere else?

With our selectors nothing shocks me any more. Let's just hope they are the first victims of the Argus review.

 

[howardj]

Link

Smith the shock ommission.

Apart from that and the inclusion of Hughes, I like this squad

Good job, selectors. (hate saying that)

 

[Burgey]

Yeah, different sort of losing the plot though. Aussies can hack it when someone is all over the shop, but look very very poorly on someone who dead set runs out of gas.

Well, you tell a bloke ahead of a Test series to stay in SA for a meaningless T20 tournament, playing for East Bum****, or whatever IPL franchise it is; he goes to India late, bowls well in the first test, gets injured with a side strain on day five and the test is lost by one wicket.

He comes back to Australia and is right to play a Shield match ahead of the Ashes, and is told not to play by the selectors, who omit him for Brisbane. He plays only one first class game before the second test, then they pick him on the flattest wicket in Australia, wonder why he runs out of puff then bag him and say he's not fit enough.

Welcome to Cricket Australia in the early 21st century.

As for the spinners, O'Keefe I'd have thought would surely be picked, but of course not.

Not too disappointed with Lyon as a prospect. A lot of good judges rate him very highly, though I think it's way too soon, obviously.

Edit: Copeland! Nice to see good FC stats getting rewarded in the right format.

 

[Andre]

Well, you tell a bloke ahead of a Test series to stay in SA for a meaningless T20 tournament, playing for East Bum****, or whatever IPL franchise it is; he goes to India late, bowls well in the first test, gets injured with a side strain on day five and the test is lost by one wicket.

He comes back to Australia and is right to play a Shield match ahead of the Ashes, and is told not to play by the selectors, who omit him for Brisbane. He plays only one first class game before the second test, then they pick him on the flattest wicket in Australia, wonder why he runs out of puff then bag him and say he's not fit enough.

Welcome to Cricket Australia in the early 21st century.

As for the spinners, O'Keefe I'd have thought would surely be picked, but of course not.

Not too disappointed with Lyon as a prospect. A lot of good judges rate him very highly, though I think it's way too soon, obviously.

Edit: Copeland! Nice to see good FC stats getting rewarded in the right format.

Oh I agree with you mate - it was a ****-up of epic proportions that led to Bolly being so underdone in the first place, however, the selectors thinking on him is pretty clear from Hilditch's quote:

"Doug Bollinger has been left out of the Test squad. The NSP feels he needs to improve his ability to bowl spells at full intensity and maintain it over the course of a match, particularly in these days of back-to-back Tests."

So regardless of anyones opinions, that is where he is at at the moment.

Anyway, all that aside...

I haven't said this for a long, long time, but well done selectors, looks a good squad.

 

[adub]

The 15-man squad is:
Clarke
Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Usman
Mussey
Marsh
Haddin
Beer
Lyon
Johnson
Harris
Copeland
Siddle
Pattinson

Well at least the selectors aren't complete dunces. But close.

Copeland is so obviously the right guy even our selectors finally stopped stuffing that up, but you can bet your life he probably won't get a game and even Pattinson (who I rate, but not as highly as Copes yet) will be first called up if Johnson, Harris and Siddle need a replacement. Hilfenhaus had to go, and Doug doesn't deserve his treatment, but it is what it is.

Lyon is an interesting prospect, but again the selectors leave their brains behind. He's been selected for a test squad based on his performances in one dayers and 20-20. He hasn't set the world on fire in his few First Class games. Hilditch should be shot. It's as simple as that. One Dayers and 20-20 are nothing like four innings cricket and that goes triply so for spinners. O'Keefe consistently takes wickets in First Class cricket so lets ignore him for the tests and put him in the one day and T-20 sides, Lyon excels in the short forms so lets pick him for the Tests. Beer does nothing anywhere, anytime so lets pick him too. Our selectors are a joke.

Glad to see Uzi hang on, but he must be lucky. Not as lucky as Marsh though who is a fraud. Another good short format player being pushed for Test selection despite a FC record that makes Cameron White look a top class batsman. Cosgrove despite the gut should be the guy for this job, but hey why pick a guy with the best record when you can just say he isn't fit.

 

[robelinda]

Good that Smith was omitted, and good that Marsh and Copeland are in.

So, 1st test eleven is what? Usman down to 6, Ponting 3, surely. I would assume our bowling lineup would be Johnson, Siddle, Harris, Beer. 20 wickets will be a little difficult.

 

[Andre]

PS: How do we pick a squad of less people for one of the most ardious Test tours going around than we did for the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane?!

 

[Andre]

Good that Smith was omitted, and good that Marsh and Copeland are in.

So, 1st test eleven is what? Usman down to 6, Ponting 3, surely. I would assume our bowling lineup would be Johnson, Siddle, Harris, Beer. 20 wickets will be a little difficult.

Hughes
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Marsh
Haddin
Johnson
Harris
Siddle
Beer

will be the XI for the first Test I reckon. Seems pretty clear that Marsh will be getting a game from Hilditch's quotes.

Kind of think that Khawaja, Lyon, Pattinson and Copeland are going for experience as much as anything and they will try and stick to a settled XI.

 

[howardj]

Adum, agree with you regarding O'Keefe's continued omission. The thing is, he played in the Australia A game in Hobart against the Poms, and bowled really well (think he got a four-for and was economical). And then they pick another left-armer (Doherty) over O'Keefe for the Test match against the Poms just one week later!

Also agree with you regarding Copeland. His numbers speak for themselves, moreover he is a much needed economical bowler, a miser. However, regarding Marsh...his FC record is much more nuanced that you give credit for. Granted, his overall stats are not great, but like Callum Ferguson, he has done very well over the course of the last 18 months. It's not beyond the realms that he'll open with Watson, in my view.

 

[Top_Cat]

Let's not be too hasty to praise the selectors; seems to me that Marsh will be more likely to play at 6 than Usman since he's the chosen one and Sri Lanka will likely pick 20 spinners (can't see them breaking up Watto/Hughes). Contonuing to ignore others in favour of Beer is mystifying too.

 

[Spark]

No Bollinger

Copeland (y) And no Hilf (y)

 

[howardj]

So over seeing any combination of Siddle, Johnson and Hilfenhaus in the same attack.

Would go Johnson, Harris, Copeland.

 

[andyc]

Stoked with Hilfenhaus being left out, happy with Copeland's inclusion, and not unhappy with Lyon being named. Furious with no O'Keefe though. Is Hauritz still injured?

 

[Burgey]

PS: How do we pick a squad of less people for one of the most ardious Test tours going around than we did for the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane?!

Haha. Indeed.

Would love to see Usman at three, Ponting four, Clarke five and Hussey six.

 

[Burgey]

Stoked with Hilfenhaus being left out, happy with Copeland's inclusion, and not unhappy with Lyon being named. Furious with no O'Keefe though. Is Hauritz still injured?

Candy, I understand Hauritz has only just started bowling in the nets again.

 

[adub]

Good that Smith was omitted, and good that Marsh and Copeland are in.

So, 1st test eleven is what? Usman down to 6, Ponting 3, surely. I would assume our bowling lineup would be Johnson, Siddle, Harris, Beer. 20 wickets will be a little difficult.

I suspect that will be it. Lyon might come in for Beer as both have as little to back up their selection as the other.

 

[Spikey]

Is Hauritz still injured?

yep

it's almost good work by the selectors this.....although saying krejza was their first choice undoes that

 

[howardj]

Candy, I understand Hauritz has only just started bowling in the nets again.

yeah, so he's already bowling better than Beer is.

 

[howardj]

I reckon Marsh should open, with Usman at three.

I’ve got no time for Phil Hughes ( the guy’s attitude stinks, and he’s been an abject failure in about his last 10 Test matches)

No future in batting Ponting at three.

So over seeing any combination of Siddle, Johnson and Hilfenhaus in the same attack.

Would go Johnson, Harris, Copeland.

My XI


Marsh (his FC record is much more nuanced than people give credit for – like Ferguson, his last 18 months has been gun)
Watson
Usman
Clarke
Hussey
Ponting
Haddin
Beer (what’s Steve O’Keefe got to do? – he averages 25 in FC cricket)
Johnson
Harris
Copeland.

 

[adub]

However, regarding Marsh...his FC record is much more nuanced that you give credit for. Granted, his overall stats are not great, but like Callum Ferguson, he has done very well over the course of the last 18 months. It's not beyond the realms that he'll open with Watson, in my view.

Marsh's last two seasons add up to the grand total of 9 matches. Not even a full Shield season. Big Frogging Deal! You can probably find any half decent Shield player with a run of 9 matches to surpass his record. When he comes and plays two full Shield seasons without breaking and still scoring at over 50 then I'll reconsider. Until then he remains a solid short form performer who would be at the fringe of the National ODI and T20 sides and a total fraud as a Test selection. Ben Rohrer has more right to a baggy green.