***Official*** VB Series 2006

[Linda]

The thing about the Australian ODI bowling when McGrath isn't playing is, if Brett Lee does have a shocker, which he does do even when he's in top form and one of the best ODI bowlers in the world like he is now, they don't have the back-up bowlers that can consistently bowl tightly throughout the match, let alone take wickets.

Bracken hasn't done anything wrong and has been performing well during most of his opportunities in the ODI team, but he's not reliable enough to turn a match if McGrath isn't there and Lee is being hit at 7 an over. Hogg's serviceable, but Clark and Hopes don't cut the mustard as bowlers if you ask me. Not when the team is looking to score quick runs. I just think there's a gaping hole that will look much smaller if Gillespie is back in that team. And he should be at least in the squad and tried in a few matches. I just don't understand the selectors. Its fine trying out players like Clark and Lewis who have done well at the domestic level, but your proven performers should be given a shot as well if they've regained form.

If their batsman continue to kick butt almost every game these holes will be covered up. I mean the Australian top 7 is easily the best in the world IMO. When your 5,6 and 7 is Symonds, Clarke and Hussey you know your team is brilliant. But on the occasion that teams either bat first (see SL in Sydney) or the Australian batting doesn't produce the goods, the Australian bowling without McGrath is vulnerable. Even if McGrath isn't taking 5-fers his economic bowling is vital.

Agreed. They cant even play the Age card, Gillespies not even old..

 

[TheEpic]

Why was Kasprowicz shafted without a second thought anyway? Bar one bad series against England, he's an excellent OD bowler, I think.

Dorey and Hopes are excuses for international bowlers though. They're the sort of bits and pieces players that don't even look right at FC level. Shocking selection choices.

 

[Langeveldt]

I think Australia just like the world to know they have so much depth, so they pull out these bit part players and still thrash everyone.. its a bit depressing, I mean if Hopes was South African he wouldn't get a game, but we cant beat the Aussies..

Oh, and should Hussey come up for review, I'm not worried about his bowling action, just whether he is homo sapiens or something else we havent been told about..

 

[aussie]

The thing about the Australian ODI bowling when McGrath isn't playing is, if Brett Lee does have a shocker, which he does do even when he's in top form and one of the best ODI bowlers in the world like he is now, they don't have the back-up bowlers that can consistently bowl tightly throughout the match, let alone take wickets.

Bracken hasn't done anything wrong and has been performing well during most of his opportunities in the ODI team, but he's not reliable enough to turn a match if McGrath isn't there and Lee is being hit at 7 an over. Hogg's serviceable, but Clark and Hopes don't cut the mustard as bowlers if you ask me. Not when the team is looking to score quick runs. I just think there's a gaping hole that will look much smaller if Gillespie is back in that team. And he should be at least in the squad and tried in a few matches. I just don't understand the selectors. Its fine trying out players like Clark and Lewis who have done well at the domestic level, but your proven performers should be given a shot as well if they've regained form.

If their batsman continue to kick butt almost every game these holes will be covered up. I mean the Australian top 7 is easily the best in the world IMO. When your 5,6 and 7 is Symonds, Clarke and Hussey you know your team is brilliant. But on the occasion that teams either bat first (see SL in Sydney) or the Australian batting doesn't produce the goods, the Australian bowling without McGrath is vulnerable. Even if McGrath isn't taking 5-fers his economic bowling is vital.

very well said...

 

[aussie]

Why was Kasprowicz shafted without a second thought anyway? Bar one bad series against England, he's an excellent OD bowler, I think.

Dorey and Hopes are excuses for international bowlers though. They're the sort of bits and pieces players that don't even look right at FC level. Shocking selection choices.

in a way Kasper being dropped was though but after the ashes blunder someone had to go & it really wasn't a great surprise when he was dropped, but at this stage it highly unlikely tha he will come back.

Dorey hasn't looked international class but you are being a bit harsh on Hopes, he is a good player to have in the squad very capable with the bat his bowling could be economical which it has been for most of the VB series bar yesterdays game & the previous game at the SCG vs SRI.

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

Oh, and should Hussey come up for review, I'm not worried about his bowling action, just whether he is homo sapiens or something else we havent been told about..

I think... I think... He's one of... Them.

 

[jot1]

The VB series really has been a bit of a fizzer hasn't it?

It started out so promisingly as well.

It started when we had to field our B team.(C?) And it's going from bad to worse with Polly now injured. No way we can play the world's top teams with the side we've got at the moment, and make a good showing. But all credit to the boys, they do try hard.

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

anybody got a clip of Van Der Wath's sixes?

 

[marc71178]

Can't bat? I suggest you check who was the best ODI batsman in the world last year.

It wasn't Smith.

 

[marc71178]

He also scored 714 runs at 79.33 against England in England. Remind me, which one of the Australian batsmen did that last year?

If they'd faced that England attack then all of them.

 

[marc71178]

yep, kinda disappointing but australia can win without him.

Of course they can, when neither sets of opponents are particularly good (and in SA's case they've almost got a hole 11 missing that would beat the current side)

 

[marc71178]

Well I for one would be surprised if they scheduled the VB Series and Ashes at the same time...

I'd be disappointed that the players can't be at 2 places at once in that case.

 

[luckyeddie]

I'd be disappointed that the players can't be at 2 places at once in that case.

Only ever happened once in test cricket history (if you'd watched Cricket Web's front page in recent weeks you would have known that).....

13 January 1930. New Zealand are undone on the third day of their inaugural test match as England cruise to a comfortable eight wicket victory. Earlier in the game Maurice Allom, making his debut for England, takes 4 wickets in 5 balls including a hat-trick. On the same day, another England side are locked in a titanic struggle with the West Indies at Bridgetown, the only occasion when the same country are engaged in two test matches simultaneously.

If I say so myself, the best one was....

27 January 1974. A heavily pregnant Doris Vaas of Mattumagala, Sri Lanka, is traumatised when she is unable to satisfy her craving for Chicken McNuggets dipped in chocolate crumbs due to her midwife, a part-time scorer in the Kandy and District U-14 Cricket League, snaffling the last Cadbury's Flake in the hospital shop. Swearing a terrible revenge on scorers the world over, she names her newborn 'Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas'.

 

[33/3from3.3]

Johan Van Volkswagen = the new Lance Klusener

 

[luckyeddie]

Johan Van Volkswagen = the new Lance Klusener

You can do better than that.

Try 'Johan Volkswagen Van'

 

[33/3from3.3]

Joanne Volkswagen Van

 

[Mister Wright]

exactly i've been pretty impressed with Hopes with his batting & fielding, avery good addition to the OD team.

Shame he's being wasted as Australia's super-sub, we never get to see him bat. Personally I think Katich should be the super-sub, even if we bat first we don't lose too much...

 

[Jono]

Johan Van Volkswagen = the new Lance Klusener

That was already said about Kemp though.

 

[shaka]

prince and rudolf are not up to 1 day standard, there has got to be 2 players in SA who can field well and bat quicker than those two.

 

[33/3from3.3]

That was already said about Kemp though.

I stick by my words