Cricket Season Thread

@magpie mania said:
@jazza said:
@magpie mania said:
this is all correct and in addition over the last 18 months i have watched the steady decline of australias batting between the15 and 35 over mark once the shine is off the ball we needto get back to quick singles and twos to mke sure the run rate keeps ticking over we love the ball coming on tothe batbut when itsnot our batting lacks intelligence with te next wc being on the sub continent we have to address this asap.

its been happening especially in australia where we have the big boundaries and so you need to chip the ball, place it into gaps and run hard. If you mis-hit/misplace one, there's normally a fielder under it, overseas and you will probably get 6.
We used to be very good at that when you think of the days when we had martyn, lehmann and bevan who were all masters at finding the gaps, playing with soft hands and working the spinners around. Even symonds was good at that with the dabs to 3rd man and the paddle sweeps. Plus he had the strength to hit through the line of the ball if needed.

Clarke is good at working the ball around but even if you are good at that, you still need the odd boundary to turn a 40 off 60 into a 50 off 60\. Hussey gets bogged down against spin as well and at the moment i see white as 'block block swing', he just doesnt look loose enough to use his wrists to work the ball around.

I think once ferguson gets an extended run, we may see the runs tick over more through the middle.

he could be our battingx factor tell me jazza what do you think brett lees chances are of back in the one day team
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Well it's a long time until the next ODI series, not until January so anything can happen with injuries, etc. But thats plenty of time for him to get some bowling under his belt for NSW. And he'll need that because he isn't playing Shield cricket so he might only get half a dozen matches under his belt.

I think he's got a chance but it'll depend on what the selectors think of him, especially with Greg Chappell coming on board who favours youth.

One thing thats in his favour is that there will be 7 ODIs after the Ashes and just before the World Cup, so the selectors will be worried about overworking their bowlers and will probably rest and rotate them… They do that even when there isnt a World Cup around the corner which may be a reason why the team isnt functioning as a unit.

His experience could also be important as it looks like an inexperienced attack will be going to the World Cup and if Johnson has a shocker of a tournament and has an Ashes like meltdown, then Lee's experience as a possible replacement could be handy.

I think if Lee's performances and fitness levels are up to scratch, I think his experience will get him over the line and they'll take him. I think they'll take in their 15 man squad be something like:

Haddin (wk)
Watson
Ponting (c)
Clarke (vc)
Ferguson
Hussey
White
Johnson
Hauritz
Siddle
Bollinger

Paine (wk)
Smith - (He could come in for almost anyone)
Lee
Harris/Mckay/Doherty

My smokey for the side is Cosgrove :wink:
 
Looks like England are struggling in their tour match. 7/121 against an ordinary Warriors attack.

Pietersen showed some form by the looks of things with a half century.
 
Just looking at the NZ vs India Test and India are being humiliated at the moment.

India 487
NZ 459

India 5/19

Lead by 47 with the Gambhir, Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar and Raina gone!

It would have to be one of crickets biggest ever upsets if NZ pull it off, especially as they are 2 players short.
 
@Jazza said:
Just looking at the NZ vs India Test and India are being humiliated at the moment.

India 487
NZ 459

India 5/19

Lead by 47 with the Gambhir, Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar and Raina gone!

It would have to be one of crickets biggest ever upsets if NZ pull it off, especially as they are 2 players short.
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Thanks pretty incredible. NZ were something like 2/30 in their innings and after what happened in Bangladesh they looked like they were going to put up the white flag and lose by an innings.
 
Just as I feared, India 6/147 with VVS and Harbhajan Singh making 50s. Amazing how often those two come to the rescue of India. Kiwis looking at a chase on the wrong side of 200 to win.
 
@Yossarian said:
Just as I feared, India 6/147 with VVS and Harbhajan Singh making 50s. Amazing how often those two come to the rescue of India. Kiwis looking at a chase on the wrong side of 200 to win.
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Just as I feared too :frowning:

I reckon Harbhajan will get a 100 now.
 
Could McDonald be a darkhorse for that lower-middle order spot?

2 centuries in a row, 3 in total this season and a couple of wickets, plus he has a bit of experience.
 
Ashes Squad for First Test
>
Australia's squad for the first Ashes Test has been announced, with Phil Hughes the most notable omission from the extended 17-man squad. Have your say in our live discussion.
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At the squad announcement, National Selection Panel chairman Andrew Hilditch said an extended squad had been named to allow players to make one last push for selection in the upcoming first-class matches.
>
"The NSP considers it prudent and appropriate to look at the next round of Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield games and the Australia A clash before finalising the team for the first Test of the Vodafone Ashes Series in Brisbane," Hilditch said.
>
"From a logistical point of view and with these important games yet to be completed we have named an extended squad of 17 with 10 days before the first Test begins.
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"This squad of 17 will be reduced to a 12 or 13-man squad at the conclusion of the next round of Sheffield Shield games and prior to the team arriving in Brisbane for the first Test.
>
"The NSP has been pleased with the performance of the Test side in India however we were obviously disappointed in the result. With two losses in games where we felt the result could easily have been different and we realise there are some important areas we need to improve on before this summer’s matches.
>
As for Australia's prime injury concerns, Michael Clarke and Ryan Harris, Australia Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: "Michael Clarke experienced back stiffness during the recently completed Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales. He is expected to recover in time to join the team in Brisbane on 21 November to prepare for the first Ashes Test match.
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"Ryan Harris has a chronic knee injury that requires ongoing management. As such he will not play in the next round of Sheffield Shield games or for Australia A starting 17 November to allow his knee to fully recover. His availability for the first Ashes Test will determined later this week"
>
Ashes squad
>
* Simon Katich
* Shane Watson
* Ricky Ponting ©
* Michael Clarke (vc)
* Mike Hussey
* Marcus North
* Brad Haddin
* Nathan Hauritz
* Mitchell Johnson
* Ben Hilfenhaus
* Doug Bollinger
* Peter Siddle
* Usman Khawaja
* Steve Smith
* Xavier Doherty
* Callum Ferguson
* Ryan Harris

From that squad of 17 i would like to see

1\. Watson
2\. Katich
3\. Ponting
4\. Clarke
5\. Ferguson
6\. Haddin
7\. Smith
8\. Johnson
9\. Doherty
10\. Harris
11\. Hilfenhaus

12th Man: Khawaja (as injury replacement for Clarke)

But in all seriousness the 11 will be the first 11 on the list provided so unless something happens to one of them or one of the young kids do something (eg score 200 or take 10 wickets) to force their way in i cant see it being a succesful first test
 
For mine I would like:

1\. Watson
2\. Katich
3\. Ponting
4\. Clarke
5\. Khawaja
6\. Haddin
7\. Smith
8\. Doherty
9\. Siddle
10\. Hilfenhaus
11\. Bollinger

12th Man: Ferguson
 
I'd have Khawaja ahead of Ferguson. I just doubt Ferguson's ability to score big runs consistently. As his average suggests he makes a lot of starts and doesn't go on. I can't pick Smith based on his batting or bowling at this stage. North and Katich seem just as dangerous with the ball. Doherty seems a better spin option too.
North is on his last chance but deserves a reprieve based on his century last innings. Hussey should be dropped. I don't see Siddle getting a bag of wickets on his current form. I really think our pace bowling is in trouble. Johnson is running out of chances too.
I'd have:

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
North
Khawaja
Haddin
Johnson
Doherty
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus
 
Ideally my side would be:

1\. Watson
2\. Katich
3\. Ponting
4\. Clarke
5\. Khawaja
6\. Haddin
7\. Smith
8\. Johnson
9\. Hauritz
10\. Hilfenhaus
11\. Bollinger

12th: Doherty.

To me Johnson needs a spell in Shield cricket but its just to difficult to drop him. When you think about it, he has played hardly any shield cricket at all, he spent his first few years in and out of the side. Got dropped for good, came back and had a good season and suddenly he was in the ODI side and 12th man for the Tests.

I feel Hussey just doesnt deserve to be there based on his last 2-3 years, I think averages 37 in that period with 3 hundreds. I just struggle to understand how someone like Hughes who does a good job when he is in the side gets dropped yet they carry older passengers like Hussey and North.
 
My side for the first ashes test

1\. Watson
2\. Katich
3\. Ponting
4\. Clarke
5\. Ferguson
6\. Haddin
7\. Smith
8\. Johnson
9\. Hilfenhaus
10\. Harris
11\. Bollinger

12th man: Khawaja

Not a big fan of Smith in the side yet, but there really are no other spinner options, so I'll go with the guy who can at least score a few runs, and pick 4 quicks. Usman Khawaja is a good prospect, but Fergy has performed well at international level before, so there is less uncertainty about him, so with a few rookies in the side, he's probably the safer option. Siddle even being considered irritates me, the guy is useless, and the only reason I've seen to have him in the side is he tries hard (sounds like the J-Mo decision all over again), I'd have Bollinger, Harris, Hilfy and Johnson ahead of him any day of the year. Hussey and North…both of their times are up in my opinion.
 
IMO it's really hard to discard Hussey even though we know his best is past him. If Australia is 4 down and need a saviour at the end (it looks really likely atm), there is no other person who you would like to be at the end batting with the tailenders than Huss. I have never liked North so cant comment on him.

Also , Ferguson, Khawaja, Smith, none of them have played a test yet, and it seems wrong to blood in two rookies in the same game at such a high level.

For me, it's Ferguson but I wouldn't mind Hughes or Khawaja getting the job.
 
To me I think experience is over rated. I mean what's the point of having experience if they're not performing? Australia's batsman has struggled more often then not over the last 2 years and barring that tainted Sydney Test, Hussey has done nothing to get Australia out of trouble, in fact he has contributed to it.

Mark Taylor's 2nd Test was an Ashes Test away from home, it didnt affect him and he performed great, Steve Waugh had done very little in his career and then scored his first few 100s in England. Mark Waugh scored a 100 on debut in an Ashes Test. Slater scored a 50 and a 100 in his first 2 Tests which were Ashes matches, Blewett scored centuries in his first 2 Ashes Tests. Matthew Elliot, he was Australia's leading run scorer in the 97 Ashes which was only his 2nd Test series.

In recent years we haven't been playing youngsters in the Ashes so there arent really anymore examples but all those guys that I named went on to be very good players but you have to remember when they began they were unknowns just like Khawaja and Ferguson right now.
 
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