Stuart Clark - ODIs

[pasag]

Agree with Prince that Clark should be playing ahead of White. We don't need such depth in batting especially when it comes at the expense of our bowling. Would have David Hussey ahead of White as well.

 

[Jakester1288]

Oh indeed, but that doesn't mean I can't think a bowler would add more to the side in his place. Currently the bottom seven reads:

7. White
8. Hopes
9. Lee
10. Johnson
11. Bracken

The tail does not need to be that strong at the expense of a genuine fourth bowling option. Hopes at 7, Lee at 8 and Johnson at 9 is perfectly acceptable - if fact I'd still say it was strong.

That is to low for Hopes, and I would rather Hopes in the side over White for what he adds with the ball. I would open with Hopes, as he offers much more to the team and saves a batting spot for White lower in the order.

Johnson needs to be dropped imo, for either Bollinger or Noffke. Our team doesn't need the extra batting Noffke needs, we need him as a bowler. Bollinger fits this role better, thus fitting him into the team better.

1. Hopes
2. Watson
3. Katich
4. Clarke (c)
5. Hussey
6. Haddin (wk)
7. White (vc)
8.Noffke
9.Lee
10. Hauritz
11. Bollinger


I feel we need a team like this in a few years (when Punter and Haydos retire). Everyone in this team can bat, except Bollinger. We can bat all the way down, and when our bats fire, we would be very capable of posting 500+ scores in test, and 300+ in OD.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Katich will retire around the same time as Ponting, for mine. Marsh and Watson to open, Hopes down the order.

 

[Laurrz]

That is to low for Hopes, and I would rather Hopes in the side over White for what he adds with the ball. I would open with Hopes, as he offers much more to the team and saves a batting spot for White lower in the order.

Johnson needs to be dropped imo, for either Bollinger or Noffke. Our team doesn't need the extra batting Noffke needs, we need him as a bowler. Bollinger fits this role better, thus fitting him into the team better.

1. Hopes
2. Watson
3. Katich
4. Clarke (c)
5. Hussey
6. Haddin (wk)
7. White (vc)
8.Noffke
9.Lee
10. Hauritz
11. Bollinger


I feel we need a team like this in a few years (when Punter and Haydos retire). Everyone in this team can bat, except Bollinger. We can bat all the way down, and when our bats fire, we would be very capable of posting 500+ scores in test, and 300+ in OD.

I dont think either Ponting or Hayden will retire before the world cup... and even if they do (or ponting does... more importantly) there will be a lot of stuff that has occured as i recn he will play for a further 5 years if hes good enough (which he should be as he's class)

and there's a problem with Noffke and Bollinger, they aren't OD bowlers... they are much more effective in the longer format

 

[Jakester1288]

btw that team is for test, otherwise I would include Bracken. I like your points on the team, but I cbf to edit it.

 

[pasag]

1. Hopes
2. Watson
3. Katich
4. Clarke (c)
5. Hussey
6. Haddin (wk)
7. White (vc)
8.Noffke
9.Lee
10. Hauritz
11. Bollinger

Hopes opening the Tests is a horrible idea. Watson as well.
Lee won't be around once Ponting and Clark go either.
Where's Jaques and Marsh?
Hauritz???
White???

 

[Richard]

Oh indeed, but that doesn't mean I can't think a bowler would add more to the side in his place. Currently the bottom seven reads:

7. White
8. Hopes
9. Lee
10. Johnson
11. Bracken

The tail does not need to be that strong at the expense of a genuine fourth bowling option. Hopes at 7, Lee at 8 and Johnson at 9 is perfectly acceptable - if fact I'd still say it was strong.

White's basically in as a "like-for-like" Symonds replacement though isn't he?

Would seem a bit odd to replace a batsman with a bowler on a temporary basis. Australia's fifth bowler has usually been a mix of part-timers - and given the fact that teams are often in disarray when they come on, it doesn't get punished like it should quite often.

 

[Jakester1288]

Hopes opening the Tests is a horrible idea. Watson as well.
Lee won't be around once Ponting and Clark go either.
Where's Jaques and Marsh?
Hauritz???
White???

That is a one day team. I was feeling tired when I posted that, and was not thinking straight.

 

[Prince EWS]

Would seem a bit odd to replace a batsman with a bowler on a temporary basis.

It wouldn't be temporary though - I'd play Clark at full strength as well. Not that it's relevant anyway: if replacing a bowler with a batsman temporarily was strangely the best option for the balance of the team, I'd still do it in a heartbeat.

Australia's fifth bowler has usually been a mix of part-timers - and given the fact that teams are often in disarray when they come on, it doesn't get punished like it should quite often.

Yeah, that's fine, but not when the same is true of your fourth bowler. Hopes isn't good enough to play a specialist bowler IMO but he adds more to the team as an allrounder than White. So in effect I'd be dropping Hopes for Clark and then White for Hopes in the current team... and then Hopes for Symonds when Symonds returned.

 

[Richard]

It wouldn't be temporary though - I'd play Clark at full strength as well. Not that it's relevant anyway: if replacing a bowler with a batsman temporarily was strangely the best option for the balance of the team, I'd still do it in a heartbeat.

Yeah, that's fine, but not when the same is true of your fourth bowler. Hopes isn't good enough to play a specialist bowler IMO but he adds more to the team as an allrounder than White. So in effect I'd be dropping Hopes for Clark and then White for Hopes in the current team... and then Hopes for Symonds when Symonds returned.

I don't think Hopes is good enough to play as a specialist bowler either, but there's no arguing with his recent figures. From the First ODI in India to the Second ODI in West Indies he's conceded 3.74-an-over and averaged 26.83. That is seriously impressive. Something Clark has never managed. And until Hopes' performance drops-off, he (especially with his batting) has a far stronger case for selection than Clark.

Right now, I'd basically go:
Hayden
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Symonds
Haddin
Hopes
Lee
Johnson\Tait\AN Other
Bracken