*Official* Australia in India 2010

[vcs]

There's no way we're 80% chance to win the series Sir Alex. Even if Zaheer is fit.

This.

 

[Nate]

Stupid Hilditch.

 

[Furball]

Siddle struggled last time too. In fact picking Siddle rather than the obvious choice in Bollinger, cost us the series IMO.

Didn't Siddle outperform Bollinger on an A tour to India prior to the series in 2008?

 

[vic_orthdox]

Don't know if the figures bore it out, but that was all the talk coming out of the Australian camp - that Siddle was the most impressive of all the bowlers on display throughout.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Siddle struggled last time too. In fact picking Siddle rather than the obvious choice in Bollinger, cost us the series IMO.

I think it's ambitious to think that the third selected pace bowler was going to have that great an impact on the series, when they were both on debut.

 

[Julian87]

Didn't Siddle outperform Bollinger on an A tour to India prior to the series in 2008?

No..

 

[Julian87]

Don't know if the figures bore it out, but that was all the talk coming out of the Australian camp - that Siddle was the most impressive of all the bowlers on display throughout.

Which made a mockery of the two shield seasons before that tbh.

 

[Jono]

Siddle struggled last time too. In fact picking Siddle rather than the obvious choice in Bollinger, cost us the series IMO.

Yes.

Agree with Vic. To say it cost you the series is a big stretch.

 

[Spark]

Squad:
Ricky Ponting (c),
Michael Clarke,
Doug Bollinger,
Peter George,
Nathan Hauritz,
Josh Hazlewood,
Ben Hilfenhaus,
Phillip Hughes,
Michael Hussey,
Mitchell Johnson,
Simon Katich,
Marcus North,
Tim Paine,
Steven Smith,
Shane Watson.

Nice to see the young guns get a taste of the top.

 

[Jayzamann]

I think I read the article wrong when I was waiting for the bus this afternoon, I thought Steven Smith wasn't in the squad. Was ready to get my rage on as well. Ahh.

 

[NUFAN]

Nice to see the young guns get a taste of the top.

It is nice in some ways, but honestly the selection of Josh Hazlewood is not a smart one at this stage of his career. He's got 17 first class wickets ffs.

I'm disappointed for Khawaja that he wasn't selected, I wonder if Australia would ever consider picking just the 5 specialist batsman and have Paine, Smith, Hauritz and Johnson from 6 to 9. Probably not, but I really wish North wasn't in the squad!

 

[Sir Alex]

It is nice in some ways, but honestly the selection of Josh Hazlewood is not a smart one at this stage of his career. He's got 17 first class wickets ffs.

I'm disappointed for Khawaja that he wasn't selected, I wonder if Australia would ever consider picking just the 5 specialist batsman and have Paine, Smith, Hauritz and Johnson from 6 to 9. Probably not, but I really wish North wasn't in the squad!

I bet he's taken alongwith to give a taste of what it is playing at the top level and interaction with his country's best will only help him. I don't think unless there is a contingency, he'll play any of the matches. Perhaps may a get a bowl at the tour match.

 

[Sir Alex]

There's no way we're 80% chance to win the series Sir Alex. Even if Zaheer is fit.

Why not?

We went touring SL with 4 of our best guys missing and our bowling attack resembling a A level team. And still we performed better than expectations against a batting lineup arguably inferior only to India's own batting in the subcontinent.

Australia's batting, is much inferior to India's own, especially in India. If we've our A-listers in, and firing, there is no hope in hell for Australia really. Last time they toured with Hayden and Hussey had not slided this far. This time all they have is a Katich who can be expected to hang around and Clarke, who hasn't exactly emulated his 2004 heroics. The rest all are unproven, or are out of nick or sliding into retirement including Hussey.

If they have to have any chance of making the series alive, Ponting and Hussey have to fire. Looking at recent history, it looks unlikely.

 

[Sir Alex]

So who all will make the first XI according to our Aussie members? I am curious as to how/ whether they are going to play Smith. Looking forward to Sehwag vs Hauritz.

 

[vcs]

Why not?

We went touring SL with 4 of our best guys missing and our bowling attack resembling a A level team. And still we performed better than expectations against a batting lineup arguably inferior only to India's own batting in the subcontinent.

Australia's batting, is much inferior to India's own, especially in India. If we've our A-listers in, and firing, there is no hope in hell for Australia really. Last time they toured with Hayden and Hussey had not slided this far. This time all they have is a Katich who can be expected to hang around and Clarke, who hasn't exactly emulated his 2004 heroics. The rest all are unproven, or are out of nick or sliding into retirement including Hussey.

If they have to have any chance of making the series alive, Ponting and Hussey have to fire. Looking at recent history, it looks unlikely.

Yeah, but they're Australia. Sorry if that sounds cliched, but there's no other way to say it.

 

[Jarquis]

So who all will make the first XI according to our Aussie members? I am curious as to how/ whether they are going to play Smith. Looking forward to Sehwag vs Hauritz.

So is Sehwag.

Where's Haddin? Still injured?

 

[Spark]

Why not?

We went touring SL with 4 of our best guys missing and our bowling attack resembling a A level team. And still we performed better than expectations against a batting lineup arguably inferior only to India's own batting in the subcontinent.

Australia's batting, is much inferior to India's own, especially in India. If we've our A-listers in, and firing, there is no hope in hell for Australia really. Last time they toured with Hayden and Hussey had not slided this far. This time all they have is a Katich who can be expected to hang around and Clarke, who hasn't exactly emulated his 2004 heroics. The rest all are unproven, or are out of nick or sliding into retirement including Hussey.

If they have to have any chance of making the series alive, Ponting and Hussey have to fire. Looking at recent history, it looks unlikely.

I'm trying desperately trying to find reasons to disagree...

...but I can't. Massive, massive burden on the shoulders of those two. Both Clarke and Katich should do well, but I reckon that we need one to do really well, approaching Amla-style. Clarke is absolutely capable of it, Katich too but he'll probably just get out in the 80's a lot.

Would think our XI would be

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North (sigh)
Paine (don't discount him, he looked solid in England without scoring a lot. The key will be how he plays spin, but otherwise it's actually uncanny how much his strokeplay is like Clarke's, I got confused between the two at at least one point in England)
Johnson
Hauritz (Ponting has strongly hinted that he's automatic pick if fit)
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

Don't know how our bowling attack will do, Bollinger and Johnson really do need some life in the deck to be threatening (although Johnson could well produce that one brilliant or miraculous spell he comes up with every so often). Regardless of whether they do or don't, it'll be rather irrelevant once the second test is over. Hauritz I simply have no idea how he'll do. Hilfenhaus will be tidy... whether he'll take wickets, a whole 'nother matter.

So all in all, probably not the best preparation for 25/11.


---

Yeah Haddin still can't bat properly yet.

 

[Daemon]

You're underestimating Australia's bowling though.

 

[Sir Alex]

Yeah, but they're Australia. Sorry if that sounds cliched, but there's no other way to say it.

Which Australia? The one which rendered almost all International contests irrelevant with their astounding supremacy before 2007? Or the pale shadow which is plunging to No.5 in ICC test rankings??

 

[Matt79]

Pride cometh before the fall and all that Alex...