• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

*Official* Australia in Zimbabwe Thread

Craig

World Traveller
Well the tour begins next month, it isnt an official thread until the squads get named or the Australians step on the plane.

My Test squad:

*RT Ponting, +AC Gilchrist, ML Hayden, JL Langer, DR Martyn, DS Lehmann, SM Katich, SK Warne, JN Gillespie, MS Kaprowicz, GD McGrath (assuming he is fully fit), BA Williams, SCG MacGill, ML Love/A Symonds.

ODIS:

*RT Ponting, +AC Gilchrist, ML Hayden, DR Martyn, DS Lehmann, A Symonds, MG Bevan, MJ Clarke, GB Hogg, JN Gillespie, MS Kasprowicz, GD McGrath (as above), SR Watson/IJ HArvey/BA Williams.

Love would be the perfect replacement batsman should anything happen to Ponting or Martyn or even Lehmann.
 

age_master

Hall of Fame Member
i certainly hope love goes ahead of symonds.


i would love to see Watson go as an all rounder but i dont think it will happen - even he can bowl as much as Symonds did :)
 

luckyeddie

Cricket Web Staff Member
age_master said:
pretty one sided series coming up with no streak...
Doesn't bear thinking about.

Are we witnessing the first signs of Bangladesh climbing up the ladder?
 

Kenny

U19 Debutant
I pretty much agree with your side, though I'd like to find a place for Sean Tait.......definitely a development player.
And sorry to Queensland fans, I don't see any point in taking 30+ Martin Love - persevere with Symonds as a replacement player.
 

Craig

World Traveller
Why?

Love is more suited to that replacement batsman role. And he hasnt done too badly considering he has been forced out of his position 98% of his Test career.

If McGrath isnt fully fit (he should be) then Shaun Tait would be his replacement. Other then that Brad Williams is higher in the pecking order as cover for McGrath, Gillespie and Kaspa, so Tait would miss out.
 

Langeveldt

Soutie
luckyeddie said:
Doesn't bear thinking about.

Are we witnessing the first signs of Bangladesh climbing up the ladder?
Barring a miracle, i give Zimbabwe another three years of top flight cricket...
 

brockley

International Captain
Without lee for pace i would say you would have to pick tait over williams,BTW mcgrath said he may play in darwin as a prelude to the tour.
Without streak it will be an annihilation.
 

Cloete

International Captain
I'll be interested to see how Sean Ervine plays. I mean he's been total class for Zimbabwe. He's probably one of the only developing players in the game. I think he may be playing county cricket sooner than some may think.
 

Langeveldt

Soutie
Cloete said:
I mean he's been total class for Zimbabwe. He's probably one of the only developing players in the game.
Not so, just look back to the U19 world cup... Happily they do have grass roots and they do have players of different backgrounds coming through...

What is worrying is the current crop of careers that have been cut short, and administrative bungling that has already been discussed here before so doesnt need elaborating on....

One thing you can be always assured with from a Zimbabwe cricket side, is a bit of fight...
 

Kenny

U19 Debutant
brockley said:
Without lee for pace i would say you would have to pick tait over williams,BTW mcgrath said he may play in darwin as a prelude to the tour.
Without streak it will be an annihilation.
It is a good 'low risk' tour to blood someone like Tait.......I am a Brad Williams fan, but at this point he seems to have more impact in one dayers than in tests.
He seems unprepared to stretch himself.......most people here in WA know he can bowl in the mid 140's regularly - why he is unwilling to do so baffles many.

As for Martin Love, if he can only bat at 3, that position is taken I'm afraid. If we are talking about a replacement player in case of injury, then it seems wise to look to the future, as in Symonds or Clarke........no mileage in yet another plus 30 top 6 player.
 

age_master

Hall of Fame Member
The selectors wont be blooding any players - they haven't done it in the past and i cant see them starting now...
 

Kenny

U19 Debutant
Well guys have often been picked out of left field for the test side - Peter Taylor, Warney, Mathew Nicholson - Darren Lehmann, Gavin Robertson and Adam Dale all made debuts on the ill fated tour of India in 1998!!
Not to mention Scott Muller.......why do you think the selectors sent Tait to Sri Lanka? To soak up the atmosphere, practise with the team, get a feel for international cricket, etc etc - and to whack Ricky Ponting on the helmet!!
 

Craig

World Traveller
Kenny said:
Well guys have often been picked out of left field for the test side - Peter Taylor, Warney, Mathew Nicholson - Darren Lehmann, Gavin Robertson and Adam Dale all made debuts on the ill fated tour of India in 1998!!
Warney? As in Shane Warne?

I thought he had 300 Test wickets by then? *Thinks hard*
 

Linda

International Vice-Captain
I think he just means Lehmann, Robertson and Dale were all debuts in 98.:rolleyes:
 

marc71178

Eyes not spreadsheets
Craig said:
Warney? As in Shane Warne?

I thought he had 300 Test wickets by then? *Thinks hard*
He did, but I believe Kenny was talking about his initial selection as being a left field one.
 

Top