***Official*** First Semi-Final: Australia vs. England

[Naumaan]

for me both teams have equal chanses of winning it

[Uppercut]

Australia have been worryingly collapse-prone for a while now, while England have had a special ability to induce collapses. Could see Australia either winning comfortably or getting absolutely stuffed.

[marc71178]

Must return Onions to the side in place of Sidebottom.

[pup11]

I'm interested in everyone's thoughts on Tim Paine's batting?

I haven't had the opportunity to watch any of this series, nor the last part of the one day series where he scored his century.

I think as Cameeel said, I wouldn't mind Huss in for Hopes if we are going to continue with Siddle or another pace bowler. Huss can bowl a few overs of spin and I think it's a bit of crime whenever Hauritz is bowling tidy but not getting through his 10.

Pretty confident that we beat England, I'm looking to Brett Lee to do all the damage with the ball.

I think Paine has been pretty good and has done a lot better than what most people expected, and for me he has established himself as Haddin's understudy, but still I think he has a long way to go, he has generally struggled to rotate the strike in the first 15 overs, and for a modern day opening batsman, his strike-rate has been pretty much on the lower side.

Also, don't agree with the idea of having Huss at no.7, having Hopes in that position offers much more value to the side, as not only he gives us a pretty decent bowling option, but his lower order batting in recent times also has improved.

Paine i'd say has improved every game with the bat, not sure if opening is his best position, but he has adapted to it well enough. Overall a solid back-up to Haddin fpr the near future.

Would persist with Hopes for the semi, but maybe presuming AUS win & face PAK in the final, D Hussey can replace him given PAK bowling strenght.

I don't know whether you know this, but Paine opens in OD cricket for Tasmania, so he is not a makeshift opener like Haddin, and given the fact he struggles to find gaps even with the field up in the first 15 overs, it would disastrous to push him into the middle order, because he would struggle even more to maintain a decent strike-rate, so whenever he plays, he just has to open.

[pup11]

Australia have been worryingly collapse-prone for a while now, while England have had a special ability to induce collapses. Could see Australia either winning comfortably or getting absolutely stuffed.

Australia have always been a bit collapse-prone side, its just that these days the bowling attack is a lot more weaker, so its not easy to defend 220-240 scores as easily as we use to do in the past.

As I said initially, the batting remains to be my biggest concern, both Hussey and Ponting are probably due to have a bad game somewhere down the line in this tournament, so its imperative someone from the younger lot steps up.

[Sanz]

I have feeling that England will win this one.

[vic_orthdox]

Me too. Just the sort of thing to happen after we beat them so convincingly in the 7 match series.

[aussie]

Wright offers far more than Bopara at this point IMO. Bopara has turned into a self-parody of late.

Boprara regardless of his horrific poor for still is more solid batting option than Wright - which is key reason for retaining him againts that AUS bowling attack. Wright is garbage & too hit & miss.

[aussie]

I don't know whether you know this, but Paine opens in OD cricket for Tasmania, so he is not a makeshift opener like Haddin, and given the fact he struggles to find gaps even with the field up in the first 15 overs, it would disastrous to push him into the middle order, because he would struggle even more to maintain a decent strike-rate, so whenever he plays, he just has to open.

Yea i did, but given i never saw him bat until the ENG ODI series, i couldn't say for sure if opening or batting @ 7 was his best role. But yea i guess he would struggle if he batted down there.

[pup11]

Me too. Just the sort of thing to happen after we beat them so convincingly in the 7 match series.

That's my worst fear as well, but I'm just hoping we would be clinical enough to win the game tomorrow

[Scaly piscine]

Boprara regardless of his horrific poor for still is more solid batting option than Wright - which is key reason for retaining him againts that AUS bowling attack. Wright is garbage & too hit & miss.

Bopara isn't too garbage and too hit & miss? In fact Bopara fails miserably on the 'hit' part of that phrase. Also he basically nods off when he's in the field, so even though he's supposedly a good fielder he performs as bad as anyone.

[aussie]

Bopara isn't too garbage and too hit & miss? In fact Bopara fails miserably on the 'hit' part of that phrase. Also he basically nods off when he's in the field, so even though he's supposedly a good fielder he performs as bad as anyone.

Yea Bopara overall hasn't really stepped up in ODIs, he has been very hit & miss. In a perfect world he wouldn't be in the CT squad & Trott should have been picked. But given the options we have i'd much rather Bopara @ 6, Prior @ 7 - instead of Wright.

[Faisal1985]

I guess......................it will be 7-1 for Aussies .............

[Uppercut]

Wright's a good number seven. If you want someone who can play the death-slogging role and be all hit and no miss you're asking for waaay too much. Average 20, S/R 103 is round about what you want. He's your man.

Dunno about his bowling though.

[GIMH]

Boprara regardless of his horrific poor for still is more solid batting option than Wright - which is key reason for retaining him againts that AUS bowling attack. Wright is garbage & too hit & miss.

Would you stake any money on Bopara scoring more than Wright? I wouldn't.

If we need quick runs, Wright is waaaaaay better than Bopara.

I rate Wright's bowling just about better than Bopara's.

Wright is better in the field.

Luke Wright is basically our luxury player. Bopara needs to go back to county cricket. I think he may have an international future, but his summer has been a disaster.