Select Your Team

[Polo23]

If all available players were fit:

Test Side

How
Guptill
Ryder
Taylor
Anderson
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Franklin
Southee
Martin/O'Brien

ODI side

How
McCullum
Taylor
Ryder
Styris
Anderson
Oram
Vettori
Mills
Southee
Burtt

 

[honestbharani]

Assuming all who are available are fit:

Katich
Hayden
Ponting
Watson
Hussey
Symonds
Haddin
Lee
Krezja
Clark
Bollinger
12: Clarke/ Jaques

Of all the batsmen, Clarke would be closest to the chop IMO.

Krezja's there because he took 12 in his last match, not because he's necessarily the long term answer - we just don't know yet, and offies have a dire record in Australia generally. Johnson's stamina is superb - really, really great. But to me he's limited ATM and I'd prefer to see Bollinger given a go, and if not him then Siddle. The left arm factor gives Doug the nod in my team.
I've put Watson at 4 ahead of Hussey in my middle order in a negative move, because frankly the thought of Watto and Symonds batting next to each other at this point in their respective careers scares me. If one of them is to go, then Jaques opens and Katich drops to 5 with Hussey at 4.

Think that side looks very strong, tbh... Ridiculous options with the bowlers too.. Find a way to get Clarke in for Hayden or Ponting, you would have so many decent part time options, it is surreal..

 

[Burgey]

Think that side looks very strong, tbh... Ridiculous options with the bowlers too.. Find a way to get Clarke in for Hayden or Ponting, you would have so many decent part time options, it is surreal..

Yeah. More part timers to help Ricky decide who to bowl in a third session each day

 

[social]

Indian fans,

How can Zaheer Khan justify retaining his spot when he averaged over 40 against Oz and nearly 35 after 60 tests?

IMO, he is a clear case of style over substance and is simply not consistent enough to be a certain selection.

In my perfect world, I'd dump him and build for the future

 

[honestbharani]

Indian fans,

How can Zaheer Khan justify retaining his spot when he averaged over 40 against Oz and nearly 35 after 60 tests?

IMO, he is a clear case of style over substance and is simply not consistent enough to be a certain selection.

In my perfect world, I'd dump him and build for the future

He is still doing a great job leading the attack.. But, as Hayden said, seems to go haywire when someone goes on an all out attack on him and succeeds for more than 5 mins...


Plus, at various points, I thought he was extremely unlucky not to have picked up at least 4 or 5 more wickets in this series. His bowling was certainly good enough to deserve that.

 

[social]

I ran out of time to explain some of my controversial selections so here goes

Omissions

Lee - not the same bowler in India that we have seen for the last 2 years. I assume the divorce has taken its toll so give him a break to sort his life out as being in the team environment clearly hasnt worked

Johnson - Love the effort but technically deficient so its back to Shield cricket to work on his faults

Clarke - technical worries as well

Inclusions

Tait - easily the fastest bowler in the world and represents the one potential matchwinner on the Aus landscape. Now is the time to find out whether he can hack it at test level but he needs a few tests and the right handling

 

[Redbacks]

Yeah. More part timers to help Ricky decide who to bowl in a third session each day

My Team

Jaques
Hayden
Ponting
Hussey. M
Katich
Hussey. D/Symonds
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Clark
Lee

 

[social]

If all available players were fit:

Test Side

How
Guptill
Ryder
Taylor
Anderson
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Franklin
Southee
Martin/O'Brien

ODI side

How
McCullum
Taylor
Ryder
Styris
Anderson
Oram
Vettori
Mills
Southee
Burtt

No Bond or other ICL player?

Remember that everyone is available

 

[Polo23]

In terms of availability I went with players who the selectors would potentially select if fit, so I ruled out any ICL players, otherwise Bond and perhaps Vincent would definitely make it.

 

[social]

England Test Side
Trescothick - willingness to participate not being an issue meant he was the first name on the sheet
Cook - better than Strauss
Pietersen* - I want my best batsman at 3
Vaughan - give him a crack at scoring some runs without the armband
Collingwood - because, you know
Shah - let's give him a shot, even though he probs deserves to bat higher, would consider swapping him with Colly actually
Flintoff - let him loose at 7
Read+ - mainly to piss off BCCI itbt, couldn't think of another keeper aside from the incumbent(s) who ain't done a lot
Sidebottom - love him
S. Jones - love him
Anderson - becoming one of the better pacers in the world

KP can take care of any spin

Totally agree with KP at 3 in India - less bounce and movement early doors could see him carve up

 

[silentstriker]

Indian fans,

How can Zaheer Khan justify retaining his spot when he averaged over 40 against Oz and nearly 35 after 60 tests?

No one except Ishant did anything though.

He's been very good outside the subcontinent since 2007.

 

[social]

In terms of availability I went with players who the selectors would potentially select if fit, so I ruled out any ICL players, otherwise Bond and perhaps Vincent would definitely make it.

The point of the thread is to ignore politics etc

Simply pick the 11 NZers who you'd want to see on the paddock

IMO, Bond is the first name on the sheet

Vincent is a quandary - so much talent, so little brain but worth a look in his correct batting position i.e. not a slogging opener

 

[social]

No one except Ishant did anything though.

He's been very good outside the subcontinent since 2007.

But if you're looking at potential, he has reached it

60 tests are enough to judge whether you've got it or not and this last series was a classic Zaheer one - some good spells, some absolute tripe

I'm not saying replace him today but he must be on notice and others drafted into the squad and played from time to time to put the pressure on

 

[Precambrian]

But if you're looking at potential, he has reached it

60 tests are enough to judge whether you've got it or not and this last series was a classic Zaheer one - some good spells, some absolute tripe

I'm not saying replace him today but he must be on notice and others drafted into the squad and played from time to time to put the pressure on

Disagree, you're purely by going stats, which doesnt provide for "catches" dropped or runs misfielded off his bowling.

 

[NZTailender]

The point of the thread is to ignore politics etc

Simply pick the 11 NZers who you'd want to see on the paddock

IMO, Bond is the first name on the sheet

Vincent is a quandary - so much talent, so little brain but worth a look in his correct batting position i.e. not a slogging opener

Hmm, I was deliberately ignoring ICL players because it made selecting the side easier. There are so many players I wish could represent NZ, and none I really dislike at all.

Nevertheless, the new sides would be:

NZ Test:
1. C Cumming
2. J How
3. P Fulton
4. L Vincent
5. R Taylor
6. J Ryder
7. B McCullum+
8. D Vettori
9. J Franklin
10. T Southee (B Martin for spinning tracks)
11. S Bond

Extended squad of 15: K Mills, N Broom, M Gillespie, B Martin.

ODI:
1. L Vincent
2. B McCullum+
3. J How
4. R Taylor
5. J Ryder
6. J Oram
7. G Elliott
8. D Vettori
9. K Mills
10. T Southee
11. S Bond

Extended squad of 15: B Martin, M Guptill, N Broom, E Thompson.

 

[Ikki]

Hayden
Katich
Ponting
Hussey M
Hussey D
Watson
Symonds
Haddin
Krezja
Lee
Clark

Or

Hayden
Katich
Ponting
Hussey M
Hussey D
Symonds/Watson
Haddin
Krezja
Lee
Clark
Hilfenhaus

 

[TT Boy]

South African ODI side…
Smith
Amla
Kallis
JP
AB
Vandiar
Albie
McLaren
van der Wath
Morne
Steyn

Back-up
Parnell, Elgar, Martin van Jaarsveld, Hall, Boucher, McKenzie, Tahir (April 1st)

Test
Smith
McKenzie
Amla
Kallis
Prince
JP
AB
Morne
Steyn
Tahir (April 1st)
Ntini

Back-up
Parnell, McLaren, Elgar, Vandiar, Tsotsobe, Boucher, Rudolph.

 

[Flem274*]

Dream team to face Aus (tests)

Jamie How
Peter Ingram
Peter Fulton (**** off Flynn. Whilst you deserve your spot by the skin of your teeth so far, I suspect you always were a one season wonder)
Jesse Ryder (alternatively McMillan who goes at five and Taylor comes up one)
Ross Taylor
Joacob Oram
Brendan McCullum
Daniel Vettori
James Franklin
Shane Bond
Kyle Mills/Iain O'Brien/Chris Martin

ODI

Brendan McCullum
Jesse Ryder
Jamie How
Ross Taylor
Peter Fulton
Jacob Oram
Craig McMillan
Daniel Vettori
Kyle Mills
Tim Southee
Shane Bond

Elliott unlucky to miss out for the ODIs. Really rate him as an ODI man.

 

[Craig]

Dream team to face Aus (tests)

Jamie How
Peter Ingram
Peter Fulton (**** off Flynn. Whilst you deserve your spot by the skin of your teeth so far, I suspect you always were a one season wonder)
Jesse Ryder (alternatively McMillan who goes at five and Taylor comes up one)
Ross Taylor
Joacob Oram
Brendan McCullum
Daniel Vettori
James Franklin
Shane Bond
Kyle Mills/Iain O'Brien/Chris Martin

ODI

Brendan McCullum
Jesse Ryder
Jamie How
Ross Taylor
Peter Fulton
Jacob Oram
Craig McMillan
Daniel Vettori
Kyle Mills
Tim Southee
Shane Bond

Elliott unlucky to miss out for the ODIs. Really rate him as an ODI man.

No comeback for Stephen Fleming?

 

[sanga1337]

Australia

Hayden
Katich
ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Lee
Clark
Bracken
Krezja