Australian Thread

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Hayden a worry, with a broken toe.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Amazing that he plays the best innings of his ODI career with a broken toe.

If Hayden is out, that will shake things up a great deal. Watson would probably open you'd imagine, but Gilchrist will be out for two games as well. Clarke at the top maybe? Or will Jaques be drafted in?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Amazing that he plays the best innings of his ODI career with a broken toe.

Clearly he's a Chanderpaul fan.

 

[Prince EWS]

Amazing that he plays the best innings of his ODI career with a broken toe.

If Hayden is out, that will shake things up a great deal. Watson would probably open you'd imagine, but Gilchrist will be out for two games as well. Clarke at the top maybe? Or will Jaques be drafted in?

I don't think it'll matter a great deal who opens in the first two games because they are against Scotland and Holland, but I'd imagine it to be Haddin, considering he batted 3 in the CH series.

If Hayden is ruled out, I think White or Voges would replace him in the squad actually, not Jaques.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

If Hayden is ruled out, I think White or Voges would replace him in the squad actually, not Jaques.

I'm inclined to agree. It's possible they'll want another specialist opener in there if they really don't want Watson to open, but I doubt it, given that Jaques hasn't exactly performed in recent ODIs. It'll probably be White.

 

[Richard]

Clearly he's a Chanderpaul fan.

Was Sew a (Gordon) Greenidge fan?

 

[Richard]

If Hayden is ruled out, I think White or Voges would replace him in the squad actually, not Jaques.

Jaques has hardly done himself many favours of late.

 

[Perm]

What is the official line on Matthew Hayden? All I heard was a fractured big toe but there was no "official" speculation as to when he would be back.

 

[howardj]

When we get to the Carribean, even for the warm up games, let's just pick our best XI and try to stick with it. Clearly, getting funky/fancy by randomly resting guys has given our bowlers very little certainty or rhythm. These guys haven't got the experience (or in McGrath's case the potency) of the class of 2003. Let's just be normal and pick our best side (not that anyone knows what that is anymore, as the bowlers have been messed around so much) and stick to fielding, throwing and catching practice. Sometimes you can be so trendy with things that you end up outsmarting yourself.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

IMO, the only real question about our "best side" at the moment would be whether or not you pick Hogg. The seamers will be Lee, Bracken and McGrath, Hayden's cemented his spot as opener with Gilchrist if he's fit, Ponting, Symonds, Watson, Clarke and Hussey in the middle order, and Hogg or a fouth seamer as the other bowler.

However, I think we'll do a little rotation in the early games anyway. Obviously we've got various injuries to deal with and Gilchrist won't be there, so there'll have to be some experimentation. The bowlers that do well in those early games will probably settle in the best team as the tournament goes on. Remember that Symonds wasn't a first choice team member before the last WC and ended up being one of our best players. It's possible someone will end up in a similar role this time with the players we'll be missing.

 

[howardj]

I was more banking on the fact that Lee and Symonds won't be there. Creates much uncertainty without those two guys there. For mine, I would replace Lee in the squad with Hilfenhaus - a player who has proven he can move a cricket ball. There's not much seem or swing in our attack at present. Furthermore, a point that I think may hurt us in the World Cup is that with Lee and Hogg possibly not in the team, it creates quite a tail. Hogg at eight and Lee at nine gave us great depth. But for those two chaps, we don't really have any bowlers who can bat.

 

[Prince EWS]

I was more banking on the fact that Lee and Symonds won't be there. Creates much uncertainty without those two guys there. For mine, I would replace Lee in the squad with Hilfenhaus - a player who has proven he can move a cricket ball. There's not much seem or swing in our attack at present. Furthermore, a point that I think may hurt us in the World Cup is that with Lee and Hogg possibly not in the team, it creates quite a tail. Hogg at eight and Lee at nine gave us great depth. But for those two chaps, we don't really have any bowlers who can bat.

Johnson can bat.

 

[deeps]

I don't think Hilfenhaus shoudl be picked yet, his lack of experience will show.

remember, he hasn't got much experience at the first class level, let alone at international level.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

What is the official line on Matthew Hayden? All I heard was a fractured big toe but there was no "official" speculation as to when he would be back.

He's gonna see a specialist in Brisbane on Wednesday. Australia's physio said that they can't comment on severity until then.

 

[social]

IMO, the only real question about our "best side" at the moment would be whether or not you pick Hogg. The seamers will be Lee, Bracken and McGrath, Hayden's cemented his spot as opener with Gilchrist if he's fit, Ponting, Symonds, Watson, Clarke and Hussey in the middle order, and Hogg or a fouth seamer as the other bowler.

However, I think we'll do a little rotation in the early games anyway. Obviously we've got various injuries to deal with and Gilchrist won't be there, so there'll have to be some experimentation. The bowlers that do well in those early games will probably settle in the best team as the tournament goes on. Remember that Symonds wasn't a first choice team member before the last WC and ended up being one of our best players. It's possible someone will end up in a similar role this time with the players we'll be missing.

Cant understand why Hodge hasnt at least been given a bowl in NZ - little darts have been useful in limited over comps in Oz this year and if WI pitches are typical (and it's a big "if") he could do OK.

Big issue for OZ has been injuries to key fieldsmen. Without Symonds, Clarke and Ponting, the circle leaked runs and run outs became a thing of the past.

Other than injuries, the big issue is how much influence the tiny grounds will have on the results. Edges off Lee, Tait and Johnson will routinely go for four whilst mis-hits carry for six leaving games a bit of a lottery.

Overall, if Lee and Symonds are fit, we still have by far the highest no. of world class players and should win.

 

[age_master]

Yeah, Hodge cant be any worse then White or Voges have been. Clarke will be back for the WC too though so he will probably bowl a fair bit.

I agree in Hilfy, i think he would compliment Bracken nicely too.

 

[Richard]

Amazing that he plays the best innings of his ODI career with a broken toe.

Well it was only half of it...

And NZ seemed to be concentrating far more on trying to hit the toe again than getting him out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pup11]

Hey guys do any one of you know which uniform would the aussies wear in the world cup, personally i would prefer the canary yellow one.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Hey guys do any one of you know which uniform would the aussies wear in the world cup, personally i would prefer the canary yellow one.

I think there reverting back to green.I heard the NZ commentators saying that.

 

[Richard]

pup11 followed by Pup Clarke...

Yeah, the yellow one was just a one-off reunion for the Chappell-Hadlee series - and IIRR it will be used in ALL subsequent C-H series.

Remember, Australia's ODI side isn't actually Australia any more - it's the Commonwealth Bank ODI Team. Therefore they have a different uniform to go with said change. But in the C-H series, I presume they're still Australia...