Australian Discussion (Final Squad Announced Post #82)

[Julian87]

Batting Ferguson at 7 makes no sense to me when you can have Smith or Christian there who are better hitters (with Christian being a better limited overs batsman full stop) and add another option to the bowling attack.

 

[Julian87]

I started to really like Hopes after a while. Hated the amount of opportunities he had to open though as he wasn't very good at it. Haddin was always the obvious option there. Tbf Hopes' bowling peaked about 2 years ago. I don't know if the stats show that but for about a year he could almost play as a genuine bowler. He hit the bat harder and moved the ball off the pitch much more often. He's lost all semblance of that form though and while at the time they discarded him I thought it was harsh and a bit stupid so close to a world cup; I think they made the right call. His bowling will be fodder in India and he's just a bit too stodgy for small ground, slow pitch, facing slow bowling stuff.

 

[centurymaker]

1. Watson
2. Haddin+
3. Ponting
4. Clarke
5. White
6. Hussey
7. Dussey
8. Hauritz
9. Johnson
10. Harris
11. Tait

12. Bollinger
13. McKay
14. Smith
15. Ferguson

 

[Spark]

I started to really like Hopes after a while. Hated the amount of opportunities he had to open though as he wasn't very good at it. Haddin was always the obvious option there. Tbf Hopes' bowling peaked about 2 years ago. I don't know if the stats show that but for about a year he could almost play as a genuine bowler. He hit the bat harder and moved the ball off the pitch much more often. He's lost all semblance of that form though and while at the time they discarded him I thought it was harsh and a bit stupid so close to a world cup; I think they made the right call. His bowling will be fodder in India and he's just a bit too stodgy for small ground, slow pitch, facing slow bowling stuff.

2008-9 he was a quality one-day bowler, kept it tight during the middle overs and took important wickets with regularity. You just feel though, since Watson has come back and not been injured, that that side of his game has been superseded somewhat.

 

[M0rphin3]

Ryan Harris was sent for surgery on his injured left ankle on Wednesday and is likely to be out for three to four months, but he hasn't entirely given up hope of being fit for the World Cup. That is a supremely optimistic goal for Harris, who broke down while running in to bowl during his 29th over on Tuesday and hobbled off the field with what was later confirmed as a stress fracture in the ankle.

It was a major disappointment for Harris, who has made a strong start to his Test career and has collected 20 wickets at 24.40 in five matches, including nine during Australia's win at the WACA this month. At 31, it won't be easy for Harris to force his way back for Australia's next Test series, especially given that he will carry a painful problem with his right knee for the rest of his career.

"He's obviously disappointed, albeit a little bit optimistic this morning," Australia's captain Ricky Ponting said after England retained the Ashes with an innings win. "I think he's actually having surgery as we speak. It looks like it could be a few months. I had a chat to him this morning and said 'it looks like it's going to be hard for you for the World Cup', and he didn't rule that out. He's that sort of character. As you saw the other day, if he's even got one leg to run on, he'll do it."

It would be a remarkable recovery if Harris was able to take part in the World Cup on the subcontinent, which begins in just over seven weeks. A more realistic goal for Harris is to be in contention for Australia's next Test tour, in Sri Lanka in August, which will be followed by a Test series in South Africa before the 2011-12 home summer.

But by then, Australia could be looking to the future, with younger fast men like Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Trent Copeland and James Pattinson all likely to push for international action in the next couple of years. Harris has been one of the quickest bowlers during the Ashes Tests and he is regarded as a genuine wicket-taker, and also has 41 ODI victims at 16.12.

"It's a massive blow for him and a massive blow for the team as well, because he has been a great performer in every game that he's played, really," Ponting said. "He's a lion-hearted bloke that has got exceptional qualities to be a very good international bowler, as we've all seen, not just over the last couple of weeks but since he debuted in the one-day team a little while ago."

Harris wasn't asked to bat during Australia's second innings, as the final wicket fell with the deficit still standing at 157 runs to make England bat again. He was heading off for an operation after the Test, while his team-mates were commiserating following their failure to regain the Ashes on home soil.

"Ryan was reviewed by a specialist in Melbourne this morning," Trefor James, the Cricket Australia doctor, said. "The specialist confirmed that the best management for the stress fracture of his left ankle would be to undergo surgery. This surgery will occur today and we expect Ryan's recovery time to be three to four months."

The injury means there will be at least one change to Australia's squad for the final Ashes Test in Sydney next week, where the spinner Michael Beer is likely to make his debut after being 12th man in Perth and Melbourne. Doug Bollinger would be the most obvious candidate to come in to the pace attack, but four fast men are not usually the preferred attack on the SCG surface.

Australia v England, 4th Test, Melbourne, 4th day: Injured Ryan Harris out for up to four months | Cricket News | The Ashes 2010-11 | ESPN Cricinfo

Damn

 

[vic_orthdox]

Australian news: Stress fracture forces Clint McKay out of World Cup | Australia Cricket News | ESPN Cricinfo

Clint out as well. Clearing the way for Binga to slide back in, I reckon.

 

[Spikey]

(and siddle in the squad...)

Concerning reports coming out that Marsh and Fergusion will both be missing meaning Dussey will be the spare bat.

 

[Prince EWS]

Concerning reports coming out that Marsh and Fergusion will both be missing

Oh noes!

 

[Mike5181]

Harris
Mckay
Ferguson
Marsh

Man o man Australia can't afford to many more injuries. Maybe D Hussey, Hodge and Lee will get closer to the team now.

 

[Prince EWS]

Harris
Mckay
Ferguson
Marsh

Man o man Australia can't afford to many more injuries. Maybe D Hussey, Hodge and Lee will get closer to the team now.

Marsh and Ferguson aren't injured; they're just not likely to be picked.

 

[Julian87]

**** David Hussey is an over rated cricketer IMO.

'rushes through his overs'....too bad he bowls pies. Clarke a much better part time spin option.

With the selectors looking more and more reluctant to pick the best hitter in Australia atm to bat 7 (Christian) I'm leaning more and more towards either Hodge or Marsh opening the batting with Watto and moving Haddin down. Reckon Smith is genuinely too much a bits and pieces player to be at number 7 in such an important tournament.

Hodge
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
White
Hussey
Haddin
Hauritz
Lee
Tait/Johnson
Bollinger
_______
Doherty/Smith/O'Keefe

imo.

 

[vic_orthdox]

The best way to get people to pump up your bowling as a part-timer is not to bowl much.

Ref: Katich, Clarke.

 

[Noble One]

Clarke simply cannot be considered a viable bowler anymore. Far too much risk with his back.

 

[Prince EWS]

The best way to get people to pump up your bowling as a part-timer is not to bowl much.

Ref: Katich, Clarke.

I've always liked Clarke as a one day bowler. As Noble One pointed out though, he's probably not going to bowl.

 

[Spark]

**** David Hussey is an over rated cricketer IMO.

'rushes through his overs'....too bad he bowls pies. Clarke a much better part time spin option.

With the selectors looking more and more reluctant to pick the best hitter in Australia atm to bat 7 (Christian) I'm leaning more and more towards either Hodge or Marsh opening the batting with Watto and moving Haddin down. Reckon Smith is genuinely too much a bits and pieces player to be at number 7 in such an important tournament.

Hodge
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
White
Hussey
Haddin
Hauritz
Lee
Tait/Johnson
Bollinger
_______
Doherty/Smith/O'Keefe

imo.

A bits and pieces player at 7 is perfect if you have a world class opening keeper-bat in Haddin. Being able to smash 30(15) at the death and take a wicket or two, not to mention his fielding, is exactly what you want.

 

[Mike5181]

Marsh and Ferguson aren't injured; they're just not likely to be picked.

Talk about a jinx. Ferguson has a broken nose now. I would have Marsh in the squad at least tbh.

 

[NUFAN]

I would have loved to have seen someone like an Aaron Finch in the 30 man squad for say Adam Voges.

I stand by this statement. Finch is a really handy batsman to have in our setup and should have been named in our 30 man squad!

If M Clarke was to get dropped from the ODI team, I think A Finch would be a very solid replacement.

 

[Prince EWS]

I stand by this statement. Finch is a really handy batsman to have in our setup and should have been named in our 30 man squad!

If M Clarke was to get dropped from the ODI team, I think A Finch would be a very solid replacement.

Finch is a player Australia will be looking at for the World Cup after this one, but if we had a stack of batting injuries suddenly I'd be much more inclined to call up Voges than Finch of the 2011 WC.

 

[howardj]

This will be the 15

Haddin
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
White
Mussey
Smith
Johnson
Lee
Hauritz
Bollinger

Tait
Dussey
Paine
Siddle

 

[Crazy Sam]

I would have Hopes and Hodge in my squad, although clearly the selectors are not going to go for either.

This whole 'building for the future' crap shouldn't apply to selecting a World Cup squad which is where we should be seeing the end product of four years' ODI development; we should be taking away an experienced squad.

In my view we can only take a maximum of three of Lee, Bollinger, Tait, Johnson. At least one of them has to miss out, most likely Tait.