Boxing Day Test/Test Series vs India

[stkildathunda]

With Australian Cricket hitting all time low yesterday thought it would be interestinng to see what people thought should happen to our team for the upcoming test series against India. For me the team should be:

(If players are fit this is)

Cowan
Warner
Marsh
Clarke
Khwaja
Watson
Wade
Siddle
Pattison
Lyon
Starc/Harris (either one will be fine)

Time for Ponting, Hussey & Haddin to be given the flick. All 3 wont probably happen though

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

My team:

Warner
Watson (should only go down the order if he is capable of bowling 10+ overs in a day)
Khawaja (should be persevered with)
Ponting (if Australia were going well, I'd say drop him, but the fact that we're struggling means Ricky can have a fairwell summer. He's earnt it)
Clarke (must move to #4 when Ponting goes)
Hussey (last chance)
Wade (won't get picked, but should be. Haddin has no value on his wicket)
Pattinson
Harris/Siddle (Sidds just isn't consistent enough and Harris can't stay on the park).
Starc (need a left armer for variety IMO)
Lyon

 

[stkildathunda]

Cowan
Warner
Marsh
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Siddle
Pattinson
Lyon
Hilfenhaus,

12th man Starc


4 bowlers and thats it We'd better hope they get wickets early cos Ponting/Hussey arent going to help us at all......

India will score 600+ in this test i reckon...

Also interesting Australia are $2.20 favourites with India at $3.40

 

[Highlander35]

Bit disappointing that there's no all-rounder, I think that this will be insane, because India's bowlers are really not that flash, as are Australia's batsmen. Anyway it's not available, but my best team for a while would be:

Cowan
Warner
S. Marsh
Watson
Clarke (c)
Khwaja
Paine
Harris/Siddle
Cummins
Pattinson
Lyon
12th man: M. Marsh

With M. Marsh's inexperience, along with Paine, Harris, Cummins and Watson's injuries, means i'm satisfied with the team except for Hussey/Ponting for Khwaja, I think he's been played too high in the order.

Still think we'll lose.

 

[MCG-Unit]

Cowan
Warner
Marsh
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Siddle
Pattinson
Lyon
Hilfenhaus,
12th man Starc

4 bowlers and thats it We'd better hope they get wickets early cos Ponting/Hussey arent going to help us at all......

India will score 600+ in this test i reckon...

Also interesting Australia are $2.20 favourites with India at $3.40

Yep that should be Aust line up barring any last minute changes (Marsh out for Christianson)
Reckon both bowling attacks could have trouble dismissing the opp out twice.

Still reckon Aust wins - into $1.95 this morning

 

[iloveleigh]

Cowan
Warner
Marsh
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Siddle
Pattinson
Lyon
Hilfenhaus,

12th man Starc


4 bowlers and thats it We'd better hope they get wickets early cos Ponting/Hussey arent going to help us at all......

India will score 600+ in this test i reckon...

Also interesting Australia are $2.20 favourites with India at $3.40

AT, I think your slightly underrating our bowling attack. The fact that Siddle and Patto are both Victorians will have a huge effect, I personally think. We all know how pumped Siddle gets and Patto's last test was very encouraging. Hilf has also been bowling great in the big bash, a bit faster and still getting plenty of swing. I'm overall happy, although I would have loved to see Patty Cummins!

 

[Kildonan]

Official Boxing day team
Australia: Michael Clarke (capt), Brad Haddin, Ed Cowan, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle, David Warner, Mitchell Starc (12th man)

The major changes are the inclusion of Ed Cowen who debuts as opener (wow), and the reinstatement of Hilfenhaus and Marsh. Hilfenhaus pushes Starc out to 12th man. Cowen comes in for the out of form Hughes, and Marsh replaces the unlucky Khawaja. Watson will come back in as soon as he is fit.

IMO the strongest team Australia could field would be Warner, Watson, Marsh/Cowan, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke, Haddin/Paine, Siddle, Cummins, Pattinson, Lyon.
That said I think Khawaja is a player of the future and we can only benefit by getting as much international experience into him as possible.

Considering the injuries to players in our squad, this boxing day team is a good one. I suppose one might also consider ousting Haddin for Tim Paine but I am not a fan of making too many changes at once.

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Considering the injuries to players in our squad, this boxing day team is a good one. I suppose one might also consider ousting Haddin for Tim Paine but I am not a fan of making too many changes at once.

Paine is injured big K. Wade would be more deserving based on form at this stage.

 

[Highlander35]

Reasonably Good day so far.

Clarke, Cowan and Ponting good, Warner a little dissapoining, and a lot of dissapointment re. Hussey and Marsh.

Haddin's looked different, more controlled.

On the other side, India's bowlers haven't been overly flash.

Would hope to get to about 320 tommorow, before having a red hot go at the Indian Batsmen.

 

[saintsrfreak]

God damn cricket's boring.

 

[CHBench]

The entire team should get pay rises for not completely collapsing today. Progress!

 

[iloveleigh]

I can't believe Erasmus' decision to give Huss out. Normally a top umpire, and that was a bad mistake. I do feel for Huss, his career is on the line and to be given out when he clearly wasn't is pretty crappy.

Then Cowan's dismissal... Ah if only we had the DRS!

Content with the days play, happy with the Siddle and Haddin partnership, as long as they can keep it going. Aim to get over 300 then unleash Patto on them

 

[Kildonan]

Reasonably Good day so far.

Clarke, Cowan and Ponting good, Warner a little dissapoining, and a lot of dissapointment re. Hussey and Marsh.

Haddin's looked different, more controlled.

On the other side, India's bowlers haven't been overly flash.

Would hope to get to about 320 tommorow, before having a red hot go at the Indian Batsmen.

Hussey and Cowan both were not out - so neither should be considered disappointing. Agree with everything else you said.
I too was impressed with Cowan - showed the mentality of a good opener. His intention was to stick around and take no risks just picking off bad balls and keeping the scoreboard ticking over with singles. Might have done it too if the umpire/s hadn't made a mistake.
Ponting looked great - getting some of his old form back. He might not have the stamina for big hundreds any more but he can hold his place if he can keep getting fifties.
Clarke was unlucky - looked pretty sharp.
Warner was also unlucky - they came off for rain and almost immediately came back on. Got a bouncer first ball and dabbed at it. I blame the break in concentration.
Not impressed by Haddin, but Siddle has been great.

 

[goodie23]

I went for most of Boxing Day and part of days 2 & 3 (the joys of MCC membership).

• Hussey and Ponting have probably saved themselves for now.
• Some of the rain delays have been ridiculous. Sending the players scurrying in with one ball left before lunch? Then the little have-a-go kids go out there and play in the rain
• Haddin's got to go. He would've gone already if Paine was fit, but Wade is fit and deserving of a crack.
• So much for the batting boot camp. Marsh and Clarke both failed entirely, Ponting's the only player to hit a half-decent score in both innings.
• Don't get me started on the system that allows an umpire to check for a front foot no-ball but not a clear play-and-miss catch decision.
• Cowan looks like a good, smart batsman who knows to let the rubbish go.
• Yadav's the Indian's best weapon. Expensive and not as quick as Sharma but makes the batsmen play the most.
• Why bowl Warner? Why didn't Clarke give himself a bowl?
• I laughed when Tendulkar missed Warner's first ball
• I swore when Siddle's wicket of Dravid got overruled
• I cheered when Siddle clouted Dravid next ball
• Holy crap Tendulkar can bat.

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Don't get me started on the system that allows an umpire to check for a front foot no-ball but not a clear play-and-miss catch decision.

Spot on mate. Absolutely farcical stuff. However I take satisfaction in knowing that Ponting and Hussey would have been out a lot earlier if the DRS system was in effect.