Less than a month out , who's our XI for Brisbane

[Gak Attack]

What I expect them to pick:

Rogers
Warner
Watson
Clarke (Bailey if Clarke has anymore injury problems)
Hughes
Smith
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Harris
Lyon

What I would like:
Rogers
Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Bailey
Smith
Haddin
Best performed other quick
Siddle
Harris
Lyon

Would like to see Hughes even with his problems persisted with, think he's improving but needs a good run. Not convinced by Warner smacking some big scores in a park competition on flat and small grounds, yes he outscored others but relates to absolutely nothing he's like to see in the Tests and lets not forget he did sfa on the less batting friendly wickets early in the competition, if he has good shield/aus a matches then sure. May as well give Bailey a crack, poor year last year yes but overall has a decent enough record given the conditions in Hobart most of his career and has proven he can handle the big stage and lets face it... not like anyone else is knocking the door down at shield level. Would prefer Pies Johnson nowhere near the team as we will get what we always do, some unbelievable bowling surrounded by lots of absolute crap that hurts the other bowlers.

 

[Outshined]

Rogers
Warner
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Bailey
Haddin
Not Mitchell Johnson
Siddle
Harris
Lyon

Cossie could well be a dark horse, dependent on further weight loss and Shield runs.

 

[Kram]

Johnson has to at least play at the WACA.

 

[Outshined]

WACA test, fair enough. First or any other test, no ****ing way.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

WACA test, fair enough. First or any other test, no ******* way.

Assuming the reason why Johnson should be picked for the WACA is his record there, what is wrong with his 17 wickets @ 26 at the GABBA?

Beats the pants off the likes of Siddle (34.5), Hilfenhaus (39), Starc* (62), North (48).

* injured

 

[Yoda_]

Not too long to go now.

Who's going to play the first test in Brisbane?

I have 8 players inked in (pending fitness)

Rogers
x
Watson
Clarke
Smith
x
Haddin
Siddle
Harris
x
Lyon

For me these questions need to be answered:

Who's going to partner Siddle & Harris?
Johnson and Hilfenhaus probably the frontrunners ahead of the likes of Faulkner.
Are any others in the mix seeing Bird, Starc, Pattinson, Cummins are injured?

Two batting spots up for grabs:
Frontrunners would be Warner, Hughes and possibly Bailey and Khawaja.

Are any others in the mix ?

Not a bad side, I think they may go

David Warner (weight of runs, even if ODD will get him the nod, surely?)
Chris Rogers (proven mental toughness in last test series)
Shane Watson (selectors love him, will be there)
Michael Clarke/George Bailey (captain slots in at 4, if not Bailey will come in)
Steve Smith (is showing some real potential with the bat, ready to step up)
Phil Hughes (really inspired with his form in the current ODI's. Looks at ease with his technique)
Brad Haddin (whinge & complain all you want but selectors rate him and will be there in the first test)
Mitchell Johnson (back to his best and a real x - factor in our attack)
Peter Siddle (proven to be our best bowler in tests in the past 24 months)
Ryan Harris (a real workhouse who could shape our fortunes this summer with the red ball)
Nathan Lyon (our no.1 spinner despite what people may say or think).

 

[Noobz0r]

Rogers
Marsh
Watson
Bailey
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Siddle
Harris
Bird
Lyon

Would prefer Clarke at 4, Bailey / Smith at 5 and 6 but it wouldn't happen.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Rogers
Marsh
Watson
Bailey
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Siddle
Harris
Bird
Lyon

Would prefer Clarke at 4, Bailey / Smith at 5 and 6 but it wouldn't happen.

Isn't Bird injured?

 

[Noobz0r]

Isn't Bird injured?

Rly? **** it's going to be hard to replace him in my XI with someone who isn't Mitch Johnson.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Rly? **** it's going to be hard to replace him in my XI with someone who isn't Mitch Johnson.

I'm asking because I'm not sure if he is or not haha. I'd be happy to have Johnson in the XI either way.

 

[The_Reaper]

There are three tour matches against England- WA, Australia A and NSW.

I suspect they will have an effect on final selections.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Johnson has to at least play at the WACA.

Unless he shows red ball consistency between now and then, he has to at most play at the WACA. At this stage I would play him there, but that is subject to change.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Finch
Warner
Maddinson
Maxwell
Clarke
Watson
Wade
Faulkner
Siddle
Johnson
Harrs

/CA money making team

 

[eth-dog]

Warner
Rogers
Watson
Clarke
Smith
White
Haddin
Faulkner
Siddle
Harris
Lyon

 

[pluga_4]

looks like we've narrowed it down to 13 guys at this stage, let's see how good we are guys a few weeks out and a few first class games to go:

Big Footy's Team
Rogers
Warner/Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Bailey/Hughes
Haddin
Johnson/Faulkner
Siddle
Harris
Lyon
*interesting to see most think Bailey will earn a baggy green.
looks like we've well and truly moved on from cowan.

 

[Run n Spread]

looks like we've narrowed it down to 13 guys at this stage, let's see how good we are guys a few weeks out and a few first class games to go:

Big Footy's Team
Rogers
Warner/Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Bailey/Hughes
Haddin
Johnson/Faulkner
Siddle
Harris
Lyon
*interesting to see most think Bailey will earn a baggy green.
looks like we've well and truly moved on from cowan.

The number 3 experiment didn't work. In reality Cowan is an opener or bust. Rogers, Warner, Watson, and Hughes are all ahead of him in that regard (two aren't even opening) so at 30+ I can't see him getting back. A huge season thou with no one at the moment really standing out and who knows? Look at Rogers. Bailey will come into the middle order if at all. No.6 looks a shoot out between Bailey, Hughes or Marsh.

 

[Outshined]

Assuming the reason why Johnson should be picked for the WACA is his record there, what is wrong with his 17 wickets @ 26 at the GABBA?

Beats the pants off the likes of Siddle (34.5), Hilfenhaus (39), Starc* (62), North (48).

* injured

17 wickets against Sri Lanka, West Indies and New Zealand. Coincidentally, when he played England at the Gabba, he took 0/170.

Just to be clear, with my selectors hat on I'd only consider Johnson for the WACA, not make him a walk up start. His selection would be pending certain factors such as the pitch, Shield from (if he has any) and more importantly the wind.

Johnson is a great ODI bowler. Unfortunately that doesn't translate across to tests where any decent batsmen can sit back and wait for the inevitable shit ball. He can get away with it against sides who traditionally struggle against pace, but someone like Ian Bell will most likely take him apart, a bit like Hashim last year.

 

[Mkcaptain]

If they pick Warner based on NSO form...

 

[Russian]

If I had to pick the side today with no red ball form to consider, Warner, Klinger and Coulter-Nile get the 3 spots, Johnson 12th man. Thankfully the selectors don't have to do that. I'd certainly be sending one of NCN and MJ home to play on Thursday.

 

[Bradesmaen]

If I had to pick the side today with no red ball form to consider, Warner, Klinger and Coulter-Nile get the 3 spots, Johnson 12th man. Thankfully the selectors don't have to do that. I'd certainly be sending one of NCN and MJ home to play on Thursday.

What has Coulter-Nile ever done in whites to merit selection? Seriously what has he ever done? I hear his name but whenever I look at the Shield results he's done nothing.

 

[Super Hans]

My team, probably won't be anything near the actual team.

Rogers
Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Bailey
Smith
Haddin
Siddle
Harris
Lyon
Bird

 

[pluga_4]

the poms are in the same boat barring injury.

8 positions are inked in, co-incidentally the same as the aussies

Cook
Root/Carberry
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Balance/Bairstow - Stokes
Prior
Broad
Swann
Finn/Tremlett/Rankin - Panesar/Stokes
Anderson

 

[bird_man]

Bailey seems to be a shoe in on Big Footy... Not too bad for a guy that only averaged 18 in FC cricket last year.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Bailey seems to be a shoe in on Big Footy... Not too bad for a guy that only averaged 18 in FC cricket last year.

While being in and out of Australian teams, T20 competitions and ODD competitions... Who also averaged 50 the year before.

 

[Blue Dimension]

I know Watson batted well at 3 in the last test in England... but I for one am still not convinced he should be at number 3. Time will tell, i suppose.

What I think the selectors will go with

Warner (Based on those hundreds he's churned out for NSW in Ryobi)
Rogers
Watson
Clarke
Smith (Great to see a new young batsman finally developing for test cricket)
Bailey (based on current form in ODI team)
Haddin
???
Siddle
Harris
Lyon


I personally want Hughes in the team though...

If Johnson is there I think we'll be in trouble...