Pick Your Australian Sides

[courtjester]

Tests

1. Katich
2. Khawaja
3. Watson
4. Clarke
5. Ponting
6. White
7. North
8. Haddin
9. Johnson
10. Hilfenhaus
11. Bollinger

50 overs

1. Watson
2. Warner
3. Haddin
4. Clarke
5. Ponting
6. M. Hussey
7. White
8. Hopes
9. Lee
10. Hilfenhaus
11. McKay

20/20

1. Warner
2. Watson
3. White
4. Hodge
5. D. Hussey
6. M. Hussey
7. Haddin
8. S. Smith
9. Lee
10. McKay
11. Tait


Jumping on the McKay bandwagon a bit in the limited overs, he bowled superbly in the one dayer yesterday, he is a good foil for the other quicks. Would like to see Lee back in the shorter formats soon.

In the test team, I am starting to wonder whether we should just play North as our frontline spinner. I dont see anyone else smashing the door down, and one newspaper columnist said in the paper yesterday North is basically the same bowler as Hauritz.

North, Katich, White and Clarke can surely share the spin load, which gives us eight bowling options, all different:

Bollinger, Hilf and MJ- 3 quicks
Watson- med pace
North- offies
Katich- left arm chinamen
White- topspinners
Clarke- left arm orthodox

 

[gbatman]

you can't put a load od mediocre spinners together to make 1 good spinner. Hauritz is alright when in form but out of form he's as bad as they come. Hauritz is only the best spinner in the country because no one else has been tried.

 

[courtjester]

you can't put a load od mediocre spinners together to make 1 good spinner. Hauritz is alright when in form but out of form he's as bad as they come. Hauritz is only the best spinner in the country because no one else has been tried.

I know that you cant put a load of mediocre spinners together to make a good spinner!

My point is that (in my opinion), North, Katich and Clarke all offer the same sort of run drying/wicket-taking potential that Hauritz does. I dont think Hauritz is "mediocre", but I think that the other guys offer as much as him.

I think at the moment, when there is NO spinner in the first class scene demanding to be picked, that maybe we should think outside the square a bit with this. Especially with Watson in the team as a genuine all-rounder. What it effectively does it turns North into an all-rounder along with Watson, and strengthens our batting a touch.

 

[eagles06]

TEST

1. Simon Katich
2. Shane Watson
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Michael Clarke
5. Callum Ferguson
6. Michael Hussey
7. Brad Haddin
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Nathan Hauritz
10. Ben Hilfenhaus
11. Doug Bollinger

ODI

1. Brad Haddin
2. Shaun Marsh
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Micheal Clarke
5. Shane Watson
6. Cameron White
7. Michael Hussey
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Ryan Harris
10. Xavier Doherty
11. Clinton McKay

T20
1. David Warner
2. Brad Haddin
3. Michael Clarke
4. Micheal Hussey
5. Cameron White
6. Steve Smith
7. Shane Watson
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Xavier Doherty
10. Dirk Nannes
11. Shaun Tait

Cant possibly have a reason for Haddin not to be in the side, hasnt put a foot wrong. Definitely need a full time spinner in all forms of the game in my opinion. Hauritz for tests and Doherty easily the best one day spinner in the country. Hussey is still in sensational form in the one day and T20 sides, which in a way is keeping him in my test side, albeit down the order. Wont be long before Marsh breaks into the test side in my opinion, very talented batsman. Also not sure about Watson in the T20 side but couldnt think of a worthy replacement.

 

[gbatman]

I know that you cant put a load of mediocre spinners together to make a good spinner!

My point is that (in my opinion), North, Katich and Clarke all offer the same sort of run drying/wicket-taking potential that Hauritz does. I dont think Hauritz is "mediocre", but I think that the other guys offer as much as him.

I think at the moment, when there is NO spinner in the first class scene demanding to be picked, that maybe we should think outside the square a bit with this. Especially with Watson in the team as a genuine all-rounder. What it effectively does it turns North into an all-rounder along with Watson, and strengthens our batting a touch.

Hauritz isn't a bad bowler but there is a fine line for him. If he's not at the top of his game he isn't worth a shake of salt. He's not a guy who can be a bit eratic and still take wickets. His game is bowl accurate and wear a batsman out rather than get them out with smarts, tricks and big turn. The guys you mentioned are very handy part timers and I rate North's bowling a bit better than part time.

Also North needs to make consistant runs before I call him a batsman.

I admit I haven't seen O'Keefe bowl but he has excellent figures and his batting figures suggest he'd be more valuable than North in the side. X Doherty's form of recent I think has been good and he turns it more than Hauritz although his over all form hasn't been great.

 

[dan warna]

Wade is a better keeper than haddin.

 

[BRider]

and paine is way better then wade behind the stumps, plus his batting is improving rapidly.

 

[oobee007]

Test:
Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Ferguson
Haddin
Hauritz
Harris
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger
Extras:
Johnson
Smith
Khawaja

ODI:
Watson
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
Ferguson
White
Hopes
Smith
Johnson
Harris
Tait
Extras:
siddle
doherty
hauritz
hodge
Lee

T20
Warner
Watson
Clarke
White
Haddin
Hodge
Smith
Johnson
Lee
Nannes
Tait
Extras:
O'keefe
Ferguson
D Hussey

 

[Piefan16]

Just putting a few names out there,
Steve Magoffin (WA)- decent line and length bowler
Andrew Symonds (QLD)- to make a return, havent seen a decent ball struck yet, well I have, but still, great fielder also
James Hopes (QLD)- Consistent all-rounder, is this a clash with Watson?
Michael Klinger (SA)- has the ability to make big scores, also a consistent bat.

Does Australia need specialist teams? instead of cricketers constantly playing and having to adapt to the different forms. Do they need more Katich's (tests) and Warners (T20's), who serve a specific role?

 

[oobee007]

Andrew Symonds (QLD)- to make a return, havent seen a decent ball struck yet, well I have, but still, great fielder also
James Hopes (QLD)- Consistent all-rounder, is this a clash with Watson?

Symonds will never play for Australia, doesn't want to and he severed some relations he had with ponting and clarke.
Hopes got a rough deal getting dropped, should get another chance

 

[Bennycoff]

I'll give it a crack, not an easy task I know.

Test Side
Time for some youth, there is enough experience there still. White to take over captaincy if he can make runs. White and Khawaja ahead of Ferguson based on performances over past years. Harris is a much better bowler than Siddle and O'Keefe would come in when the pitch suits, replacing a quick.

1. S. Katich
2. S. Watson
3. R. Ponting (c)
4. M Clarke
5. C White (vc)
6. U. Khawaja
7. B. Haddin
8. M. Johnson
9. R. Harris
10. B. Hilfenhaus
11. D. Bollinger

12. S. O'Keefe

One Day Side
With World Cup so close, wouldn't be asking a ODI in form Hussey or Ponting to retire. Once World Cup is over Ferguson and Smith should replace those two.

1. S. Watson
2. B. Haddin
3. R. Ponting (c)
4. M. Clarke
5. C. White (vc)
6. M. Hussey
7. D. Christian
8. R. Harris
9. X. Doherty
10. D. Bollinger
11. S. Tait

12. M. Johnson

T20 Side
1. S. Watson
2. D. Warner
3. B. Hodge
4. D. Hussey (vc)
5. C. White (c)
6. D. Christian
7. L Ronchi
8. S. Smith
9. B. Lee
10. D. Nannes
11. S. Tait

12. R. Harris

 

[gbatman]

Harris takes 5 against Tasmania who are strong. Hilfy 3. George 3 against England. Hauritz has got spanked for no wicket against Vistoria. D. Hussey and Mcdonald nocking up 100s against NSW who have decent bowlers. Clarke 79 n.o. which is good as he needs to make runs. Watson, Hughes and Khwaja starts but nothing more. Jaques batting middle order and Hughes opening, should be other way around. Mcdonald has taken 1 for bugger all. He's a hell of a talent. Smith has a couple of wickets for NSW. NSW probably costing themself a game dropping O'Keefe for Hauritz....

The dark horse to make the test side some day is the fat man Cosgrove. Looks like an old fashion cricketer and is making runs for his new side.

 

[gbatman]

Bennycoff, nice T20 bowling line up with Lee, Tait and Nannes. Serious fire power there. The question is does lee still have it?

 

[GoodesStuff]

Test
Watson
Hughes
Katich (c)
Ponting
Clarke
White (vc)
Haddin
Johnson
Haurtiz
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger


ODI
Watson
Haddin (vc)
Ponting
Clarke
White (c)
Ferguson
M.Hussey
Smith
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

T-20
Watson
Warner
Haddin (vc)
Hodge
White (c)
D.Hussey
M.Hussey
Smith
Hilfenhaus
Tait
Nannes



Thoughts???

 

[Nugget1985]

Well if we choose for the moment (which in reality we don't) I would be choosing the following

Tests
1.S.Katich
2.S.Watson
3.R.Ponting
4.M.Clarke
5.B.Hodge
6.A.Mcdonald
7.B.Haddin
8.S.Smith
9.M.Johnston
10.B.Hilfenhaus
11.D.Bollinger

ODI
1.B.Hodge
2.S.Watson
3.R.Ponting
4.M.Clarke
5.T.Birt
6.C.White
7.B.Haddin
8.S.Smith
9.X.Doherty
10.R.Harris
11.D.Bollinger

T20
1.D.Warner
2.S.Watson
3.B.Hodge
4.C.White
5.T.Birt
6.D.Hussey
7.B.Haddin
8.S.Smith
9.B.Lee
10.S.Tait
11.D.Nannes

 

[Bomber Bears]

Hodge hasnt played first class cricket in nearly a year, get over him

 

[djrossie16]

Hodge hasnt played first class cricket in nearly a year, get over him

To be fair the thread is "pick your Aus team"

FWIW mine is:
Tests
Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Khawaja
North
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger
12th man McKay

ODI
Watson
Clarke
Ponting
White
M.Hussey
Haddin
Smith
Harris
Bollinger
Doherty
Tait

 

[getgaff]

Test XI for 1st Test against Poms

1: Katich
2: Watson
3: Ponting
4: Clarke
5: Hussey
6: North/ S. Smith
7: Haddin
8: Johnson
9: Harris
10: Hilfenhaus
11: Bollinger

12th: The one who misses from North and Smith

 

[getgaff]

The dark horse to make the test side some day is the fat man Cosgrove. Looks like an old fashion cricketer and is making runs for his new side.

Imagine the Barmy Armt getting into him but yeh i agree his certainly putting pressure on our batsman who are under the pump.

All Swann would have to do is chuck a pie and sauce outside off and cossie could swallow it for 6

 

[getgaff]

Just putting a few names out there,
Steve Magoffin (WA)- decent line and length bowler
Andrew Symonds (QLD)- to make a return, havent seen a decent ball struck yet, well I have, but still, great fielder also
James Hopes (QLD)- Consistent all-rounder, is this a clash with Watson?
Michael Klinger (SA)- has the ability to make big scores, also a consistent bat.

Does Australia need specialist teams? instead of cricketers constantly playing and having to adapt to the different forms. Do they need more Katich's (tests) and Warners (T20's), who serve a specific role?

Magsy is gone for the year bad knee injury in the tour match against England after bowling very well earlier in the game
An in form Symonds would be worth dynamite to the team. Highly unlikely but
Hopes unlikely. Others ahead of him in all-rounders
Klinger's been a name thrown around for a while now. Putting the blotorch on the top order thats for sure

 

[L_W_P]

Test side only from me. I think the ODI and T20 teams can adopt a more flexible approach.

S. Katich
S. Watson
R. Ponting (C)
M. Clarke (VC)
U. Khawaja
S. Smith
T. Paine
M. Johnson
B. Hilfenhouse
P. Siddle
X. Doherty

I feel like our biggest problem is the lack of danger we pose in taking 20 wickets. It's all well and good making 600 but not if we can only pull out a draw. Then if we have a batting failure it more than likely ends up in a loss.

Let's give Hussey a nice lap of honour and send him off. Khawaja to come in and hopefully live up to the potential. Smith to come in and take over for North. His batting is very good and he would be a more preferable option for an attacking part timer than either Hussey or North.

Doherty is a big call but he is the next best spinner for mine and deserves a crack. With Smith and Clarke in the line up we have enough variation in our spin to keep the opposition guessing.

Paine is a better glove than Haddin and as I mentioned I feel we need to give ourselves the best chance of taking 20 wickets. I wouldn't have a problem with Haddin playing but let's put the pressure on Tim and see if he can stand up.

At the end of the series I think Ponting should retire and his place in the team will be taken by White. 12 months from now Katich retires and Hughes or Ferguson come into the team, providing the numbers are still stacking up.

Team in 12 months -

S. Watson
C. White
U. Khawaja (VC)
M. Clarke (C)
P. Hughes / C. Ferguson *
S. Smith
T. Paine
M. Johnson
B. Hilfenhaus / D. Bollinger / R. Harris / C. McKay *
P. Siddle / D. Bollinger / R. Harris / C. McKay *
X. Doherty

* Depending on form. However I feel like we chop bowlers too quickly in the team while giving batsmen as much time as is needed. I'd be happy to back these guys after a bad series but 2 in a row and the microscope gets put on.

 

[gbatman]

Klinger has made a pile of runs, for some reason the selectors are not interested.

 

[eddiesmith]

Because 2 years after years of crap dont make them sway quickly and looks to be back to normal this year

 

[big_e]

Team in 12 months -

S. Watson
C. White
U. Khawaja (VC)
M. Clarke (C)
P. Hughes / C. Ferguson *
S. Smith
T. Paine
M. Johnson
B. Hilfenhaus / D. Bollinger / R. Harris / C. McKay *
P. Siddle / D. Bollinger / R. Harris / C. McKay *
X. Doherty

I thought I'd seen it all, but Khawaja as vice-captain? Oh dear...

My team in 12 months:

1. Watson
2. S Marsh
3. Clarke (C)
4. Khawaja
5. Ferguson
6. North
7. Paine (VC)
8. Smith
9. Johnson
10. Hilfenhaus
11. McKay

Katich to retire after the Ashes, Hussey and Ponting after the World Cup, Haddin to play only in the shorter forms of the game.

A lot of renewal, but after the Ashes and World Cup, we are scheduled to play Bangladesh (away), Zimbabwe (home), Sri Lanka (away), South Africa (away), NZ (home) and India (home), by the end of next summer.

A very busy year, one that might be tough for some of the older blokes to get through, and it gives the younger guys a chance to prove themselves.

Marsh is the odd one out, but he opened for WA in the last Shield game (against SA) and scored 137 and 89. He's in the national set-up and the selectors obviously have a high regard for him.

 

[BarneyBent]

^^If Smith is in the team, he bats ahead of Paine every day of the week. Also, Smith's place in the Test team in 12 months is totally dependant on developing greater control. Murali said it a few days ago, Kerry O'Keefe said so in an article today, Smith has truckloads of talent but doesn't possess the precision and control to be a Test spinner. He has also altered his bowling action which has made him a lot more dangerous, getting more flight, drift and turn (if you want to see how he used to bowl before he did those sessions with Warne, search his name on YouTube and some highlights of the u19s World Cup from a couple of years back will rock up, with Smith's bowling looking uncannily like Cameron White's), but I can imagine he is still adjusting to the change.

I know you don't rate Dougie, but his record speaks for himself. Barring injury or a drastic drop in form, he will be there in 12 months. He bowls 143 km/h +, he swings it, he bowls a dangerous angle, he has control, and he is attacking. He is currently our best seamer.

Otherwise a decent enough side. North's place is obviously questionable, but he has been in decent enough form to at least get a berth in the first Test. Personally I just don't believe he is a good enough batsman to be there in 12 months, he's handy when in form and destructive when he gets moving, but he's totally unreliable, and we can't have batsmen we can't rely on.