Seeing as the World Cup is happening before the Ashes and no-one really seems to know what our best ODI team looks like, it's time for this thread to match the Ashes one.
Now, it's very much the selectors' fault that we have no idea what the best ODI line-up looks like, because they never pick one. They're too busy experimenting, which they'll have to stop doing after the WC regardless of the result because every ODI will have implications for the ODI championship. In any case, we now have a whole array of players to pick from according to recent selections, and it'll take a bit of work to sort through them.
Opening batsmen: Finch, Warner, Carey+, Khawaja, Short, S Marsh, Lynn
Middle order batsmen: Smith, Khawaja, S Marsh, Handscomb, Lynn, Head, Carey+, Wade+
All-rounders: Stoinis, M Marsh, Maxwell, Turner
Fast bowlers: Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, J Richardson, Behrendorff, Siddle, Stanlake, Coulter-Nile, K Richardson
Spin bowlers: Zampa, Lyon, Agar
There are two big questions marks: the correct order of the batting, and the make-up of the bowling attack. In all honesty, unless Warner is made persona non grata or Finch completely loses form there is little reason not to have Finch/Warner as the opening combination. Carey can fill the position if need be, as can S Marsh (who has opened for Aus for much of his career) and Khawaja. Short and Lynn are odds off on being there, the former because his OD record is poor, the latter because there's no obvious place for him, and he also has a question mark over his fielding. Fielding may also cost Khawaja a place, given there are only 15 slots available.
Can Australia afford to have multiple accumulators in the middle order? Perhaps if their bowling attack is strong enough. Though England, and to a lesser extent India, have been bullying bowling attacks and getting ridiculous totals (remember Trent Bridge?), they are still not the norm, and it wasn't they who won the Champions Trophy in England in 2017 - it was Pakistan, who had a killer bowling attack and a solid though not spectacular batting line-up. Australia could well be forced to do likewise, rather than having a strong top-order like India or a bludgeoning XI down to the very bottom like England.
In light of that, the middle order question, including how many A/Rs play, becomes quite complex. Smith may be injured for too long, but if he recovers in time, does he come straight in? S Marsh is a natural fit at 3...but so is Khawaja. And Head. Handscomb is one in much the same way Root is. Stoinis and Mitch Marsh are both power hitters who take time to get going, with similar records. Maxwell and Lynn are the only ones who are natural bludgeoners, although Turner falls somewhere in between (but hasn't played yet).
The fast bowling conundrum isn't much easier. Starc is an absolute sure thing, and Hazlewood probably needs to go as well given his record. Cummins? Ordinary record, and probably shouldn't be a guaranteed selection, especially given how few spots there are. Jhye is great, but still inexperienced and got carted around last year. Behrendorff would probably lick his lips at English conditions, but has played one ODI in his career and his injury prone. So too is NCN, even though his record should surely take him to England. Siddle and Stanlake really don't deserve to be in the running, but the selectors seem to like them, while Kane Richardson is still hovering around and did fine in England.
Our spin cupboard looks pretty bare. Lyon hasn't had much of a run at it ever, but doesn't look that effective. Agar is in a similar boat (though can bat), and Zampa is totally ineffective yet seems to be the spinner by default.
I'm not even going to try to select a final squad at this stage, but I think those that can be ruled out are Short, Wade, Turner, Siddle and Kane Richardson. That still leaves 22 to go into 15.
Now, it's very much the selectors' fault that we have no idea what the best ODI line-up looks like, because they never pick one. They're too busy experimenting, which they'll have to stop doing after the WC regardless of the result because every ODI will have implications for the ODI championship. In any case, we now have a whole array of players to pick from according to recent selections, and it'll take a bit of work to sort through them.
Opening batsmen: Finch, Warner, Carey+, Khawaja, Short, S Marsh, Lynn
Middle order batsmen: Smith, Khawaja, S Marsh, Handscomb, Lynn, Head, Carey+, Wade+
All-rounders: Stoinis, M Marsh, Maxwell, Turner
Fast bowlers: Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, J Richardson, Behrendorff, Siddle, Stanlake, Coulter-Nile, K Richardson
Spin bowlers: Zampa, Lyon, Agar
There are two big questions marks: the correct order of the batting, and the make-up of the bowling attack. In all honesty, unless Warner is made persona non grata or Finch completely loses form there is little reason not to have Finch/Warner as the opening combination. Carey can fill the position if need be, as can S Marsh (who has opened for Aus for much of his career) and Khawaja. Short and Lynn are odds off on being there, the former because his OD record is poor, the latter because there's no obvious place for him, and he also has a question mark over his fielding. Fielding may also cost Khawaja a place, given there are only 15 slots available.
Can Australia afford to have multiple accumulators in the middle order? Perhaps if their bowling attack is strong enough. Though England, and to a lesser extent India, have been bullying bowling attacks and getting ridiculous totals (remember Trent Bridge?), they are still not the norm, and it wasn't they who won the Champions Trophy in England in 2017 - it was Pakistan, who had a killer bowling attack and a solid though not spectacular batting line-up. Australia could well be forced to do likewise, rather than having a strong top-order like India or a bludgeoning XI down to the very bottom like England.
In light of that, the middle order question, including how many A/Rs play, becomes quite complex. Smith may be injured for too long, but if he recovers in time, does he come straight in? S Marsh is a natural fit at 3...but so is Khawaja. And Head. Handscomb is one in much the same way Root is. Stoinis and Mitch Marsh are both power hitters who take time to get going, with similar records. Maxwell and Lynn are the only ones who are natural bludgeoners, although Turner falls somewhere in between (but hasn't played yet).
The fast bowling conundrum isn't much easier. Starc is an absolute sure thing, and Hazlewood probably needs to go as well given his record. Cummins? Ordinary record, and probably shouldn't be a guaranteed selection, especially given how few spots there are. Jhye is great, but still inexperienced and got carted around last year. Behrendorff would probably lick his lips at English conditions, but has played one ODI in his career and his injury prone. So too is NCN, even though his record should surely take him to England. Siddle and Stanlake really don't deserve to be in the running, but the selectors seem to like them, while Kane Richardson is still hovering around and did fine in England.
Our spin cupboard looks pretty bare. Lyon hasn't had much of a run at it ever, but doesn't look that effective. Agar is in a similar boat (though can bat), and Zampa is totally ineffective yet seems to be the spinner by default.
I'm not even going to try to select a final squad at this stage, but I think those that can be ruled out are Short, Wade, Turner, Siddle and Kane Richardson. That still leaves 22 to go into 15.
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