3rd ODI: Australia v England at Sydney

[AkshayS]

Great knock there from Dussey to steer Australian chase, it was a fantastic innings to watch, attacking even under pressure.

 

[Sureshot]

Actually meant in your current squad.

Nope. The person who would probably best fit that role would be Samit Patel, but the only thing he's fitting at the moment is a bread roll.

Though I am bemused at the beration of Yardy with the ball, that wasn't the reason why we lost the game. The bowling went pretty well, you score 214 on a wicket like that and you won't win.

Get Trott opening (he opened twice in South Africa, 50s in both innings and we won both matches, one chasing 120 the other 280 odd), bring Prior in at 5/6, Bell up at 3. Though I think England will be stubborn on this.

It almost looked like we'd got Morgan in to form, then he tries to keep a long hop down, when in form that goes for six over mid-wicket.

The batsman just seem disinterested. Impressed with Shahzad and Tremlett again, there are positives there, but there are some key things that need sorting, most notably the batting order and the batsman actually finding form.

 

[MUFC1987]

I agree on Trott opening, but I don't think you can bat Prior as low as 5 or 6. The Commentators seemed to harp on about him being a finisher, but that only works when he doesn't have to strike from ball one. So why not bat him at say 4, and let him play his natural game? He's more than capable of pushing it around in the middle overs and then accelerating when set. The only issue it brings is Pietersen at 3, but that's necessary for me and where you want a naturally aggressive player on these WC wickets. That leaves Bell, Collingwood, Morgan for 5 and 6, if not 5, 6 and 7, as Collingwood's cutters would be more effective than the pace of Wright in my opinion. I don't think Morgan at 7 is too bad, but obviously he could float up to 5 if needs be. I'm not a fan of Bell in the middle order, but with our squad we have no other choice. So:

Strauss
Trott
Pietersen
Prior
Collingwood
Bell
Morgan
Yardy/Bresnan
Swann
Broad
Anderson

Just need to get that middle order in form, before the WC starts.

 

[War]

Well played Dussey played a knock like his brother would have. Might be the thing he needs to kick start his International career.

Told you he could do it my friend.

Hastings being there at the end will go a long way to giving the selectors another option at 7.

# 8 also in the event they dont want to play a main spinner in the XI.

----------

Strauss
Trott
Pietersen
Prior
Collingwood
Bell
Morgan
Yardy/Bresnan
Swann
Broad
Anderson

Just need to get that middle order in form, before the WC starts.

Ye im down with this structure. But damn as Blewett said in the post match analysis, Colly looks awful now. He probably needs to get as far away from cricket as possible now if he has any hope of getting back into form.

This again is another example of this year stupid ICC mandate which made sides had to name their WC 15 squads so god damn early. Since my god no wayy should Colly go to WC if his form does not improve. Plus its pretty crazy that Tremlett wont be going to the WC as well instead of waste of space Tredwell

 

[pcfan123]

Luke Wright is a useless cricketer. I'd rather have fats Patel

 

[McLOVIN]

I flinging kept falling asleep. Every time a wicket fell I was able to get the corner of my eyes to open. Haddin? Then on the last run (can't remember who hit it), they were hugging, I was going, 'yaa! on my sleep and turn off the tv with my eyes closed.

I also remember someone playing this shot, I thought it was White. I was like "hmm i like that shot, I should practice it."

 

[Sureshot]

Luke Wright is a useless cricketer. I'd rather have fats Patel

I thought he did okay today, he'll be annoyed he didn't go on with the bat, but he did what many others didn't, and if Tremlett had caught that (as he should) he'd have had a longer spell and we'd have had them 69-4.

But...yeah, he shouldn't be in the team.

 

[aussie1st]

# 8 also in the event they dont want to play a main spinner in the XI.

It'd be more if Tait and Johnson aren't firing. The main spinner will be there.

 

[Paki007]

lol i was expecting this 3-0,What a comeback by aussies just before the world cup.


Are we going to see aussies the champions for next 4 years as well?

 

[aussie1st]

Far from it, still haven't been tested and the last time they were they lost to SL 2-1. Still lots of room for improvement which is a plus on one side of not peaking too early but also a worry if some players don't find form.

 

[Paki007]

Will Ponting captain Aussies in WC?

 

[TumTum]

Will Ponting captain Aussies in WC?

If he plays, definitely.

Good to see Lee back, such a great ODI bowler. Strange innings from Trott though, looked like he was playing for the not out at the end instead of getting England to a decent total.

 

[Biggy]

feck Tremlett's a dopey bastard, nice running.

 

[Paki007]

Yeah most of the fast bowlers struggles when they make a comeback but the way lee adjusted again at International level it's quite admirable

 

[Owzat]

Far from it, still haven't been tested and the last time they were they lost to SL 2-1. Still lots of room for improvement which is a plus on one side of not peaking too early but also a worry if some players don't find form.

I think it's as much the aussies have played well as England have selection issues and, well, haven't (played well)

PINCH-HITTER/KEEPER-OPENER : Prior : 2 inns, 0 runs @ 0.00, Davies : 1 inns, 42 runs @ 42.00

One of the most dumbass decisions just before a World Cup you'll ever get. Davies is averaging 34.86 at an SR of 108.44 and opened all but once, Prior's average when opening is down to 23.22 and his SR (overall is down to 74.49)

ALL-ROUNDERS/BITS N PIECES

Wright : 1 inns, 32 runs @ 32.00 & 0/12 @ n/a (ER 6.00)
Yardy : 3 inns, 38 runs @ 12.67 & 2/159 @ 79.50 (ER 5.68)
Tredwell : 1 inns, 16 runs @ 16.00 & 0/44 @ n/a (ER 5.50)

I could throw in Woakes and Bresnan, but they aren't that bad an inclusion comparitively speaking. While Wright's score yesterday helped build some kind of total to bowl at, his lack of wicket taking (batting eight don't forget) and Yardy's, left England unlikely and unable to force a win. England's tactic seems to be "bowl tight and hope for the best", too many players in the side that CAN bat and CAN bowl, but never do enough of either to warrant a place.

Swann has also contributed just 4 runs in 1 innings batting, and 1/42 bowling.

BATTING

Bell : 3 inns, 65 runs @ 21.67
Morgan : 3 inns, 59 runs @ 19.67
Collingwood : 1 inns, 1 run @ 1.00

Crucial components of the middle order not managing more than 32 (Bell) between them. Only one knock from Collingwood, but after a poor Ashes where exactly didn't anyone expect him to find form from?!?



And if England think bowling "economically" will win many ODIs, they should think again.

Strauss as captain - results by wickets taken

9-10 wkts : P21 W18 L3 (Won 85.71%)
7-8 wkts : P14 W5 L9 (Won 35.71%)
1-6 wkts : P16 W0 L15 (Won 0.00%) NR 1

The three wins taking seven wickets were :

08/09 vs West Indies : ENG 270/7w vs WIN 278/7w vs (England won by 1 run, D/L)
2010 vs Australia : AUS 267/7w vs ENG 268/6w
2010 vs Australia : AUS 239/7w vs ENG 243/6w

England scraped home in the first, albeit by worthless duck method.

In the first of the two wins last summer, England had the aussies 98/4 and were themselves 97/4 in pursuit. Morgan hit 103no off 85 balls to guide England home with four overs to spare. Clarke had been the mainstay of the aussie innings with 87no with chip ins down the order. Wright actually took wickets, Yardy took one too! Perhaps one of Wright's better games, he scored 36 off 48 balls as well

In the second of the two wins last summer, the aussies were 118/5 but recovered with White scoring 86no - Wright and Yardy took 1/69 between them off 17 overs. England were pegged back a bit at 109/3 but 48 from Collingwood and 52 from Morgan proved enough to guide England home.


In the two wins that weren't by DL method, England won batting second having not bowled their opponents out - that is significant. Their picking of players who can bat, can bowl, but don't take wickets regularly enough will cost them too many games to win the World Cup. The batting is took weak in the lower order to chase down too many totals and the bowling is not good enough to defend anything other than big(ger) totals.

Quite why Strauss bowled out Yardy when England needed wickets I'll never know, crazy captaincy. I still suspect he is so worried about something as simple as over allocations that he doesn't think clearly, so worried about not having to bowl Yardy, Wright or someone like that for the last four overs of the ODI that he is oblivious to the fact that the ODI probably won't reach the last four overs of the ODI Never mind the fact he went in a bowler short, his use of, or rather lack of use of, Wright is a clear statement he doesn't count Wright as a bowler, so he opts to bowl first when his bowling is lightweight. The only two realistic options when a bowler light in ODIs is to either bat first and post a mammoth total, and some commentators were a bit slow to pick up on this yesterday, or you bat second.