Australia and Pakistan in UAE

[aussie1st]

Good to see us finally win an ODI series, we've certainly learnt a fair bit too - that Clarke is a worthy captain, that Watson is a worthy opener, that Bollinger is a great ODI bowler and that Stuart Clark deserves another go in the shorter form too.

They definitely deserve another shot, just a case of how do we fit them all in when at full strength. Still have to prove themselves against better opposition though.

Watson had to bat in the lower order as there was no spot for him in our top 4. Not very easy to break up Hayden, Gilly, Ponting and Clarke/Martyn. I always said he was much better up the order as hes a batter that needs time to get in.

 

[ali_ed2001]

Good thing Ponting, Hussey, and Johnson didn't show up to this series...could have been 4-0 for Aussies...but Pakistan also have themselves to blame, choked in game 3 which we should have won easily..

 

[karnog]

Watson, Haddin, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey sounds solid. I think their's stability in the batting. Finally. And Hauritz is developing the doosra (well trying to). Thats progress in the spin department. I reckon Hopes should be at 7. Bollinger shows his stuff and Bracken is back in form. A good ODI side is forming. Can't say they'll beat South Africa or India but it is competitive and appears consistent. Far better than 4-1 loses.

 

[aussie1st]

I think Hopes will find it hard to make the top 7 with Ferguson/Symonds and him battling for the 2 free spots. If Symonds is playing then there is less need for Hopes bowling which is the main reason to have him in the side. At full strength we probably are looking at

Haddin
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Symonds
Hussey
Ferguson/Hopes
Hauritz
Lee/Tait/Bollinger
Johnson
Bracken

 

[sifter132]

Good to see us finally win an ODI series, we've certainly learnt a fair bit too - that Clarke is a worthy captain, that Watson is a worthy opener, that Bollinger is a great ODI bowler and that Stuart Clark deserves another go in the shorter form too.

Agree with all except Stuart Clark. Clark is good when the pitch isn't heavily batsman favoured ie. there needs to be some slowness, movement in the pitch for him to succeed. Otherwise he just doesn't have the pace or variety required to stop the batsmen from just hitting through his normally tidy length.

Plus the guy is almost 35, he can't field or bat particularly well and we have plenty of other pace options at the moment. Surely one of the other 15 pacemen we've played in the last year would do just as good a job - and no 15 is not exaggeration, we really have played 15 pace bowlers in Tests and ODIs in the last year...

 

[aussie_ben91]

Haddin (wk)
Watson
Ponting (c)
Clarke
Symonds
Hussey
Hopes
Johnson
Hauritz
Siddle
Bracken

Hopes > Ferguson - Ferguson probably won't get himself into any better form and yet he hasn't done anything expect get out after making starts. He'll eventually fall into the same category as David Hussey. Plus he doesn't bowl and Hopes is a class ODI allrounder who has made himself undroppable.

 

[sifter132]

Yeah I think Hopes should be there at the moment. But he is in good form with the bat right now. If his form slips, I don't think he's a great #7. He just doesn't have the quality. Keep in mind too that when Watson begins bowling again he will be bowler #5 along with Symonds and Clarke so there will be no need for an all-rounder at #7. So Hopes will have to keep up the good form if he wants to stay there.

 

[Inbox24]

Yeah I think Hopes should be there at the moment. But he is in good form with the bat right now. If his form slips, I don't think he's a great #7. He just doesn't have the quality. Keep in mind too that when Watson begins bowling again he will be bowler #5 along with Symonds and Clarke so there will be no need for an all-rounder at #7. So Hopes will have to keep up the good form if he wants to stay there.

AWTA, this is the way forward.

 

[aussie1st]

Ferguson is a guy that can score quickly naturally. He didn't score at a 100 strike rate by fluke during the FRC. Also he has shown he can rescue the sinking ship. Hopes has shown the latter but I'm still yet to see him effectively hit out. If he can do that then having him at 7 would be good for his bowling in case we need him to cover.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Who saw that guy in the pink shirt, sitting in the crowd? Absolute giant! :o

 

[Howsie]

Hopes is a class ODI allrounder

:

Decent at best, the guy can't bat.

 

[dhayalan]

Pakistan is weaker than the weakest Australian team. Before the start of the series Younus Khan told that they will win the series 5-0. And also Akthar said they will prove that they are a better team by winning this series.

 

[Pak_cricketer]

Pakistan are right back on top. Akmal needs to be #3 for Pakistan and we need to get better starts. I'm tired of seeing 30/1 after 10 overs.

 

[usy]

Obviously, anybody who watched whole 5 ODI's would understand Aussies never "out-played" pakistan, due to the fact pakistan just gave away the 3rd ODI by themselves.

Good series btw. Good last win by Pakistan. Akmal proves once more he can stay around for some more time before questions are raised again on him. People who were talking about dropping misbah just got pwned.

next T20: :banana2

 

[sifter132]

Obviously, anybody who watched whole 5 ODI's would understand Aussies never "out-played" pakistan, due to the fact pakistan just gave away the 3rd ODI by themselves.

Good series btw. Good last win by Pakistan. Akmal proves once more he can stay around for some more time before questions are raised again on him. People who were talking about dropping misbah just got pwned.

next T20: :banana2

Yeah it was a good series. Good to see the batsmen having to work for their runs and good to see us playing someone other than South Africa for once