Australia and Pakistan in UAE

[aussie_ben91]

Glenn McGrath didn't make his first-class debut until he was 22. Went onto be one of the greatest bowlers of alltime.

 

[usy]

This is going to be Epic, if Pakistan can cause a big upset.

Woosh! Lets see, some REAL cricket atlast. Don't expect much, but atleast I can watch it, FS.

 

[angryangy]

Decent sides, enough youth for interest's sake and even though there are some absences, they're not entirely missed. Hopefully there's still something left in Lee and Akhtar so that the idea of them duking it out is not totally pathetic.

 

[ZexyZahid]

Personally I would say the current squad is the best team Australia has to have offer, except from Ponting, Mike Hussey and Johnson.I would have dropped Ferguson, Geeves and Laughlin for them.

And it's most likely that Marsh and Watson will open.

It will be good to see Akhtar and Lee participating in one match.

Of the last 12 matches these countries played against each other Australia won 9 matches and Pakistan 1 match. Of one match there was no result and one match was abandoned. So Australia is clearly the favourite.

 

[Dare]

Really surprised with the Aussie team, will be interesting to see how they perform.

 

[sifter132]

If Symonds and Watson are bowling we won't need Hopes at 7, still don't trust Symonds himself to bowl 10 overs though.

I would say the selectors would go something like:

Haddin
Marsh
Clarke
Dussey
Symonds
Fergson
Watson
Hopes
Lee
Hauritz
Bracken/Geeves/Laughlin

They might swap Watson and Haddin around although I don't trust either to hit out at the death. Ideally Dussey should be there but the selectors see him as a 4.
Seeing how it is a ODI series not as fussed about taking only the one batting replacement but I wouldn't want that to happen in our next test series.

Oh yeah that would be my preferred side too, especially if Watson is bowling. Otherwise it's Symonds/Hussey/Clarke for 10 overs, but even that is probably OK given the better batting depth we would have.

It's just that the side with Watson at #7 contains ALL the batsmen we are sending over. Our reserves will be 3 bowlers, I just can't see the balance there and we will be forced to play an unbalanced side if anything happens to one of those top 7 guys. I just think it's stupid...

If they can't decide who to open an easy rule would be: If we bat first open with Haddin who will be fresh, if we chase open with Watson so Haddin can rest after keeping.

 

[aussie1st]

Agree when I first saw the side it looked far too bowler heavy and even though our batting depth is pretty crazy right now I still wouldn't have minded one more guy in particular a lower order hitter. Birt or even Quiney could fit that bill as they seem happy trying things out in this tour so why not try them and see how they go.

 

[iridescentt]

Hrrrmmmm. With Symonds, Watson and Marsh back in, we could see out a negotiated victory. I reckon' Hauritz is going to have a blast.

 

[ALI 34/10.R]

I think Pakistan will win the series :happy:happy:happy

 

[aussie1st]

After looking at Clarke's form he should be put back at 4 and left to find form or face being axed. If Haddin is in our plans as a long term opener then he and whoever the other long term opener is should be with him. So revised order being

Marsh
Haddin
Watson
Clarke
Symonds
Ferguson
Dussey/Hopes
Hopes/Geeves
Hauritz
Lee
Bracken

 

[usy]

Thats alot of new names, makes it even worse for Pakistan cause they've never played them before.

 

[ali_ed2001]

This should be a good contest..could go 3-2 either way...I wonder how many games, or should I say, how many overs will Shoaib Akhtar last in this series ?

 

[Dare]

I say he will play 2 ODIs and not last his 10 overs, might bowl 12 all together.

 

[ZexyZahid]

We should make a vBookie about Akhtar.

And cricinfo are missing Nathan Bracken and Callum Ferguson in their squad: Cricinfo - Australia squad

 

[sifter132]

I think the Pakistan boys will do quite well here. Probably have a better looking side than the Aussies for this tour, with no Ponting, Hussey and Johnson. Here's how I see Pakistan:

1. Salman Butt
2. Nasir Jamshed
3. Younis Khan (c)
4. Misbah-ul-Haq
5. Shoaib Malik
6. Kamran Akmal (wk)
7. Shahid Afridi
8. Sohail Tanvir
9. Rao Iftikhar
10. Shoaib Akhtar
11. Umar Gul

I've picked all pace, but I haven't seen Saeed Ajmal at all, the quickies are bigger names I suppose. Any of the other youngsters going to get a run??