Australia in Bangladesh, April 2011

[angryangy]

Thu Apr 7 03:30 GMT	[B]TBC v Australians[/B]
Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah

Sat Apr 9 03:30 GMT	[B]1st ODI - Bangladesh v Australia[/B]
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
     
Mon Apr 11 03:30 GMT	[B]2nd ODI - Bangladesh v Australia[/B]
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
     
Wed Apr 13 08:00 GMT	[B]3rd ODI - Bangladesh v Australia[/B]
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur

Australia go to Bangladesh for 3 ODIs possibly only 5 days after the conclusion of their World Cup campaign. Will they keep the squad together or give the bulk of the players a rest? Will IPL players be granted a release? Will anybody read this today? These and more questions remain unanswered, tonight on Planetcricket.

 

[sifter132]

I read it, but not yesterday... The only thing interesting about this series will be based on how the 2 teams do in the World Cup. If Australia make it to the semis or final of the WC, I'd say they will just keep their 15 men over there and make no changes. If they crash out earlier, then a slightly more experimental squad might be named.

I can't see any Aussie players skipping it for the IPL. We don't have money chasers like Andrew Symonds anymore When the senior players like Ponting, Clarke and Johnson aren't in the IPL it makes it much easier to keep the internationals at a higher standard. Teams like the West Indies when the captain (Gayle) wanted to play as much IPL as possible have it much harder getting high intensity series during April and May.

 

[angryangy]

Perhaps in my haste to pose unanswerable questions, I worded that wrong. For the impromptu tour of India, Mike Hussey said he would have left CSK early if he had a choice, but CA's decision was instead that he was obliged to fully honour commitments before joining the Australian squad 2 days before the 1st Test.

So for this even more poorly organised series, I wonder if we might see a similar thing, not so much players being granted a release, but CA giving them a nudge. While CA have a stake in CLT20 and not in IPL, there is an obvious carry-over effect if a top performing Australian leads his team to the next Champions League. Furthermore, if they're willing to impinge on Test preparations against India, then it would be strange to be more careful against Bangladesh.

 

[sifter132]

Ah yes I see the issue, but Hussey and Bollinger could still play 95% of the games in India, they just had no time to acclimatise. And that CA stake in the Champions League was probably the final factor for that decision

For this tour, I think there are so many Australians in the WC squad that could play in the IPL week 1 that it would be easier to just stop them all playing rather than giving 11 of the current 14 man World Cup squad the right to play if they want to. Plus, there's so many other Aussies in the IPL that most of your potential replacements for those guys will be involved as well. Those reserve guys would probably get more cash and publicity for playing IPL for a week rather than a series v Bangladesh.

The other factor is politics. I'm not sure Cricket Australia would make too many friends in Bangladesh if they don't send their best side.

 

[aussie1st]

Starc, James Pattinson, O'Keefe and Finch would be the ones worth taking. Christian would be there but he is the star buy in the IPL so may as well leave him there as sifter mentioned.

 

[sifter132]

Will be VERY interesting to see what happens on this tour now. Ponting may have saved his place in the side with that century, but has he saved the captaincy? I see 3 options for the selectors:
1) Name the same 15 as the World Cup. Ponting as captain. Yawn, boring...
2) Have Clarke replace Ponting as captain but essentially keep the same side, Ponting as a player only - would be a ballsy move to make the switch before the official review of Aussie cricket is finished.
3) Send some of the older guys home and name a younger squad with Clarke as captain, tell the press that it's a great chance for the new guys to get experience on the subcontinent pitches.

I like option 3 as the most beneficial long term option and the least controversial captaincy wise. You could send anyone born in the 70s home - they aren't going to be around for 2015: Ponting, Hussey bros, Haddin, Lee (and Nannes)
Then you'd be left with:
1. Watson
2. Paine (wk)
3.
4. Clarke (c)
5. White (vc)
6. Ferguson
7. Smith
8. Hastings
9. Johnson
10.Krejza
11.Tait

*Then send over a couple of batsmen: Marsh and Voges probably first choices - maybe George Bailey or Dan Christian as an all-round option. Maybe send White home to have a rest.
*A backup keeper perhaps: Wade.
*Backup paceman or 2: Siddle was next in line I think, maybe try Pattinson
*Backup spinner perhaps: Doherty would be the choice if they want Krejza challenged

 

[aussie1st]

Even if Ponting is staying on he needs to rest his finger, it just looks so bad in the field for him. Last thing he would want is a serious injury to it ruling him out of the up and coming test series.

As for the side, I'd be sending James Pattinson over. White just seems lost atm, needs to be dropped and find form again. Would be tempted sending O'Keefe over for some experience as he should be a contender for the spin spot in the Test side.

15 man squad
Watson
Wade (Will be Paine though)
Finch
Clarke (c)
Smith
Ferguson
Christian
Johnson
Pattinson
Hastings
Doherty

Tait
O'Keefe/Krezja
Marsh

Last batting spot is a tricky one. Warner comes to mind but has no OD form. Quiney was decent for Victoria, else you are looking at the youngsters like Maddinson, Khawaja and Lynn. Voges not considered since I doubt he'll make the next WC. Tait makes the squad more through the other options being injured.

 

[ShamiLoverGlipGlops]

The whole team should be replaced

 

[Paki007]

Nah that's ridiculous if you replace the whole team for just 2 defeats

 

[angryangy]

Bangladesh have dropped Junaid (or is that Zunaed?), as well as Ashraful, Naeem Islam and Nazmul Hossain. Returning to the side are Mashrafe Mortaza and Alok Kapali, plus youngster Shuvagoto Hom.

Ashraful had it coming, but Junaid is a big axing. He had some problems in the world cup, but I wouldn't have said he was their worst. I suspect Nafees clings on due to some reps against Australia. It perhaps also suggest that they see a patient number 3 as a crucial role and one that is much bigger than the skill of any one player.

Bangladesh squad

Shakib Al Hasan (captain)
Tamim Iqbal (vice-captain)
Mashrafe Mortaza
Imrul Kayes
Shahriar Nafees
Roqibul Hassan
Alok Kapali
Shuvagoto Hom
Mushfiqur Rahim
Mahmudullah
Abdur Razzak
Suhrawadi Shuvo
Rubel Hossain
Shafiul Islam

 

[aussie1st]

Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Xavier Doherty, Callum Ferguson, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith, Cameron White

Doherty back to tour Bangladesh | Cricket | Fox Sports

Only one new face in the lineup, a bit disappointing as this should have been a tour to experiment a bit more.

 

[1iram1]

^ Aww, the series would've been more fun if Australia sent a second-string squad.

 

[War]

Let the michael clarke era begin!!

 

[formula1man]

ok our selectors are hopeless. We played horribly in this world cup, New Zealand was the only game we did a good allround performance. Ponting needs to go, he lost the captaincy and there is no point hanging around. Mike Hussey's days are numbered too, not for form but age. This is a series against bangladesh and we need to be preparing for the future. Let our struggling regulars go and get some rest then go play county cricket when it starts up again, ready for India in summer. This is the squad we should have for the future

1. S. Watson
2. S. Marsh
3. M. Clarke
4. D. Hussey
5. C. Ferguson
6. B. Haddin
7. D. Christian
8. M. Johnson
9. B. Lee
10. R. Harris
11. N. Hauritz

A. Finch
C. White
J. Krejza
C. McKay
G. Bailey

 

[sifter132]

Nah I think the selectors have done really well here. You don't make the big panic changes a week after the WC. Sit and have a think about where White, Ponting, Hussey, Lee fit into the ODI side, give them a chance to find form against Ban or retire - then you make the big calls for the next series, moving towards the team that you outlined formula1man.

Long term yes, there are changes to be made, but I think changing the captain is a big enough one at this stage. We are still the #1 ranked ODI side after all and were one wicket away from toppling India I reckon - then attitudes might have been different. The only awful game Australia played was against Pakistan. Against SL and India we were OK and against NZ was excellent. Sluggish against the minnows definitely, but you tell the intensity wasn't there.

AFTER this series, that's when I'd tell Mike Hussey to retire from ODIs, tell Ponting he's got another year to play and tell Haddin, Lee, Dave Hussey and probably Ryan Harris too that they've got 2 years left if they keep their form.