Australia in South Africa Oct-Nov 2011/12

[aussie1st]

Warner could have used some runs to really push his ODI claims, but will be harder for him to convince the selectors to pick him over Smith now. Nice seeing Mitch Marsh going so well, he too could enter the race for the number 7 spot in the ODI side.

Very impressed with the young bowlers too both Cummins and Pattinson have stepped up.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Warner could have used some runs to really push his ODI claims, but will be harder for him to convince the selectors to pick him over Smith now. Nice seeing Mitch Marsh going so well, he too could enter the race for the number 7 spot in the ODI side.

Very impressed with the young bowlers too both Cummins and Pattinson have stepped up.

It's not Smith's fault but there is no point in carrying a player when the 3 younger and less experienced players in this series have not had to be carried at all. If they are not going to bowl him, they have to be shot of him as he is not a t20 batsman.

 

[aussie1st]

Australia in South Africa 2011-12: Pat Cummins into Test squad | Cricket News | South Africa v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo

Fast approaching the mark where a player makes his test debut with no FC experience. Most likely won't crack the starting side which is a waste as he should be learning his trade in Shield cricket not carrying the drinks.

 

[War]

Steve Smith is nowhere near good enough for international T20 cricket. Here's a list of all of the batsmen who i'd have in the team before him.

Henriques
Hughes
Jaques
Katich
Khawaja
Maddinson
Rohrer
Armstrong
Thornley
Hopes
Broad
Burns
Dunk
Forrest
Lynn
Reardon
Blizzard
Borgas
Christian
Cooper
Doropolous
Ferguson
Harris
Klinger
Bailey
Butterworth
Cosgrove
Faulkner
Gulbis
Kruger
McDonald
Carters
Finch
Hill
Hodge
Maxwell
Quiney
Rogers
North
Beaton
Birt
Hussey
Ronchi
Voges

So in my eyes, there are 44 players running around in domestic cricket who i'd have in the team before him.

I dont think the argument with Smith is whether he is one of the best batsmen in AUS for T20s. He obviously isn't as this list of yours shows (although i disagree with some names).

He is all-rounder that will bat down @ # 7 preferably and bowl some overs of spin. Doing this i think he has use as the team builds for the 2012 T20 WC next year.

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Australia in South Africa 2011-12: Pat Cummins into Test squad | Cricket News | South Africa v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo

Fast approaching the mark where a player makes his test debut with no FC experience. Most likely won't crack the starting side which is a waste as he should be learning his trade in Shield cricket not carrying the drinks.

I have no issue with him being fast tracker, some players are worth the punt & he certainly seems like one of those special players.

I just hope Bollinger is also recalled.

 

[War]

Australia in South Africa 2011-12: Pat Cummins into Test squad | Cricket News | South Africa v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo

Squad: Michael Clarke (c), Shane Watson (vc), Michael Beer, Trent Copeland, Patrick Cummins, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Phil Hughes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle.

This is the last selection from dumb Hiditch, before he goes his merry way, so i'm going to suck in the dumb continued selection of Beer and exclusion of Bollinger this time, without arguing.

 

[aussie1st]

I have no issue with him being fast tracker, some players are worth the punt & he certainly seems like one of those special players.

That's the thing, unless he plays he ain't being fast tracked. He's just sitting on his ass and mixing a few drinks for the boys along with some net sessions. All the while he could be gaining more experience in FC cricket and taking wickets for NSW. He already gained the experience bowling in SA conditions from the T20I and most likely ODI.

 

[ferg512]

I'm pretty disappointed they picked Cummins tbh. I doubt he will end up playing anyway but why not leave him to play a few shield games, hes barely played any FC cricket before. Although its not like NSW handled him well bowling him into the ground in the shield final, bowled 48 overs in one innings iirc.

 

[angryangy]

As he's a CA contracted player, his inclusion on this tour is merely the necessary action to save him from bowling at the Adelaide Oval.

 

[Num]

Katich has taken 2/24 off 10 overs so far on the first day of the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and South Australia whilst the rest of the bowlers have combined for 49 wicket-less overs. Katich should be in the squad for his bowling!

 

[aayush93]

I would love to see Rudolph back in SA lineup. He is in awesome form in domestic cricket from 2-3 years..

SA batting lineup looks thin if they don't have Kallis and De Villers and. Kallis Will be playing ODI AND TEST, but still u need 2-3 batsman more to support him.

 

[swacker]

Didn't Hughes scores a ton last time he batted? I must say I'm touch surprised about the selection of Cummins - sure enough he is very promising but surely some Shield Cricket would be what is needed?

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I think AUS have potentially stumbled on somewhere close to their best T20 XI, looking ahead to T20 WC in SRI next year.

The top 5 of Watson/Warner/Marsh/Dussey/White is perfect. However M Hussey has to be back in the main XI @ # 6, since his experience and ability to play spin will be crucial in SRI conditions.

Smith will be a useful squad player. Him starting will all depend on if the selectors wish to use him and Dussey as the spin bowling all-rounders - or wish to keep O'Keefe as the main spinner in the starting XI.

Lee and Bollinger unless they decline in the next year - should be the new ball pair. Thus this leaves Cummins, Nannes, Johnson, Tait battling for squad places.

Possible AUS XI & 15-man squad for T20 WC:

Watson
Warner
Marsh
Dussey
White
Mussey
Wade
O'Keefe/Smith
Lee
Bollinger
Cummins

Ferguson
Tait/Nannes
Hastings/M Marsh
O'Keefe/Smith

Note: Harris is an outside shot to come in for Tait/Nannes, if the selectors feel he is needed next year, if circumstances permits.

We did very well in the last World T20 without Lee. I don't think he should be a deadset pick to go to the next, not after having picked youngsters who have done well.

You are right about Steve Smith, he needs to bat at 8 or so if they are to use him at all. He's not a hitter so there is not point in him coming in at 6, he's just wasting balls there.

 

[aussie1st]

Smith has always needed time to get set, his knock in the CLT20 shows what he can do after getting set. But there is no spot for him there so yea he should be in the spinner role where he actually has gone well. Also will force White to use him. Now that we have punted on Marsh and he has gone well, would like to see more of him in future T20 matches and wouldn't mind seeing how he goes at 7 in the ODI side.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Smith has always needed time to get set, his knock in the CLT20 shows what he can do after getting set. But there is no spot for him there so yea he should be in the spinner role where he actually has gone well. Also will force White to use him. Now that we have punted on Marsh and he has gone well, would like to see more of him in future T20 matches and wouldn't mind seeing how he goes at 7 in the ODI side.

Well, he showed what he could do if you were chasing 4/5 runs an over but that's hardly a great deal of use in showing us what he can do if the heat is on in a T20 match. He has had so many opportunities now. And in one match Mitch Marsh has hit more sixes than Smith ever has in international T20s.

It might be a one-off, but probably not as he has gone beserk for WA a couple of times, so he's capable of it.

Either White has to be forced to bowl Smith somehow and how they do that I don't know (and White obviously doesn't want to bowl him) or he needs to be dropped. I guess given his ranking in the contract system the selectors are going to want to pick him unless he's injured. But the more he plays, the higher up the contract ranking he will be next year, stupid system but there it is.

Smith must have a really odd idea of what playing for your country is as he never has to produce stand out performances.

 

[aussie1st]

Australia in South Africa 2011-12: Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh doubtful for ODIs | Cricket News | South Africa v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo

So if Marsh and Watson are both out I guess we are looking at
Warner
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
White (Would prefer Mitch Marsh)
Smith
And the bowlers