Australia

[aussie1st]

Discussion for Australia's 2011 World Cup campaign.

Squad

Ricky Ponting (c) TAS 36
Michael Clarke (vc) NSW 29
Doug Bollinger NSW 29
Brad Haddin NSW 33
John Hastings VIC 25
Nathan Hauritz NSW 29
David Hussey VIC 33
Mike Hussey WA 35
Mitchell Johnson WA 29
Brett Lee NSW 34
Tim Paine TAS 26
Steve Smith NSW 21
Shaun Tait SA 27
Shane Watson NSW 29
Cameron White VIC 27

 

[pcfan123]

Brett Lee will be Australia's leading wicket taker. He seems back to his old self in domestic nowadays and will be the mentally strong bowling leader that Australia need.

Mitchell Johnson is an awful spearhead, the youngsters can't look up to him or get any guidance/advice since he sucks big time himself. Lee will be that older, experienced spearhead the Aussie team is so desperately lacking nowadays.

 

[War]

Its really utterly ridiculous as most already know that teams are being forced to name their WC squad so early this time around. Thats has never happened before in history.

AUS need this full ODI series to fine tune certain key positions in the bowling line-up.

But given the tight scheduling, i reckon this would be the best 15 ATS:

Watson
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
White
M Hussey
Smith
Hastings
Lee
Bollinger
Tait

D Hussey
Hauritz
Johnson
Paine

Hodge, Ferguson, Warner, Christian, Nannes, Doherty, Wade, Hopes, O'Keefe, Marsh, Harris, (if he returns from injury) all have a realistic chance of getting into the 15 as well in the next month. I really cant believe this is happening...

 

[angryangy]

Its really utterly ridiculous as most already know that teams are being forced to name their WC squad so early

They should name all their injured players and then pick replacements later

 

[cricketmad09]

My squad would be

Watson
Haddin (wk)
White (c)
Hodge
Ferguson
Christian
M Hussey
Lee
Doherty/Hauritz
Bollinger
Tait

And as backups I would have Johnson, Clarke, Smith and Wade

Wade is a far superior option than Tim Paine as backup keeper and batsmen. Paine has a terrible one day record. He averages around 30 and has a strike rate of 68. That sort of a strike rate hurts the team so much, especially when you're opening the innings where as Wade has an average near the 40's and a strike rate of 87

 

[aussie1st]

If you are playing that 11 may as well have Hodge at 3 where he usually bats.

 

[hedger_14]

Matthew Wade isn't in the preliminary squad though so he can't get chosen.

 

[cricketmad09]

Matthew Wade isn't in the preliminary squad though so he can't get chosen.

Yeah I know, I was listing what my personal squad would be. It wasn't my realistic expectation of what would happen because I know there is no way in hell that the selectors would show some sort of consistency and some appreciation of form and recent performences.

 

[Prithvi]

My Australian Squad:
Ricky Ponting (C), Michael Clarke (VC), Cameron White, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Tim Paine, Michael Hussey, Daniel Christian/Callum Ferguson, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Steven Smith, Nathan Hauritz, Doug Bollinger, James Hopes and Usman Khawaja.

I feel to give Ricky a captaincy chance and try his luck in fetching a "3 world cups as a captain in a row" record, if he can. That will make him work sleepless as there is no captain holding that record as of now and will work his best, as it'll be his personal record.

 

[Haarithan]

Hope Ritzy makes the 15 men cut for the WC given the subcontinent boasts spinner friendly tracks . But again , there are Steven Smith and Xavier Doherty fighting for the same place . My prediction though is all 3 should make the final cut .

My probable 15 men Aussie squad for the WC defence :

Watson
Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
White
Mike Hussey
Smith
Hauritz
Lee
Johnson
Bollinger
Tait
Doherty
Paine
Mckay
Ryan Harris (Needs a miracle to be fit in time for the WC , so misses out)
Hodge (would love to have him though the selctors think the other way round)

 

[Gone4aDuck]

Just out of interest, what ever happened to Nathan Bracken?

 

[aussie1st]

Injured, didn't think it would be this long but he still hasn't played for NSW.

 

[hedger_14]

Yeah, hasn't played at all this season.

 

[Left_Hander]

I thought he was just being ignored by Australia selectors. Didn't really think much about him not playing for NSW. Surely though he hasn't got long left. He's easily our best death bowler, followed by Lee.

 

[aussie1st]

He might need to call it a day as the WC was really his swansong, now he would just be stopping young NSW bowlers a chance to gain more experience. Especially since Clark is already in the OD team. At best he should finish out the season and hopefully a finals win but then it should be time for him to leave on a high.