Australian ODI tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland, June-July 2010

[aussie1st]

Think it is now a given that the number 7 spot will be an all rounder one since Watson's bowling has gone down the drain of late and he hasn't bowled in the last 2 ODIs. Hopefully doesn't go the way that White's bowling went where he hardly ever bowls again.

We could potentially end up with another 4 prong attack of Harris, Lee, Tait and Johnson, that would need Lee to be at his very best else it could end up like the T20 WC. Got a feeling we need Bollinger or Harris in a 3 prong pace attack to provide that consistency (although Harris has been a bit up and down this series) that was missed in the T20 final.

 

[drainpipe32]

Johnson, Lee and Tait. That's a pretty erratic threesome there and I wouldn't bet against occasionally two of them just spraying it in an ODI which would mean Bollinger and Watson have to mop up.

Johnson, Bollinger and Harris are probably our best three, and then you'd rotate Lee and Tait in and out of that attack. I doubt we'll stop playing a specialist spinner in our final four, seeing as it's got us into a bit of trouble in the past. Especially with Hopes at 7.

Paine/Haddin
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
White
Hussey
Hopes
Smith/Hauritz
Johnson
Harris
Bollinger

That's the side the selectors would play but with our dodgy batting at the moment I'd be going:

Marsh/Hughes/Warner
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
White
Hussey
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Bollinger
Siddle/Harris

I reckon though that Watson might be just a few bad games away from a demotion to 6 or 7, which would mean Haddin or Clarke come up the order.

 

[Num]

Are we talking Australia's side for the 2011 World Cup? If so, here's my preferred team:

1. Watson
2. Hopes
3. Ponting (c)
4. White
5. Smith
6. Hussey
7. Haddin (wk)
8. Johnson
9. Hauritz
10. Bracken/Harris/Lee (whoever is in better form come the 2011 World Cup)
11. Bollinger

 

[drainpipe32]

I'd rather have two more bats than Hopes and Smith, and only one of Smith and Hauritz. White, Marsh, Clarke, Warner, etc can all provide another spin option.

 

[angryangy]

Watson
Haddin/Paine
Ponting
Clarke
White
Hussey
Smith
Johnson
Harris
Tait
Bollinger

Of course there are quality players who would be in the squad and you'd probably rotate them, but you can't really deny that bowling attack on form. In the last 12 months, Australia have averaged 8.5 wickets per match. The likes of Hopes and Hauritz are merely stopping them from taking 10 on average!

Bigger questions arise over the batting. There are several good and great players around, but the question is how to pick them to best function as a team. Clarke can bat the long, cultured innings required of a number 4, but his involvement at the death seems rather lacking in bloodshed. White can be a run machine, but only when he's prepared to take on the straight and leg side field. Watson provides attacking starts, but he is struggling with producing long innings and also bowling. But if not him then who? Do you swap White for Warner and move Watson into a Symonds role? Even that is a big call. Perhaps fate will make some unexpected changes for us.

 

[Num]

I'd rather have two more bats than Hopes and Smith, and only one of Smith and Hauritz. White, Marsh, Clarke, Warner, etc can all provide another spin option.

The only serious spin option out of that is Clarke and despite his most recent match, I'm left unconvinced by his batting. Australia is going to need the extra bowling options with a potentially erratic pace attack.

I'd much rather share 10 overs between Watson, Hopes and Smith then 10 overs between Watson and Clarke (like your team). Watson hasn't been great with the ball recently in ODIs either, meaning if he had a bad day, you would have to get 10 overs out of Clarke rather than 10 overs out of Hopes and Smith.

Smith at 8 also means you're effectively playing him as a specialist bowler and thus expecting him to bowl the full quota of 10 overs despite the fact he's a batting allrounder at best.

 

[War]

Watson
Haddin/Paine
Ponting
Clarke
White
Hussey
Smith
Johnson
Harris
Tait
Bollinger.

Love this team. That bowling attack is beautiful.

The only slight issue i have with this being the potential best XI. Is Johnson's output with the bat in ODIs. His batting isn't as consistent as we would like coming in @# 8.

The next 4 spots in the potential 15-man WC squad could/should be: Hauritz, Hopes, D Hussey/Ferguson, Paine/Marsh/Warner.


Interesting to see people mention Bracken still. Can't see him coming back into the calculation at all for the 2011 WC.

 

[Num]

Love this team. That bowling attack is beautiful.

The only slight issue i have with this being the potential best XI. Is Johnson's output with the bat in ODIs. His batting isn't as consistent as we would like coming in @# 8.

The next 4 spots in the potential 15-man WC squad could/should be: Hauritz, Hopes, D Hussey/Ferguson, Paine/Marsh/Warner.


Interesting to see people mention Bracken still. Can't see him coming back into the calculation at all for the 2011 WC.

Bracken has a good one day domestic season and who knows? The pitches will suit him well and if he gets back into form he will really balance out Australia's pace attack nicely by contrasting with Tait/Lee/Johnson.

 

[drainpipe32]

TBF to Johnson his batting is as good as it needs to be. You can't expect him to not get 1's and 2's coming in with 5 overs left. He does alright when the pump is on and the Aussies are in trouble, but with any player hitting out is inconsistent.

Smith you'd have to play as a batsman and call me a sceptic but I'm not sold on that yet. I wouldn't like seeing him have to bowl ten overs in an ODI at this stage either.

For the WC I'd be going:
Marsh
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
White
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Bollinger
Harris

Ferguson
Warner/Dussey
Tait/Siddle
Smith

That's provided Harris doesn't fall out of form beforehand. Phillip Hughes may come in to the ODI side before then as well. Marsh gets in based on his 2008 IPL and fantastic series in India last year.

Michael Hussey is my back up keeper

 

[Num]

For those wondering why Clarke isn't in my preferred team for the 2011 World Cup.

Numbers Game: Michael Clarke's go-slow approach to ODIs | Regulars | Cricinfo Magazine | Cricinfo.com

Thanks Cricinfo.

 

[drainpipe32]

Ah, but look at him pre-responsibility. He's now dead boring to watch sometimes but as our best player of spin through the middle overs we need him, especially as this is when we get bogged down. He's got the ability to lift easily, I mean averaging 45 with a SR of 83 over 120 matches! That's incredible.

 

[Num]

Ah, but look at him pre-responsibility. He's now dead boring to watch sometimes but as our best player of spin through the middle overs we need him, especially as this is when we get bogged down. He's got the ability to lift easily, I mean averaging 45 with a SR of 83 over 120 matches! That's incredible.

Clarke has shown his ability to score at a quick rate during the middle overs in the first and fourth ODI against England and I'd have him in my preferred team if he could somehow become less of a liability in the last 10 overs of an innings.

 

[TumTum]

Clarke should be useful as he will be playing against spinners most of the time. Agree with Gazza that Johnson usually performs well when we are in trouble, don't need to ask much more from him.

 

[aussie1st]

Watson
Haddin/Paine
Ponting
Clarke
White
Hussey
Smith
Johnson
Harris
Tait
Bollinger

Of course there are quality players who would be in the squad and you'd probably rotate them, but you can't really deny that bowling attack on form. In the last 12 months, Australia have averaged 8.5 wickets per match. The likes of Hopes and Hauritz are merely stopping them from taking 10 on average!

Bigger questions arise over the batting. There are several good and great players around, but the question is how to pick them to best function as a team. Clarke can bat the long, cultured innings required of a number 4, but his involvement at the death seems rather lacking in bloodshed. White can be a run machine, but only when he's prepared to take on the straight and leg side field. Watson provides attacking starts, but he is struggling with producing long innings and also bowling. But if not him then who? Do you swap White for Warner and move Watson into a Symonds role? Even that is a big call. Perhaps fate will make some unexpected changes for us.

That would be the team I would go with. Tait offers the reverse swing and x-factor that our bowling attack lacks and he seems to be going much better by being used in spells of 1-2.

Warner and Watson would be the ideal partnership if Warner could bring his T20 game over. He rotates the strike very well and he obviously can get a move on when he wants to.

White should be the one filling Symonds role, his destructive knocks feel a bit too far spaced for my liking. I reckon White is heading down the path Clarke did, since he has become a regular in the ODI side, he is taking less risk and obviously more responsibility ala Clarke. Some stats which back up my point perfectly:

From debut to Jul 2009 - Average 24 and strike rate of 95.
July 2009 to now - Average 42 and strike rate of 79.5.

No question he has become more consistent and deserves his spot in the team but he is meant to be our x-factor player and there is no reason why he can't be more aggressive and still be consistent. Andrew Symonds showed it was possible:

From debut to 25 Jan 2003 (Before WC knock) - Average 23.81 and strike rate of 96.21
11 Feb 2003 to last match - Average 45 and strike rate of 91.8

That there is perfect, slight drop in strike rate which is expected since he took more responsibility but only a slight one. We already have a Michael Clarke to play the anchor, knock it around role, we don't need another. White is in there as our big hitter and we shouldn't be wasting it by letting him play like Clarke as there are better players that could do that role.

 

[War]

Bracken has a good one day domestic season and who knows? The pitches will suit him well and if he gets back into form he will really balance out Australia's pace attack nicely by contrasting with Tait/Lee/Johnson.

He would give it a nice balance yea. But given that AUS are likely to take 4 quicks to the WC. I cant see him leapfrogging anyone of Tait/Bollinger/Johnsons/Harris.

Plus if Lee comes back strong in the 2010/11 FRC. He also will be ahead of Bracken in the pecking order. Overall i reckon the selectors have closed the door on his career deep down.

War added 6 Minutes and 44 Seconds later...

Clarke has shown his ability to score at a quick rate during the middle overs in the first and fourth ODI against England and I'd have him in my preferred team if he could somehow become less of a liability in the last 10 overs of an innings.

Yea, thats the only problem with him slightly. In a perfect scenario Clarke would score his runs(a 50) in the middle overs & get out in before the last 10 overs begins. Which usually has been the case since his game has changed since 2007.

Its just in this series when he has ended up batting in the last 10 overs. He isn't batting with a hitter like White, Hussey. His lacking big-hitting ability which makes him a joke T20 player gets exposed.

Its a minor flaw that i think we could tolerate from him. Since 90-95% its not going to cost Australia.