Commonwealth Bank Series

[valvolux]

It was hilarious on fox sports news the other night when Watson's missus Lee Furlong was interviewing someone about the likely makeup of the ODI team (can't remember who it was, it was over the phone) - the bloke basically said that Watson no longer warrants a place in the side. The look on her face was priceless.

 

[sifter132]

Yeah that would have been classic. Watson could easily find himself out of the best starting XI, but I can't see him missing the WC squad. Punter reckons he's "crucial" according to this little piece:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21044103-23212,00.html

It also says that Michael Clarke will be batting at #4 with Hussey at #6 and that Hogg, Lee and Hilfenhaus probably won't be playing tomorrow.

Which leaves the team for tomorrow as:

1. Adam Gilchrist (wk)
2. Matty Hayden
3. Ricky Ponting (c)
4. Michael Clarke
5. Andrew Symonds
6. Mike Hussey
7. Cameron White
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Nathan Bracken
10. Stuart Clark
11. Glenn McGrath

Any word on the England side yet?
For what it's worth (I haven't seen much of some players in the squad eg. Plunkett, so I can only go on limited vision), I'd play this team with Flintoff floating up the order in the right situation:
1. Andrew Strauss
2. Michael Vaughan (c)
3. Ed Joyce/Sherminator
4. Kevin Pietersen
5. Paul Collingwood, MBE (sorry can't resist)
6. Andrew Flintoff
7. Jamie Dalrymple
8. Paul Nixon (wk)
9. Chris Tremlett
10. Monty Panesar
11. James Anderson

Less than 19 hours to go...who's pumped?

 

[mattfb]

Thats actually a pretty good Aussie squad despite some good names missing and the England team isn't that bad either!

 

[cricketmad09]

Any thoughts on who could be the Jimmy Maher for this campaign? Jimmy Maher played one game as a keeper in the 2002/03 series so he could be the reserve batter/emergency keeper for the World Cup. Would Hussey be the emergency keeper? If so, they should give him a game with the gloves to get him in shape if he is needed.

Has been as slow as George Bush this FR Cup series. Better off having Haddin, because at the moment, he is a much better batsman.

 

[m_vaughan]

Vaughan is the most overrated captain on this forum. And I'm going to leave it at that.

Leave it at your own risk then. The last time you did it you ended up losing the Ashes.

Although I do agree that he is an overrated batsman but his tactics as captain can only be matched by Stephen Fleming from the current crop.

 

[IloveGilly]

Looks like Clarke will have to take that important #4 and let Hussey continue to work with the lower order.

I could agree that Hilfenhaus is out but certainly not Hogg...especially for Johnson! Hope England really do attack Johnson and White.

Looking forward to seeing Tremlett bowl

 

[aussie1st]

Poor Hogg he is really treated badly by the selectors and that doesn't look like changing as the selectors want the 5 quicks to defend the WC.

 

[aussie_ben91]

I think Johnson's fine. His bowling efforts have been formittable as of late and unless he has a poor series then he'll be selected for the World Cup.

It'll be interesting to see how Clark goes in a ODI.

 

[mattfb]

I think Johnson's fine. His bowling efforts have been formittable as of late and unless he has a poor series then he'll be selected for the World Cup.

It'll be interesting to see how Clark goes in a ODI.

Clark is a legend in ODI, he played in the champions trophey

Anyway here we go! Bring it on!

 

[aussie_ben91]

No he isn't, his record in ODI is crap compared to his Test Record & he didn't play in the Champs Trophy due to injury.

I wanted Australia to bat first

 

[mattfb]

I have seen him in ODI cricket somewhere and he was bowling good, i could be thinking of Bracken as he his one of the best ODI bowlers

 

[Brett_Lee]

Poor Hogg he is really treated badly by the selectors and that doesn't look like changing as the selectors want the 5 quicks to defend the WC.

Why dont they give him a go at test cricket as a spinner because he does play in the Pura Cup?

 

[mattfb]

Big gamble in 2 ways, obviously is more or less a better OD player i think and 2 if he does do good hes gonna retire soon so it will be annoying if he does good and we cant have him again

 

[IloveGilly]

Hogg isn't the type of bowler you want in test, he doesn't take a lot of wickets compared to ODI and he's quite old now.

 

[mattfb]

I agree with you, he is quite old and seems to be suited to the ODI
anyway steady start for England going at about 4 an over after the first 3 overs, Bracken not getting any swing so far