Group A - Australia, Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa

[Ponting_14]

The jerseys that the Australian team is wearing for the warm-up matches, is that the same jersey they will wear for the WC?

Yep, they will be wearing them for the WC.

 

[aussie1st]

So this is why Michael Clarke bowled so much during the tri-series. He must be our secret spin weapon. I remember reading about Dene Hills going to the West Indies to get a look at the kind of pitches we'd be playing on to help us plan for the WC and pick the right squad etc. And then we decided 4 quicks was the way to glory?

Well he got it wrong it seems as most of the pitches appear to be slow. The 4 quicks theory worked during the Champions trophy but it seems most of the quick men have lost form which puts that theory into strife.

 

[Ponting_14]

Ponting looks for best line-up

Ricky Ponting is prepared to experiment with his bowling line-up in the final World Cup warm-up match against England on Friday as he tries to discover his best combination. Australia were unable to dismiss Zimbabwe on a slow pitch in St Vincent, where they broke a five-match losing streak with a 106-run win, and the attack was the main problem during the batch of losses to England and New Zealand.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/284367.html


Symonds starts to throw

Australia's concern over Andrew Symonds continues to ease after he began throwing for the first time since tearing a biceps in Sydney last month. Symonds' mood-lifting week of activities started with hitting tennis balls and he got through another examination with some fielding drills while Australia beat Zimbabwe by 106 runs in St Vincent.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/284369.html

 

[smssia0112]

Well Clarke is a decent bowler when it turns, I'm sure we all remember that 6/9 against India on his first tour. And for those who don't, no that's not a typo. I'm sure Symonds will be our second spinner though when he's back, Hogg will play until Roy gets back I expect, and then if his form is good then we'll see. We can't afford to have Pup as our only spinner though.

 

[aussie1st]

Clarke is handy but don't know I wouldn't have faith in him to get a break through if we needed it. That's where Hogg should be coming in but he hasn't got a wicket in his last 5 matches.

 

[smssia0112]

Yes he hasn't, but One Day Cricket is a fickle game, you never when someone is going to bounce back, and he hasn't bowled badly, quite economical. But then, that's the reason he struggles to get an FC game for WA, he's not a wicket taker, he's a one day specialist, good at batting, economical bowling, and fielding. And he has a nice haircut.

 

[aussie1st]

Right now we need a wicket taker through the middle overs as with that the run rate will reduce anyway. It's all up to Hogg as I can't see the pacemen being to effective during the middle overs.

 

[genghis_khan]

Clarke has a dodgy back though doesn't he?

 

[aussie1st]

Yea that's why he doesn't bowl too much, probably also the reason why Hodge bowled so many overs. If he didn't have that back problem he could have developed into a batting all rounder.

 

[edgefan007]

Ideal Line-ups for the Caribbean :-

THE INVINCIBLES [Australia] :-
*Hayden
*Gilchrist (W.K) (V.C)
*Ponting (c)
*Michel Clarke
*Symonds
*Hussey
*Watson
*Hogg
*Tait
*Bracken
*McGrath
12th - Hodge

Others - Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Haddin.

THE WORLD CHAMPIONS [South Africa] :-
*AB De Villiers
*Graeme Smith (c)
*Kallis
*Gibbs
*Prince
*Boucher (V.C) (W.K)
*Justin Kemp
*Pollock
*Robin Peterson
*Nel
*Ntini
12th - Andrew Hall

Others - Langeveldt, Loots Bosman, Telemachus.

 

[aussie1st]

Not liking the Watson at 7 and wouldn't mind Hussey moving up to 4 now and Clarke over to 6.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Watson at 4.

Never knew the practice matches were televised on foxsports. Sweet!

 

[Ponting_14]

Never knew the practice matches were televised on foxsports. Sweet!

I said it was on live in the warm-up matches thread like 2 days ago, but they deleted my post for why I don't know

 

[Ponting_14]

Aussies put on a positive spin

AUSTRALIA is confident it has the brains-trust to help its spin bowlers, who yesterday held their own meeting to discuss World Cup tactics.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21349593-2882,00.html

Gilchrist a long way from declaring it over

ADAM Gilchrist has declared his hunger for cricket remains and he has no intention of leaving the one-day arena after the World Cup.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21349712-2882,00.html


Sunny loving Aussies' demise

INDIA great Sunil Gavaskar has launched an astonishing attack on Ricky Ponting and his teammates ahead of the World Cup, saying they were never popular winners.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21351682-23212,00.html

Lol ok I'm adding Gavaskar to the Australia bashing list

 

[aussie1st]

Watson opening the batting looks to be a good way to go again, again made runs at the top at a good SR.