Group A - Australia, Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa

[Damo01]

If I'm not mistaken I thought Channel 9 was sub license with Fox Sport to show the cricket on free-to-air TV.

Apparently according to this TV Guide they are not showing it unless it is a mistake on the guide.

 

[aussie1st]

Take a read of this thread explains it all - http://www.planetcricket.org/forums/showthread.php?t=30050

Channel 9 are only showing the Super 8 stages onwards i.e no SA v Aus game.

 

[Damo01]

I see. It part of the contract deal with Fox. Damn it. I'll missed the group stages unless I manage to watch it on Fox.

 

[ZexyZahid]

I don't understand why Australia try Watson and Hayden at the top of the order and let Gilchrist play in the middle order. These first two players are in fine form. If I would have to choose an opening combination at the moment I would go for Watson and Gilchrist. A big benifit of Watson is that he can bowl too.

 

[aussie1st]

Gilly is best batting where he has most of his ODI career rather than change him in the WC. I wouldn't mind seeing Haddin bat at 7 with Watson taking over Hayden but more than likely Watson will be wasted down at 7 again.

 

[sifter132]

It would be nice to see Watson at the top, but unfortuneately for him, Hayden started playing well a couple of games before Watson was due to come back. Hayden struggled chasing England's poor total on Australia Day, then he started playing well - even pulling out some boundaries with the cut shot later in the series.

Just like Symonds got a Test berth due to Watson's injury, I don't think Hayden would be in the ODI side either if not for Watson's injury. It probably would have been Watson/Gilchrist opening throughout the tri series.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Yeah but opening with a guy who will most likely going to bowl 8-10 overs and then go out and bat whose been injury-prone throughout his career is only asking for trouble isn't it?
Hayden's a good opener. Been averaging 55 since the DLF cup last year in ODI's and Watson seems like a player who pushes the ball around and could be very valueable in the middle overs batting at number 4 in a Damien Martyn mold.

 

[angryangy]

On the other hand, it's interesting that Hayden's potential as a power hitter isn't ever discussed. He can get out early in his innings by playing expansive shots, but later on, there's not going to be a slips cordon or a silly mid off or anything, so he could get confidence up quite quickly. With that out of the way, there's no doubting he can hit over the top.

 

[aussie1st]

Well Hayden is definitely going to open so any other option is out of the question.
As for his big hitting, the 183 was the first time I've seen him hit it big in an ODI, usually hes out way before the 40 over mark and if hes still there he usually gets out trying to slog.

 

[genghis_khan]

Im not convinced that Hayden is a better option at the top than Watson. Particularly given Watson's impressive returns from opener. Hayden is a shadow of his former self and apart from that 183 he hasnt done anything. And as for Ponting saying Watson can handle no.7 because he's got big muscles what a load of bull. he can't handle 7. duh.

 

[irottev]

Well...Hayden scored 180 runs in his last game. I doubt Watson could ever do that in his career. Not many players do.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Well Hayden is definitely going to open so any other option is out of the question.
As for his big hitting, the 183 was the first time I've seen him hit it big in an ODI, usually hes out way before the 40 over mark and if hes still there he usually gets out trying to slog.

He has hit it big before. He hit Shoaib Akhtar bowling at 155kph out of a stadium once. Usually in Test Matches in the second innings, unless the match is in the balance he'll come out and tonk everything around. He plays his cricket smartly unlike Watson who tends to lose his wicket right after passing 50. Despite making only 7 ODI hundreds, his also made a fair few 90s and 80s to go with that.
And I don't know what you're getting at with the 40 over mark. No openers in the modern ODI game consistantly bat through til then.

 

[irottev]

The WI pitches are probably ones where you are better off playing someone like Hayden with all his experiance and who will start a bit more cautiously, then someone like Watson, who will probably get out early if theres something in the wicket.

 

[aussie1st]

Hayden plays his cricket smartly? Geez the number of times he has thrown away his wicket by playing a stupid shot is through the roof. You just have to see the C/H series when the series was still alive, he survives the hard spell from Bond only to get out soon after that.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Everyone plays stupid shots, it's a part of the nature of ODI cricket. It's probably the majority of the dismissals in ODI cricket.