Group A - Australia, Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa

[aussie1st]

Well they could have problems against Tait consistently over 150km/h as well then. If Johnson can get movement over in WI he will be a handful as his pace is about right but if not the pace will just aid the batters.

 

[aussie_ben91]

I've never really seen Johnson move the ball around though.
McGrath's lost it aswell, his last couple of games his proven to be past his prime and is holding out for the WC. Bracken is bowling decently but not as effectively, we need another good pace bowler in the lineup, Clark or Johnson doesn't fill the bill and that's where we need Gillespie.

 

[siddharth2002]

Oh please, no Gillespie.

 

[aussie1st]

He moved some slightly last game, the ball came back into the batsmen slightly in the first over but was probably seam or a cutter. It's the swing which I'm still waiting for, people were saying he could swing it both ways, he lucky to swing it at all.

Bracken should be fine in WI, his cutters will be a real handful. Speaking of that we didn't see much of that in the C/H series.

 

[siddharth2002]

Bracken will be alright, he is smart and experienced bowler, others will need to step up a bit. I think Aussies will need Brett Lee definitely to start with, he makes a lot of difference.

 

[aussie1st]

Hes alright as long as he stays calm, once someone attacks him he seems to bowl too many bouncers. Also if he can get outswing early he will be a real asset. Of course all this means nothing if we can go well through the middle stages, that has been a weak point for us of late even after having teams 3/4 for not much at all only to let them get set and attacking us through the middle stages.

 

[smssia0112]

I've never really seen Johnson move the ball around though.
McGrath's lost it aswell, his last couple of games his proven to be past his prime and is holding out for the WC. Bracken is bowling decently but not as effectively, we need another good pace bowler in the lineup, Clark or Johnson doesn't fill the bill and that's where we need Gillespie.

Ben, McGrath was the only bowler who conceded less than 5 an over in the Chappell Hadlee Series, he has not lost it, he may not be as good as he was, but definitely not lost it.

Yea I know one can dream Obviously the selectors will be going for Clark given he just missed out.



Well his Test form makes up for it at least Can't believe they would have so much faith in his ODI bowling as it's never been that great.

He's too predictable, just like Hoggard, he doesn't enough variation up his sleeve, he likes to just be economical but he will never have the armory that McGrath once had, he needs to work on his other balls if he wants to be economical in ODI cricket.

 

[genghis_khan]

Hes alright as long as he stays calm, once someone attacks him he seems to bowl too many bouncers. Also if he can get outswing early he will be a real asset. Of course all this means nothing if we can go well through the middle stages, that has been a weak point for us of late even after having teams 3/4 for not much at all only to let them get set and attacking us through the middle stages.

Yeh Lee is pretty immature in that situation. He gets spanked for a few boundaries and then he gets all upset and steams in like a man possessed. Bowling furious long-hops and half volleys, thats one thing i hate about Lee in ODIs.

 

[sohum]

Well they could have problems against Tait consistently over 150km/h as well then. If Johnson can get movement over in WI he will be a handful as his pace is about right but if not the pace will just aid the batters.

I think they would have more trouble with a moderately fast left-armer than a really fast right armer. No one recalls Brett Lee's 200 in a test match a few years back? Or Shoaib's mauling at the hands of Tendulkar?

India's weakness is not facing fast bowling, it is facing the ball that moves just slightly and the ball that kicks up off a good length.

 

[aussie1st]

He's too predictable, just like Hoggard, he doesn't enough variation up his sleeve, he likes to just be economical but he will never have the armory that McGrath once had, he needs to work on his other balls if he wants to be economical in ODI cricket.

Didn't he have cutters and slower balls during the 3rd Ashes test? For me hes got the variation I've just never seem him use it in the ODI arena.

I think they would have more trouble with a moderately fast left-armer than a really fast right armer. No one recalls Brett Lee's 200 in a test match a few years back? Or Shoaib's mauling at the hands of Tendulkar?

India's weakness is not facing fast bowling, it is facing the ball that moves just slightly and the ball that kicks up off a good length.

True, Lee did move the ball in that 200 just the other bowlers didn't support him. Bracken would be the best of our left armers.

 

[sifter132]

What's this replace him, replace that, the squad has already been announced and once someone gets replaced say Gilly under special permission from ICC, he can't come back again to play no matter how fit he is.

Yeah I realise that, but given that we might only have 11 fit and available players for our first match, I think we should be seriously considering replacing a couple of the players who are under a cloud. My thought was that Gilchrist would be the least crucial player of the 4 that mightn't be there for the Scotland game.

What started as, "oh we can carry Symonds through the first round even though he won't play", has now turned into "can we carry Symonds, Lee, Gilchrist and maybe Hayden through the first round if they can't play?" I just don't like the sound of that...

The thing I agreed with about your point is that any replacing of players doesn't have to happen straight away. But I think it would be an advantage to have any potential substitutes in the squad sooner rather than later.

 

[BigCrickNan]

Didn't he have cutters and slower balls during the 3rd Ashes test? For me hes got the variation I've just never seem him use it in the ODI arena.

Hoggard does now possess most variations which he as you said displayed in the Ashes when he took 7-fer at Adelaide. His problem in the ODI arena is that his stock ball is the outswinger which is meat and drink for the top quality openers in the one day game.

 

[brad352]

Lee out

Clark in, go Team Useless

 

[surendar]

Lee out

Clark in, go Team Useless

Thats a very big blow for Aussies. This time, Aussies do have a very very less chance to win the WCup.. In my opinion, even less than India!

Kiwis > S.Africa > W.Indies > India > England > Australia > Pakistan > Lanka

This is my probability

 

[aussie1st]

No surprise but now we only have one strike bowler in the whole squad. Bracken needs to regain his Champions trophy form and Hogg needs to take wickets through those middle overs for us to have a chance.