What are the Aussies going to do with their side?
Katich and Hussey batted well in India, so they will stay.
Ponting batted decently and is captain.
Clarke was OK and is vice captain. Health could be an issue for him. See how he pulls up on Friday...
Hayden showed enough to keep his spot, especially with Jaques injured.
Watson?? Bowled well in patches and played that great innings of 78. He's got the potential and a fine technique, but he needs to show he can score consistently a la Andrew Symonds of a few years ago. It might come down to a "bat off" (sounds suss
) between them in the All star game on Friday night, the guy who shows the best form gets the first test gig against NZ. Symonds has scored virtually nothing all season and it would look slightly desperate if we put him straight back in, given his lack of form and off field issues. A quick 50 on Friday night though might be all he needs to push his case.
Haddin? Figures show he's still the best keeper batsman we've got. But some of his shots were awful and his keeping wasn't good either. I think he gets another shot against an easier opponent on the true bouncing Aussie pitches to get his confidence back. Otherwise who would it be? Ronchi? Tim Paine? Manou? I don't think any of those are playing well enough or are classy enough to be an obvious answer right now.
Krejza will stay. We need a spinner for the sake of the over rates (sorry to bring that up again fellow Aussie fans
) and to try and get one to 'stick' at the top level.
Then its 3 quicks. And I'd be really surprised if it isn't Lee, Johnson and Stuart Clark. Clark perhaps has a query on him. I personally think they should dismantle the attack after the Ashes next year, and start building some new guys for the future after that. The Ashes would be our last 'important' series for a while. But that's the kind of thinking that got Gillespie and Kasper carted around in England in 2005. Can the English do the same to the aging Lee and Clark next year??
Cameron White?? Goneskies. You can't play at #8 and not offer any significant bowling. He did a job in India, but only because we were in a tight spot and didn't trust Krejza. Now that we do trust him a little, White should be booted.
So the side as I predict:
1. S.Katich
2. M.Hayden
3. R.Ponting (c)
4. M.Hussey
5. M.Clarke (vc)
6. S.Watson/A.Symonds (being at the 'Gabba they might want Watson's extra pace)
7. B.Haddin (wk)
8. J.Krejza
9. B.Lee
10. M.Johnson
11. S.Clark
Tait, Bollinger, Siddle, Noffke are all candidates for the 12th man gig or Symonds/Watson too I guess.
