Pakistan Tour of Australia 2009/10

[TumTum]

Shane Watson > Shaun Tait even though he bowls 20ks slower than him.

A lot of :laugh with :rtfl and a little bit of

 

[Gurjot95]

Pakistan can't even win the game where they are best at

 

[khalek]

A lot of :laugh with :rtfl and a little bit of

Watson averages 32 in tests and Shaun Tait 60. Watson has a better economy rate than Tait in ODIs.

And Watson is not as hopeless as Tait to retire from FC cricket at the age of 26 :laugh

 

[Robelinda]

Shane Watson has been a good death bowler all his career. He won a cracking game at Hobart in 2002 with his tremendous last over, or has no-one been watching cricket that long here??? Ponting had faith back then, and now so does Clarke.

 

[Dare]

Shane Watson has been a good death bowler all his career. He won a cracking game at Hobart in 2002 with his tremendous last over, or has no-one been watching cricket that long here??? Ponting had faith back then, and now so does Clarke.

People on these forums call for heads to be chopped off based on one performance, it is a common thing. A players does well in 10 matches and has that one really bad game or something and people say he should never play cricket.

 

[drainpipe32]

Shane Watson has been a good death bowler all his career. He won a cracking game at Hobart in 2002 with his tremendous last over, or has no-one been watching cricket that long here??? Ponting had faith back then, and now so does Clarke.

Someone remembers. He's had three-four great 50th overs in the last 2-3 years.

That's pretty exceptional, to win a game with your bowling in the last over multiple times.

 

[irottev]

Hope Tait keeps trying to bowl 160kms. Would love him to get injured before Aus tour NZ. We don't need to lose any more batsmen to injury. A few broken toes/fingers is on the cards.

 

[sifter132]

Tait is a weapon, if by the world cup Steve Smith gets into the ODI side which he should then having that extra bowler and Watson will allow Tait to be used in short spells and be rather deadly.

I agree. I can see a team that plays both Smith and Hauritz. And plays Johnson, Tait and either Lee/Bracken/Harris/Bollinger/Hilfy as your other new ball bowler. With Watson you have a 4th seamer, plus the 2 spin options and that gives you the flexibility to let Tait bowl only 4 overs if he's crap, or all 10 if he's on song.

Watson
Marsh/Haddin
Ponting
Clarke
White/Hussey
Haddin/Hussey
Smith
Johnson
Hauritz
Lee/Bracken/Harris/Bollinger/Hilfy
Tait

It would mean either Hussey or more likely Marsh can't play, but I think a 2nd spinner will be useful in India and I don't think Clarke will be able to cut it.

 

[drainpipe32]

Undecided on the third quick much?

IMO, our lower order batting is a bit weak with five bowlers. If everyone is fit, I'd go with this:
Watson
Marsh
Ponting
White
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
Lee
Hauritz/Smith
Siddle

I'd be trying to phase Smith into that team permanently, but not instantly. Give him a few games here and there, and then eventually start playing him more often than not. The quicks are really hard to decide, so a horses for courses policy is probably best. Johnson would be the only permanent fixture, and then go with Harris/Hilfy on swinging surfaces, and Siddle/Bolinger on flat ones. Plus you've got Lee, etc.

Batting wise, if Marsh under performs, I'd bring in Ferguson, and promote Clarke or Haddin to open.

 

[stereotype]

Smith is almost a genuine allrounder a la James Hopes style so I don't see too much of a liability playing him in the top 7 especially when Johnson and Hauritz are more than handy with the bat, Hauritz averages mid 30s in odis.

 

[drainpipe32]

But I wouldn't be making too many changes to the side right now, anyway.

Looking for Phillip Hughes to make his debut in the next 12 months.

 

[Howsie]

Really? He has a career average of 34 and a strike-rate of 71.

 

[drainpipe32]

Stats can be deceiving. At any rate, if he's good enough to be on the brink of the test team, surely giving him a go in ODIs can't hurt? Some international exposure?

 

[sifter132]

Smith is almost a genuine allrounder a la James Hopes style so I don't see too much of a liability playing him in the top 7 especially when Johnson and Hauritz are more than handy with the bat, Hauritz averages mid 30s in odis.

Yep I have Smith as a #7 too. I can't see there being too much weakness, especially as you say - if you have 3 very respectable players below like Johnson, Lee and Hauritz And anyway, the whole reason I'm playing the extra bowler is so I can play Tait who is probably too inconsistent to rely on 10 overs every time. If there's no Tait, I think our current team is balanced well enough.

The other option is to get Bracken back. He could almost play the 2nd spinner role. It's something to think about because I'd like to see us have more options to exploit the Asian conditions for the World Cup than Hauritz and Clarke. I don't think that's quite enough spin/slow bowling firepower personally.

Undecided on the third quick much?

Well I'm just trying to not aggravate opinions To me Brett Lee is a lock if he's fit and ready. And I don't really rate Hilfy as a great ODI option at present, but I listed him because some people like him for ODIs.

 

[aussie1st]

Need to get some highlights after getting finally getting the score of the T20. Had a feeling Pakistan might collapse even after I saw our total.

As for the side don't mind the one sifter132 posted although put Bollinger/Harris in for Tait and Hussey definitely shouldn't be bracketed as hes pretty much a lock in for our ODI side.