OK Boys, instead of picking apart the selectors after they have announced the team I thought I would take the chance to get shouted down (or not) and name my 12 for Brisbane.
Note:
Katich is picked if his thumb is ok, if not Jaques comes in.
No specialist spinner on this deck for me, White can handle 10 - 15 overs a day if needed.
If Bollinger is unfit McKay comes in.
1. Katich
2. Hughes
3. Clarke
4. Khawaja
5. Ponting (C)
6. Watson
7. White
8. Haddin
9. Siddle
10. Hilfenhaus
11. Bollinger
12. Smith
Showing posts with label Bollinger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bollinger. Show all posts
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Friday, 13 November 2009
...but first, the news
interesting week in world cricket we've had.
Australia retain top ICC ODI pozzy, with the series win over India. If i was in doubt as to whether i was remiss in my writing about these games, the lack of comments from all tells me a contribution was not required.
That said, from the nothing i actually saw and the news reports/scores etc it appeared to have had a lot going on in a well fought contest.
Obviously the first point was the Australian attrition rate: while calls of 'too much cricket for the players' are bandied about, i take the other point- players WANT to opportunity to play, and earn.
It could be said that players will not self-enforce a rest for fear of losing their place, and while this argument has some substance, i can't see how an in-form player that needs to miss a game will not be re-included... then again, we are talking about CA selectors, so anything is possible!
Best of all was the new inclusions lifting and the team pulling together for the result, and credit where it is due, CA did the right thing by both giving new players a run, and bringing in some experienced but little used blokes. Big congrats to Doug the rug on his successful return, what a great way to get ahead of the pack for the upcoming summer.
As a post script on the series, does Daniel Brettig Baggygreen.com really believe that 50 over cricket has come "Roaring back"? I think not! http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=970572
Just because a player says it, doesn't mean people want to watch it! With many venues in India holding less than 50,000 people, a full house is not a massive achievement in a country with such a population and purports to be "cricket mad!"
Back. Back, and not going any where.
Good to see one of my favourite players -big Dan Vettori- back after a knock to the bonce by M. Aamer in a match against Pakistan brought on the release of several lawn tigers and a general feeling of poorliness! It must have been a bit of a wack as it hit the grill and concussed the match winning eastern islander!
Roy - i was just watching the rugby and somehow ended up drinking- Symonds is back to prop up the Bulls for the upcoming one day game against SA. Lefty, if he gets a bowl (he is in to replace paceman C.Swann) can i suggest getting down to the ground and attempting to handicap the wayward champ with the offer of a cold one or 20 from over the fence. That is poor of me given my previous supportive remarks of Symonds... sorry, but given he sees the rest of his career as a T20 player, if he gets a slog on or his gear going with the ball or in the field, the croweaters may need to do a Phar Lap and poison the strapping workhorse!
Punter has assured us (again!) that he is not entertaining the thought of retirement yet. This comes in the wake of Hilditch burying his tongue up the Taswegians blurter with the remark that Ponting going would leave a gulf as wide as that left by the retiring S.K.Warne! Without a doubt the apple islander is an incredible batsman and strangely enough not a terrible ODI captain, but in the wash up how did he change the game of cricket? He didn't! If anything, he has hindered his chance of being a greater batsman by digging in his talons to a captaincy
that as the 'best batsman' he received by default. When CA realize that being a great batsman is not the best credential for holding the position of captain, then we may see better cricketing brains running the show out in the field.
With this in mind i will give Ricky one compliment, at least holding the position hasn't had an major adverse effect on his batting, like many better captains before him; still, how much better could he have been without the chore he is not equipped for?
...as well as.
It looks like the Poms will get Ashes cricket back on free-to-air tv now that it is considered a "crown jewel". Up yours Murdoch!
...and some thoughts.
Watson has expressed an desire to stay at the top of the order, clearly he is effective there, but with Marsh a hard-nut specialist back and batting way down the list, and Ponting having moved himself out of #3 to open (who'd have thought he would budge from that spot?) do Australia need to re-evaluate the order a little? I propose keep Watson opening, Marsh at 3 and Ponting at 4.
Is Lee's latest break down the last at an international level? Hilditch appears set to pursue a bowling squad without the quick. http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvwi09/content/story/434176.html
Fidel Edwards from WI looks to have strained more than his injury prone body by playing truant on his remedial program designed to get him right for the Australian tour and playing Champion League cricket only to pick up a further injury. The action has forced WICB to withhold a contract for Edwards and now has me posing the question, will T20 competitions be filled with recalcitrant, retired and raw players only?
The 'Master Blaster' King Viv has given Gayle a verbal touch up about his attitude. As someone that is a HUUUGGGEE fan of Viv and struggling to cop Gayles anti test opinions i couldn't love this more! Not just content to tell Gayle to get his head right, Viv has even offered up an alternative for the captaincy during the Australian tour in the captain for Trinidad and Tobago. Smokin' Joe must still be a bit mad-for-it as his mans name is Ganga!
...and one i forgot, and a fresh one this morning.
What about the ICC proposal for a play-off test series every other year for the top of the ranking teams. i presume this is by way of an alternative to having a test world cup. The logic being that people from other countries (regions) will be more interested in the results of tests and series that their country is not involved in as everyone jockies for the top positions.
And as if Sachin wasn't already the greatest, he confirmed it overnight by taking a press conferance to talk about his 20th anniverary in the game at international level, and graciously let the 2 hour event go for 6 hours so he could answer all questions in many languages even if they were repeats from another language. This in itself is not great (generous, patient and articulate), what is great was the Master letting it be known his desire for more tests to be played, even pointing the finger at the goliath of the BCCI!
Go Sachin!
Australia retain top ICC ODI pozzy, with the series win over India. If i was in doubt as to whether i was remiss in my writing about these games, the lack of comments from all tells me a contribution was not required.
That said, from the nothing i actually saw and the news reports/scores etc it appeared to have had a lot going on in a well fought contest.
Obviously the first point was the Australian attrition rate: while calls of 'too much cricket for the players' are bandied about, i take the other point- players WANT to opportunity to play, and earn.
It could be said that players will not self-enforce a rest for fear of losing their place, and while this argument has some substance, i can't see how an in-form player that needs to miss a game will not be re-included... then again, we are talking about CA selectors, so anything is possible!
Best of all was the new inclusions lifting and the team pulling together for the result, and credit where it is due, CA did the right thing by both giving new players a run, and bringing in some experienced but little used blokes. Big congrats to Doug the rug on his successful return, what a great way to get ahead of the pack for the upcoming summer.
As a post script on the series, does Daniel Brettig Baggygreen.com really believe that 50 over cricket has come "Roaring back"? I think not! http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=970572
Just because a player says it, doesn't mean people want to watch it! With many venues in India holding less than 50,000 people, a full house is not a massive achievement in a country with such a population and purports to be "cricket mad!"
Back. Back, and not going any where.
Good to see one of my favourite players -big Dan Vettori- back after a knock to the bonce by M. Aamer in a match against Pakistan brought on the release of several lawn tigers and a general feeling of poorliness! It must have been a bit of a wack as it hit the grill and concussed the match winning eastern islander!
Roy - i was just watching the rugby and somehow ended up drinking- Symonds is back to prop up the Bulls for the upcoming one day game against SA. Lefty, if he gets a bowl (he is in to replace paceman C.Swann) can i suggest getting down to the ground and attempting to handicap the wayward champ with the offer of a cold one or 20 from over the fence. That is poor of me given my previous supportive remarks of Symonds... sorry, but given he sees the rest of his career as a T20 player, if he gets a slog on or his gear going with the ball or in the field, the croweaters may need to do a Phar Lap and poison the strapping workhorse!
Punter has assured us (again!) that he is not entertaining the thought of retirement yet. This comes in the wake of Hilditch burying his tongue up the Taswegians blurter with the remark that Ponting going would leave a gulf as wide as that left by the retiring S.K.Warne! Without a doubt the apple islander is an incredible batsman and strangely enough not a terrible ODI captain, but in the wash up how did he change the game of cricket? He didn't! If anything, he has hindered his chance of being a greater batsman by digging in his talons to a captaincy
that as the 'best batsman' he received by default. When CA realize that being a great batsman is not the best credential for holding the position of captain, then we may see better cricketing brains running the show out in the field.
With this in mind i will give Ricky one compliment, at least holding the position hasn't had an major adverse effect on his batting, like many better captains before him; still, how much better could he have been without the chore he is not equipped for?
...as well as.
It looks like the Poms will get Ashes cricket back on free-to-air tv now that it is considered a "crown jewel". Up yours Murdoch!
...and some thoughts.
Watson has expressed an desire to stay at the top of the order, clearly he is effective there, but with Marsh a hard-nut specialist back and batting way down the list, and Ponting having moved himself out of #3 to open (who'd have thought he would budge from that spot?) do Australia need to re-evaluate the order a little? I propose keep Watson opening, Marsh at 3 and Ponting at 4.
Is Lee's latest break down the last at an international level? Hilditch appears set to pursue a bowling squad without the quick. http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvwi09/content/story/434176.html
Fidel Edwards from WI looks to have strained more than his injury prone body by playing truant on his remedial program designed to get him right for the Australian tour and playing Champion League cricket only to pick up a further injury. The action has forced WICB to withhold a contract for Edwards and now has me posing the question, will T20 competitions be filled with recalcitrant, retired and raw players only?
The 'Master Blaster' King Viv has given Gayle a verbal touch up about his attitude. As someone that is a HUUUGGGEE fan of Viv and struggling to cop Gayles anti test opinions i couldn't love this more! Not just content to tell Gayle to get his head right, Viv has even offered up an alternative for the captaincy during the Australian tour in the captain for Trinidad and Tobago. Smokin' Joe must still be a bit mad-for-it as his mans name is Ganga!
...and one i forgot, and a fresh one this morning.
What about the ICC proposal for a play-off test series every other year for the top of the ranking teams. i presume this is by way of an alternative to having a test world cup. The logic being that people from other countries (regions) will be more interested in the results of tests and series that their country is not involved in as everyone jockies for the top positions.
And as if Sachin wasn't already the greatest, he confirmed it overnight by taking a press conferance to talk about his 20th anniverary in the game at international level, and graciously let the 2 hour event go for 6 hours so he could answer all questions in many languages even if they were repeats from another language. This in itself is not great (generous, patient and articulate), what is great was the Master letting it be known his desire for more tests to be played, even pointing the finger at the goliath of the BCCI!
Go Sachin!
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Lee? Clark? Either? Neither?
So if Brett and Stuart were fully fit and rearing to go would you pick them???
Highpathetical obviously....so in this case there are no injuries to Siddle, Johnson or any other Aussie bowler.
Clarke over Lee surely (I reckon Brett is done) and only to make sure Clark is match fit for the tour of Pomgolia.
Personally I dont think there should be any change and the next bowlers in line for a crack should come from:
Harwood (So many reasons, even cricket ones)
Bollinger (A Sub-Editors wet dream)
Bracken (Does he have the head for the 5 day game? methinks he does)
Davis (I know, I know another Left armer)
Any other young up and comer who lives fast, bowls fast, breathes fire, and aches to kill his first batsman with a piece of leather.
Any others?
It's time to let all the up and comers know that we have wiped the slate clean and the spots are there for the taking.
Unless your from NSW
Outside Sledge
downthewicket
Highpathetical obviously....so in this case there are no injuries to Siddle, Johnson or any other Aussie bowler.
Clarke over Lee surely (I reckon Brett is done) and only to make sure Clark is match fit for the tour of Pomgolia.
Personally I dont think there should be any change and the next bowlers in line for a crack should come from:
Harwood (So many reasons, even cricket ones)
Bollinger (A Sub-Editors wet dream)
Bracken (Does he have the head for the 5 day game? methinks he does)
Davis (I know, I know another Left armer)
Any other young up and comer who lives fast, bowls fast, breathes fire, and aches to kill his first batsman with a piece of leather.
Any others?
It's time to let all the up and comers know that we have wiped the slate clean and the spots are there for the taking.
Unless your from NSW
Outside Sledge
downthewicket
Friday, 2 January 2009
Trials, not tribulations!
Here we go...
It's not do or die; that's done and dusted!
This is about pride; about avoiding the whitewash; about starting off the new year with self respect.
Last SCG test is still a sour tasting memory for many; I'll take the win, but it was pretty grotty!
With no series on the line and a few fresh faces, we really have nothing to lose.
So the questions are:
Apart from the obvious inclusion, have the selectors got it right in the replacements for the injured? Sure there maybe players that might have been better picks, but is this a good start?
Does this test really mean anything to you/the rest of the Australian cricketing public/ the world opinion of Australia's cricketing position, now that the series is decided?
Will Hayden get dropped if he scores around or under his 22.35 average (since returning from India)?
What about Bollinger over Hilfenhaus? I know if i was a new fast bowler that can swing old and new balls, i'd be looking to extract some revenge for my nation! Not that the SA bowlers bowled in a fashion unsportsmanlike. Johnson spoke of "chin music" at the start of the series, but no one has got the short ones up underneath enough to be threatening (Siddle did get a beauty into Amla hands last match- not that that put him off too much!).
What about McDonald? Can another Vic add something or does it just reek of Victorian nepotism at the selection level?
Will there be any pressure on Ponting should we lose by an Innings?
As an Aussie cricket fan, this will certainly be an interesting dead rubber. And fodder for this site should it all go very ugly!
new poll below
stoph verismo
downthewicket
It's not do or die; that's done and dusted!
This is about pride; about avoiding the whitewash; about starting off the new year with self respect.
Last SCG test is still a sour tasting memory for many; I'll take the win, but it was pretty grotty!
With no series on the line and a few fresh faces, we really have nothing to lose.
So the questions are:
Apart from the obvious inclusion, have the selectors got it right in the replacements for the injured? Sure there maybe players that might have been better picks, but is this a good start?
Does this test really mean anything to you/the rest of the Australian cricketing public/ the world opinion of Australia's cricketing position, now that the series is decided?
Will Hayden get dropped if he scores around or under his 22.35 average (since returning from India)?
What about Bollinger over Hilfenhaus? I know if i was a new fast bowler that can swing old and new balls, i'd be looking to extract some revenge for my nation! Not that the SA bowlers bowled in a fashion unsportsmanlike. Johnson spoke of "chin music" at the start of the series, but no one has got the short ones up underneath enough to be threatening (Siddle did get a beauty into Amla hands last match- not that that put him off too much!).
What about McDonald? Can another Vic add something or does it just reek of Victorian nepotism at the selection level?
Will there be any pressure on Ponting should we lose by an Innings?
As an Aussie cricket fan, this will certainly be an interesting dead rubber. And fodder for this site should it all go very ugly!
new poll below
stoph verismo
downthewicket
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