New Ashes Squad

Ok, my first blog was backing some older players that were out of form. Mike Hussey answered. Thank you so much Mr Cricket. You are the one. I also backed some newer players or ones that had been out of the side for a while. Haddin (if I didn't mention him, i should have, Paine was giving him something to think about. My boy Pete Siddle answered the call in the first test. That hat trick will be a memory he'll take to the grave. I was listening on the radio on the way back home from Melbourne. I'm sure the people in the next cars were as excited as I was, even though they were the ones staring at me! But since, gone missing. Harris tried hard, and was apparently picked under the 'horses for courses selection policy'.

But time is time now! This is it! No point throwing those 'we didn't execute the game plan' or 'we were just outplayed but had our moments' NO! the time for excuses is up! I'm not used to seeing us lose like this. The last time we lost an Ashes series at home was the year I was born! I know that everybody needs the time to re-build, and we (as we hear 100 times a day) don't have Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, Langer, Hayden, Martyn, Lee, Gillespie. Time to blood the younger players. Or at least pick some in form players for the national team. I'd rather see us pick some younger guys, or the older guys who have been around for a while and proved themselves, in one format or another, lose this series, but be better for it, and then win them back next time. This is exactly what England did in 2005 and again in 2009. Even their 5-0 whitewash here last time had players Strauss, Cook, Bell, Collingwood, Pietersen & Jim Anderson. These players are the core group now. This is what I would be doing for the 3rd test in Perth in 7 days.

Openers are basically going to pick themselves Watson & Hughes. I, unfortunately think Katich's international career is over. Which is a shame, as he's the likable guy in the team at the moment.
Ponting will bat at 3, however I'd almost bat him at 5 now. a-la Steve Waugh. Captain comes in if there's a crisis or punishes, if we ever again, get to a point of 3/300+
I'd have Clarke at 3, but he will, ofcourse bat at 4. Ok, at 5, it's either Dave Hussey, Cam White, Usman Khawaja or Callum Ferguson. Personally and a little bias, I'd have White in the team. Loves playing against England and has form. Made a ton against them in Hobart warm up game.
I'd bat M.Hussey at 6. Gives us strength if, which lets be honest, could very well happen, if Punter, Clarke, White all go cheaply.

Haddin picks himself at 7. Along with Watson & Mr Cricket basically the only 3 that are walk up starts at the moment, yeah thats right, including Clarke and Ponting.
Number 8 is the other tough one. Do you look straight to the future and pick Steve Smith who just took 4 wickets against SA, and who will end up batting in the top 6 one day. Or go for Hauritz, who ironically, is sitting on a ton himself in that same game, and just took 5-for against WA at the WACA.
Please bring Mitch Johnson back for this game. It's a must. We lacked fire power badly in Adelaide. Plus (although stats don't recognise it making 6 ducks in his last 12 inns) he really can bat. You don't make a ninety-odd and a ton against Sth Africa, over there, with Ntini & Steyn in the attack, if you can't hold a stick. The other two fast bowling spots are the keys. Do you go for Bollinger, the other left armer way down on form or match fitness in Adelaide. Do you leave Harris in the side, who at 31 is almost the spring chicken. Pace and accuracy to burn. Siddle who was the first inns hero in Brisbane but nothing since, or Hilfenhaus, the robin of the attack. Always the side kick but never the headline act.
This is how I'd pick the side but it'll never happen.
Watson
Hughes
Clarke
White
Ponting
M.Hussey
Haddin
S.Smith
Johnson
Harris
Siddle

Until next time......

Ashes squad

Ok time to compare what the squad for the first couple of Ashes tests will look like & what they should look like!

Should or my opinion squad look like this:
If they pick 16 players:
Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
M.Hussey
Khawaja
D.Hussey
North
Haddin
S.Smith
Doherty
M.Johnson
Siddle
Harris
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

Notes:
5 fast bowlers to pick from. 2 uncapped batsmen (Khawaja & D.Hussey) 1 uncapped spinner (Doherty) no Hauritz. Hasn't done enough lately in my opinion to deserve a spot. Smith in the squad & should play as number 8 batsman!
North & M.Hussey still deserve their spot however if they fail in first 2 tests it's bye bye boys!

What the squad will most likely be:
Katich
Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
M.Hussey
Khawaja
North
Haddin
S.Smith
Hauritz
Johnson
Siddle
Harris
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

Typical squad. Still form players there. Cover for Katich with Hughes there although not really needed made 94 in club cricket on the weekend & from all reports looked comfortable. Khawaja will get into the squad but for experience, unless Clarke's back doesn't come good. Hauritz will play you'd think unless they go for a 4 man pace attack. The fast bowlers pick themselves in the squad.

Announcement is only 20 minutes away!!

Ok just a quick one:
I don't care what the state opposition says about the "tax payer" basically funding Tiger's appearance fees! He attracts over 100,000 people to Melbourne. The amount of $$ in tourism alone would cover his appearance fee! If anything JB Were should almost foot the bill. Who are they? Apparently a stock broker company in Melbourne.
As long as we, as Victorians, see some form of kickback, even if it goes back into grass roots golf, if there is such a thing, to help discover the next home grown hero like Robert Allenby! Golf in Australia has shown some sort of revival in the last 3 years, and considering the Presidents Cup will be in Melbourne this time next year, let's use this event to promote the hell out of that event. THEN start to get local golf heroes back to the top of the tree!!

aussie cricket guns under fire....really?

ok i know this one has been done to death........
but i think the australian cricket selectors know exactly what they are doing. not introducing any fresh players on the recent tour of india, and their seeming lack of want to "throw" new players in there just before an ashes series.
they know that they have the talent in the sheds if they need to revert to a callum ferguson, usman khawaja, cameron white or phillip hughes. they know they have a battery of pace bowlers should mitchell johnson or ben hilfenhaus fail to fire in the first couple of tests. last weeks one dayer against sri lanka proved that. even though it was a dead rubber it announced the internatioal arrival of young new south welshmen mitch starc and proved what we victorians already knew, that clint mckay, when given the opportunity can mix it with the big kids of world cricket. mahela jayawardene and kumar sangakkara dont fall for a duck each, in the same innings, well ever!
should michael hussey or marcus north fail in brisbane, adelaide and/or perth, we have the back up required. might it be too late, well time will tell, but these class players have dominated domestic and international cricket for a long long time. north's domestic form since coming home from india (where he made a centurty in the last test) and mr crickets one day form has basically given the selectors no choice but to pick them. and i cant believe we are talking about mitch johnson being under fire, considering he was the world test player of the year not too long ago.
these players have credits in the bank and until the ashes has been won or lost, lets give these blokes, stars of our great game, some breating space. and...well..if that fails, then just pick Victoria to represent the country, instead of basically the NSW state squad, with a couple of ring-ins thrown in!