Australia tour of England June-August 2012

[aussie1st]

Australia A

Fri Jul 27 - Sun Jul 29
Derbyshire v Australia A
County Ground, Derby

Wed Aug 1 - Fri Aug 3
Durham v Australia A
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street

Tue Aug 7 - Fri Aug 10
1st unofficial Test - England Lions v Australia A
Old Trafford, Manchester

Tue Aug 14 - Fri Aug 17
2nd unofficial Test - England Lions v Australia A
Edgbaston, Birmingham

Australia

Sat Jun 23
Only ODI - Ireland vs Australia
Civil Service Cricket Club Stormont, Belfast

Fri Jun 29
1st ODI - England vs Australia
Lords, London

Sun Jul 1
2nd ODI - England vs Australia
Kennington Oval, London

Wed Jul 4
3rd ODI - England vs Australia
Edgbaston, Birmingham

Sat Jul 7
4th ODI - England vs Australia
Riverside Ground, Chester le Street

Tue Jul 10
5th ODI - England vs Australia
Old Trafford, Manchester

Australia

Michael Clarke (c), Shane Watson (vc), George Bailey, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

Australia A

Ed Cowan (c), Peter Forrest (vc), George Bailey, Jackson Bird, Joe Burns, Tom Cooper, Patrick Cummins, Ben Cutting, Liam Davis, Jon Holland, Mitchell Johnson, Michael Klinger, Nathan Lyon, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.

 

[Sedition]

Good to see Bird getting some recognition and Smith's IPL performances haven't gone unnoticed. Johnson hasn't been forgotten about either, looking forward to his comeback.

 

[cricketmad09]

Don't agree with the selection of Smith. We don't need his bowling as we already have Watson and Hussey as 5/6th bowlers. And it's not as though English wickets are raging turners either. So that means that he's effectively in the team as a pure batsman. Considering he has a batting average of 33 and has never scored a century I fail to see how he can be considered one of our best 7-8 batsmen.

Although there isn't a lot else, I would still rather see someone like Quiney, Cooper, Christian, Ferguson or Voges in the squad. The latter two have ODI averages in the 40's. Smith's is a whopping 22.

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Don't mind the A squad however. Would still have Quiney in for Smith. Alternatively drop one of the bowlers (shouldn't need 8) for Quiney.

 

[sifter132]

I'm in 2 minds about Smith...if he was talented enough to play before, then why ignore him now, when he's actually playing well?? But yeah that #7 slot in the ODI team has turned into a bit of a problem - but it's a good problem I guess because we could put any fool in there and it won't affect team balance. Who plays there? Don't really need an AR as you say because of Watson and D.Hussey.

Christian was OK last summer, but sometimes you could see he was getting thrown the ball not becaues he was needed, but just because 'oh hey Christian's an AR too, better give him a few overs...' Playing a specialist batsman at #7 is always tough on that player. Plus I think it creates bad habits for the top 6 batsmen when you play with a long batting lineup. My choice would be to put Wade down there. He's had a good start in ODIs, but surely he's still only the 7th best batsman in the team - and he's got the shots/mindset to finish an innings, while Watson and Clarke are more than capable of moving up a spot. So: 1) Warner, 2) Watson, 3) Clarke, 4-6) 2 Husseys + Bailey 7) Wade.

Dark horse for the #7 though...Mitch Johnson. I wonder if the selectors are thinking of it, because they've picked SIX fast bowlers in that 15 man squad. Gonna be hard to fit them all in if only 3 of them play every match. Plus, when you have 6 months off because of a foot injury, I would imagine that about the only thing you can work on is batting, so I'm hoping Mitch has been working hard on it. He's got the talent to bat there, particularly in something like T20 where the #7 batsman shouldn't be overworked.

 

[War]

Dark horse for the #7 though...Mitch Johnson. I wonder if the selectors are thinking of it, because they've picked SIX fast bowlers in that 15 man squad. Gonna be hard to fit them all in if only 3 of them play every match. Plus, when you have 6 months off because of a foot injury, I would imagine that about the only thing you can work on is batting, so I'm hoping Mitch has been working hard on it. He's got the talent to bat there, particularly in something like T20 where the #7 batsman shouldn't be overworked.

Ye thats a fair point. Mitch certainly has always had the ability to be a #7 in all formats. But too many times in the past he stupidly got himself out playing across the line unnecessarily.

Given the work McDermott has done in recent times in rejuvenating Hilfy and Sidvicious its exciting to think what he could do with Johnson as well.

I wonder also if selection for these ODI teams for AUS, is done with the Champions trophy next year in mind. Since i think someone like Mitchell Marsh once fit should be in all ODI & T20 squads.

Once Smith keeps his good IPL form up, i think he will definitely go to the T20 world cup - since his bowling will be useful on those slow Sri Lankan pitches.

The form of Cam White also is very encouraging. Another must pick for the T20 world cup, once he maintains his form. My only consistent worry is that i fear even if Bailey struggles in the remaining T20s AUS have left - that the selectors won't drop him from their world cup plans.

Best AUS ODI Team once all are fit:

Warner
Watson
Clarke
M Hussey
D Hussey
M Marsh
Wade
Christian
Lee
Doherty
Bollinger

Bailey, White/S Marsh, Johnson/Harris, Cummins/Pattinson

AUS T20 World Cup squad:

Warner
Watson (c)
M Hussey
White
D Hussey
Wade
M Marsh
Christian
Lee
Hogg
Doherty

Finch/Marsh/Birt
Smith
Cummins/Harris/Pattison/Tait
Johnson/Bollinger/Nannes

Very strong squad this, with a lot a great options to choose from.

 

[cricketmad09]

McDermott has just stood down as bowling coach, so there goes your plans for Mitch.

Regarding his batting, I wouldn't be having him at no. 7. Just like his bowling he's far too inconsistent. He's a 1 in 10 innings player. He'll make a half decent score and then fail the next 9 times. He's too unreliable to be batting that high.
He's a good no. 8, but he's a ---- no. 7.

 

[angryangy]

they're not going to try and squeeze 6 bowlers into a side, they're just aware that they've got guys coming off injury that they want to see in the squad. cummins might be treated the same as starc, who went to the caribbean mostly to train and lucked into playing a test

 

[midgetwars]

McDermott left. Just when the Ashes were looking good...

 

[aussie1st]

Still skeptical on Smith's hitting ability but what he has shown in the IPL is promising. White could have been picked on the same form though. Either way will be interesting seeing how both perform in the 50 over format.

Klinger is an interesting one, thought Quiney could have got his spot.

 

[angryangy]

I guess at the end of the day Klinger has had about twice as many good seasons in his career.

 

[sifter132]

Still skeptical on Smith's hitting ability but what he has shown in the IPL is promising. White could have been picked on the same form though. Either way will be interesting seeing how both perform in the 50 over format.

Klinger is an interesting one, thought Quiney could have got his spot.

Yah thought about White for #7 straight after I posted haha Probably worth another shot - it's nice seeing him hit the middle. I don't think I'd seen a convincing shot from him since about mid 2010

Quiney has better recent form, but Klinger's a guy that got in the Aussie U19 side back in the day for example, I think he's just seen as the greater talent. Don't know if right hand/left hand came into it, but at the moment Clarke and Watson are the only right handers we've got (oh and Ponting, but he wont last too much longer...) Swann will be salivating.

 

[aussie1st]

If anything it could be technique and temperament. The side they have picked has a number of guys that have shown the ability to bat for long periods like Davis, Cowan and Klinger is another.

 

[sifter132]

Probably a message to the young kids like Hughes, Usman, Ferguson etc. saying that crease occupation is a valued skill. If you can't score, at least don't get out. I like that An Aussie team with Warner, Watson, Ponting, Clarke, Wade/Haddin is pretty short on patience from my point of view.

The other less encouraging viewpoint would be that the selectors didn't have a choice The only guys making runs in the Shield have been grinders.

 

[dajesmac]

Don't agree with the selection of Smith. We don't need his bowling as we already have Watson and Hussey as 5/6th bowlers. And it's not as though English wickets are raging turners either. So that means that he's effectively in the team as a pure batsman. Considering he has a batting average of 33 and has never scored a century I fail to see how he can be considered one of our best 7-8 batsmen.

Although there isn't a lot else, I would still rather see someone like Quiney, Cooper, Christian, Ferguson or Voges in the squad. The latter two have ODI averages in the 40's. Smith's is a whopping 22.

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Don't mind the A squad however. Would still have Quiney in for Smith. Alternatively drop one of the bowlers (shouldn't need 8) for Quiney.

Bit harsh on Smith - he began his international career at what, 20? In the last 2 years his scope for development would be much higher than say, the 30ish year old Johnson (just an example). A batting average of 22 is not a fair indication.

I agree however that he should be selected as a pure batsman. His hitting in the IPL has been outstanding (although I wonder if in the near future he finds it difficult to pace an innings in the longer formats). His bowling leaves a lot to be desired. I literally prefer the legspin of David Warner.

 

[Anish.]

I think he nedds to play domestic cricket more get experience He got noticed in ipl maybe but not for his bowling but for his batting i think there is already so many batsmen so there is no point playing him unless they wanna change the order for t20 or replace an all rounder