Your thoughts on Australia.. with a view to the Ashes and the World Cup

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

Your thoughts on Australia.. with a view to the Ashes and the World Cup

How are we tracking?

In the ODI format we have been performing well, when this time last year it looked ordinary, especially after a 7-3 combined loss against SA in the ODI series played at and away.

Let's look at the opposition.

England (Away) 6-1: Always good belting England, especially when Botham is on air, but the reality is England are a ordinary ODI team.

India (Away) 4-2: A great achievement especially considering the injuries that hit the team on that tour. However, India's bowling is weak with medium pacers leading the attack.

Pakistan and West Indies (Home) Undefeated: Pakistan are a decent ODI side under the right conditions but the bounce and pace in Australia was always going to be too much for them. The West Indies were hit hard by injury, at full strength they are a decent ODI team. Hard to read to much into this.

V New Zealand: Trail 1-0 with 4 to play.

For some reason we have struggled in New Zealand of late, we have lost our last 5 games there against NZ - most significantly, the 3-0 loss in 2007 prior to the WC.

 

[thommy_rissole]

Re: Your thoughts on Australia.. with a view to the Ashes and the World Cup

How are we tracking?

In the ODI format we have been performing well, when this time last year it looked ordinary, especially after a 7-3 combined loss against SA in the ODI series played at and away.

Let's look at the opposition.

England (Away) 6-1: Always good belting England, especially when Botham is on air, but the reality is England are a ordinary ODI team.

India (Away) 4-2: A great achievement especially considering the injuries that hit the team on that tour. However, India's bowling is weak with medium pacers leading the attack.

Pakistan and West Indies (Home) Undefeated: Pakistan are a decent ODI side under the right conditions but the bounce and pace in Australia was always going to be too much for them. The West Indies were hit hard by injury, at full strength they are a decent ODI team. Hard to read to much into this.

V New Zealand: Trail 1-0 with 4 to play.

For some reason we have struggled in New Zealand of late, we have lost our last 5 games there against NZ - most significantly, the 3-0 loss in 2007 prior to the WC.

Out of our last 20 or so we have won roughly 80%, pretty good performance I would have thought.

Fair enough some teams have been average but we can only beat who we play. The way the Aussies targeted Gayle and blanketed his performances was outstanding. I would like to see Ponting score big again very soon, everyone knows he is capable but a big series would be good and to see him in full flight is always quality viewing.

I also think you're under selling the India series, 4-2 over there when we were ravaged my injuries (see Burt Cockley) was an amazing effort and can't be underestimated.

NZ got one over us but only won because of a) our small total and b) Scott Styris & Shane Bond 10th wicket p/ship (this won't happen all the time).

I expect the Aussies to bounce back.

As for the Test Arena, Most spots are settled apart from maybe the last quick bowling spot and the number 6 batting position.

Cameron White for me at number 6. Has played plenty against the English domestically, and done extremely well.

As for the last quick spot, all depends on who's fit.

 

[Boris]

Re: Your thoughts on Australia.. with a view to the Ashes and the World Cup

Just adding to the first post.

Australia continue the NZ series with four more ODIs, and the two Tests.

After a break (from the internartional calendar anyway, IPL in April), they then play the T20 World Cup starting April 30, finishing May 16.

Then June Australia head over to England again. Play Ireland in an only ODI on the 17th, then England for a 5 match ODI series ending 3 July.

Play Pakistan in England for safety reasons for two T20s, and then two Tests.

Then a break until November (but still too short for the amount of games played).

November 3, 5 and 7 sees a three match ODI series against Sri Lanka in Australia. Personally looking forward to this one.

Then November 25 is the big one, start of The Ashes 2010/11. That goes for the five Tests ending on the New Years Test, 3-7 January.

Then comes a seemingly pointless 7 match ODI series against England starting 12 January, ending 6th of February. Not too sure why there needs to be 19 ODI games played against England from the 09 Ashes to the 10/11 Ashes, but that's the way it is.

Then the 19th of February is the start of the 2010/11 World Cup. That goes for about a year with approximately 4 billion games played. EDIT: make that 2.5 billion to not over exaggerate.

Packed schedule.

 

[brickwaller99]

Re: Your thoughts on Australia.. with a view to the Ashes and the World Cup

Sure the no 6 spot is a problem as is the quicks spot.
Is cameron white the person? Surely if the team is down to number 6 without a decent score you want a consistent performer that will score 40 or 50 close to all of the time whereas white is more a hit and miss player.

I'm not against keeping clarke at 5 and putting hussey at 6, not as a demotion but if a new player is at 4 then they do not feel the pressure of being the last recognised batsman in small innings.

At the moment why change what is working but if north does not have a good year then get a new person in at 4, maybe someone for the future like Steve smith if his bowling figures don't improve.

As for the other fast bowler the only person for it is Stuart Clark. The bowling needs consistency. Hilfy is good for the right environment but australia is not that.

 

[Boris]

Re: Your thoughts on Australia.. with a view to the Ashes and the World Cup

Sure the no 6 spot is a problem as is the quicks spot.
Is cameron white the person? Surely if the team is down to number 6 without a decent score you want a consistent performer that will score 40 or 50 close to all of the time whereas white is more a hit and miss player.

I'm not against keeping clarke at 5 and putting hussey at 6, not as a demotion but if a new player is at 4 then they do not feel the pressure of being the last recognised batsman in small innings.

At the moment why change what is working but if north does not have a good year then get a new person in at 4, maybe someone for the future like Steve smith if his bowling figures don't improve.

As for the other fast bowler the only person for it is Stuart Clark. The bowling needs consistency. Hilfy is good for the right environment but australia is not that.

I would keep Hussey at 4, that and number 3 are the two hardest positions to bat at IMO. Huss seems in decent form of late in Tests so he is there to stay.

The one idea I heard quite a while ago, I think it was DoP that suggested this maybe a year ago was moving Ponting to 5 and Clarke to 3. I personally don't like it, would like Ponting there until the day he retires, but he hasn't had the best last couple of years and would perhaps be better and protect his average there. Just been a bit on my mind lately.

Other than that I would like a true number 6 again (I think of it as a position unlike no other). I miss the days of having the luxury of being able to really put one in who could transform into that role well. They could put together a good innings if they needed to, but quite often just added 50 quick runs to the total at the end. That is where Smith/White would be good because they can become that. North for mine is a real number 4, so that's where your idea comes into play.

North was a selection blunder to start with IMO, so perhaps someone with White should get a go.

 

[brickwaller99]

Re: Your thoughts on Australia.. with a view to the Ashes and the World Cup

Yes I have done a backflip, hussey should be at number 4.
The suggestion that ponting should move is ridiculous. He is the worlds second best number 3 ever and the main reason that the australian team hasn't disintegrated to the level of clarke, north and the bowlers and was a critical part of the australian team when they were the worlds best. While he may be on the decline australia will be a lot worse off with even the next best number 3. Sure his captaincy is not as great as his 3 predecessors but there is no one better.

As for number 6 it seems you ask for the impossible. A stable explosive batsman. Only gilly and viv richards have a chance. White certainly has the explosive part but is he good enough to save a test innings? Smith is an unknown quantity. The only person in australia that comes close to your description is brad haddin. Perhaps with the explosive ability of haddin and johnson, even if unreliable, a more conservative batsman is needed at 6. Someone like a darren lehmann? I have no idea who is similar on the state scene.

 

[Boris]

Re: Your thoughts on Australia.. with a view to the Ashes and the World Cup

I don't like the Ponting movement, but if a batsman has to be moved up, someone has to go down.

Having North at 6 was working while Haddin and Johnson were in form. Then I don't think it was quite as effective having a batsman that scored at 50% batting with the tail. Would like someone that is able to score at 80 and can work with the tail, a la Symonds.

Watson would solve all this if he moved down where he should be.