Australia v England, 1st ODI, Melbourne, Jan 16, 2011

But that was for Oz's Sloppy Second XI, wasn't it?

Off to the cricket now - let's hope the performances are up to scratch today!

Big Dog wrote:

Australia 1 Shane Watson, 2 Brad Haddin (wk), 3 Michael Clarke, 4 Cameron White, 5 David Hussey, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Steven Smith, 8 Brett Lee, 9 Xavier Doherty, 10 Doug Bollinger, 11 Shaun Tait.

This side doesnt fill one with a lot of confidence. There is at least six players who have question marks against their current form and, as Clarke showed in the ODI against the 'Lankans, he is utter carp as captain.

It does seem a bit of a box of allsorts, and looks more obviously like a T20 than F50 side.

If Midge is good enough for the big bash, why is he not good enough for the middle bash when Lee and Tait are?

What's wrong with Khawaja, in a format he's shown he's good at?

Is Haddin's best place really opening?

What's Clarke doing up at 3 when he's been out of form?

etc.


They will probably still have too much for a post-Ashes, mix'm'n'gather'm England though. Who haven't got an obvious death bowler at the moment.

It's strange that they're resting Johnson from this game rather than the T20s.

And can they really afford to keep Mike Hussey down at six in this current side?

PeterCS wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

Australia 1 Shane Watson, 2 Brad Haddin (wk), 3 Michael Clarke, 4 Cameron White, 5 David Hussey, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Steven Smith, 8 Brett Lee, 9 Xavier Doherty, 10 Doug Bollinger, 11 Shaun Tait.

This side doesnt fill one with a lot of confidence. There is at least six players who have question marks against their current form and, as Clarke showed in the ODI against the 'Lankans, he is utter carp as captain.

It does seem a bit of a box of allsorts, and looks more obviously like a T20 than F50 side.

If Midge is good enough for the big bash, why is he not good enough for the middle bash when Lee and Tait are?

What's wrong with Khawaja, in a format he's shown he's good at?

Is Haddin's best place really opening?

What's Clarke doing up at 3 when he's been out of form?

etc.


They will probably still have too much for a post-Ashes, mix'm'n'gather'm England though. Who haven't got an obvious death bowler at the moment.

They're resting Johnson to give Lee & Tait a game before before the World Cup squad of 15 is named on Tuesday.

Well, that makes some sort of ...... errrrm, ..... sense.

Fark, here we go again. Pup will be in early and crab up the innings as usual.

It might be the turning point of his career.

What, confirmation that he is garbage, and as such he will be jettisoned and his career ended?

Well, that's the half-empty turn.

I wouldn't say he's garbage though.

He just seems a bit lacking in character, gumption, or something. I'm not sure what it is. Twice in the Ashes he played an innings of forthright elegance. But not at decisive times, only when the pressure was off his shoulders. Is he the new Ian Bell?? :O

Maybe it's just a run of low confidence.

Clarke is struggling now that he can no longer get away with being the young, cocky, but loveable youth that he was between 2004 and 2007.

He didn't have much responsibility and was easily forgiven for his failures.

"Colly misses out"- Strauss.

Hmm. The end?

Bit weird that he's still captain of the 20/20 side if he has been dropped from the ODI side (and lets face it, he would have been dropped from the test side had he not taken the decision himself).

Only yesterday Strauss emphasized how important Colly is to the ODI side with his fielding and bowling etc.

What a fumbling, bumbling display by a hack side. Can't even get the basics right. A 3rd wicket this season rejected after checking the no-ball. Neilsen is a complete qunt.

skully wrote:What a fumbling, bumbling display by a hack side. Can't even get the basics right. A 3rd wicket this season rejected after checking the no-ball. Neilsen is a complete qunt.

Mark Taylor is banging on about how he doesn't like it when umpires review the no balls.

Here's an idea- Keep your foot behind the line and then everyone will be happy.

A missed run out. A wicket off a no ball. A dropped catch. I'm just waiting for Haddin to miss a stumping & we'll have the box set.

...and Clarke brings Hussey on in front of the specialist spinner....

There you go BD, within two minutes.

LOL.

Zat wrote:There you go BD, within two minutes.

new proposal: next bowler who takes a wicket off a no-ball gets his nuts chopped off.

Nath wrote:new proposal: next bowler who takes a wicket off a no-ball gets his nuts chopped off.

What if either Johnson or Tayne is the bowler? How does that punish them?

JKLever wrote:Fancy Aus to win the ODI's comfortably. No woofing....

Dello wrote:Word. Also no woof.

OK, you two, take your consistent woofing 'but it's no woof, honest, guv' BS and jam it fair up your respective clackers. Nobody falls for it any more, you do it every time England play. Just piss off with it.