Australia's first test squad is announced tomorrow.....

....in a rather over the top ceremony at Sydney Opera House. Predictions? Any surprises? Some journos are saying they'll name 13 players, whilst others are suggesting as many as 15 players will be announced.

I think they'll go with-

Ponting (c)
Clarke (vc)
Watson
Katich
Hussey
North
Khawaja
Haddin (+)
Johnson
Hauritz
O'Keefe
Hilfenhaus
Harris
Bollinger
Siddle

assuming 15 are announced.....Take out Khawaja and O'Keefe if they only announce 13.

I expect no radical change from the last Test XI. Haddin replacing Paine. Bollinger and Harris/Siddle replacing George. And perhaps Khawaja or Ferguson in the squad depending on Clarke's fitness.

Either way, it's total CA bullcrap (agreed to months in advance, according to the scribes this morning) and the announcement should have been made after this weeks Sheild/tour matches.

Henry wrote:....in a rather over the top ceremony at Sydney Opera House. Predictions? Any surprises? Some journos are saying they'll name 13 players, whilst others are suggesting as many as 15 players will be announced.

I think they'll go with-

Ponting (c)
Clarke (vc)
Watson
Katich
Hussey
North
Khawaja
Haddin (+)
Johnson
Hauritz
O'Keefe
Hilfenhaus
Harris
Bollinger
Siddle

assuming 15 are announced.....Take out Khawaja and O'Keefe if they only announce 13.

cricinfo predicts exactly the same 13, and I agree. Harris did enough in his last game, on his home ground, to get a gig.

I'm not sure they'll announce 'shadow' 14th and 15th players at all ... there seems little point with Clarke, Katich, Siddle and Bollinger all needing to prove their fitness. Suspect they'll just name the 13 and then substitute other players in if anyone fails to come up to scratch in time for the game.

A ceremony tomorrow merely underlining that style has overcome substance in Australian cricket. It will be a load of bollocks.

Zat wrote:A ceremony tomorrow merely underlining that style has overcome substance in Australian cricket. It will be a load of bollocks.

streamed live on foxsports.com.au though

Nein will probably be showing it live too.

Eddie: 'But wait, there's more ...'

Two dogs just said on Nein that they would be showing it live.

Squad is the operative word. If some of the vulnerable candidates miss out in the last round of matches, it could be curtains for them.

Zat wrote:A ceremony tomorrow merely underlining that style has overcome substance in Australian cricket. It will be a load of bollocks.

Yeah - FFS even the AFL only feels the need to stage this kind of empty set-piece media 'event'* during its off-season.

This breaks from tradition. Usually we're confident enough to name twelve while the touring team soughts out its final team.

The problem is that Mr Snicket and Nought are going to be playing for their future so may be tentative. Why not introduce some new blood into the team, guarantee them three tests or so and either way this is good for Aussie cricket, even in the long-term.

If the usual suspects fail, the youngsters are under even more pressure and the opposition is very much in the superior position. England's probably not prepared for some of the new faces on offer.

I dunno what drugs CA or Hildick are on, but why announce the squad nearly 2 weeks out? There's another Shield game yet, isn't there. And the Opera House fanfare? WTF?

skully wrote:I dunno what drugs CA or Hildick are on, but why announce the squad nearly 2 weeks out? There's another Shield game yet, isn't there. And the Opera House fanfare? WTF?

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/the-ashes/warning-call-on-ashes-selection/story-fn67wk9a-1225953154563

CRICKET Australia's operations department locked in the date in August. Marketing commitments have since made a change impossible. Test captain Ricky Ponting and his deputy, Clarke, signed off on the deal.

"It's about the team getting advance notice and being distracted as little as possible coming into the Test," said Peter Young, CA's general manager of public affairs.

"Players have a deadline where a lot of off-field commitments will end without last-minute surprises about shooting advertisements, attend media events, etc.

"Our operational people suggested to the selection panel that the team was named on the 15th, and it was accepted.

"By the end of the Shield games next Saturday night, we wouldn't have time to take care of logistics like team apparel, team uniforms, everything."

I call b/s!

COARIAB.

WGAF about apparel and uniforms if we've got the wrong side on the park, FFS??!!

and they wonder why there is a disconnect from fans with the team.

Crowd member A to crowd member B as England are 1-320 at Stumps on Day 1:

"Qunt of a side the NSP picked, but geez they look spiffing. That Hauritz is a fine cut of a lad but bowls like a toilet."

skully wrote:Crowd member A to crowd member B as England are 1-320 at Stumps on Day 1:

"Qunt of a side the NSP picked, but geez they look spiffing. That Hauritz is a fine cut of a lad but bowls like a toilet."

can't picture any Qlders speaking like that

It was a couple of Poms, followed by a high 5.

skully wrote:COARIAB.

WGAF about apparel and uniforms if we've got the wrong side on the park, FFS??!!

Aye, Michael Palin had something to say about this in Ripping Yarns: the 'Golden Gordon' episode ... 'shorts don't matter'

(worth a look on Youtube, I've posted it on this forum before for other reasons) - in 'Golden Gordon' part 2, I suspect; but watch part 1 first

Barring injuries the Oz team should be

Schoolgirl
Fleas
Captain Drunky
Pup
Paris
0h
Haddit
Midge
Milf
and two of
Bubbles Cot Rhino and Horrorz

If the NSP bloods a new batsman at 5 or 6 they should be sacked ...the time to blood a new batsman was in one our last three series ...Paris is in decline but is still one of the best 6 Test batsmen in Oz ...0h has confirmed he is an all or nothing batsman (pretty much what he showed in FC cricket for the Wozzies) but there is no proven batsman to replace him with

Rhino is injured apparently.

Again? What's your source?

From the SMH:

Injury clouds still hover over vice-captain Michael Clarke, Simon Katich and seamer Doug Bollinger, but the most serious seems to be that surrounding Queensland paceman Ryan Harris.

Harris, fresh from a nine-wicket haul against Tasmania last week, was expected to be named as a standby for Bollinger, who made his comeback from an abdominal strain in a grade game on Saturday, but a swollen knee appears to have scuppered his chances.

Harris did not leave Hobart with his Bulls teammates yesterday and will have his knee monitored by CA medical staff. If fit, he will replace injured left-armer Mitchell Starc in the Australia A squad for the match against England starting on Wednesday.

So Bollinger, Starc, and now Harris (again) are unfit. Guess that leaves Mackay?

Henry wrote:So Bollinger, Starc, and now Harris (again) are unfit. Guess that leaves Mackay?

We couldn't be that lucky!