Australian Squad

[Stevo]

2 Victorians got selected which was a bit surprising especially Peter Siddle.
What does everyone think of the squad? Will Katich get Symonds spot at number 6 or will Watson get a run? I thought Marsh could have been included at the expense of Katich but I suppose the weight of runs by Katich last summer held sway with the selectors.

Krejza, Bollinger, Siddle and McGain make for a very inexperienced squad.

[hujsh]

I'm disappointed Symonds isn't going. I think India would be a good place for him to play with their tiny grounds.

Jaques
Hayden
Ponting (C)
Hussey
Clarke(vC)
Watson
Haddin (wk)
Lee
Johnson
McGain
Clark

Hayden says piss off Katich and Katich puts pressure on Jaques
Watson gets another go. May be his last if it doesn't go well.
McGain takes his rightful spot off Casson as a much better spinner.

[GVGjr]

Krejza is an interesting and speculative selection. At his best he is capable of being a wicket taking bowler but I think he will not pose too many problems for the Indians.

Watson at 6 doesn't look right if we are going to play 3 quicks. A 4th pace bowling option would seem excessive even if it's only for 6 to 8 overs a day. For team balance would Cameron White have been a better number 6?

[hujsh]

Watson at 6 doesn't look right if we are going to play 3 quicks. A 4th pace bowling option would seem excessive even if it's only for 6 to 8 overs a day. For team balance would Cameron White have been a better number 6?

Would White be a better batsman? Personally i doubt it. His bowling certainly won't bother the Indian's.

Symond's wasn't bowling too much and we still have Clarke. Watson is just to make sure the frontliners aren't overworked

[ledge]

Didnt take Victorian Hussey, thats a surprise.

[mjp]

You mean the West Australian Hussey who currently plays for Victoria, right?

[ledge]

You mean the West Australian Hussey who currently plays for Victoria, right?

Of course.
Might not even happen now anyway they just had a load of bombs go off in India kiiling a few people.

[namdarb]

Katich is the better option instead of Watson. With the way he batted last year he should of been the first batsman picked. Plus Katich's wrist spin could come in handy in India.
Watson is an over rated walking wounded. They shouldn't pick him until he can prove he can at least get through a whole sheffield shield season.
Cameron White is a 20/20 or one day specialist only. Can't bowl to save his life. He's supposed to be a leg spinner but can't bowl a leg break! Untill he gets his arm lower on delivery he should only be looked at as lower order batsman in the short versions.

[hujsh]

Katich is the better option instead of Watson. With the way he batted last year he should of been the first batsman picked. Plus Katich's wrist spin could come in handy in India.
Watson is an over rated walking wounded. They shouldn't pick him until he can prove he can at least get through a whole sheffield shield season.
Cameron White is a 20/20 or one day specialist only. Can't bowl to save his life. He's supposed to be a leg spinner but can't bowl a leg break! Untill he gets his arm lower on delivery he should only be looked at as lower order batsman in the short versions.

Aside from being injured in the past why not Watson?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Katich is the better option instead of Watson. With the way he batted last year he should of been the first batsman picked. Plus Katich's wrist spin could come in handy in India.
Watson is an over rated walking wounded. They shouldn't pick him until he can prove he can at least get through a whole sheffield shield season.
Cameron White is a 20/20 or one day specialist only. Can't bowl to save his life. He's supposed to be a leg spinner but can't bowl a leg break! Untill he gets his arm lower on delivery he should only be looked at as lower order batsman in the short versions.

I would play Watson as the all-rounder if we had two decent spinners. All he would have to do is bowl 12 overs an innings and take 1-30 and make 30 batting 6 or 7. We only have one decent spinner in the squad so Watson gets left out.

If we use 3 quicks, White should play. He doesn't turn the ball much but Anil Kumble has taken 500 wickets bowling like that, about 400 of them in India.

Katich is a flat track bully who can't make a run when it's tough. Put him down for a ton in Bangalore when he comes in at 4/400 chasing their 7/600 dec.

[GVGjr]

I would play Watson as the all-rounder if we had two decent spinners. All he would have to do is bowl 12 overs an innings and take 1-30 and make 30 batting 6 or 7. We only have one decent spinner in the squad so Watson gets left out.

If we use 3 quicks, White should play. He doesn't turn the ball much but Anil Kumble has taken 500 wickets bowling like that, about 400 of them in India.

Katich is a flat track bully who can't make a run when it's tough. Put him down for a ton in Bangalore when he comes in at 4/400 chasing their 7/600 dec.

That's how I see it. With White not being selected I think it locks us into playing the 3 quicks and McGain being supported by Clarke and even Katich.

A 4th pace bowling option in Watson seems excessive.

A few years back, Krejza showed some ability with the bat but I don't think it has developed enough for him to hold down the number 8 spot if we were to play Haddin as the number 6 batsman with 5 bowlers to follow.

[hujsh]

Unless they see Katich as a genuine bowling option i think Watson will get the gig. The selectors seem to want the batting allrounder at 6 and they seem to like Watson.

[GVGjr]

Unless they see Katich as a genuine bowling option i think Watson will get the gig. The selectors seem to want the batting allrounder at 6 and they seem to like Watson.

How does having 4 pace bowlers on the Indian tracks sit with you? A necessary evil?

[hujsh]

If we get reverse swing it may be useful.

In our last tour wasn't it the pace bowlers and not Warne doing most of the damage(excluding that one Clarke spell)?

In Clarke and McGain we'll have 2 spinners which should be enough.

[GVGjr]

If we get reverse swing it may be useful.

In our last tour wasn't it the pace bowlers and not Warne doing most of the damage(excluding that one Clarke spell)?

In Clarke and McGain we'll have 2 spinners which should be enough.

I'm tipping that the Indians will really make sure that the tracks are turning from day one and Clarke is more of a 3 or 4 over type bowler than someone who can bowl 10 overs.
It's a big ask for McGain to carry the spin bowling by himself.

I'd probably prefer to have both spinners playing and Watson as the 3rd seamer rather than him being the 4th quick. As Sockeye pointed out Katich will push Watson out of contention if we are only going in with one spinner and the 3 quicks.

[namdarb]

What has Watson done on the international stage against quality opposition? The selectors are one eyed in picking him based on potential. It wasn't that long ago where the Aus selectors requested Qld to bat him high up the order and how did he respond? 0, 0, 0, 0. This was in shield cricket.

Sockeye, you mention Kumble. How can you even compare the 2. Kumble may not turn the ball a lot (however he still does turn it) but he also bowls a bit quicker than White and uses variations of flight and speed to get wickets. White bowls straight up and down the wicket with little variation and he can only turn a Wrong'un. Why do you think he never bowls for Victoria now that McGain is there?

Quality opposition batsmen facing White will know he doesn't turn it a lot and will therefore have the confidence to get out to the pitch of the ball and spank him to the pickets.

[hujsh]

What has Watson done on the international stage against quality opposition? The selectors are one eyed in picking him based on potential.

They did the same thing with Symonds and he eventually paid his debit.

It wasn't that long ago where the Aus selectors requested Qld to bat him high up the order and how did he respond? 0, 0, 0, 0. This was in shield cricket.

He came back from injury and didn't play well as an opener but when at number 4 he was the best Qld batsman for quite a long period. He will not open in India, it would be at number 6 if he played.

[hujsh]

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/370494.html

Ponting thinks he'll play

[Dogs 24/7]

If we get reverse swing it may be useful.

In our last tour wasn't it the pace bowlers and not Warne doing most of the damage(excluding that one Clarke spell)?

In Clarke and McGain we'll have 2 spinners which should be enough.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/370494.html

Ponting thinks he'll play

Can Watson really reverse swing the ball? I know he can bowl and at times bowl at a good pace but I don't think he could be relied on to take wickets on slow tracks.
But yes it does look like he is the front runner for the number 6 spot.

[hujsh]

Can Watson really reverse swing the ball? I know he can bowl and at times bowl at a good pace but I don't think he could be relied on to take wickets on slow tracks.

It was something he worked on. TBH he hasn't been fit long enough for me to see if he can.