good work Vics, Hodge has been a little flat of late in both forms of the game recently, hope he improves

Heard Mike Hussey express his displeasure at being left out and not being given the chance to return to full fitness early in the World Cup campaign. He mentioned that he thought a precedent had been set with Andrew Symonds last world Cup when he returned half way through having injured his arm/bicep in the lead up to the last World Cup during the ODI series in Australia. He is spitting chips.

Mike Hussey says he's 'disappointed' and 'shocked' to not make Australia's Cricket World Cup squad

(Without having seen a single ball...)

What a game! Victoria chasing 259 after Cosgrove and Bailey made centuries, slumped to 8/192 in the 39th over (of 45). Then Glenn Maxwell hit 61 off 27 and Peter Siddle 25* off 16 to win off the last ball of the match! Wish I was down at Bellerive to see that one!

I watched the last few overs. Wow. Maxwell hit the fastest 50 for domestic cricket. (I think that is what I heard M.Waugh say). 50 off the last 5 overs was needed. Suspense the last over...6 off 5; 4 off 4; 3 off 3; 2 off 2; 1 off 1...and run out chance last ball !

Mike Hussey says he's 'disappointed' and 'shocked' to not make Australia's Cricket World Cup squad

Thanks for that. Feel for him after a fantastic summer and run feast.

I watched the last few overs. Wow. Maxwell hit the fastest 50 for domestic cricket. (I think that is what I heard M.Waugh say). 50 off the last 5 overs was needed. Suspense the last over...6 off 5; 4 off 4; 3 off 3; 2 off 2; 1 off 1...and run out chance last ball !

Wow, wish i had seen that-Don't have Foxtel at present.!

I watched the last few overs. Wow. Maxwell hit the fastest 50 for domestic cricket. (I think that is what I heard M.Waugh say). 50 off the last 5 overs was needed. Suspense the last over...6 off 5; 4 off 4; 3 off 3; 2 off 2; 1 off 1...and run out chance last ball !

Thanks for that. Feel for him after a fantastic summer and run feast.

all with just one wicket in hand.

Yep.......

As for Hussey, I'm sorry that this has happened to him but I'm not sure anyone should be automatically included because of precedent.

I agree.

He should have been included not because of precedent, but because he would have given us a better chance of winning the World Cup.

Hussey would be missing largely inconsequential matches, since round one of the tournament has been redesigned so that all main cricketing nations get through to round two.

I think even the selectors agree that a fit Hussey in the later games would mean we had a better chance of winning the World Cup.

His frustration is clear and fair I guess but he is over 35 years old and had pulled his hammy badly, and unfortunately for him there can't be any half measures here with this team,

especially since there are an odd number of replacement rules in place. I'm however not convinced this will be the last we see of him in the PJ's, but it is going to be tough to get back.

Especially given the kiddies coming through now.

What odd rules? My understanding is that the rules are pretty clear - if we took Hussey and it turned out he couldn't become fit we could replace him.

Played well in the warm up against India for about 70 overs. Then we were owned by decent spin.

Clarke, White, Hussey, Ferguson all dismissed by spin for 8 or less. White is in an horrendous form slump at the moment. Not great timing.

We bowled well, but let them get from 8/138 to 214. But the batting needs work.

White is in an horrendous form slump at the moment. Not great timing.

Absolutely.

I'm scared about our spin options - Kreza, Smith and Hussey. Given that our pace bowling options are mostly attacking, a Hauritz/Doherty type would have helped.

Played well in the warm up against India for about 70 overs. Then we were owned by decent spin.

Clarke, White, Hussey, Ferguson all dismissed by spin for 8 or less. White is in an horrendous form slump at the moment. Not great timing.

We bowled well, but let them get from 8/138 to 214. But the batting needs work.

You mean he is worse than Clarke!

Another big effort last night.

A big fat ZERO.

One score in six months the guy is a champion.

You mean he is worse than Clarke!

Another big effort last night.

A big fat ZERO.

One score in six months the guy is a champion.

No I don't mean he is worse than Clarke.

Form ruts are just that. Ruts. Both Clarke and White are class players with the long-term form to prove it. Short term, neither of them is playing well, but they are terrific ODI batsmen.

White needs to lift his game, no doubt, but if he does the team lifts to another gear (keeping in mind we just beat England 6-1).

No I don't mean he is worse than Clarke.

Form ruts are just that. Ruts. Both Clarke and White are class players with the long-term form to prove it. Short term, neither of them is playing well, but they are terrific ODI batsmen.

White needs to lift his game, no doubt, but if he does the team lifts to another gear (keeping in mind we just beat England 6-1).

You are correct White does need to lift because he will get dropped!

Clarke won't even if there were more zero's.

Clarke was unlucky that he got one that didn't bounce and chopped it on. White's was a brain fade.

The best news was the form of Ponting. Looked a bit average early but really started looking good for most of his innings.

Will be a tough World Cup if they keep producing bunsen burners like that one, though. India were able to play about 10 spinners because of the 11 bat/11 bowl format of the practice matches, so they could play 3 specialist spinners + Yuvraj Singh. They only bowled 9 overs of pace (combining for 1 for 55 at over 6 an over).

Clarke was unlucky that he got one that didn't bounce and chopped it on. White's was a brain fade.

The best news was the form of Ponting. Looked a bit average early but really started looking good for most of his innings.

Will be a tough World Cup if they keep producing bunsen burners like that one, though. India were able to play about 10 spinners because of the 11 bat/11 bowl format of the practice matches, so they could play 3 specialist spinners + Yuvraj Singh. They only bowled 9 overs of pace (combining for 1 for 55 at over 6 an over).

This is exactly what I mean, Clarke is always unlucky everyone else played a bad shot!

This is exactly what I mean, Clarke is always unlucky everyone else played a bad shot!

Watch the game. Then comment.

Of course, if you have watched it, then you aren't the greatest analyst of cricket, in which case ignore the latter instruction.

Watch the game. Then comment.

Of course, if you have watched it, then you aren't the greatest analyst of cricket, in which case ignore the latter instruction.

I don't need to watch the Game TU as it is a forgone conclusion.

He is the darling of the of CA end of story.

All through the ashes he was "out to a great ball" "how unlucky was that"

"his captainsy tonight has been good" pity he just went out for 7.

Give me a break he gets more chances than the rest of the team put together!

I wouldn't say there are 'worrying signs' a week out from the WC, but there are issues that need to be resolved. We didn't take a wicket from a bowler yesterday, just one run out. Krejza got to bowl 10 overs but the reports are that he isn't setting the world on fire, on pitches that are made for turn. In our innings Robin Peterson took 3, and he's not much chop. I guess it's a learning curve for a guy who's played 1 ODI but it's a risky situation. David Hussey and Steve Smith aren't providing the best back-up either.

At least we've been lucky and played two top-class teams, rather than a waste of time against Canada or Kenya. This way we know we're a bit off and can look to improve on those areas in the easier actual WC games.

I don't need to watch the Game TU as it is a forgone conclusion.

He is the darling of the of CA end of story.

All through the ashes he was "out to a great ball" "how unlucky was that"

"his captainsy tonight has been good" pity he just went out for 7.

Give me a break he gets more chances than the rest of the team put together!

Just went out for 7? Clarke? He made a nice 73.

I didn't think you paid much attention.

I'm not a "White man".

I've followed his career since he made a district century and took a hat-trick as a teenager for Dandenong. I've hoped for, and expected, great things. I reckon his batting is flawed. There's no building of an innings. He either blocks it back to the bowler, or tries to whack it out of the ground. When he does try to hit the ball hard, he lifts his head. His timing is affected by this fault.

His bowling is finished because he hasn't improved, or made any alterations. He lacks the confidence in himself to have a bowl at Shield level.

I hate his captaincy.

As a passionate follower of Victorian cricket, I'd like to see him do well, but in my opinion , he (like Hodge!!!!) , is not in our best 11 ODI players(and nowhere near it for Tests.)

I'd feel so much more optimistic with M.Hussey there, instead of White.

I'm not a "White man".

I've followed his career since he made a district century and took a hat-trick as a teenager for Dandenong. I've hoped for, and expected, great things. I reckon his batting is flawed. There's no building of an innings. He either blocks it back to the bowler, or tries to whack it out of the ground. When he does try to hit the ball hard, he lifts his head. His timing is affected by this fault.

His bowling is finished because he hasn't improved, or made any alterations. He lacks the confidence in himself to have a bowl at Shield level.

I hate his captaincy.

As a passionate follower of Victorian cricket, I'd like to see him do well, but in my opinion , he (like Hodge!!!!) , is not in our best 11 ODI players(and nowhere near it for Tests.)

I'd feel so much more optimistic with M.Hussey there, instead of White.

Well, given Hussey's injured, there's no chance of that.

White's form from the middle of 2009, when he batted at 3 against England and made a century, through to the tour of India last year, where he made 80-odd of about 40-odd, was top-notch. Along with M. Hussey, our best ODI batsman. Since the Australian summer he's struggled. But at his best he is, undoubtedly, in our best XI.

I have no idea why you hate his captaincy, I think he does a good job.

The bowling is an issue. Part of that is because of the way he was treated in 2008, but really, he shouldn't have dropped off so quickly. He would have been a much stronger candidate to replace North if he was still picking up a wicket here or there. But he needs his first class batting to improve anyway.

This is exactly what I mean, Clarke is always unlucky everyone else played a bad shot!

I don't need to watch the Game TU as it is a forgone conclusion.

He is the darling of the of CA end of story.

All through the ashes he was "out to a great ball" "how unlucky was that"

"his captainsy tonight has been good" pity he just went out for 7.

Give me a break he gets more chances than the rest of the team put together!

Clarke's last four ODI innings:

54, 82, 7, 73

Clarke's last four ODI innings:

54, 82, 7, 73

That 7 really was appalling though.

A top four of Watson, Haddin, Ponting (who's looked good these two warm-up matches) and Clarke is sound and compares pretty well with the other sides (India and South Africa aside).

It's the out-of-form middle order of White, D. Hussey, Smith and Johnson that needs to perform from a batting perspective, although we could feasibly get enough runs in the group games from the top 4.

(PS: the 7 and 73 were warm-up games which technically aren't ODIs, but who cares?)

Do you detect an obvious difference between Cricket and AFL. Well this is it...Cricket starts out with the Ashes (real cricket) and then is followed by cornball' games such as 20/20, 50 over games etc etc when most serious players have lost interest. BUT, AFL starts out with cornball' games ie: the NAB cup and then gets serious with the season proper.

(PS: the 7 and 73 were warm-up games which technically aren't ODIs, but who cares?)

Yeah I know. Given the players that were playing and quality of the opposition I classified them as ODI.

Do you detect an obvious difference between Cricket and AFL. Well this is it...Cricket starts out with the Ashes (real cricket) and then is followed by cornball' games such as 20/20, 50 over games etc etc when most serious players have lost interest. BUT, AFL starts out with cornball' games ie: the NAB cup and then gets serious with the season proper.

Interesting first post Einstein007 - and btw welcome to D'land.

Not sure about players losing interest after 'real cricket' given the dynamics and player personnel of the two forms three forms are quite different; granted some players play more than one form of cricket - some cases all forms (ie Watson, Johnson).

Given Watson's (*serious player*) performances in all three forms, there is no evidence there of him losing any interest.

Clarke's last four five ODI innings:

54, 82, 7, 73, 55*

Avg. 67.75

All quiet on the Cricket front here....anyway watching the England v Netherlands game in the World Cup. Could be witnessing a big big upset here. Netherlands are 5/255 in the 47th over. Magnificent innings by Ryan ten Doeschate on 118* off 106 balls and making England look second rate.

If the Netherlands can put any pressure on the Poms top order, could be a big upset on the cards.

All quiet on the Cricket front here....anyway watching the England v Netherlands game. Could be witnessing an upset here. Netherlands are 5/255 in the 47th over. Magnificent innings by Ryan ten Doeschate on 118* off 106 balls and making England look second rate.

If the Netherlands can put any pressure on the Poms top order, could be a big upset on the cards.

Excellent we badly need an upset or else these first 3 weeks are really going to Drag....keep us posted HT.