MadAsHell

Henriques & Lyon will be the keys there I reckon. Siddle, Pattinson & Stac should get some reverse swing in these conditions and will spear head our assault, but they'll need good support from the other two mentioned if we're going to take 20 wickets.

No worries Django, you take Picks 89 & 90 and I'll come in at 91, there's an order out now. Over to you Titan_Uranus....

Haha, all good H_T cheers. It's all good, if it causes less drama I can wait till 91. Either way Django has certain countries he has to pick from as do I and they don't clash so no dramas really.

It effectively becomes another round of picks (round 12) and as the order reverses after round 11 my pick would fall first.

Yours Titan, then my breach pick followed by Django's two breach picks to finish it off.

Haha, champagne comedy there 45HG. No I'm happy to wait. I'll have pick 89 and Django picks 90 & 91 if that makes sense to everyone?

I just thought as H_T had already used his pick after me I would need to wait for the round to be completed.

No worries H_T, while I'm not happy with the decision, I accept it and I wish to make this statement: Dear Members and Supporters of the Tall Defence XI, H_T and Rouge have today confirmed that all matters in relation to its decision of the Tall Defence XI selection in the 2013 draft have been concluded. As you know, the investigation that has lasted some fifty minutes and included statements from Jesse Ryder's manager and refered to articles and submissions from myself, has had a major impact drafting the best XI possible. From the moment the investigation commenced, I was determined to defend our selections against the allegation that I deliberately selected players who were not eligable. This has been achieved. The findings of the comprehensive investigation state clearly there was no directive from the Club Board or executive management to deliberately select players who were not eligable, and the Tall Defence XI never set out to deliberately select ineligable players during the 2013 draft. The Club recognises and accepts its responsibility in relation to selecting players who we believed were available, including the actions of our employees. The decision imposed by H_T and Rouge is significant. We have dealt with setbacks in the past, and we will meet this challenge. Many significant factors were considered prior to accepting the sanctions. If we were to pursue a legal battle, there would be a high cost in terms of time and resources, which the XI was prepared for. Clearly there were other considerations, including the impact on our cricket department, coaching staff and players as they prepare for the season ahead. There was also the recognition of the toll taken by this investigation on key people within our XI. On balance, we determined that accepting these sanctions was the best course of action to take for our XI. By accepting the sanctions, our XI can run out against the seven other XI's clear of any distractions and prepare for Nasher's decision. Thank you to all those members and supporters who have so strongly supported the Board and key club figures throughout this trying period. Tall Defence President/Selector

That's the evidence in my favour that I'd take before the comission! haha. I'll accept your decision on the matter H_T, if I need to pick again I'm assuming it will be after Titan's pick 88 as the order would reverse and I'd take my not eligable breach pick before Django's?

Hasn't retired from international cricket, taken a self impossed 12 month break and until earlier this year was considering coming back early as the below article states. Hasn't said anything to suggest he wont return after the IPL. I'd say it's the same scenario to a player being out injured. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/blow-for-black-caps-as-jesse-ryder-opts-to-continue-his-exile-8469015.html Edit: Spelling

Had a feeling you may go that way Macca needing a West Indian and not many of their batsmen available. In keeping with the theme of hard hitting batsmen, I'm going with: Round 11, Pick 86 Jesse Ryder (New Zealand) http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/38373.html Taken a 12 month break from international cricket, but is set to resume upon the completion of the upcoming IPL season. Has been dominating NZ domestic cricket this summer and if you can get a batsmen who averages above 40 in test cricket this late in the draft you simply have to take him. This completes my XI. I'm assuming upon Django's final pick we present our XI's in their batting order with their role within the team and submissions as to why our XI's should be considered the best? Edit: Ryder info.

I'm confident they will Macca. I remember hearing the great Viv Richards talk about how the Windies in the late 70's I think it was sent a squad over there full of spinners and got carted all over the place and it was after that first test they decided to go with their strength and play a 4 pronged pace attack instead and came out ontop. Got to play to your strength almost no mattter the conditions. If we have say 7 quicks that are better then our best spinner (which we do). Then we should play to that and use our part timers (Clarke, Warner, Maxwell if/when he debuts) to get some overs of spin in. But a great knock and partnership by Clarke & Henriques last night. Hopefully Siddle & Pattinson can help Clarke get our total above 400 which if we do there's a very good chance we wont loose this test.

That's why I was happy to use Pick 22 on him.

As mentioned in some of the other posts, there's a fair few tactics involved, it's very easy fall into the trap of forgetting about a nation or two, I know myself and another person have to pick a player from a certain nation with our final picks. Don't feel to bad thoug Django, there's still some decent players left from both nations who will probably still be available at your last two picks. You just may need to go with a 4 pronged pace attack and use Clarke & Du Plessis as your spinners part time. Edit: Spelling

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Django, but I just realised looking at your team that you'd already selected 2 players from India (Gambhir & Dhoni), New Zealand (Taylor & Bracewell) and Australia (Clarke & Johnson). Meaning that you can't select Powell as you've already selected two players from 3 countries and you already have Darren Bravo for West Indies. You don't have anyone from Sri Lanka or Pakistan yet so you need to select payers from there. I'm assuming that means that Powell has to g back into the pool and 45 may get to have his pick again depending on H_T's decision, you might have two country breach picks at the end now....

Have no idea what way they may go re: captain after Michael Clarke goes, which hopefully wont be for sometime. David Warner's had a few captain gigs here and there with Western Sydney in the 1st season of the big bash and New South Wales also I think. I also know Greg Shipperd talks up Matthew Wade's leadership, however we know that Australia don't often give our keepers the captains gig. Otherwise I'm not sure what the leadership skills of some of the young batsmen coming through the Shield ranks are like eg, Joe Burns, Peter Handscomb. Very interesting transition stage of Australian cricket which we haven't seen since Lillee, Marsh and Greg Chappell all retired at the same time in 84' I think it was...

Haha, I don't know this for a fact, but I have a feeling that Macca may have been thinking the same thing when Django made that selection.

Well I hope you're right on that front Macca! haha. In other pre-ashes news it was great to see New Zealand go 1-0 up in the One Day Series last night in what was a good match. H_T's man Guptill helped get the black caps over the line on one leg! It's shaping up to be a pretty entertaining series so far. England 2-1 in the Twenty/20's, NZ 1-0 up in the ODI's. Lets hope the tests are equally as entertaining. Hope New Zealand give Luke Ronchi a start soon, he can only help them!

What way are you thinking 45??? I'd of thought you'd be looking at going with an openner?

I see what you're saying Macca, and I have no doubt that the wickets will be more suitable to spinners then the quicks. My concern is that our spinners are so ordinary and their batsmen are so good at playing spin that we'd be better off playing quality fast men on flat wickets then playing a below par spinner on dust bowls against the best players of spin in the world. I'd take a 1-1 result, however I'm fearing a 2 or 3-0 loss. Fingers crossed.

Well if I wasn't concerned about our ability to take 20 wickets in a test on our tour of India before last night I certainly am now. India A 4/338 at stumps on day 1 with our three spinners (Lyon, Doherty & Agar) bowling a total of 49 overs for 3/244 between them, Doherty taking all three. I'm really starting to think that we may be better off going in with 4 quicks being Pattinson, Bird, Starc & Siddle (all different types of quicks) and using Maxwell, Clarke & Warner to bowl part time spin. You could look to each of those 4 quicks to bowl approx 15-18 overs a day, 6 overs a session to make sure no one blows up in the Indian heat, and then that would only leave you with approx 20 overs a day in which you'd need to use your part time spinners, maybe 10 overs out of Maxwell and 5 each roughly out of Clarke & Warner. End of the day we don't have Swan & Panesar, so we're not going to spin India out. We need to play them on our terms and that will be with good tough, disciplined fast bowling.

Interesting point Pikeout...... So this whole tanking enquiry, I just want the whole thing to be over. I'd only accept CW's alleged deal if the fine was suspended.

Nice pick there Biffen. He's someone that I'd completely forgotten about. In other news, it was very nice to see Younis Khan have a return to form and score his 21st Test century against South Africa last night. While on the bowling side, good to see Morne Morkel take 2 wickets and only go at about 2.3 runs an over!

Round 10, Pick 75 The forgotten man of Australian cricket, Ryan Harris http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/5779.html One could argue that when fit, he's the leader of the Australian attack. Last I heard is he's on track to play in one of Queenslands next Shield matches, possibly their next.

Beat me to it Belzebud!