MadAsHell

Macca did it to me with his pick before mine at 22 and you've done it to me again with this one H_T. Haha. Round 4, Pick 27 Virender Sehwag (India) http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/35263.html To good a player to ignore and with Alastair Cook it gives me a pretty good openning combination. Also this is my 2nd pick from India, so I'm now done with them.

You make some very good points Macca, and to a degree I agree with a lot of what you say. While Twenty/20 is easily my least liked form of the game, I do agree that there is a place for it, I just don't like the overkill that is Twenty/20. I'll attempt to go into more detail. 1. As I've mentioned, playing a T20 game on Australia Day in Sydney instead of a Test or ODI in Adelaide which has always been the case for as long as I've been following cricket which is over 20 years now. Cricket is our national day, and what better option on Australia Day is there, then to spend (a very large portion of the day) with the cricket on while having a few beers, bbq, hottest 100 on while watching the cricket, it's at the stage when it's part of the day and T20 really just takes what's been apart of Australia Day away as far as I'm concerned. 2. Twenty/20 World Cups every 2 years! Has anyone ever heard of another sport having a World Cup every 2 years???? You'd barely have been finished celebrating your victory before you're defending your World title again. If they really want a T20 competition like this every 2 years, thenhave the World Cup every 4 and have them bring it into the Commonwealth Games and make it an Under 23's competition, similar to Soccer in the Olympics. This way we at least get to see some new faces come onto the scene and our top players get a rest, which not many of them do anymore. Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh are all part of the Commonwealth anyway. Zimbabwe have been kicked out, but no loss there and the West Indies could compete as Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobego, Barbados etc and we could still even allow Scotland, Canada, Kenya to compete etc... 3. The Big Bash becoming franchised based was a big mistake for mine, the crowds were better when it was state based. Personally I don't think franchises work for Cricket, especially in this country because there's to much history. Again a better idea I reckon could have been making a team based out of Canberra or something and filling it with imports and players the States didn't want on their main list. That way you still could have had the big names while not destroying the State based competition. 4. While I have no evidence to back this up, I wonder if the ICC's love affair with Twnenty/20 Cricket, the IPL and Champions league keeping all nations busy for the full 12 months of the year, is part of the reason holding a nation like Ireland back from gaining full test and ODI status. If there was ever a country that deserved this recognition based on results (especially when you compare them to Zimbabwe and Bangladesh) then it's Ireland. I've watched them closely at two World Cup's now and I can honestly say it'd be tough to find another country that plays with as much passion and commitment then the Irish. This is a country that really wants it. In those World Cups I've seen them beat Pakistan, Bangladesh, chase down over 300 to beat England and also draw with Zimbabwe. They've also given South Africa and the West Indies some trouble. Yet still no invitation into First Class cricket, and I can't help that feel that if all the time the top nations are now being forced to put towards Twenty/20 cricket that Ireland very well may have had the opportunity to play more cricket against top nations and be the 11th International Test nation by now. So I think they just need to re-look at how they present Twenty/20 cricket. It's fantastic that it gets more people through ght gates and interested in cricket, and if it helps them break into the USA market then that can only be a good thing. I just hope they it doesn't get to a stage where instead of the Boxing Day Test we have the Boxing Day Twenty/20 match.

Here here WJ. As long as I've ever known, the cricket's belonged at Adelaide on Australia Day, whether that be a day of a test match or a One Day game. On of my favourite things to do the last few years on Australia Day is listen to the hottest 100 with the cricket on mute with a lot of beers and a bunch of mates. T20 just doesn't work on Australia Day, especially at a stadium that has no right to host international cricket.

Well palyed Macca, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking of the exact same player with this very pick..... Round 3, Pick 22 Ravichandran Ashwin (India) http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/26421.html As mentioned earlier, the pool of quality spinners is pretty low so thought I should still strike while there's something there. Also of note, 22 players down and still no love for New Zealand yet.....

Sorry H_T, bad joke lost in the text translation, one of those one's that works better verbally. Not meaning the guys ability, rather the nation that 45 said and being suck with an Alviro or Robin Petersen rather then Kevin as obviously intended. I didn't word what I meant very well.

Close to the biggest draft blunder since Luke Molan!

Not that I think they'd do it, but instead of the selectors having a rotation policy throughout all three forms of the game, I'd much rather see them have a policy of rotating their fast bowling attack from one form of the game to another, so your 3 quicks who play test cricket get their rest during the ODI's and 20/20's, ODI bolwers rest during the tests and 20/20's and you can use the 20/20's for your really young developing bowlers. While introduce a rule for the batsmen and keeper that they can only play two forms of the game so their forced to rest at some point during the summer. For example an ideal (fully fit) XI that I'd love to see in each form of the game starting in India would look something like. TEST XI ODI XI Twenty/20 XI D. Warner D. Warner A. Finch S. Watson S. Watson S. Marsh P. Hughes M. Clarke T. Paine D. Hussey D. Hussey B. Rohrer M. Clarke G. Bailey G. Maxwell G. Maxwell M. Wade G. Bailey M. Wade M. Marsh M. Marsh P. Siddle R. Harris M. Johnson J. Pattinson C. McKay P. Cummins N. Lyon M. Starc X. Doherty J. Bird X. Doherty J. Hazelwood Obviously injuries and form would mean that changes to teams would need to be made at certain times, however this way everyone would be getting rests at certain times, the fast bowlers especially. And injury prone players would be getting looked after such as Harris and Cummins who's bodies we know are no longer and not yet up to getting through a test match.

Looks like everyone may be taking a similar approach with 1 batsman and 1 bowler in their first 2 picks. Apart from Biffen who may be building a really strong batting line up first???

Thanks for the clarification. I thought we might not get to pick our 2nd player from a nation until Round 9. Cheers.

Round 2, Pick 11 Morne Morkel. (RSA) http://www.espncricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/46538.html H_T I thought you'd already used your South African pick in round 1 or have I misread the structure? Edit: Player bio

Sorry for my delay everyone. Round 1, Pick 6. Alastair Cook (England) http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/11728.html Edit: Player bio

I share your concerns about Watson and Cowan RR, where are they both at and how long do we carry them for? Clarke, Hussey and Warner are the only automatic selections for mine in the batting order. If Hughes continues to bat like the way he did yesterday, then he'd be able to make it also, but then what? If Watson is only going to average 30 odd then he has to bat at 6 and bowl more. Batting 4, 3 or openning is just to high. Then we have to find someone else to either open or bat at 3. Cowan's there at the moment, our only other options for mine would be Khawaja, Joe Burns, Rob Quiney, Alex Doolan or Callum Ferguson. Problems I have with Quiney, Doolan and Ferguson is that they all average under 40 at first class level. Whatever the answer is, I just hope someone stands up to demand a spot and soon!

After his effort last friday night with 0/41 from 2 overs and a simple dropped catch I reckon he might shelve any thought there may have been of that happening. Still wouldn't suprise me if he came out in his next match and took 4/10, but it was tough seeing him like that. I love Warnie, but he went out on such a great note I'd hate to see him do a Plugger, come back and be a shell of what he used to be. I was there on Boxing Day 2006 when he bowled Strauss through the gate to be the first man to take 700 wickets in what was his second last test and my last chance to see the great man play. I'll always have that memory and I'd hate to see it ruined. Edit: Spelling

Doubt it will happen, just some publicity before the Big Bash. Sadly I reckon he'd still be our best bowler.

Mark Neeld for sure. With the changes that have been made, and in particular the talent comin through, you cam see where the improvement's going to come. For Mickey Arthur however the depth that we once had seems to have gone. Here's what I reckon our best Under 30's team who are all yet to debut would look like. Peter Handscomb Nic Maddinson Joe Burns Alex Doolan Callum Ferguson Mitchell Marsh Glenn Maxwell Peter Neville Nathan Coulter-Nile Josh Hazlewood Alaister McDermott If you ask me, the talents just not there that we once had.

Sounds pretty good to me HT. I'm in.

I thought at the start of this summer that Clarke should bat at 3 or at least no 4, however cleary for one reason or another he doesn't seem to want to move which is odd. Doolan is a possability, however I'm reluctant to play someone who has a first class batting average under 40. Last person we picked to be at no 3 with a first class average under 40 was Quiney and look how that went. Khawaja I think is probably the best prospect at number 3. Another option is playing Hughes as an openner and moving Cowan down to number 3. I say that because Hughes has made more runs than anyone else so probably deserves the call up before anyone else. Lyon did have an ordinary test, however Perth's always a tough place for the spinners, even Warne struggled there compared to other venues. As you siad though where else do we go if Lyon struggles? There's the injury prone John Holland, or if you ask me there's a young leg spinner for St Kilda who's yet to play a first class match yet who looks the goods by the name of James Muirhead. In his last district match he bowled 21 overs and took 7/26 and then on the weekend in a 20/Twenty match he bowled 4 overs and took 2/11. He's one certainly worth keeping an eye on. The other option, and one that I think is worth looking at is taking a leaf out of the West Indies of the 80's/90's book and playing 4 quicks and an all round spinner. Pattinson, Cummins, Siddle, Hilfenhaus (Ambrose, Walsh, Holding & Marshall) & either Glenn Maxwell or Steven Smith (Viv Richards/Carl Hooper). With our brittle batting line up I don't think either of Maxwell or Smith could do much worse then others are doing.

Goodbye Ponting, the timing was certainly right!

I thought that McDermott walked because of the tough travelling schedual and this way he can take smaller term roles as he pleases, I could be wrong though? Why they didn't hire Waqar Younis as his replacement though I have no idea? I wouldn't at all be suprised if they all went and Jackson Bird made his debut on his home turf. Mitchell Starc has talent but he doesn't have the control yet. It showed during this test that he's not quiteat the same place as Pattinson and Cummins. Despite his 6 wickets, I thought it was one of the more unimpressive 6 wicket hauls that you're likely to see. I thought Johnson was better then Starc, but he was still far to short for someone who has as good a record at that ground as he does. Playing both lefties didn't work for me and is the reason why I was more keen on Hazlewood to play ahead of either Stac or Johnson. Hastings battled hard but he probably falls into the Nathan Bracken category in that he's probably just not quite fast enough to be a top line Test bowler. One dayers might be more his go. His batting is handy! Jackson Bird on his hometrack could be a real handful. I'd be more then happy for us to have Bird & Hilfenhaus share the new ball for the remaining tests with Sids at first change for the rest of the summer. Once Pattinson & Cummins are up and going then there's a good chance we'll see the last of Hilfenhaus. I am HT, although loosing a wicket 2nd ball of the day wasn't the start I was hoping for. Just a lazy 214 runs more then any other team has ever chased to win a game ever. But I tell you what, if ever it could happen, the WACA with Clarke & Hussey in the form that they've been in with 2 days to go is the place for it to happen. I think it may be a dissapointing end to the series though unfortunatly.

I hope Hastings does play. I reckon with the Fremantle doctor his swing will be very handy and I think he's a better swing bolwing prospect then Hilfenhaus personally. He'd also be a handy no 8, although I think Hazlewood could be useful on this wicket also. I hope we go with Hastings, Hazlewood & either of Johnson or Starc. Siddle will be gutted I reckon, I'm gutted for him!

Truely has been a wonderful career. While personally I have Border and Greg Chappell ahead of him (along with the Don of course) when I think about what Australia's greatest XI woild look like, he clearly be the next best there's ever been for mine! I'll never forget his 156 against England on Day 5 of the 3rd Test against England during the Ashes to save the game. The next highest run getter for us had 39! Came in during the first over of day 5 and was dismissed with 25 balls left in the day. Luckily Lee & McGrath were able to bat out to save the match. An all time great and he's gone out at the right time, allowing whoever his replacement is to have a home series against Sri Lanka to try and settle into the team before tough tasks with tours of India and England, followed by a home Ashes series.

You're preaching to the converted Nasher. I was just playing Devils Advocate and simply giving an opinion as to why he may not have been picked, if I was the selector he would have been in the squad for sure. As I mentioned in another comment though, I think there's a very good chance that he may debut in the first test against Sri Lanka in Hobart. If he performs well there, then he may find himself play out the series ahead of Hilfenhaus.

RR is right. Bellerive is a graveyard. I know Bird can't help but play half his games there, but selectors do take their home ground into account. It's like years back when the same venue was a batsmen's paradise and Jamie Cox mad a mountain of runs but never got a look in ahaead of guys like Elliott and Blewett. I would have gone for Bird personally over Hazlewood, although Hazlewood does have a bright future. We do need a bowler in the McGrath mode which is exactly what Hazlewood is. Hastings would be useful with his swing bowling into the breeze if Hilfenhaus doesn't get up IMO, but I expect Siddle, Hilfenhaus & Johnson to play given it's The Grand Final as the media are putting it and I think the selectors will want seasoned bowlers out there. Come the first test against Sri Lanka, given the work load Siddle & Hilfenhaus would have endured, I wouldn't at all be suprised to see our bolwing line up consist of Starc, Hazlewood, Bird & Lyon once Johnson puts in an ordinary performance against RSA.

Qestion is who plays in Perth? Will both Siddle and Hilfenhaus be up to it, or after their big workload, will we see whole sale changes to the quicks so we have fresh bowlers with the short turn around? Then there's the question of Pattinson's replacement? Do we go with Strac who's carried the drinks for the first two tests and probably deserves the call up? Or do we go a horses for courses approach and pick Mitchell Johnson who;s a WACA specialist who took an 8 for last time he played against RSA at that ground and also had that blistering spell against England in the Ashes? I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd actually go with Johnson for the reasons above. Seasoned bowler, and if he fails to deliver then he can be stamped with the 'Never pick again' stamp. My XI would be: E. Cowan D. Warner S. Watson R. Ponting (possibly last test) M. Clarke M. Hussey M. Wade M. Johnson P. Siddle (if unfit replace with Hazlewood) B. Hilfenhaus (if unfit replace with Hastings) N. Lyon 12th Man: M. Starc

Essendon supporter mate reckons the best they could offer is Gumbleton and a 2nd round pick. Having said that he doubts they'd let Gumbleton go. Reckon we're in a good position with pick 13 and maybe Petterd.