Rogue

Good innings by Clarke, and a good partnership with Hussey. It's a shame they seemed to lose their head with a couple of overs to go - there was no need to 'go the tonk' with the RRR around 7. I was also glad to see Trott get MOTM despite being on the losing side, because I'm always annoyed when it seems to go to a player on the winning team by default.

+1 I'll say! The structure of the ICC board is a massive problem and I'm not sure it'll ever be reformed. I said he was the unlucky bat, and it's no surprise he's been added. I think we're a good but not great ODI team, and the injuries we have make it tough for us to win the World Cup IMO.

Totally.

I think he's gone too, but you said something quite different - you said he wouldn't seek renewal. I'd recently read a quote from Hilditch that said otherwise, hence my question.

Really? Last I heard he was adamant he wanted to continue being a selector and that, essentially, if CA didn't want him they'd need to push him out. I'm sure I read that in the last week or so.

If we adopt WYL's rule (albeit modified with some exceptions as I've described) it'd work okay. I agree that the number of games constituting a decent run can be arbitrary but I'll put that aside for a second. With regards McGain, I think you could defend a case that he did deserve some more games. As I mentioned earlier, plenty of decent players bombed on debut, and in McGain's favour is the fact he was on the injury comeback trail. With regards Doherty, I wouldn't argue he deserved more games, but that's because I wouldn't have supported the initial selection in the first place - I think that's where the problem was.

I see where WYL is coming from and it's not so bad. I bet someone can rattle off a bunch of names who failed in their first Test and went on to have a good career. A rule with no exceptions* is almost always (see what I did there) a bad one, but guys brought into the team deserve a decent run at nailing a spot. If they don't deserve this, they shouldn't be picked in the first place. *The exceptions in this case would be the horse-for-courses selections (ie. second spinner in Syd) and the seat-warmer selections (replacing someone who is injured)

I don't think Clarke is 'the cream' in ODI cricket. For anyone who is keen: http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/4578.html?class=2;template=results;type=batting As an aside, I like his record at #6 - averaging 49 (no doubt some NOs help) at a strike-rate of 90 (overall s/r 78). Did WYL comment on M Hussey in the World Cup squad?

The great Demonland crash of '11 wiped my post, but I suggested that Clarke needs to bat lower down the order, taking on a finishing role a la Bevan and M. Hussey - working the field, hard running, etc. That is of course if he finds some form - if not it's a moot point. I also suggested Ferguson was unlucky, so if Ponting and M Hussey don't go to the WC perhaps he'll get a look-in. (I don't even figure Hodge in the equation). I'm pretty sure Chappell wanted to move along some of the other guys too - just that Ganguly was the only one he was successful with. I agree with your comments on Tait, btw - I can see why we've gone down this route.

I'm not WYL, but Siddle is the obvious choice if Tait wasn't to be picked. There are also guys like Pattison (sic?). Regarding Chappell, I'm not convinced he is a great choice as full-time selector. If he had his way when Indian coach many of the senior players would have been jettisoned before their time. There's also the issue of him juggling selection and that development role - there's some potential conflict of interest there IMO (even if unintended). Someone wrote about this stuff in a recent The Age article, I think.

For sure. I'm not going to take credit for White taking over from Clarke, who moves out of the team, because it's an obvious decision Thanks - I hadn't heard of this. So Bevan needs to push out Lara, Richards, or Ponting if he's to nab a spot. I reckon RR makes a fair point - Knott was an excellent keeper. I doubt even Prior rates his glovework at that standard. He's definitely improved, though.

I have no idea what 'all time' team you're talking about ;o It wasn't so long ago that people were rubbishing Prior for his keeping. Knott, really?

There's not much in the Haddin and Prior debate IMO. Strauss gets the edge because he deosn't keep running out his batting partners, but Watson's thereabouts. The only clear winner for Aus is Hussey and with just the one it's no surprise we're getting trounced. I think Roebuck (or Baum) made a similar point in a recent article.

I agree. I know your comment was about Test cricket - and that's what was being discussed - but I thought I'd just throw that in. I'd play Cam White as captain of the T20 team. I'm not sure Clarke's in our best XI in T20 - a shame he doesn't bowl much.

On that note, it certainly doesn't do the talking in T20 IMO. For a guy who had a fair bit of flair in his batting early on, his strike rate can be awfully low. The contrast between the batting style of him and the other rookies, Hughes and Smith, is stark.

I'm sure some said the same when Simpson adopted the policy I'm advocating those many years ago. Some may not make it, but we'll know if they are given an extended run. We don't play a series until Aug anyway.

My hope now is that the selectors choose a core bunch of guys who they feel are in our best 15 or so players, and stick with them for the next 1-1.5 years.

I'm sick of seeing guys run out...this is Test cricket, and we're not even chasing a big score.

As Dean Jones said when referring to Hughes' technical flaws, getting dropped and spending time (3 years in Jones' case) out of the side really working to address faults is not a bad thing for a young player. It's far easier to work on these things outside of the international cricket arena. Plenty of good players were dropped early in their careers, only to return - Martyn and S Waugh instantly come to mind. I don't think the answer is necessarily to 'persevere'. On Smith, I'm not even sure he's a long-term solution, let alone a short-term solution.

Jaques could do with some big scores right about now.

Australia's World Cup probables (30 players): http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/492953.html

The winner. Has D Hussey ever opened in his life? I'm not sold on Ferguson, let alone at # 3. Cameron White is another one I'm unsure about, and we're still a bat short IMO. Plus, if they're the best four quicks in the country we're even worse than I though. NB: I don't know Lynn.

Always good to see ex-players letting us know the gate's open after the horse has bolted Talking of Jones, what's with the 'bring back Warne' talk getting a run again this series?

You wrote more than me I noticed this in a recent Age article about a likely review of Aus cricket post-Ashes: The above is what I've been saying for a fair while now.

If England were making selections like us we - Australian supporters - would be in hysterics.