Australia in England (2012)

Sam, I highly doubt anywhere else in Europe have weather as terrible as England.  Its surely one place I won't ever chose to live.  Long live the tropical caribbean sunshine. 

Edited by spin wizard - 24 June 2012 at 12:52am

Australia in England and no test matches - Don Bradman will be turning in his grave...

Spinny than i think you might like Pakistan conditions too as its not too much different from Windies.

England in control of the first game as AUS struggling at 156/5, Clarke still there but surely Australia have better younger players than Bailey and Steve Smith, don't they? at the moment I think even Ricky would deserve a place in the side, they may not want to go back to him though, but surely they need to unearth better batting prospects, much like how they did with their fast bowling, fining Cummins and Pattinson.

Originally posted by Mystery Spinny than i think you might like Pakistan conditions too as its not too much different from Windies.

Not really Mystery, it actually gets cold in Pakistan, and temperatures goes high pass 40 degrees celcius.  Caribbean temperatures are constant between 23 - 32 degrees.  Even during a hurricane, you don't need any blanket to cover you in bed.

great all-round play by the english boys.

Australian team almost looks like it does not want to be there. It's a pretty random tour and the boys would have been better off with R&R at home, especially after the Windies tour and the IPL. Not making any excuses though, the batting is a big problem for Australia in both ODIs and tests and an in-form Ponting is sorely missed from this side. Australia is definitely missing one or two x-factor batsmen, with no Mike Hussey or Ponting it's definitely showing. There are a couple of decent young batsmen coming through, hopefully next some they get tried out!

On the bowling, Cummins is being babied way too much, while Johnson was probably thrown in too early. Where the hell is Bollinger?

Cummins is still very young and will be better off taking a good rest and coming back only when a 100% fit. Pattinson is being missed but I think he too is injured. What happened to Ryan Harris? He isn't a bad ODI bowler either. At the moment except for Brett Lee, no one is looking good.

I agree with Mystery, Watson and Warner are explosive, but then no one in the middle order is and Wade will always be hit and miss. Clarke and Bailey are fine in the middle, but the 3rd middle order batsman needs to be a dasher - David Hussey isn't a bad option for that role, and an in-form White would have been another good option. Australia's success was always on the back of picking specialists and not bits and pieces players. How many all rounders are in this England line up? None really, the guys who can bat and bowl are specialists in one discipline (i.e. Bresnan and Swann are good enough as bowlers alone). Whereas Australia have gone into the habit of picking bits and pieces players like Steve Smith. England have taken up Australia's old strategies of picking 5 specialist batsmen, a good keeper who can bat, a spinner and 4 out and out pacers.

I saw both the matches and Australia looked far from convincing in both aspects, i.e. batting and bowling. The english players are full of confidence and with Bopara and Morgan coming back into form they certainly look even more intimidating. Australia are missing Mike Hussey big time. I can't understand why they aren't looking at an in-form Cameron White?

Edited by dips_december - 03 July 2012 at 3:33pm

This would be my line up:

1. Warner
2. Watson
3. Clarke*
4. Dave Hussey
5. Bailey (although if Marsh or White found form I'd pick them)
6. Mike Hussey
7. Wade†
8. Lee
9. Pattinson
10. Lyon
11. Cummins

Back up pacers would be Bollinger, Hilfenhaus, Siddle and Harris (wouldn't pick him because I'd prefer him in tests) and McKay... and maybe Johnson. All these pacers are ODI standards in my opinion.

Australia are becoming like current Pakistani team they have some world class players but sadly the people running the car are blind and Sam i really don't see Krejza ever getting a chance in Odi and i think its better not to play him as Lee,Cummings and Pattinson are already wild people so too many attacking option can lead toward disasters and i think atleast in Odi they should not stop playing a spinner until they find someone decent enough to get a chance i feel Warner,Hussey and Clarke are the best spinners currently in Australia so no need to play anyone else.

Australia's basic problem is not their bowling its the batting lineup mostly middle order that has really made Australia into a ordinary side they are missing Symonds who i remember used just come and start from ball one most of the time this is what Australia seriously lack they do have someone like White who can hit well but he too takes alot time before getting start.

Clinical performance really by England. I really don't understand why Clarke doesn't bat at number 3. The best batsman in the team should occupy that position and Clarke is ideal for that spot. Cameron White did so well in England last time he played for Australia. Don't understamd why they don't pick him!

Terrific bowling by Finn - he was on a hattrick on two occasions.  This really is a poor Aussie side and Micky Arthur gave them a real rollicking after the game.  At no point did England have to break sweat in chasing such a low total - at the moment KP isn't being missed at all!
              Old Trafford tomorrow and the forecast is dire - I reckon the Aussies will be more than happy to see it pour down all day.

Originally posted by sam_ahmed Watson and Lee have uncertain cricketing futures??? what is this all about??? I hope not... please...

They keep breaking down Sam - the rigours on modern day cricket is taking it's toll.

So the 5th ODI and another easy win for the home team , albeit by D/L.  Another 50 and 2 cheap wickets for Ravi Bopara probably seals his place in the side for the 1st test next week against SA.  The Aussie batting was absolutely dire yet again - they just haven't played at all this series.  The ball turned and they had no answer to Tredwell's probing length and Bopara's nagging seamers.  140-odd was never enough and the run outs didn't help either! 
          Rather a disappointing series , no real drama , but any English supporter will take it !  10 straight ODI wins in 2012 can't be discounted after years of awful one day cricket , but we'll see just how far England have come when they play SA in the same format.  One thing they'll have to improve on is their catching - usually solid , in this series they've been really poor with 3 more being spilled last night.
             Pity about the rain or 5-0 was a distinct possibility and with it ,the number 1 ranking. Apparently this result is Australia's worst ever - some work to do then !


Edited by Sledger - 11 July 2012 at 5:52am