Australia in Sri Lanka

Johnson's performance was first class and will have brought a smile to Michael Clarke's face.  When Johnson gets it right he troubles any batsman , but like many others , if someone gets after him he can implode.

Originally posted by Sledger   When Johnson gets it right he troubles any batsman , but like many others , if someone gets after him he can implode.

 Hmmm... Just realized that you could replace Johnson's name with Sreesanth in the above text and it would still stand true. Yes both of them hit or miss bowlers.

Today Sreesanth can't get any pace on the ball!   Zuhair's comment about Ponting could well be right - if his head is just set on batting he could be a real thorn in the Lankan's side on this tour.

Originally posted by mystery ... its good that Odi series is played first ahead of test matches.

 I agree, that would be a good way of going, get acclimatized before the real deal begins.  

Yep , Ponting looks like he's enjoying his cricket again after what was a really tough time in the Ashes. Clarke , along with the rest of the squad will expect great things from their best batsman.

Edited by Sledger - 12 August 2011 at 9:35am

Watson is also due to make a big, big hundred. He powered 185* in an ODI, so we all know he can make those big scores. He's very due now and I think this might be the series we see him make a big test score. Ponting also looks like he's very much in the mindset to make 100s and Clarke his 2 brilliant 6s off the spinners yesterday, really does to show how good a batsman he is against spin. Bowlers are all clicking, Ryan Harris will be a MASSIVE boost to the pace attack I must say, he's probably one of the fastest bowlers in the world at the moment alongside Steyn and Roach (of test bowlers that is). Siddle has been in good first class form for the Australia A side and I reckon Johnson has some nice rhythm and loves bowling in the subcontinent. I'm really hoping to see a good result for the aggressive Clarke, in his first series as test skipper.

In ODI's Australia are still very much the best team, it is in tests that they are struggling. Australia have so many players who can do the job for them in ODI's no matter what the conditions and they have good mix of youth and experience which helps.

Harris can be a little brittle as we have seen, but hopefully he can stay in one piece! He's a good bowler I feel to have in the side for the next couple of years while some of these younger bowlers mature, like Mitchell Starc, Hazelwood and James Pattinson. He's a good team man and he's actually a very decent batsman, but hasn't show it yet at international level. He does remind me of Tim Bresnan a bit actually. Harris was never bowling 145kph+ a few years ago, it's definitely something he has added to his game.

Australia need to drop D.Hussey and Smith both are useless my ideal lineup would be:

Hughes
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Warner
Wade
Johnson
Lee
Doherty
Bollinger

Smith is a waste and that has been repeatedly said. There is no point playing a guy who hardly bowls 2-3 overs in a game and comes at 7 to bat. 

For the time being I would go with this line up for Australia, that  is unless they find a quality spinner and as long as Ricky is playing.
Hughes is still a No for me, and I would like to see Paine getting into the mix, he is a very good player.

Watson
Marsh
Ponting
Clarke
M.Hussey
Paine
Smith / O Keefe
Harris / Bollinger
Johnson
Hauritz
Lee

I'm not a fan of smith but at the moment to maintain balance it is better to have a batsmen who can bowl a bit in smith rather than having Fergusson who cannot bowl.

They also made the mistake mystery of not sticking with Jaques after his back injury, he was probably just as good a Katich, but younger.

I reckon the best test side would be something like this (obviously excluding players who are not going to ever get selected, like Katich or Hodge):

1. Watson
2. Hughes
3. Ponting
4. Hussey, M
5. Clarke (c)
6. Ferguson/Khawaja/Marsh
7. Paine†
8. Johnson
9. Hauritz (or Lyon, if he's as good as that video above has shown us)
10. Harris
11. Bollinger or Siddle


In ODIs, I'd go with:

1. Watson
2. Warner
3. Ponting
4. Clarke (c)
5. Hussey, M
6. O'Keefe
7. Paine†
8. Johnson
9. Lee
10. Hauritz
11. Bollinger

Harris is not in the limited overs plans anymore, I think the selectors have realised they have enough firepower in this format and are saving his body for tests - this is a really fair decision I reckon.

Johnson's batting form has been poor in recent times, 8 is a good position for him. Every other team plays an all rounder at 8 anyway.

Paine's batting in tests would be more useful I reckon.

Some of the spinners should never have been picked, like Beau Casson, Steve Smith, Michael Beer, Xavier Doherty, Cameron White or Bryce McGain. Krejza and Hauritz were the best of the lot and should have been given more time to settle in.

From looking at Nathan Lyon, I think there's a bit of Swann about him. He gets a lot of loop and drop, likes to flight the ball and seems to be able to get some turn. I hope he is not discarded away like Dan Cullen, another SA bowler with immense talent.

Edited by Mikey - 18 August 2011 at 7:15am

I think with the instance success of MacGill, the selectors thought the guy after him should be able to take 7 wickets hauls straight away. Fact is, they're picking spinners who don't get regular games in FC cricket and who never take big hauls. Hauritz's first 5 wicket haul in FC cricket was in a test match...