Ashes Squad [Archive] - The Limbo Club

CatCake

20th May 2009, 17:54

http://www.ptinews.com/icons/ecblank.gif http://www.ptinews.com/icons/ecblank.gifhttp://www.ptinews.com/icons/ecblank.gif Sydney, May 20 (PTI) All rounder Shane Watson was today preferred over controversial Andrew Symonds in the 16-man Australian squad for the Ashes series against England.
Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel (NSP), headed by Andrew Hilditch, also recalled Brett Lee and Stuart Clark, making it a five-strong pace battery.

Symonds, playing IPL-II in South Africa, had played in the one-day series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi after spending a very long time out of the team due to many reasons including injuries and off-field antics.

The selectors announced the squad with 50 days to go for the first Test, to be played in Cardiff.

All-rounders Marcus North and Andrew McDonlad have also been included in the squad.

Hilditch said McDonald has been rewarded for his consistent good showing and though Watson has been selected, his fitness would be under the scanner.

"Shane Watson has been named in the squad subject to fitness, but that is not expected to be a serious issue as he is recovering from a very mild groin strain at present and is expected to be fully fit for the ICC World Twenty20 in the UK and the commencement of the Ashes," Hilditch said.

Squad: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Graham Manou, Andrew McDonald, Marcus North, Peter Siddle and Shane Watson. PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/7BA67AE9DE27BAFA652575BC0022C8EB?OpenDocument

http://www.ptinews.com/icons/ecblank.gif http://www.ptinews.com/icons/ecblank.gifhttp://www.ptinews.com/icons/ecblank.gif

pickman

20th May 2009, 17:59

No real surprises in the squad bar Shane Watson for mine. I say that because he's shown time & time again that he's body isn't up to the rigours of test cricket.

Mancey

20th May 2009, 18:04

McGain went quickly from Ashes secret weapon, to Hugh Grant lookalike playing club cricket

Legend

20th May 2009, 18:29

Lets hope Hauritz doesn't play a single game. What a useless fag. North, Katich and Clarke can all hold down the spinners gig.

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North
Johnson
Haddin
Watson/McDonald/Hilfy
Clark
Siddle

boof

20th May 2009, 18:41

Manau *shakes head*

Hilf will play every test

Olivier Penis

20th May 2009, 18:43

Mitchell Johnson swings the ball further than Hauritz and White spin it combined.

Hugh Jorgen

20th May 2009, 19:21

Hauritz must be the luckiest bastard to ever make an Ashes tour.

Can't see him getting anywhere near the test team, will most probably be a glorified drinks waiter the whole tour. Guess they felt they had to pick a token specialist spinner but it's a waste of a spot for me.

Not that unhappy to see Symonds miss out, he's more trouble than he's worth and I reckon he would have struggled on the seaming English pitches anyhow. Not that convinced about the Ranga & the Injury Prone Robot as all rounders either, but I guess there weren't many better options around.

My starting XI

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North
Haddin
Johnson
Lee
Clark
Siddle

12th man - Hilfenhaus

The only real question mark is Lee ahead of the Hilf, but I'd go with Lee for his extra batting & experience.

Kingy

20th May 2009, 19:28

As above, but Hilf over Lee for me.

Binger is shit in England, 10 Tests, averaging around 45.

Hugh Jorgen

20th May 2009, 19:35

As above, but Hilf over Lee for me.

Binger is shit in England, 10 Tests, averaging around 45.

He was pretty good on the last Ashes tour, although that was more for his batting than bowling. He did get smacked around a few times with the ball.

Wouldn't be too upset to see the Hilf get a game ahead of Lee, his swing bowling could be pretty handy. Makes our tail pretty long though.

Travyo

20th May 2009, 19:45

Graham Manou

LOL lets hope Haddin doesn't get injured.

Kingy

20th May 2009, 23:23

Mancey

20th May 2009, 23:32

Hilf will hoop around the Dukes they use over there.

Would have like to have seen Bracken given a crack too, but it seems he's about as popular as AIDS to the test selectors

bigburger

21st May 2009, 01:30

My starting XI

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North
Haddin
Johnson
Lee
Clark
Siddle

12th man - Hilfenhaus

The only real question mark is Lee ahead of the Hilf, but I'd go with Lee for his extra batting & experience.

If you don't have Hilfenhaus in your starting 11 in England then you may as well never play him again. He is a swing bowler and will absolutely carve up there. I predict he will be either our best or second best bowler so long as he starts most games.

Travyo

21st May 2009, 07:09

Lol at these poms all confident after beating the west indies.

Machete KruZin

21st May 2009, 10:17

If you don't have Hilfenhaus in your starting 11 in England then you may as well never play him again. He is a swing bowler and will absolutely carve up there. I predict he will be either our best or second best bowler so long as he starts most games.

I've always said Hilf reminds me of Alderman a bit. Not that I'm expecting him to take 40+ wickets as Alderman did over there in '89, but could see him take 20+ for sure.

Kingy

21st May 2009, 10:33

Bloody Oath - we've had such an awesome team, bowlers specifically, that picking them to suit local conditions wasn't an issue.

McGrath/Warnie/Dizzy + 1 of Kaspa/Bich/Lee; they'd destroy anybody anywhere.

But we don't have that quality of attack anymore, meaning we need to start picking bowlers for the conditions and pitch types.

If Hilf doesn't play in The Ashes, it'll further illustrate how shit our current selection panel is.

The Poms wrecked us with swing in 05; if we don't play the only legitimate swing bowler we have, and instead up for Lee (whose sucked in the last few Series he's played, and isn't match fit, and has always sucked in England), then we deserve to get bummed.

peternorth

21st May 2009, 11:28

He was pretty good on the last Ashes tour, although that was more for his batting than bowling. He did get smacked around a few times with the ball.

Wouldn't be too upset to see the Hilf get a game ahead of Lee, his swing bowling could be pretty handy. Makes our tail pretty long though.

lee was only good at smiling and thinking sexy thoughts about the pommy blokes

Graham Manou

LOL lets hope Haddin doesn't get injured.

isnt manou fucking tamsyn lewis?

I've always said Hilf reminds me of Alderman a bit. Not that I'm expecting him to take 40+ wickets as Alderman did over there in '89, but could see him take 20+ for sure.

oh yeah!!!!! i was there in 89 when alderman tore them (especially gooch) a new one!

dmc333

21st May 2009, 11:34

http://www.sydneyuniversitycricket.com.au/player-profiles/2008_09/Individual-profiles/Greg%20Mathews.jpg

I'm fucking gutted. There better be SBS coverage this year and he better be on it.

Hugh Jorgen

21st May 2009, 11:35

If you don't have Hilfenhaus in your starting 11 in England then you may as well never play him again. He is a swing bowler and will absolutely carve up there. I predict he will be either our best or second best bowler so long as he starts most games.

Yeah OK you've convinced me, Lee out and Hilf in. Although I still think the selectors would be tempted to pick Lee if he has back to full fitness, just for his batting alone. A tail of Clark, Siddle and Hilfenhaus looks a bit long.

Guess it also depends who is fit and bowling well early in the tour. Stuey Clark has struggled a bit for form & fitness lately, so could be Lee in for Clark.

Hugh Jorgen

21st May 2009, 11:40

http://www.sydneyuniversitycricket.com.au/player-profiles/2008_09/Individual-profiles/Greg%20Mathews.jpg

I'm fucking gutted. There better be SBS coverage this year and he better be on it.

Pretty sure SBS are covering the Ashes again. Saw an ad promoting it on there recently. The only problem with SBS is that it clashes with their coverage of the Tour de France.

Kingy

21st May 2009, 11:51

Yeah OK you've convinced me, Lee out and Hilf in. Although I still think the selectors would be tempted to pick Lee if he has back to full fitness, just for his batting alone. A tail of Clark, Siddle and Hilfenhaus looks a bit long.

Guess it also depends who is fit and bowling well early in the tour. Stuey Clark has struggled a bit for form & fitness lately, so could be Lee in for Clark.

Mitch is currently playing like another batter, Siddle can at least hold the thing upright, so our tail isn't that long.

If you're picking a bowler because he might contribute another 30-40 runs per Test with that bat, then you're seriously looking at it the wrong way.

Travyo

21st May 2009, 12:02

lee was only good at smiling and thinking sexy thoughts about the pommy blokes

isnt manou fucking tamsyn lewis?

oh yeah!!!!! i was there in 89 when alderman tore them (especially gooch) a new one!
So her fail is getting transferred to him? makes sense.

Hugh Jorgen

21st May 2009, 12:04

Mitch is currently playing like another batter, Siddle can at least hold the thing upright, so our tail isn't that long.

If you're picking a bowler because he might contribute another 30-40 runs per Test with that bat, then you're seriously looking at it the wrong way.

I agree, you don't pick a bowler just for their batting. Having said that, if Lee is fit and bowling at full pace he is still a pretty decent bowler, his extra batting would just be a bonus. Having both Lee & Johnson bowling at 150k's would be a pretty frightening prospect for the Poms too.

As I said though, it all depends on who is fit and bowling well early in the tour. If Lee is still struggling and not at full pace then you probably shouldn't pick him.

peternorth

21st May 2009, 12:26

lee is a ****. ill never forgive him smiling throughout the last ashes series. and the fact he had some smash hit in india singing some duet makes him even worse

bigburger

21st May 2009, 13:08

peternorth

21st May 2009, 13:25

Siddle will be the one to miss out imo because the selectors obviously want Lee to suck their dicks and his hit the deck hard style bowling is not suited to English wickets as they are slower than just about any others in the world.

watsons move to nsw has paid off with an ashes spot.

re: lee, replace this fine lass' face with his and you get the idea why he was selected

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/9455/91871397.jpg

Kingy

21st May 2009, 13:30

I agree, you don't pick a bowler just for their batting. Having said that, if Lee is fit and bowling at full pace he is still a pretty decent bowler, his extra batting would just be a bonus. Having both Lee & Johnson bowling at 150k's would be a pretty frightening prospect for the Poms too.

As I said though, it all depends on who is fit and bowling well early in the tour. If Lee is still struggling and not at full pace then you probably shouldn't pick him.

Not in England he isn't, he sucks there. His action and bowling style do not suit the British pitches at all; the ball basically loses it's venom when it hits the pitch, he doesn't get bounce or seam like Clark, can't swing it like Hilfy, and isn't the World's Best Cricketer like Mitchy.

I'm not anti-Lee, he was very good for us after McGrath retired; but without match proven fitness and form, and with his record of struggling in England, he's not the answer.

Also, Peter, #2 by my count?

peternorth

21st May 2009, 13:39

Also, Peter, #2 by my count?

i think i'm upto 5 now.

crackalackin'

21st May 2009, 13:43

Yeah, I've got 5

peternorth

21st May 2009, 13:49

Yeah, I've got 5

perhaps it will make an appearance as my avatar :)

crackalackin'

21st May 2009, 13:53

perhaps it will make an appearance as my avatar :)

Not as good as mine ;)

Swamp

21st May 2009, 18:22

You blokes are mad. Hauritz will play in the first test for sure, you're forgetting the naiviety of the selectors. Also, it's not as shit of an idea anyway; the pitch at Cardiff will turn square (Glamorgan have been under fire this week over it's reportedly 'poor' condition) and it's it's good for general team balance (we can't expect Pup and North to be throwing over 20+ overs a day on then rocking up in the next innings to bat.) Remember, the poms will play Swann and Panesar, and if they take bags and we dont play a spinner the selectors will look very, very silly.
Hauritz will play.

bigburger

21st May 2009, 18:24

He will definately play in Cardiff. Apparently it turns square. If thats the case fuck knows why they picked Hauritz over Krejza who actually can turn it.

Kingy

21st May 2009, 18:41

He will definately play in Cardiff. Apparently it turns square. If thats the case fuck knows why they picked Hauritz over Krejza who actually can turn it.

An attacking spin bowler?! Then we'd actually have to be prepared to see him go for runs? And if he couldn't dominate in Perth, what chance does he has on a pitch actually turning?

Also, First Test at Cardiff is a fucking disgrace!

bigburger

21st May 2009, 18:46

Also, First Test at Cardiff is a fucking disgrace!

Agreed that is 100% tactical from Engaldn.

pickman

21st May 2009, 18:51

If I was selecting the side atm my pacemen would be Mitch, Siddle and Hilf. I thought as a trio they bowled very well in South Africa.

As some of you have said already Hilf is a genuine swing bowler and you need that in England. I reckon he'll do well too. :thumbsu:

IIRC Mitch started to get some swing too in Sth Africa. If he can maintain his form of the past 12 months and can get the ball to move as well than watch out England 'cos you're fucked.

I'd go for Siddle ahead of Lee and Clark at this stage. Siddle has done little wrong since making his debut and seems to get better with every match, it's hard to justify not having in the team.

Still, Lee & Clark are pretty handy bowlers to have out of the team nipping at the incumbents heels.

Travyo

21st May 2009, 19:55

If Hauritz wasn't plucked out of obscurity, he would be getting tonked in the grade comp, it's fucking ridiculous he is going to england.

Also have not seen him turn a ball more than an inch.

Hugh Jorgen

21st May 2009, 20:44

Agreed that is 100% tactical from Engaldn.

Nah, it's 100% financial. The only reason they gave a test to Cardiff is because they guaranteed bigger returns than the other test venues such as Old Trafford. A bit like St Kilda, Carlton and North choosing to play at the Gold Coast rather than Etihad because they get more coin.

It's no tactical advantage for England to play there as it's a new test venue, if anything it should play into our hands. Although I've also heard that it rains a lot there so it wouldn't surprise me if it's a draw.

Whacker

21st May 2009, 21:26

Why the fuck arnt we the australian selectors. We almost seem as if we know whats going on unlike those fuckwits who pick players on reputation not form, conditions and the like. FUCK EM!!!!!

Mancey

21st May 2009, 21:29

I'll reserve my judgement till the warmup games, just because he's been out with injury, but i like Clark in the side. Needs to perform the nagging seaming McGrath role

pickman

21st May 2009, 21:58

I'll reserve my judgement till the warmup games, just because he's been out with injury, but i like Clark in the side. Needs to perform the nagging seaming McGrath role

You see I like how our fast bowling stocks are shaping up for this tour, none of the five strike bowlers are going to be there for the ride, all have legitimate claims to be in the team. I agree with you Mance, Clark will need to play some warm up games under his belt first. Lee too, T20 is one thing, test cricket is another.

Curtis Stone

22nd May 2009, 09:08

We only need Mitch and Phil in the side to win.

LOL @ England's sledging, calling Andrew McDonald 'Ronald'. Gee, I wonder if he's heard that one before. Must have cut him pretty deep. :cool:

Travyo

22nd May 2009, 10:51

Lol Bob Willis is a fuckwit, that's the best he could come up with? pommy faggot

Kingy

22nd May 2009, 11:53

We only need Mitch and Phil in the side to win.

LOL @ England's sledging, calling Andrew McDonald 'Ronald'. Gee, I wonder if he's heard that one before. Must have cut him pretty deep. :cool:

Pretty funny that we heap shit on our own guys better than they do.

Whacker

22nd May 2009, 12:46

At least they are trying to sledge the most important player in the squad. Oh wait my bad carry on.

I did like the Herald Suns come back. They have a headline 'They think we're clowns...but at least our fries don't come with coke' in reference to the ex-England cricketer getting sentenced to 13 years prison for smuggling cocaine.