Should Ryan Harris be selected for the World Cup?

[Kyptastic]

Harris has been our best test bowler for year now, even taking into account Mitchell Johnson's recent burst of form. It is easy to forget, however, that he first made his name at international level as an ODI bowler of great skill. A fit Ryan Harris would go a long way to helping Australia win the World Cup and, in my view, would be an automatic selection in the squad, but the strain of a long summer of bowling could possibly means that he's not fit for Australia's Ashes defence in the months following the World Cup.

Would be interested in seeing the thoughts of people on this board on this question, as I feel it's going to be a big discussion point in the coming months until the squad is named. Your answer will probably come down to how important you consider winning the world cup to be compared to another Ashes victory.

 

[Aussie_boy]

If fit, then should be a definite starter. Would take him over the likes of McKay and Faulkner every day of the week, in fact I would say our best ODI bowler.

 

[frankrizzo]

Can't really say until he has played a few months of cricket following his knee op, if he plays the home tests vs india and feels like the knee is in good shape then i have no issue with him playing the world cup.

 

[bird_man]

Only if he is 100%, which is fairly unlikely for him. But if his body I holding up well I can't see why not.

 

[Kim Hagdorn]

If he is fit and keen then why not.

 

[The Speaker]

Winning a World Cup on home soil is not a chance we get often.

I'd be willing to rest him from a Test or two if it means he can play in the WC.

 

[The_Reaper]

Yes.
His surgery should hopefully fix him up.

We have until the end of 2015 with him. He's the kind of asset we use when we have him.

Maybe rest him against Scotland, Afghanistan and Bangladesh but he needs to be in the squad.

Johnson, Starc, Harris is a world cup winning attack.

 

[woofles]

A very nice option to have and would slot into the spot Coulter-Nile had last summer (even though he is a massive talent). I'd suggest finding a decent short form spinner would be the first priority towards balancing the attack though. Time Lyon got a ODI call up.

 

[Hellgood]

Yeah I think if he's fit he has to play. ODI bowling average of 18.90 with a strike rate of 23 is beastly (albeit achieved a couple of years back, but given the way he's been bowling in tests I don't think it's a stretch to say he'd have continued his awesome one day performances).

Will be tough to work out our optimal bowling attack. Faulkner has been impressive in the all-rounder role, but moreso with the bat than the ball. McKay just keeps on performing despite the worries about his pace. Johnson commands a spot. Coulter-Nile was very good for us last summer, but is going to miss our SA/Zimbabwe tour with his injury. Doherty is doing the job presently as our spinner, but it will be interesting to see how Maxwell's bowling develops over the summer as it might allow us to squeeze in another paceman/allrounder.

Batting is a bit more straightforward. Just a battle between Marsh and Finch for the opening position and Smith comes under serious consideration for a spot in the middle order.

 

[The_Reaper]

Yeah I think if he's fit he has to play. ODI bowling average of 18.90 with a strike rate of 23 is beastly (albeit achieved a couple of years back, but given the way he's been bowling in tests I don't think it's a stretch to say he'd have continued his awesome one day performances).

Will be tough to work out our optimal bowling attack. Faulkner has been impressive in the all-rounder role, but moreso with the bat than the ball. McKay just keeps on performing despite the worries about his pace. Johnson commands a spot. Coulter-Nile was very good for us last summer, but is going to miss our SA/Zimbabwe tour with his injury. Doherty is doing the job presently as our spinner, but it will be interesting to see how Maxwell's bowling develops over the summer as it might allow us to squeeze in another paceman/allrounder.

Batting is a bit more straightforward. Just a battle between Marsh and Finch for the opening position and Smith comes under serious consideration for a spot in the middle order.

Does he?
Was pretty average last year.

 

[The Speaker]

Does he?
Was pretty average last year.

Only in India.

 

[Hellgood]

Yeah he had a shocker of a series in India, but every bowler on both sides would have been very keen to forget those matches ever happened.

Pretty difficult to fault him otherwise, very consistent: http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...s=2;template=results;type=bowling;view=series

 

[philreich]

The bloke's courage can't be questioned - you just have to go back to his last Test performance to know that. If he's anywhere near 100% fit, I'd say he'd be one of the first selected. Bugger it: it's no crime to be greedy - hopefully Harris and Johnson can lead us to a World Cup triumph AND the retention of the Ashes!!!

 

[eth-dog]

Who does he displace out of McKay, Johnson, Starc?

 

[philreich]

Who does he displace out of McKay, Johnson, Starc?

I'd say Starc. There's also Faulkner, who I believe is an integral part of the team these days.

 

[eth-dog]

I'd say Starc. There's also Faulkner, who I believe is an integral part of the team these days.

Starc averages 19 with the pill and a sr of 23. So no.

 

[philreich]

Starc averages 19 with the pill and a sr of 23. So no.

Hey: it's a nice dilemma to have - if everybody is fit and firing, somebody will be unlucky. I guess the other question is, will we play the same 11 in each game, or will there be some rotations as the tournament progresses? After a long summer of cricket, certain players may need to be monitored carefully.

 

[The_Reaper]

Who does he displace out of McKay, Johnson, Starc?

Xavier Doherty

 

[Torz]

Yes, definitely. If he's fit.

One of McKay or Doherty to miss.

 

[courtjester]

If he's fit he should be in the squad. Probably less likely to get injured playing WC cricket than in FC cricket anyway. If he's fit he'll be bowling somewhere. Might as well be the WC.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I'd hope he'd be in the team, but won't be surprised if he isn't. He has to get through all the test matches next summer unscathed first. That doesn't happen very often.

 

[The_Reaper]

I'd hope he'd be in the team, but won't be surprised if he isn't. He has to get through all the test matches next summer unscathed first. That doesn't happen very often.

Happened last year.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Happened last year.

I wouldn't call surgery at the end of summer coming through it unscathed.

 

[Ashton Agar]

Save him for the Ashes. Ashes win > World Cup win

 

[The_Reaper]

Save him for the Ashes. Ashes win > World Cup win

He's still going to be playing for Queensland