Here come the announcements !

[pluga_4]

Mike Hussey:

Time to announce his retirement in the test arena.

The time is right, he's can go out on his terms rather than be pushed. The start of the last 2 aussie summers people on here have called for his head. This now gives him a chance to go out on top of his game.

I have no doubt he'll play odi's a little longer and go to the world cup.

The next test we play is in late august/early september and we have a gruelling 12 tests: sl away (3), sa away (3), nz home (2) india home (4).

He'll have done well to still be in the test team this time next year.



Simon Katich:

I thought he'd played his last test a few weeks ago when he got injured. This may well still be the case but could there be a farewell match in sydney next week as its reported he's fit and hughes is out of form?

Can't see kat making it through the next summer although we are gonna need someone with a bit of steele and resolve with the upcoming tough series.


Ricky Ponting:

One of my fave all time players, but hate seeing him in this sort of form. He's played in 99 test wins , so winning in sydney and making it 100 and bringing up his 40th test century would be fantastic ! Now's the time for punter to move on although i'd love nothing more for him to get some form and dominate the next 12 months.

He'll obviously play the world cup and won't have anything else to achieve.

I'd like to see him say farewell to the aussie crowd and not make an announcement in regards to tests until after the world cup.



So all in all, after next week we should have a fresher and younger looking test team. Only haddin (33) and harris (31) will be over 30.
Hopefully we'll have the likes of khawaja, hughes, white, ferguson, paine, wade comin thru as some of the new bowlers are already pushing through.

 

[Alpha1]

Hussey is good enough to play on Australian pitches for 2 years, so I doubt he will be retiring after the Ashes. Don't know about Ponting comes across as selfish and he is chasing records, I think he will hang on and hang on, he won't be going anywhere either.

 

[Subprime]

I just heard Nielson say he hoped Ponting would lead us for another couple of years or some such comment.

Doesn't sound like an announcement is coming on that front.

 

[GreekLunatic]

Great that means we have a few years of Nielsen too. We gonna be like the great Windies side of the 70s and 80s. Its gonna take years to get out of mediocrity.

 

[Coledinho]

Michael Clarke to announce a reconciliation with Lara Bingle. Anything to stop people talking about his cricket career I spose

 

[Bombers_Forever]

They want Ponting to continue because the captaincy candidates are poor - selectors are now really seeing why it was a mistake to annoit Clarke as successor so early.

I would prefer Ponting to go out on his own terms but I have a feeling he will get pushed before he jumps.

 

[legend166]

The future tours program says we're to play two tests away against Bangladesh in April and host Zimbabwe for two tests in June. I assume if the latter goes ahead it will be the top end tour.

 

[pluga_4]

The future tours program says we're to play two tests away against Bangladesh in April and host Zimbabwe for two tests in June. I assume if the latter goes ahead it will be the top end tour.

the tour v bangladesh has been postponed because of..wait for it...the IPL !

zimbabwe dont have their test status back as yet and i'll back its just another top end tour postponed (like bangladesh '08 & '10).

even if these tours go ahead, the more reason to blood new players against these minnows.

 

[Selective Retention]

Personally I'd bring back Kat for the short term but only because I believe Watson is the only one capable of batting #3 and we can't go in with two new openers. Plus he can captain for a year or two until someone else (other than Clarke) comes on.

Watson #3, Khawaja #4, Clarke #5

That is the middle order to build around IMO.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

They want Ponting to continue because the captaincy candidates are poor - selectors are now really seeing why it was a mistake to annoit Clarke as successor so early.

I would prefer Ponting to go out on his own terms but I have a feeling he will get pushed before he jumps.

You're probably right, it's unfortunate the selectors don't consider White's technique/temperament up for test level (that's the only reason I can see he's not in the test side because he keeps making runs) because he's very tactically astute and by far the best tactical captain option that we have. Frankly I'd pick him anyway no matter the concern, after all the looney mob (i.e. the selection panel) are prepared to pick Smith, and he doesn't have the temperament as a batsman for test level. White gets the job done, and probably will keep getting it done, so long as this time they pick him as a batsman rather than a bloody spinner.

They may have to give it to someone like Hussey but really that isn't a long term choice, and there's no obvious long term captaincy options that I can see.

 

[The 747]

Hussey is good enough to play on Australian pitches for 2 years, so I doubt he will be retiring after the Ashes. Don't know about Ponting comes across as selfish and he is chasing records, I think he will hang on and hang on, he won't be going anywhere either.

Obvious troll is obvious our Indian friend. Back to ICF with you.

 

[red+black]

changes:
- Ponting steps down as Captain
- Haddin installed as Captain
- Ponting drops down to #4
- Clarke drops down to #6
- Hughes and Smith goes for the time being
- Katich stays
- Koala in at #3
- Hauritz in at #8

 

[nineteen eighty]

Personally I'd bring back Kat for the short term but only because I believe Watson is the only one capable of batting #3 and we can't go in with two new openers. Plus he can captain for a year or two until someone else (other than Clarke) comes on.

Watson #3, Khawaja #4, Clarke #5

That is the middle order to build around IMO.

I've been big (and vocal) on Watson dropping down to 5 but have shifted to your way of thinking. Watson looks like he can bat at 3 and hence Khawaja can take 4 and Clarke can go back to 5. Should never have gone to 4 in the first place but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I'm also of the opinion now that Cosgrove should open. Not the fittest bloke going around (in fact far from) but he is a specialist opener and can shore up one end. I'm at a loss as to who else is a contender for the opening slot.

 

[Public Enemy No1]

Hughes to announce that he is not an openers a-hole

 

[Selective Retention]

I'm also of the opinion now that Cosgrove should open. Not the fittest bloke going around (in fact far from) but he is a specialist opener and can shore up one end. I'm at a loss as to who else is a contender for the opening slot.

I was happy for Hughes to get a run for the rest of the ashes series as he was the one with the potential upside. Certainly at this stage that is looking more and more a no goer.

The top order batsman that have scored runs in shield cricket over the last few years like Klinger and Cowan don't appeal to me as anything other than good shield cricketers.

They could take a chance on an unproven kid like Maddinson or Hill, just throw them in.

Cosgrove is the middle ground. The guy is 26 and has played 96 FC games, he is at the right age, has the experience and the form. It just needs the selectors to look beyond his weight, and given their stubborness on other issues, it is probably unlikely to happen. I wouldn't mind seeing him given a chance.

 

[red+black]

Would it really be that hard to get Cosgrove into shape? Give him a full-time personal trainer and cook for 6 months.

 

[pluga_4]

well at least i got the katich one right

 

[nineteen eighty]

I'll piss in my pocket re Watson at 3 and Clarke back at 5.

Cosgrove only seems to be getting bigger. Maybe they did give him a personal trainer and ate him.

 

[Natho]

Cosgrove he's lost the plot