Predict the Test Squad for Australia's Tour of NZ.

[Gazza_11]

I doubt the selectors will be able to resist his brilliant ODI form, very reliable hands in the slips, handy legspin and genius captaincy.

Although, definitely has the potential to backfire.

 

[1990crow]

My XI i feel they really need to pick, cant keep playing North, getting old and there are better, younger options out there

Hughes
Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Harris
Bollinger

Good pace attack
Strong batting line up, hauritz will be useless in NZ (flat tracks - flatter than here) and handy options in Smith, Watson and Katich/Clarke. Dont think we need Hauritz in the XI, but he will be for some time.

Spare players would be McKay (not quite there yet more mine), Haurtz and White as back up batsmen. I really think this side has good balance, would loe to see this side going forward, preparing for the ashes and against tours of India and South Africa.

 

[Gazza_11]

You would move our best batsman out of the number three position, where he has done so well? That's really upsetting the team balance, seeing as recently we've collapsed after losing that third wicket. Your also moving Hussey and Clarke out of position.

And Katich probably wouldn't be too happy with being moved from the top.

 

[Smokey_22]

I doubt the selectors will be able to resist his brilliant ODI form, very reliable hands in the slips, handy legspin and genius captaincy.

Although, definitely has the potential to backfire.

White is not a bowler.

His ODI scores this year are:
105
55
25
44
13
22
17
63
22
33 399 runs at 39.9

Consistent but nothing special. Nothing that would put him above North for instance. People are over-rating his performances.

 

[spookism]

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Klinger
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
McKay
Bollinger

=====

Hughes
Harris

 

[1990crow]

You would move our best batsman out of the number three position, where he has done so well? That's really upsetting the team balance, seeing as recently we've collapsed after losing that third wicket. Your also moving Hussey and Clarke out of position.

And Katich probably wouldn't be too happy with being moved from the top.

Actually i think it would benefit the team. Ponting either seems to get a duck (or low score) or a big score these days due to being suspect against the new ball (early wickets) which actually puts pressure on the middle order. Katich would be able to withstand early wickets and hence the middle order fires. I think the batting side of things would be more consistant, which is why really we're not number one anymore, bowling isnt the issue here.

 

[Gazza_11]

Pretty decent form at the moment though?

 

[courtjester]

To the person that wants to drop Hauritz for Smith. Ha!

Check out NH figures from the WI and Pak series. Get real.

Smith is just another guy everyone is having a premature orgasm over. He may be good, but his time is not yet.

 

[Cleavy]

When is the squad being announced by CA?

 

[1990crow]

To the person that wants to drop Hauritz for Smith. Ha!

Check out NH figures from the WI and Pak series. Get real.

Smith is just another guy everyone is having a premature orgasm over. He may be good, but his time is not yet.

I wouldn't be swapping Hauritz for Smith. Smith gets a game for his batting, his bowling will be a bonus (hed play as an all rounder)
Don't think wed need Hauritz, just my opinion, unlikely to happen. Just think the sooner we get this kid into the side, the better he'll become.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Then pick him at number 6. A batsman being picked at 7 or 8 is laughable. You want a batsman pick him in the top 6.

 

[aussie1st]

Given the state of Pakistan and WI cricket I wouldn't read much into the performances of our bowlers. Sadly we don't have a decent opponent until maybe India if they manage to get 2 Test in before the Ashes.

 

[Gough]

Whilst I think that people are being pretty harsh on North considering his success in both South Africa and England, his form against vastly inferior sides has clearly not been up to scratch and I would think given his domestic form of recent times it is difficult to see him being selected for the upcoming Tests. The query that I have, is that the basis of his original selection was the fact that not only could he bat at 6, he was also a useful spin bowler. With the emergence of Hauritz as our number one spinner the requirement that a number six batsman be able to bowl is now of less importance.
In my mind the candidates for number six in the upcoming Tests are Steve Smith and Cameron White. Of the two, I would select White, he clearly has an acute cricket mind, a first class average of 42 is non too shabby, and importantly he is an excellent slips fieldsman, an area where Australia has struggled since the retirement of Warne and Hayden. For what it's worth, and I reckon I won't be far off the mark, the team for the first test will be;

Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
White
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Harris
Bollinger

Clint McKay can probably consider himself pretty unlucky, but Harris seems to have come good at just the right time. I would also select Smith but more as cover for an injury to a batsman, I think he has potential as a bowler but still a long way to go.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Given the state of Pakistan and WI cricket I wouldn't read much into the performances of our bowlers. Sadly we don't have a decent opponent until maybe India if they manage to get 2 Test in before the Ashes.

Why would we want to play 2 tests in India before the Ashes?

We are already playing an ODI series against Sri Lanka

 

[Flemy]

But my team would look like this:
Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
White
Warner
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
McKay
Bollinger

Harris
Hughes

Why Warner? Based on his form in FC cricket? His form in the Ford Ranger wasnt even good enough to get into the australian team and hes a much better one day cricketer than FC cricketer.

I also dislike the thought of putting Hughes in the middle order. Hes an oppener. He needs to be patient and wait for is time to come. He should not be gifted a place in the australian team. White is a much better middle order batter and therefore should get the six spot or at worst tour as the reserve middle order batter.

If Hughes would to tour over white it would have to been to move Watson down the order if North gets dumped or an injury.

 

[Gazza_11]

Why would we want to play 2 tests in India before the Ashes?

We are already playing an ODI series against Sri Lanka

Would you rather go into the Ashes with absolutely no test matches against decent opposition since the time we lost the last one?

 

[Smokey_22]

Why Warner? Based on his form in FC cricket? His form in the Ford Ranger wasnt even good enough to get into the australian team and hes a much better one day cricketer than FC cricketer.

I also dislike the thought of putting Hughes in the middle order. Hes an oppener. He needs to be patient and wait for is time to come. He should be gifted a place in the australian team. White is a much better middle order batter and therefore should get the six spot or at worst tour as the reserve middle order batter.

If Hughes would to tour over white it would have to been to move Watson down the order if North gets dumped or an injury.

I dont quite get what you mean here. He needs to be patient...but then he should be gifted a place???
Also White is a much better middle order batter - than who? Hughes? He's never played middle order. If you mean North then you may be correct. But dont expect White to be picked.

 

[Flemy]

I dont quite get what you mean here. He needs to be patient...but then he should be gifted a place???
Also White is a much better middle order batter - than who? Hughes? He's never played middle order. If you mean North then you may be correct. But dont expect White to be picked.

Thats a typo on my behalf, i did mean to say he should not be gifted his place. As for the middle order batters some people want Hughes at 6 over both North and White. Im agreeing with you Hughes has never batted in the middle and therefore should not be put in the team as a middle order batter. He should only play if we have an injury or form slump in one of our oppeners. I wouldnt be dissapointed if we drop North and move one of Watson or Katich down the order to get Hughes into the team.

 

[HSSB]

Who will replace Michael Clarke in the squad for the series, does this mean North will keep his spot in the team? Or does Smith get picked, as much as I like him as a player, I don't think he is just ready yet. What are everyone elses thoughts?

 

[Axel.]

Who will replace Michael Clarke in the squad for the series, does this mean North will keep his spot in the team? What are everyone elses thoughts?

If he's still out when the tests start i hope they include both White and Smith.

Katich
Watson
Ponting
Smith
Hussey
White
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
McKay
Bollinger

 

[Bomber Bears]

Whats Cam White done to deserve his spot in the test side?

Is it scoring less than 300 runs in FC cricket this year?
Is it entertaining the thought of IPL over playing the shield final?
Is his frankly average ODI summer (yes average, plenty of starts but only the one ton and average as hell since then)?
Or is it the desperation to get a Vic into the side.

Hughes, Khawaja and Smith from NSW alone have been better with the bat this year, especially Khawaja, the guy is a fun. The likes of Klinger from SA have been excellent two years in a row. There are more deserving options in the middle order

 

[eddiesmith]

Yeah he does have less than 300 runs, that happens when missing most of the season, still averaging 46 as he has for Australia this summer, to go with some good performances overseas. He is being picked on the basis that he is a 1st slip which is needed to replace North and he is making runs for Australia at International level plus his last 4 seasons of first class cricket in Australia he has averaged 50, 58, 47 and 46. Also Australia has picked on ODI form in the past

But the batting is pretty easy, White, Smith and Hughes for 2 spots, maybe all 3 go depending on squad size, its the bowling thats interesting. Most would have thought McKay but they keep leaving him out of the ODI side and saw an article in the paper last night that said Harris is guaranteed starter in the 1st test

 

[Good Win]

Bit left field, but my AUS XI would be:

Hughes
Watson
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Katich
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Harris
Bollinger

North is terribly out of form and his name weakens the list IMO. Hughes must get his chance to nail down a spot in the top order. Despite his flaws (poor off his pads - leading to LBW's and poor at playing the short ball) he really hasn't been THAT bad. His FC form has also been quite good. He deserves another chance. Therefore, i've chosen to move Katich down the order. Remember, he only opens the batting for Australia, in FC cricket he bats in the middle order.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Pup not being there has probably given North a reprieve. Will probably play alongside his potential replacement.

 

[Good Win]

Katich/Hughes
Watson
Ponting (c)
Clarke (vc)
Hussey/Smith
White
Haddin/Paine (wk)
Johnson
Hauritz
McKay
Bollinger

You've posted 3 teams so far?

Katich I would call undroppable at this stage. Very important player.
Why would Smith be vying for Hussey's position?? We don't need two spinners in the same side and whilst Smith is a handy batsmen, he doesn't compare to the likes of Hussey. White (Vic bias?) is not a test player (we finally realised once his bowling was found out) and does not deserve a spot. I could name several players that should wear the baggygreen ahead of him.