Pick your 16 Australian players for the 2013 Ashes Tour

[Nige]

Not sure what they are doing with naming all those bowlers in the A squad, but probably just giving them a match each to adjust to conditions better.

I like the squad they have named, maybe Bailey over Rogers but I don't mind either way. My XI for the first test would be.

Warner
Watson
Hughes
Rogers
Clarke
Khawaja
Haddin
Harris
Siddle
Lyon
Bird

The batting lineup looks decent I think with Rogers in there. Clarke should keep on going like he has, Warner will have a few big innings, Watson should improve at the top, Hughes looking ok and should be good in English conditions, Rogers used to batting in England, Khawaja should perform well to take his chance. Should be competitive there.

As for the bowlers having Harris, Siddle, Lyon and Bird in the attack with Watson as an allrounder as well looks like the best attack in the world bar South Africa. Starc and Patto to rotate through with them and we should have no trouble taking 20 wickets every match.

That's the exact XI I would want, but they'll probably play Cowan and the golden boy Mitch Starc.  ::)

#TheIllMindOfJohnInverarity

[nrich102]

They are putting bets on already for England to win all 10 tests in a row and

are calling this the worst Australian team in 30 years

It is a pretty bad side, and WHERE THE FLOWER IS MITCH JOHNSON

[Hawka]

The team id like to see for the first test is

1. Warner
2. Rogers
3. Hughes
4. Clarke
5. Khawaja
6. Watson/ Faulkner if watto cant bowl
7. Haddin (why the flower was he picked)
8. Harris
9. Siddle
10. Lyon
11. Bird
or Patto if they want 4 quicks

[henry]

They are putting bets on already for England to win all 10 tests in a row and

are calling this the worst Australian team in 30 years

It is a pretty bad side, and WHERE THE FLOWER IS MITCH JOHNSON

Others have surpassed him, actually really like this squad.

My XI would be:
Cowan/Rogers (Ed probably gets first crack)
Warner
Hughes
Clarke
Khawaja
Watson
Haddin
Siddle
Pattison
Harris/Bird
Lyon

The selectors like having a left arm quick for the change of angle though, so starc will probably play.
With only 1 spinner in the sqaud I get the feeling a spot has been left for Fawad, hopefully he gets citizenship quickly and then send him over!

[SeeeJaay]

My best 11 for the aussie side is as follows.
In order!
1. Warner
2. Rogers
3. Hughes
4. Khawaja
5. Clarke
6. Wade
7. Watson / Faulkner
8. Starc
9. Pattinson
10. Siddle
11. Bird

We dont have a spinner that is good enough so we shouldnt pretend we do! If haddin is keeping then Wade makes the side over Khawaja! Watson in my side as an all rounder if he can bowl if not then Faulkner!

[Nige]

Yeah, really odd that Lyon's the only spinner. Surely there can't be any other reason than hoping Fawad gets to all clear regarding citizenship. If he doesn't, what happens? Do we see Clarke and Warner bowling a few overs? Or do they send over someone like Maxy (;D), Steve Smith (::)) or SOK (8))

[BB67th]

Definitely they are planning that Fawad gets citizenship for the Ashes, and if he does, I would not be surprised if he is named in the first test over Lyon. Many regard him as the best spinner in Australia since Warne and think he could play a big part over the next 5 years in Australian cricket and get us back to the top.

[SeeeJaay]

Definitely they are planning that Fawad gets citizenship for the Ashes, and if he does, I would not be surprised if he is named in the first test over Lyon. Many regard him as the best spinner in Australia since Warne and think he could play a big part over the next 5 years in Australian cricket and get us back to the top.

I agree with you here if Fawad gets the citizenship then he makes the side!

[Cicjose]

a rookie spinner playing for WA who wasn't even born here and not even any good, to make the squad? are you high?

[Nige]

a rookie spinner playing for WA who wasn't even born here and not even any good, to make the squad? are you high?

Classic NegaCicity.  :P

He's good Cic, you may not rate him, but a lot of others do. Usman Khawaja wasn't born here but has made the squad, and he's not the first either.

[Cicjose]

and the sad thing is that John Inverarity wants to push through citizenship so they can have another spinner despite the fact that he is crap

Khawaja is actually good but the fact that Australia is willing to naturalize players rather than improve the domestic cricket coaches is going to cost them in the long term

Im one of a minority thinking of backing England to complete the sweep

[Nige]

Don't get wrong, I'm backing England to complete the sweep should rain not affect any of the matches.  ::)

[BB67th]

Cic if you think Fawad is crap, then you have not seen him bowl. And he plays for VIC, not WA. Go watch his 5 fer he took in his second Shield game, he got the ball to turn a mile and he has a great wrongun.

[KoopKicka]

On the surface it looks a decent squad, but you only need to see slightly below the surface to see major cracks.


Guys who shouldnt be there:

Warner - Will not cope with the Duke and the swinging ball, expect an average of low 20s for the tour, if not dropped.
Watson - The vice-captaincy has meant that he has fallen into the delusion that he is good enough to make the team as a batsmen or a bowler. Which is the reference point for all good all-rounders, while he was in his heyday, he isnt now, should get dropped or retire sooner rather than later.
Wade - Even though he is the backup keeper, his glovework is shocking, especially to the spinners, and Lyons record would be a whole flowering lot better if he took the simple catches. Thats the main reason people still doubt Lyons place. While I think Ahmed is good, Lyon has the ability to bowl for long spells and grind out the wickets, as well as strike, whereas I think Fawad is more of a strike bowler and cant go for long spells without straying accuracy-wise. Ahmed should replace  Doherty as our ODI spinner.
Bird - This one is controversial, but taking a guy who is a borderline chucker isnt good for our reputation, hes a great bowler dont get me worng. But if he is called, it won't do the young bloke a world of good.

Guys who should be there instead:

George Bailey - Back in the 2007 ashes whitewash we had about 6 or 7 guys who if it came to them, could lead the team. Not necessarily big-headed, but leaders and men with experience. In the current team we have 3, but even then I wouldnt want Watson to captain my team. Most arrogant cricket apart from Virat and Harbo Ive ever seen. Needs to get games into him and could be the next VC, is also a great batsmen, can just grind it out.
Ben Hilfenhaus - Seriously, WHAT IS INVERRARITY SMOKING BY NOT TAKING A SWING BOWLER TO ENGLAND!
, its just suicide, we are screwed, we had the Gillespie and McGrath swing combo in 06-07 and look how that turned out! We whiteashed one and came close to the other. People are saying we have a great pace battery, thats all well and good and I agree with them. But not having a swing bowler in England is suicide!
Callum Ferguson - His domestic numbers havent set the world on fire as they had in previous years. But in my opinion, is the best GENUINE number 6 we have in the country. Very much in the Mike Hussey mould in the sense that if he comes out and you have 50 on the board, he will grind it out and get you a 100, if you are on 400, he will come out and add to the score very quickly. HE has a lot of what this squad is missing. TEMPERAMENT!
Chris Hartley - Is the best pure gloveman in the country, but he is a shocking batsman, but heres the thing. IF THE TOP 6 BLOODY DID THEIR JOB THE KEEPER DOESNT NEED TO BAT! Great backup to Haddin.

Yeah theres my thoughts, and here is my thoughts on the XI Id take in if I made those changes to the squad.

Cowan
Rogers
Hughes
Clarke
Bailey
Ferguson
Haddin
Harris
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Lyon/Starc

12th: Khawja


If those changes werent made


Cowan
Rogers
Hughes
Clarke
Khawja
Warner
Haddin
Harris
Pattinson
Siddle
Lyon/Starc
12th: Faulkner

[BB67th]

Can't agree with you on anything there Koop except for Wade being a poor continued selection. This is just about the best we have got, only person missing is Tim Paine and Fawad will come in when he gets citizenship.