Pick your 16 Australian players for the 2013 Ashes Tour

[Sapientia]

Big Bash form =/= Test or First Class form (i think that =/= is the symbol for not equal :P)

=/= or != works for does not equal.

[Hawka]

Paine brings alot of leadership something we really need

[BB67th]

   On the subject of wicket keepers and the importance of batting..   I'm taking Gilchrist or Sangakarra over Healy or Knot, the extra batting strength is worth more in my opinion. Thats of course that the keeper is of some reasonable quality.

Yeah lad, and that I totally agree with, I just believe that the level of batting in the current options isn't that different within them, if that makes sense. When the gap is 20-25 runs yeah. When it's 5-10 as I believe it is with Wade/Nevill, then the superior glovework should count.

Fair enough, Wade is no Gilly thats for sure.  At this stage its Wade's spot to lose.
  Really dont see the point going back to Haddin now, I would prefer they take a young back-up keeper to England. Give him some experience of a tour and being in the squad. May as well think of the future.

Are there any other good really young keepers in the country at the moment though to take on the tours?

I mean Wade is what, 25? and he is the youngest keeper in the country just about.

VIC - Wade - 25 current national keeper, Peter Handscomb - not solid with his glovework
NSW - Haddin - 36 almost retired, Nevill - 27 don't think his batting quite stands up to international level
QLD - Hartley - 30 best gloveman in the country but batting doesn't quite stand up
TAS - Paine - 28 should get tried more at international level could be a great test keeper and potential test captain
SA - Ludeman - 25 must admit I don't know much about him but I don't think he is a better batter or keeper than Hartley
WA - Triffit - 22 looks to have a lot of potential but was recently dropped from the Scorchers T20 side and doesn't deserve to go on a tour yet.

So who else would you take as the second keeper? I don't think there is really anyone young to take on the tour, so I would be taking Tim Paine as the backup from that.

Nevill with a FC average of 43... Not good enough?

Ludeman is rubbish. Triffitt isn't composed enough as a bat nor consistent enough with the gloves - takes miracle catches but fluffs simple ones.

A quarter of Nevill's FC innings are not out and he has. SR of under 50. I dont think he has the ability o bat with the tail like Wade, Paine or Haddin does.

[Tominator]

 Mike Hussey to save our bacon and come out of retirement?

[JBs-Hawks]

   On the subject of wicket keepers and the importance of batting..   I'm taking Gilchrist or Sangakarra over Healy or Knot, the extra batting strength is worth more in my opinion. Thats of course that the keeper is of some reasonable quality.

Yeah lad, and that I totally agree with, I just believe that the level of batting in the current options isn't that different within them, if that makes sense. When the gap is 20-25 runs yeah. When it's 5-10 as I believe it is with Wade/Nevill, then the superior glovework should count.

Fair enough, Wade is no Gilly thats for sure.  At this stage its Wade's spot to lose.
  Really dont see the point going back to Haddin now, I would prefer they take a young back-up keeper to England. Give him some experience of a tour and being in the squad. May as well think of the future.

Are there any other good really young keepers in the country at the moment though to take on the tours?

I mean Wade is what, 25? and he is the youngest keeper in the country just about.

VIC - Wade - 25 current national keeper, Peter Handscomb - not solid with his glovework
NSW - Haddin - 36 almost retired, Nevill - 27 don't think his batting quite stands up to international level
QLD - Hartley - 30 best gloveman in the country but batting doesn't quite stand up
TAS - Paine - 28 should get tried more at international level could be a great test keeper and potential test captain
SA - Ludeman - 25 must admit I don't know much about him but I don't think he is a better batter or keeper than Hartley
WA - Triffit - 22 looks to have a lot of potential but was recently dropped from the Scorchers T20 side and doesn't deserve to go on a tour yet.

So who else would you take as the second keeper? I don't think there is really anyone young to take on the tour, so I would be taking Tim Paine as the backup from that.

Nevill with a FC average of 43... Not good enough?

Ludeman is rubbish. Triffitt isn't composed enough as a bat nor consistent enough with the gloves - takes miracle catches but fluffs simple ones.

Ludeman is actually pretty handy with the gloves, batting technique wouldnt stand up to international cricket though.


And @BB. First class strike means jack shower

[Sapientia]

   On the subject of wicket keepers and the importance of batting..   I'm taking Gilchrist or Sangakarra over Healy or Knot, the extra batting strength is worth more in my opinion. Thats of course that the keeper is of some reasonable quality.

Yeah lad, and that I totally agree with, I just believe that the level of batting in the current options isn't that different within them, if that makes sense. When the gap is 20-25 runs yeah. When it's 5-10 as I believe it is with Wade/Nevill, then the superior glovework should count.

Fair enough, Wade is no Gilly thats for sure.  At this stage its Wade's spot to lose.
  Really dont see the point going back to Haddin now, I would prefer they take a young back-up keeper to England. Give him some experience of a tour and being in the squad. May as well think of the future.

Are there any other good really young keepers in the country at the moment though to take on the tours?

I mean Wade is what, 25? and he is the youngest keeper in the country just about.

VIC - Wade - 25 current national keeper, Peter Handscomb - not solid with his glovework
NSW - Haddin - 36 almost retired, Nevill - 27 don't think his batting quite stands up to international level
QLD - Hartley - 30 best gloveman in the country but batting doesn't quite stand up
TAS - Paine - 28 should get tried more at international level could be a great test keeper and potential test captain
SA - Ludeman - 25 must admit I don't know much about him but I don't think he is a better batter or keeper than Hartley
WA - Triffit - 22 looks to have a lot of potential but was recently dropped from the Scorchers T20 side and doesn't deserve to go on a tour yet.

So who else would you take as the second keeper? I don't think there is really anyone young to take on the tour, so I would be taking Tim Paine as the backup from that.

Nevill with a FC average of 43... Not good enough?

Ludeman is rubbish. Triffitt isn't composed enough as a bat nor consistent enough with the gloves - takes miracle catches but fluffs simple ones.

Ludeman is actually pretty handy with the gloves, batting technique wouldnt stand up to international cricket though.


And @BB. First class strike means jack shower

Oh yeah, as a wicketkeeper in the most holistic of terms he's excellent. He's just an average slogger with the bat.

[fidou]

My team for the Indian/Ashes tours

Warner (is undoubtably the most attacking batsman in world cricket)
Watson (Cowen goes due to an av of 32 and only 25 against Sri Lanka and Watson can only bat as an opener in the team)
Hughes (has recovered from being dropped last summer to become a more complete player)
Khawaja (Has had the most disappointing summer due to the selectors. This guy is all class why isn't he in the team)
Clarke ( el capitano)
D Hussey ( Hussey for Hussey, well due to the absence of any class in Australia is a no brainer, plus the undoubted help in India with spin)
Wade (has cemented his spot for now)
Johnstone (Well is proven in India but was lost in England last time?)
Pattison/Cummins (Either player will be the future for Australia)
Starc (has shown this summer he is the goods)
Lyon (No reason to displace him from the team although lack of competition. Is a worry he does not flight the ball which he must do in India.
Bird (Must go to India as he is the find of the summer and will perform in England)
Paine (reserve keeper as we will look to the future as good as Haddin is he is 35)
2nd spinner (do we take Maxwell who is more a stock off spinner or do we go with Beer. The spinners are a quandary.)
Siddle (Well how can you leave him out)

[BB67th]

I like that side Fidou. Nice balance and I think you have nailed the batting order.

[Tominator]

where is Mitchell Johnson ?    ^

[stew42]

where is Mitchell Johnson ?    ^

I think some (read: most) people are thinking of only including one of Starc and Johnson. For me, they are very similar: left arm pacemen who either pitch it off the wicket or bowl perfectly, who can also hold a bat reasonably well.

[BB67th]

where is Mitchell Johnson ?    ^

I think some (read: most) people are thinking of only including one of Starc and Johnson. For me, they are very similar: left arm pacemen who either pitch it off the wicket or bowl perfectly, who can also hold a bat reasonably well.

I think both go in the squads to India and England, but only one plays in the XI with Siddle taking one spot and Patinson or Bird taking the other.

[Nails]

Warner (is undoubtably the most attacking batsman in world cricket)

Obviously you've never heard of Sehwag. Warner isn't THAT attacking in test cricket. And definitely isn't the most attacking batsman in world cricket.

That is a terrible call.

[Cicjose]

Siddle (Well how can you leave him out)

player management

[Sapientia]

Warner (is undoubtably the most attacking batsman in world cricket)

Obviously you've never heard of Sehwag. Warner isn't THAT attacking in test cricket. And definitely isn't the most attacking batsman in world cricket.

That is a terrible call.

Warner's an attacking batsman. The thing about Warner is test cricket lends to him as the field is in, plenty of slips so there are gaps in the field. His stock shots are runscoring shots... ball on off stump? He doesn't have to block, his way of playing it is to run it through covers/point occasionally. If it hits the middle with no fielders... 4.

He rarely goes out of his way to blatantly attack, as evidence by his ODI exploits when the field is spread (far less runs at only a marginally higher SR) - but his stock shots happen to be perfectly supported in Test cricket, making them runscoring shots.

Sehwag's just a blatant hacker and it works. So you're right, Sehwag's definitely more attacking.

As is Dilshan, probably, and also Gayle. Could also make an argument for Pietersen.

[owenbond007]

Staring XI
--------------
Watson
Warner
Hughes
Cowen
Clakre
D.hussey
Paine
Starc
Johnstone
Pattison
Hilfy

Reserves
-------------
Wade
Cummins
Siddle
Khawzja
S.Marsh