Ashes are done, now for the ODIs

[BB67th]

Chris Hartley should be in and should have been in a long time ago. Best keeper in the country, is a better batsman than Paine and his batting is probably about on par with Haddin's.

[Jay]

Lol Jukes ::) because its not like half your bloody team is south afeican...

Doolan > Bailey and Sayers should be in the squad, not Faulker but looks alright after that!

LYON! :D

[PowerBug]

#SmithforPM

Still a better PM than Tony Abbott.  ;)

I'd be a better PM than Tony Abbott...

Dare I say it... tbag probably would.  :o :-X

He's not that bad, Tony that is.



If I hadn't already conceded Ballance had zero chance of playing the first test after Carberry scored big, Ballance's failure has secured it. :( Prior is apparently hurt, that'll open the door for Bairstow, who I think is behind Ballance as a batsman. So I'll be hoping for Joe Root to fail, so his fellow Yorkshireman can take his place in Adelaide. (Which I'll be there on Day 1 :D)

Balance has been found out very quickly by bowlers not close to test selection. Will need a lot more work before making it as a test player you'd think, has a lot of potential though and from an australian point of view I'd be very happy with he plays, hasn't looked like making a run on our pitches :P

Hopefully Pietersen can't play so he gets a game. :) Still confident that he'll get a test match this tour, just not 5 like I was wanitng. :(

[My Chumps]

#SmithforPM

Still a better PM than Tony Abbott.  ;)

I'd be a better PM than Tony Abbott...

Dare I say it... tbag probably would.  :o :-X

He's not that bad, Tony that is.

http://www.news.com.au/world/indonesia-refuses-to-accept-boat-people-rescued-by-australia/story-fndir2ev-1226755945625

Tony makes improbable decisions just to please the majority of the dickhead populace that lives in Australia. STOP THE BOATS yadayadyada, and then he doesn't consider the actual practicalities of such a policy.

[henry]

Please don't bring wade back until he has improved his keeping significantly, was costing probably 2 wickets a game with missed catches/stumpings for a while and it really isn't good enough. Probably cost Lyon 10 wickets  :P.

I think Haddin is the best option for now, is still an excellent keeper even though his recent form with the bat hasn't been great.

Chris Hartley should be in and should have been in a long time ago. Best keeper in the country, is a better batsman than Paine and his batting is probably about on par with Haddin's.

Yeah I've been impressed by him, would have him as the back up to Haddin. How old is he?

[tbagrocks]

Happy with Smith getting the run, looks to have matured nicely! Happy with most of it tbh except ....

Really wanted them to stick with the younger guys and rebuild properly, no Khawaja? Hughes? Paine not ready?

They had the chance to groom these younger guys, they kept rotating it all and flowered it up ::)  Now we patch up again with old men!

You dont rebuild during an Ashes series.

Had their chance to have a settled squad by now ;)  those youngsters should have been playing all year! Not sure where you got "Rebuilding during Ashes" from?

[Jay]

Agree with the others. You pick the best team possible in an Ashes series. Age has nothing to do with it.

I do however think Doolan is a better red-ball batsman than Bailey... Why he is getting picked based on ODI form on flat tracks is beyond me.

[tbagrocks]

My point is these very talented young men should have been given time to develop in the national team and by now they'd be ready to win the Ashes, IMO

Ok what? We know T20 sucks but .....    The first ODI is on the 12th of January shortly after the Sydney Test, so odd though that the T20 rubbish is after the ODI series? on the 29th of January? Then the 31st and the 2nd

Maybe play an T20 before the ODI series? :o  Well it makes sense to me :P  get em used to the White ball before the first ODI?

[The_Captain]

There really only 2 older batsmen there that dont have 5 years in them or more, rogers and haddin. So not too much rebuilding needed. Slow and steady introduce 1 or 2 at a time is the wise move..

Doesnt Haddin have 5 years experience?? Surely he does

Fairly sure he means 5 years left in the team

Ya Spot on :)

[PowerBug]

Bailey averages 35 in First Class cricket for a reason. Bad decision.

[Jay]

Bailey averages 35 in First Class cricket for a reason. Bad decision.

Exactly. ODI form on flat tracks in a different continent =/= test ability.

#BringInDoolan

[KoopKicka]

You guys dont get it, yes Bailey has performed well over the last 18 months. The reason why he got the nod is rather simple. Its what Ive been saying since the retirement of Hussey and the selectors have finally woken up. Very smart move IMO.

The reason is this. Let me ask you a question, if Clarke was to go diving for the ball in the Gabba test, and that was the last thing his back could take (its getting pretty bad IIRC) Whos going to lead the Aussies? Youve got Haddin, whos there for another 12 months max, and even then, Id prefer someone other than the keeper calling the shots. Youve got Watson, who (personal opinion aside) is still injury prone and you cant rely on to be on the park. Then who? Its a serious problem. Im all for getting younger guys in, but leadership comes first, and Bailey is incredibly good at that. The selectors have made a very smart move here. I take my hat off to them. Good luck George Bailey. :)

P.S Selectors, youll be my idol if you bring in Chadd Sayers, just saying. ;)

[nrich102]

A big +1 Koop. He is probably our best captain we've got.

[Jay]

You don't pick a guy based on that... You pick him on red-ball form, something Bailey doesn't have.

Btw Australia haven't won a test since Hussey retired. Says something about the great man, that does!

[KoopKicka]

You don't pick a guy based on that... You pick him on red-ball form, something Bailey doesn't have.

Btw Australia haven't won a test since Hussey retired. Says something about the great man, that does!

Not saying you do, Im saying that it was probably the reason he got the nod over Bailey, IMHO the right decision due to the reasons above.

It does, it also says something about the disarray the national side has fallen into :<