Australia in England 2012

What is going on over there?

Losing the one day series 0-4.

Lucky there is rugby going on over here so we can be in denial about the score in the UK.

Who pays attention to ODI, we should have been world number #2 as soon as Warne retired. Rankings mean nothing, Aus shouldn't be top 3 right now.

Too much dead wood in our team.

What did Johnson do to retain his CA contract? Perplexed

Weet-bix ads?

CA really needs to investigate what's going on at club level in Australian cricket. It seems our cricket talent is really drying up and something needs to be done to keep the sport developing or it will lose support. Another Ashes loss in Australia could spell the end of Australian cricket for the moment, the most disappointing thing is that nothing appears to be changing and the same guys are sitting in executive positions.

Pick the best players, decide what game plan is most effective against the opposition and pick the remaining players to suit the strengths and weaknesses of the teams. Unfortunately, we do not have the depth we used to and so we have to aim at consistency, first-drop appears to be a turnstile of players right now and it's the most important position in the batting line up.

Binga Lee has just announced his retirement from all international cricket.

He will be playing in IPL and 2020 stuff from now on.

Binga in full flight and injury free firing down "the heat" at 150km/hr + struck fear in many batsmen.

Well said Light, I remember the days when clubs like Norths and Gold Coast had many regular Shield players representing them at club level. The equivalent to the Premier Grade Cricket competition then would be the current Second XI comp (I think it's called the Futures' League or something). I'd say there is still some high quality players but the spread and consistency of talent is clearly lacking.

In this regard they (QLD Cricket/Cricket Australia) could really take a look at the strength of the Premier Grade rugby competition and how they are able to play their top players (Reds players) fairly regularly.

I could rant further about the youth programs, particularly the contrast between the respective QLD GPS competitions, but this probably isn't the thread to do so. However I will say, QLD cricket needs to embrace the GPS competition like its rugby counterpart does, providing a clear pathway through GPS to State and National youth representation. For the best young players really were a part of the GPS competition in Queensland. Furthermore, these top players were spread throughout the schools for the most part, creating a tight contested season. Unfortunately, the best players were selected to participate in just one three day match against the QLD 16's (to my knowledge) which was obviously not leading to higher honours.

Binga... Aah .. IIRC in about 2004 vs Pakistan he sent down an over with all 6 balls > 150 km/hr. A true express pace fast bowler.

That bloke is huge in India, surely he will continue playing IPL, making Bollywood music and rolling in the millions..

One of the last genuine fast bowlers of the Waugh-era, a few less injuries and we could have been comparing him to Lillie and Thompson. I would have him somewhere in my 'Top 50 ODI players ever'.

Great in the limited overs forms of the game, overrated in test matches. His poorer test record marks him down IMHO.