ODI series - Australia vs Sri Lanka

[The Red Baron]

The squad was announced a few days ago, and along with some good selections are some puzzling selections.

The squad is: George Bailey (c), Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja, David Hussey, Brad Haddin, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Ben Cutting, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-sri-lanka-2012/content/current/story/599808.html

Clarke, Wade and Warner have all been rested, and Watson must still be injured. It is a fair call resting Clarke and Co - they have had massive years and deserve a bit of a rest. But Mike Hussey has not been selected, and I find the logic behind it baffling.

The article above cites how the selectors have an eye on the 2015 WC, then why select Haddin and D. Hussey? By the time the 2015 WC rolls about, Haddin will be 37-38. Surely if they were looking to the future, why not play a younger keeper, like Paine or Hartley or Neville? David Hussey is the same age as Haddin too. Yet one of the best bats in the country doesn't get a run in what would have been his swansong series. Now I am not against the inclusion of D Hussey and Haddin, I think they will perform well. I just find the double standards of the selectors annoying.

I'm also not sold on Bailey. His form so far this year is nothing to write home about, and the jury is out on his captaincy skills. The selectors could have selected someone like Klinger or Joe Burns, who have been playing quite well, and handed the captaincy to someone else. I would prefer they picked a squad, then selected the captain from the squad they had chosen.

I do like the selections of Finch, Hughes, Khawaja and Cutting though. They have been the form players in the Ryobi cup this year and it is good to see their form rewarded.

 

[Braveheart81]

The squad is only for the first couple of games. I am pretty certain we will see Mike Hussey during the series.

Cricket Australia will be well aware that picking Hussey for a couple of games late in the series (particularly for a WACA game in February) will be an excellent way to draw big crowds for a few games.

The selectors have again backed themselves into a corner a bit by stating all year that Haddin was still very much in the mix and he was considered the second best keeper in the country. I am guessing that they will take him to England as the backup wicket keeper based on this selection. It is only very recently that Paine has started playing regularly and found some batting form after missing most of two seasons from injury.

Haddin is also a good choice to go on the tour of India as a backup batsman and keeper. After Michael Clarke he is one of the best players of spin bowling in the country. One of the few batsmen we have that uses his feet to the spinners. For an Indian tour I think he is good enough to play as a specialist batsman, especially considering we have just lost Ponting and Hussey.

 

[The Red Baron]

It would be fitting to have M. Hussey playing the Windies at the WACA, and you are right; CA would be mad not to include him, purely from the perspective of gate takings.

That is also a fair assessment of why Haddin has been included. I also think that the selectors have backed themselves into a corner as far as he is concerned. So really, the selectors might say they have one eye on the 2015 WC, but in reality that eye is firmly fixed on the Ashes. Or at least I hope it is.

Anyway, as I said, I am not totally against the inclusion of Haddin and D Hussey, I just found the explanations of the selectors contradictory. However, I still think Klinger and Burns deserve a shot. Hopefully they will have a chance against the Windies, but I daresay that Clarke, Wade, Warner and Hussey could well be back in the mix by then. Interesting times.

I'm also interested in how our bowlers go. I am no fan of McKay, I would have rather seen Bird included as he is on a roll. But I have the feeling that he is being groomed as a test bowler only, similar to the situation with Siddle.

 

[mark_s]

Strange selections are becoming the norm. Also, I thoguht Inverarity said words to the effect that Hussey was yesterdays man and it was time to move forward.

 

[No4918]

The article above cites how the selectors have an eye on the 2015 WC

Where have we heard this thinking before? Let's hope the results are better.

Bailey is about the only shocker of a selection. Hussey must, and i think will, come back into the side after the first 2 games.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Fascinating, unbelievable, & quite ridiculous game of cricket right about now...I'm gob smacked.

Aus all out for 74 but Sri Lanka looking a bit twitchy with the bat. Bowling from both teams quite amazing.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

A capitulating performance to rival that of the NZ Black caps.

There is only one way to go from here and that is up.

 

[Scotty]

The selectors have been criminal in this series. In form guys ignored, others rested and out of form or inexperienced players picked. It is insulting to Sri Lanka, and I would have liked to see them win the series so some questions could be asked on our policies.

Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh are much better than George Bailey
Glen Maxwell is not an international batsmen, and doesn't get bowled, so why is he picked?

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree completely that Finch should have been given more than one game in the series but Bailey is a perfectly decent selection.

Prior to last night's game where Hughes' average skyrocketed, Bailey had the best ODI batting average in the team.

 

[The Red Baron]

Definitely some shenanigans occurred during that series. Bailey is solid, even though his knock yesterday was torture. He will generally contribute quite well.

I too am confused by the extended run the selectors gave Maxwell. He showed nothing to suggest why he is rated so highly. Finch and Khawaja should have had more than one game to show their wares, especially since lesser talented players were given multiple chances.

Glad to see Kulasekara get MOS. He most definitely deserved it. He had the ball talking most of the time, and the Aussie batsmen just had no answer to genuine swing.

The 2nd Hughes hundred was quite gritty, and came when it was needed most. However, I am concerned that he has started to slip into some bad old habits. For mine he needs to be more still at the crease, and he is leading with his bottom hand a bit too much. He will never be a batsmen with a classical technique though, and his pull shot and onside play are getting better each innings. So I can't grumble, 2 hundreds in 5 outings is a pretty good return.

 

[Scotty]

The shenanigans are continuing. Inverarity must be sacked immediately. David Hussey now dropped after Mike Hussey doesn't even make a game.

What a joke.

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't get it. David Hussey was probably our second best batsman in the series after Hughes.

At least bringing Finch back was a good choice.

It scares me that the persistence with Maxwell might mean that they think he could be the second spinner in India. That to me would be a terrible choice. We need to pick a second specialist.

 

[The Red Baron]

If indeed the selectors have Maxwell in mind as the second spinner, it will have dire consequences. He has barely bowled recently, and his batting is quite poor. He will be chewed up and spat out in India, causing problems for the team and confidence issues for the player.

I do not like this road the selectors are travelling.

 

[mark_s]

Some bakance for the selectors, they were expecting m hussey to be the backbone of our teams this summer and his retirement threw their plans into disarray.

However, selections are still a lotterry, I'm watching the 2020 now and don't even recognise all The players in my team.

I think bailey has done well in the circumstances and would stick with him.