So now that the final humiliation has been served up and we have been totally and utterly annihilated in this series, let us look to the future. It's clear that the squad we took into this series has to change if we are to be a good cricket team again. Of the current bunch of test and first class players, who do we think should either stay in the squad or be given a chance?
I break this down to three categories: definite, probable/possible and never again.
Definite:
Michael Clarke -- in spite of his travails, the bloke can still bat. He's class. Not sure about the captaincy, but he can play and has a very good track record.
Haddin -- one of our best with the bat over the last couple of seasons and a handy keeper.
Watson -- the question is where to bat him, but in the absence of other openers at the moment he should stay where he is. He needs some support at the other end, however.
Siddle -- I'm not a huge fan, but the bloke has an enormous heart and never gives up. Has bowled his best when pitching it up a bit and thus should do that some more.
Khawaja -- one for the future this kid. His results don't suggest it yet, but I think he's class. Didn't look at all out of place out there.
Hussey -- even though I was calling him for to be dropped, his performances in the first three tests were outstanding. The question is whether or not we should keep him in the team or clean out and bring in some youth. I lean towards yes.
Probable/Possible
Ponting -- still our best batsman, but what do we do with him? My preference is to strip him of the captaincy and have him bat at 4 or 5. He's a proud man and may elect to retire instead.
Hughes -- for me the jury is still out on this guy. I wonder whether he's got the mental strength to play test cricket. I'd be sending him back to Shield cricket for the rest of the summer and tell him to score heavily.
Smith -- equally not sure. I think he has talent, but don't think he's ready for test cricket yet. Would anyone here pick him solely as a batsman or bowler at present? I think he needs to develop into a batsman first and see how he goes from there. His leggies are going to require some work, but he's still young.
Hilfenhaus -- I'm a big fan but he is not doing enough. Needs to go back to Tassie and find his shape again. I'd be dropping him if playing a test next week.
Johnson -- I've lost patience with this bloke. With the state of our current attack, we need some leadership and he's not providing it. Too inconsistent and seems mentally not strong enough.
Bollinger -- Dougy came back injured and unfit from the T20 frivolities and it really hurt us. A fit Bollinger is a real asset to the attack, but he needs a lot more cricket under his belt before I would play him at the top level again.
Beer -- Michael is a mate and I'm duty bound to defend him, but if I'm honest I'm not sure. Deserves more of a chance to prove himself though.
Hauritz -- very harshly treated I thought. I think he should be given an opportunity to get back in the team, but either the captain or selectors have abandoned the bloke. There has to be more to this than meets the eye.
Never Again
Doherty -- what the hell were the selectors thinking? Haury would have been no worse than this bloke.
Harris -- this is basically due to an injury that I don't think is going to get any better. I think he's been one of our best this summer, but his body is letting him down. It's a real shame, as I'd like to see him back in the side.
So, who are the candidates? From Shield ranks I would be looking the following:
Copeland, has looked good for NSW this year and last. He can't be too far from a call up.
Maddinson, very young and raw but is already making big runs at Shield level.
Cosgrove, though he needs be fitter to go the distance in test cricket. He can play though and is still young.
Shaun Marsh, the selectors need to pull him aside and tell him that opportunities await him if he can get the kind of consistency in his game that he's started to show this season. He should already be in the team with the talent he's got, but he's not done enough in the middle yet.
Ferguson, though I think his selection window is closing fast unless he starts making runs more consistently.
Pattinson, one for the future if he continues to develop at the current rate.
George, has had a single test and wasn't disgraced. Like Copeland, he can't be too far from a call up.
O'Keefe, we should definitely be looking at this bloke. He's got a FC batting average of 46 and bowling of 23.
Lynn, could be the next big thing out of QLD. He's gone OK so far.
MacDonald, before getting injured he was in red hot form. Hopefully he can get back and do it some more.