Middle Australia Selects the Australian Cricket Team

CRICKET

Sigh. So the selectors went and reappointed Phil Hughes who has shown he has neither technique nor temperament to play Test cricket. Hughes and Warner cannot be in the same team. It doesn’t work. It would be an accident waiting to happen. But, as our old Head of School stated, Don’t come to me with a problem, come with a solution. Well here it is.

Openers
Cowan & Watson.
One is an accumulator the other an accelerator. Left and right handed. One with the focus on scoring, the other on staying around. A combination that can attack or defend.

3. We need to build for the future and this is the most vital of the batting positions. I suggest we anoint Usman Khawaja and give him time to develop. Assure him of three series and tell him to settle in, the same way that Steve Waugh was afforded time to develop. He has technique, quietly ticks over the score, can defend (hello Phil Hughes) and would be a foil for either opener once there was a dismissal.

4.Dave Warner. Accelerator. Interesting choice I know for no 4 but it means he can play his natural game and still have enough time to settle in. He is left handed, pushes the score and once the initial need to defend has gone, can punish.

5. Clarke. Accumulator. Prefers no 5 so why put him up the order. Top of his game

6 Hussey to tie top and bottom order together. Accumulator

7. Wade/Haddin. Crash bash or hang around

8-10
There are 7 pace bowlers vying for 3 positions. Rotate depending on form and fitness with the aim of getting Pattison, Cummins and Starc on the park together in future. But for now Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Mitch Johnson (ha) and maybe even Ryan Harris will all be in the mix. We need to settle or manage.

11. Lyon has done enough. Good batter, fielder and decent bloke

Comments sent to John Inverarity

The Editor

Comments

  1. Dear Middle Australia
    I’d love to debate these selections with you but I’m far too busy salivating about the upcoming Stars v Renegades “blockbuster”.

    Seriously, folks, wouldn’t it be nice to be debating the Test selections with some serious Test cricket ahead of us?

    We’re barely into December and the decent cricket of the season (i.e. an enthralling but severely truncated Test series against South Africa) is already over. All due respect to Sri Lanka, but if the South Africa series isn’t worth five Tests and the central place in this year’s program, I don’t know what is.

    And to set aside the entire month of December to the “Big Bash” is frankly disresepectful to cricket, its traditions and its loyal and knowledgeable devotees.

    PS Agree with the principle about Khawaja at 3. Not sure if he’s the one but can’t think of an alternative. I’m still unable to forgive Warner for his horrendous “get-out” shot in the 1st innings in Perth, let alone contemplating him as a No. 4. And in the fairly near future, we’ll need to be thinking a replacement for Hussey (current good form notwithstanding).

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