The Australian Ashes Squad Selected

[PlainSimpleJoel]

So today, the 16 man squad was selected for the Ashes. Seems a very strong team.

The Squad - Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain), Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Graham Manou, Andrew McDonald, Marcus North, Peter Siddle and Shane Watson.

With Shane Watson being subject to fitness also.

Australia's selectors have named a 16-man squad to contest the five-Test Ashes series against England, with Shane Watson keeping Andrew Symonds out of the party.

Source

The first test is at Cardiff on July 8.

 

[SmoothieX]

What is Ashes?

 

[Jono]

^ The Ashes is a cricket test series played between England and Australia.

Not a bad squad. Hopefully when the series starts our "big guns" will be firing.

 

[Orac Zen]

Not happy at all about Lee's inclusion. Sure, he has over 300 Test wickets but stuff-all of them have been taken in England (and very expensively at that), and if he thinks a few games of that Twenty20 crap are adequate preparation for an Ashes series - and it seems he does indeed hold that belief - he's even more out of his mind than the selectors.

Not convinced about McDonald but Symonds' non-selection makes me think there's hope for the selectors after all. And Manou is a good choice. Haddin may be the superior batsman but from all accounts Manou is the better keeper, which considering the attack we're sending may be a significant move.

Bring it on.

 

[Botany Bay]

I just found the sports forum - good addition!

Random thoughts :

I have reservations about our batting.

I would have preferred to see Ferguson or Hodge replace M. Clarke - but he seems to be a protected species.

Hughes will find it tougher to score - presumably England have been watching him plunder the local attacks and will have a plan.

Haddin must be a bit nervous now.

Agree that Symonds' omission was the right call.

M. Hussey needs runs in the first test.

Not convinced (still!) about Watson.

Glad McDonald has been retained - he's done nothing wrong, and we need someone to tie up an end with some expensive, attacking quicks likely to be selected.

Lee is a ridiculous selection - how would Bollinger, Bracken etc be feeling? They better not pick him in the first test.

Lack of an attacking spinner has to be a worry - it took Warne in the form of his life just to keep us in touch in '05. I would have probably gone with Kreja over Hauritz.

Heart says us, head says England will be tough to beat over there.

Is it really 4 years since the last one? Wow.

 

[Jono]

I've found it hard to actually work up much excitement about this series, though I guess it is different as we're over there and this time the team isn't looking for redemption. Hopefully the first test will be a cracker (with an Aussie victory!) to get me into the series. I hope Mitchell Johnson doesn't "step" on a stray ball and miss the entire series.

 

[Botany Bay]

Congratulations ICC, you have even managed to make 20/20 cricket boring!

Netherlands, Ireland, Bangladesh...zzzz...wake me up when the ashes starts!

 

[robtclements]

Actually, the Netherlands beating the English remains the highlight of the show; although the .au selectors getting the result they deserved for their imbecilic choices in the team (neither Ponting nor Clarke can play T20, so naturally they're captain & vice-captain) has run it close. Hope Ireland can take the fight up to the next level

 

[Botany Bay]

Actually, the Netherlands beating the English remains the highlight of the show; although the .au selectors getting the result they deserved for their imbecilic choices in the team (neither Ponting nor Clarke can play T20, so naturally they're captain & vice-captain) has run it close. Hope Ireland can take the fight up to the next level

Agree completely on the bizzare Australian selections - I fear a big series loss coming up in the Ashes if that first test team isn't picked on form.

Re : Minnows - yeah, always nice to see England get done by some country where cricket is about as popular as swine flu, but overall the matches involving the non-test playing nations have been hopelessly one sided - I'd rather see the big boys go at it, let the minnows have a qualifying tournament or something, and let one of them through.

 

[robtclements]

They did; which is why the teams are getting more competitive with every tournament. Frankly, i'd rather have minnows who are prepared to put up a fight in a cricket event like this than mediocre headliners like .au & England who are only there to make up the numbers - & cash their pay cheques in the process, of course

(Just wait until the Afghanis get a piece of some of these loafers. In the recent CWC qualifier they achieved ODI status but failed - by a single win, regrettably - to make it to the big show)

Not being Gideon Haigh, i can't say i really give a damn about the Ashes this year. Neither side is any good; & with both squads carefully purged of anyone with anything ressembling personality, we're looking at the kind of series that makes T20 look exciting