Yeah Hauritz will be a gun for years to come (and so to white in good time), but I'm not sure that blooding Hauritz in (potentially) one of the toughest series ever is a smart move. True he would benefit greatly from the experience, but it is hard to see past the short-term goal of winning the test series.
I have to agree that this is the series that will truly cement this team as one of the best ever. It will not only be a win on the sub-continent but one against one of the strongest Indian teams of all time. I was just coming from the point of veiw that if the selectors want to leave out Macgill then Hauritz is the man i would have in his place.
Given that Macgill is out, my eleven would be as follows.
Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting (capt), Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann,, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Michael Clarke, Shane Warne,,Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath.
If i was going to play two spinners then Hauritz would come in at the expense of Kasprowicz or McGrath.(Not too sure how is going to go really)
Shane Watson. I just don't rate him.
Couldn't agree more, he might be a good hitter on his day but that will not win you a test match. I just don't see him adding anything to the team as you would have to drop a player who is a better bowler. I think an all rounder should always be a better bowler than batsman. If your top five can't do it for you on a consistent basis then you are always going to struggle. Considering you have Gilchrist at 7 then the case for a bowling allrounder is even more compelling, if the need for an all rounder is there at all. Scoring runs has never been the issue taking the twenty wickets has.
The Spinner's. I can't help but feel that the expensive MacGill's killer instinct and ability to turn the ball would be invaluable for the tour to India.
I'm not sure this is the case in India, and i'm sure that's why the selectors left him out. If the batsmen are set and leg spin is not working then that's how i can see the case for Hauritz's inclusion. Having said that it doesn't explain White's inclusion in the team. As i said i would have Macgill over white in the squad.
When you look at Katich, Clarke and Lehmann ...
I think Lehmann is too good a player of spin to leave out, i rate him more as a specialist batsman who can bowl. While it's nothing spectacular he very rarely gets carted and can take the odd wicket. As for Clarke Vs Katich there is not much in them and so i would go for Clatke just on the basis he is Right handed batsmen and the team is loaded with lefties.
Lee comes in as the 3rd fast bowler in my team
I am still not a big fan of Lee. I think a bowler of his pace should be walk up start for new ball duties. Fact is he is too wayward in lenght and width and relies on his short deliveries too heavily. Kasprowicz is in great form and can cut the ball both ways ans is a good with when the shine has been taken off the ball.
I wonder how Martyn will go. As usual i hope he performs as i'm one of his biggest fan's .. but i'm also the first to say he's not out of the woods yet in terms of his place in the side ..
Same same, he always seems to be the the one who is under the pump. It's hard to judge him on his figures as his failures are often after he has been in the pavillion for an eternity as the top order have run rampant. Great player who shouldn't have to be worrying about his place in the side imho. His batting in the first test in Sri Lanka on what were the most horribly spin doctored wickets i have ever seen was what won us the test.
I can't wait for this series to start. I think we will as always have a real hard time winning the series. I'm still not convinced that we have the bowling line up to dismiss India twice and keep them to a gettable score. When you look at their batting line up, Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and Ganguly, it starts to look pretty ominous when you think of the runs these batsmen have posted over the last two years . Bring it on is all i can say.
![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
How would Dennis Lillee have faired if he took his aluminium bat to the sub continent after having banned here in a series against Pakistan.8)
