Four names for two places
21/11/11 14:34
We left you yesterday, in the middle of this on-going attempt to sort out a new Australian side using the methodology we used to use to select Primary School representative sides with a lineup of:
Hughes, Warner, Three, Watson, Clarke, Six, Haddin/Wade, Eight, Harris/Hilfenhaus/Siddle, Cummins, Hilfenhaus/Cutting/Pattinson/Starc, Lyon
and a promise to return to ponder how we fit two out of Ponting, Marsh, Khawaja and Hussey into Three and Six, which is where we are now.
In the meantime, over at The Wanderers we've got a major injury cloud over Watson, and Ponting sitting on 54 not, with Clarke just arrived at the crease following Khawaja's dismissal for 65.
Surely that becomes part of the equation?
Well, actually, it doesn't. We got ourselves into this position because the gradual transition that should have happened over the past few seasons has been thrown out of whack because of short term priorities that affected long term strategic planning.
The first of those short term considerations was, of course, getting The Ashes back after the loss in 2005, and while you can understand a captain's desire to continue on to England to defend the urn, then stick around in the attempt to get it back, you're not realistically going to be looking at Ponting as a prospect for the 2013 Ashes series.
Now you might think that Hughesy's long-standing opinion that it was a Ponting bungle at the toss in the Second Test back in 2005 that ended up causing the whole chamozzle has some bearing on this, and maybe it does, but there's absolutely no doubt Ponting is running out of time.
Mike Hussey, the other '05 survivor is more or less in the same boat, and in both cases it's a matter of when rather than if, of press conference announcements or selectorial statements, falling on the sword or getting the bullet.
There seems to be a body of opinion suggesting the injury cloud over Watson has some bearing on these matters. It may well have some influence, but when you look at it in the cold hard light of generational change it shouldn't.
With Watson's place in doubt, and the possibility that there'll be similar issues in the future we should be looking at a like for like replacement, a batting all-rounder, though that doesn't necessarily mean he needs to bowl fast medium.
There's no suggestion that either Ponting or Hussey are going to be bowling somewhere between fifteen and twenty overs as a third or fourth seamer. There are two spots in there that can go to Watson and an all-rounder, so let's pencil in Smith, Macdonald, Henriques and Mitchell Marsh as possibilities for those two spots.
No, it's two out of Ponting, Khawaja, Hussey and S. Marsh, as far as Three and Six are concerned. There'll be a slight reshuffle in the middle as far as the actual order is concerned, but we've got two incumbents and two likely replacements, so it all comes down to the timing.
With Marsh ruled out of consideration on fitness grounds, he may get a run around the paddock at the WACA with Mitch and may be back later.
So three names to fit into two spots. I suspect we're going to see at least one press conference after Wanderers, so it's obviously a case of Khawaja and whoever doesn't have the press conference, but if things don't pan out that way I'd go Ponting and Khawaja, working on the basis that we're quite possibly going to be losing an early wicket if we bat first at the Gabba, and the most obvious alternative at Three would have been directed towards the WACA.
Assuming Mr Cricket hasn't announced his retirement from all forms of the game in the meantime, I'd have him on a mission to sort out a few state-based bowling attacks, with a definite indication that the door isn't completely closed.
So, for the Gabba, with a bit of reshuffling in the light of things that have come to pass since I started the exercise:
Hughes, Warner, Khawaja, Ponting, Clarke, Watson/Batting all-rounder, Haddin/Wade, Bowling all-rounder, Harris/Hilfenhaus/Siddle, Cummins, Hilfenhaus/Cutting/Pattinson/Starc, Lyon (12th).
Next up, Watson and the all-rounder issue.
Hughes, Warner, Three, Watson, Clarke, Six, Haddin/Wade, Eight, Harris/Hilfenhaus/Siddle, Cummins, Hilfenhaus/Cutting/Pattinson/Starc, Lyon
and a promise to return to ponder how we fit two out of Ponting, Marsh, Khawaja and Hussey into Three and Six, which is where we are now.
In the meantime, over at The Wanderers we've got a major injury cloud over Watson, and Ponting sitting on 54 not, with Clarke just arrived at the crease following Khawaja's dismissal for 65.
Surely that becomes part of the equation?
Well, actually, it doesn't. We got ourselves into this position because the gradual transition that should have happened over the past few seasons has been thrown out of whack because of short term priorities that affected long term strategic planning.
The first of those short term considerations was, of course, getting The Ashes back after the loss in 2005, and while you can understand a captain's desire to continue on to England to defend the urn, then stick around in the attempt to get it back, you're not realistically going to be looking at Ponting as a prospect for the 2013 Ashes series.
Now you might think that Hughesy's long-standing opinion that it was a Ponting bungle at the toss in the Second Test back in 2005 that ended up causing the whole chamozzle has some bearing on this, and maybe it does, but there's absolutely no doubt Ponting is running out of time.
Mike Hussey, the other '05 survivor is more or less in the same boat, and in both cases it's a matter of when rather than if, of press conference announcements or selectorial statements, falling on the sword or getting the bullet.
There seems to be a body of opinion suggesting the injury cloud over Watson has some bearing on these matters. It may well have some influence, but when you look at it in the cold hard light of generational change it shouldn't.
With Watson's place in doubt, and the possibility that there'll be similar issues in the future we should be looking at a like for like replacement, a batting all-rounder, though that doesn't necessarily mean he needs to bowl fast medium.
There's no suggestion that either Ponting or Hussey are going to be bowling somewhere between fifteen and twenty overs as a third or fourth seamer. There are two spots in there that can go to Watson and an all-rounder, so let's pencil in Smith, Macdonald, Henriques and Mitchell Marsh as possibilities for those two spots.
No, it's two out of Ponting, Khawaja, Hussey and S. Marsh, as far as Three and Six are concerned. There'll be a slight reshuffle in the middle as far as the actual order is concerned, but we've got two incumbents and two likely replacements, so it all comes down to the timing.
With Marsh ruled out of consideration on fitness grounds, he may get a run around the paddock at the WACA with Mitch and may be back later.
So three names to fit into two spots. I suspect we're going to see at least one press conference after Wanderers, so it's obviously a case of Khawaja and whoever doesn't have the press conference, but if things don't pan out that way I'd go Ponting and Khawaja, working on the basis that we're quite possibly going to be losing an early wicket if we bat first at the Gabba, and the most obvious alternative at Three would have been directed towards the WACA.
Assuming Mr Cricket hasn't announced his retirement from all forms of the game in the meantime, I'd have him on a mission to sort out a few state-based bowling attacks, with a definite indication that the door isn't completely closed.
So, for the Gabba, with a bit of reshuffling in the light of things that have come to pass since I started the exercise:
Hughes, Warner, Khawaja, Ponting, Clarke, Watson/Batting all-rounder, Haddin/Wade, Bowling all-rounder, Harris/Hilfenhaus/Siddle, Cummins, Hilfenhaus/Cutting/Pattinson/Starc, Lyon (12th).
Next up, Watson and the all-rounder issue.