I do agree about O'keefe but I would not have dropped Krejza after just two tests. What more I wouldn't have picked him for one day matches, he is an attacking bowler who is likely to take wickets at some expense, clearly ill suited to limmited overs cricket but possibly of great value in the test side. Failing that I wouldn't have picked a specialist spinner when clearly they add so little to the side, opting for Katich to bowl the aggressive spin if need be and Clarke to do the "tie up one end" sort of bowling. With Watson it would be a bit excessive to pick four seam bowlers so I'd probably pick another batsman, perhaps the other Hussey.Then who do you suggest take that responsibility?
O'Keefe is promising I guess.
I think Katich himself said bowling aggravated his shoulder hence he didn't do it much, check his cricinfo profile.I do agree about O'keefe but I would not have dropped Krejza after just two tests. What more I wouldn't have picked him for one day matches, he is an attacking bowler who is likely to take wickets at some expense, clearly ill suited to limmited overs cricket but possibly of great value in the test side. Failing that I wouldn't have picked a specialist spinner when clearly they add so little to the side, opting for Katich to bowl the aggressive spin if need be and Clarke to do the "tie up one end" sort of bowling. With Watson it would be a bit excessive to pick four seam bowlers so I'd probably pick another batsman, perhaps the other Hussey.
I think Katich himself said bowling aggravated his shoulder hence he didn't do it much, check his cricinfo profile.
Krejza I guess was simply too expensive for selectors' liking and who knows, his 8/215 and 12 wickets overall in that India match could have been a fluke.Hhe didn't do that well in Perth if I remember.
Needless to say, we do have an issue with picking a spinner.
Marsh is 28 and Hodge is 36 though..Well, people kept telling me how Marsh never got a go and now he has one... maybe Hodge will get a chance soon?
Its like the scott prince scenario for queensland's state of origin teamHodge is probably the best player in history to not be a permanent part of the Australia team, although he was stuck behind once in a century players such has pointing, hayden, langer, gilchirst etc. before that the Waugh brothers and not. If Brad Hodge was in his mid 20's right know pretty sure he would be captain instead of clark.
Without Hodge, NSW would probably have the game wrapped up but you never know their batting is a bit suspect]
I'm actually just watching Hodge carve up the Ryobi Cup at the moment. I'm fairly certain that most of the reason Hodge was never a regular player has to do with Ponting and the way he ran the team.
Micheal Hussey... About the same age. Currently one of our most in-form batsman.He had to be axed sooner or later because of his age, but yeah I admit, he was one of our best batsmen by a while and right now our opening pair look very vulnerable (ie. Hughes).
He conceded himself he was struggling in his first phase with the team and deserved to be dropped.Micheal Hussey... About the same age. Currently one of our most in-form batsman.
Katich was there long before Clarke was. He should never have been dropped, and there was no reason to drop him. Appalling waste.