Wednesday 23 December 2009

Moving day

While England's batting order looks as immovable as Kim Jong Il [We won't be dropping Ian Bell because er, we didn't take anyone else apparently], perhaps Australia's will become more fluid ahead of next winter.

If Ponting misses the Boxing Day test, given his current run and the passing years, it might be time for him to turn the number five slot back into the 'skipper and proven batting great' position, much as Viv Richards and Steve Waugh did at the tail end of their careers, and come back into the side there. 

It would remove some pressure from Ponting, and allow Michael Clarke to shift, breaking the stasis in a line-up that doesn't quite seem to fit together any more. Clarke obviously needs to move up, Watson will ultimately move down. Hussey could shift to three until his exit, North is expendible - there is a new generation waiting now, and he, Hussey, Katich and Punter are all into their 30s. 

Transitioning towards the Ashes, Australia could line-up:

2010:
Katich
Hughes
Hussey
Clarke
Ponting
Watson

2011:
Katich
Hughes
Clarke
Marsh/Marsh/Klinger, whichever young blade is making the noise
Ponting
Watson


4 comments:

Purna said...

Even with that line up Ponting will have to pad up early OB. So really, he should just open.

Karthik Krishnaswamy said...

Why do you dismiss Marcus North so casually?

Dean @ Cricket Betting Blog said...

With regard to dropping Ian Bell, I am fast coming to the conclusion that Bell is just in the team as a smokescreen.

The real issue the selectors have is Alastair Cook, they have this bloke lined up as the next captain and he is clearly not worth his place in the team at the moment.

In keeping Ian Bell in the team he takes all the flak and attention off Cook allowing him to sneak under the radar, meaning no flak from press, sky commentators or tms commentators etc.

Geoff Miller is really an undercover agent working on behalf of the ECB's media relations department, not a so-called National Selector (whatever that is, as team never changes).

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