National contract announced

[Quagmire]

Cricket Australia have revealed there contracted players.

Contracted players
New: Cullen Bailey (SA), Daniel Cullen (SA), Ben Hilfenhaus (Tas), James Hopes (Qld), Phil Jaques (NSW), Chris Rogers (WA), Adam Voges (WA), Cameron White (Vic), Stuart MacGill (NSW), Brad Hogg (WA),

Regaining players: Nathan Bracken (NSW), Stuart Clark (NSW), Michael Clarke (NSW), Adam Gilchrist (WA), Jason Gillespie (SA), Brad Haddin (NSW), Matthew Hayden (Qld), Brad Hodge (Vic), Michael Hussey (WA), Mitchell Johnson (Qld), Brett Lee (NSW), Ricky Ponting (Tas), Andrew Symonds (Qld), Shaun Tait (SA), Shane Watson (Qld),

Out: Justin Langer (WA, Retired), Glenn McGrath (NSW, Retired), Shane Warne (Vic, Retired), Damien Martyn (WA, Retired), Simon Katich (NSW), Michael Kasprowicz (Qld)

What does everybody think? I was suprised Gillespie is still in the squad maybe the 32 year olds career is not over, he looks to still have it maybe he was in the same boat as Martyn a 2005 ashes scape goat. I don't think they could decide which spinner is going to take Warnes place with Bailey, Cullen, White, MacGill and Hogg all being in the squad.

This is what I expect the first test at home against Sri Lanka in December 2007 - January 2008 will look like

1. Hayden
2. Rogers
3. Ponting (c)
4. Clarke
5. Hussey
6. Watson - I think he will edge out Symonds, due to age. Also Ponting loves Watson.
7. Gilchrist (wk)
8. Lee
9. Bracken
10. Clark
11. MacGill

I would like to have either Hussey or Hodge opening the batting instead of Rogers because they are more experienced cricketers and opening the batting is very important.

[greg]

Well Gillespie is probably there in case things go wrong when they throw the young guns in,there is always the possibility that they don't do as well in test cricket than they have in one day games.

As for the opener wouldn't Jaques be ahead of Rogers?

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by greg

As for the opener wouldn't Jaques be ahead of Rogers?

Rogers is the one who gets hailed as the class act: virtually everyone who is qualified to judge seems agreed that he's got the technique, temperament and whatever else to be a huge success.

Jaques has detractors. Everyone has had their head turned by his clean, powerful striking of the ball.... but serious doubts have been expressed about his technique and about his prospects of successfully opening the batting at International level. One of the Aussie greats suggested he'll open in ODIs but (if anything) play down the order at 6 in Tests (ensuring there's still a huge sting in the lower middle order when Gilchrist goes).

It seems to me that the obvious post-Hayden opening partnership is Rogers and Hussey... coming in ahead of Ponting, Clarke, Hussey and Voges.

[Statto]

I dont think both Husseys will play tests, or have you just put Mike in twice?

[acker]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

Cricket Australia have revealed there contracted players.

Contracted players
New: Cullen Bailey (SA), Daniel Cullen (SA), Ben Hilfenhaus (Tas), James Hopes (Qld), Phil Jaques (NSW), Chris Rogers (WA), Adam Voges (WA), Cameron White (Vic), Stuart MacGill (NSW), Brad Hogg (WA),

Regaining players: Nathan Bracken (NSW), Stuart Clark (NSW), Michael Clarke (NSW), Adam Gilchrist (WA), Jason Gillespie (SA), Brad Haddin (NSW), Matthew Hayden (Qld), Brad Hodge (Vic), Michael Hussey (WA), Mitchell Johnson (Qld), Brett Lee (NSW), Ricky Ponting (Tas), Andrew Symonds (Qld), Shaun Tait (SA), Shane Watson (Qld),

Out: Justin Langer (WA, Retired), Glenn McGrath (NSW, Retired), Shane Warne (Vic, Retired), Damien Martyn (WA, Retired), Simon Katich (NSW), Michael Kasprowicz (Qld)

What does everybody think? I was suprised Gillespie is still in the squad maybe the 32 year olds career is not over, he looks to still have it maybe he was in the same boat as Martyn a 2005 ashes scape goat. I don't think they could decide which spinner is going to take Warnes place with Bailey, Cullen, White, MacGill and Hogg all being in the squad.

This is what I expect the first test at home against Sri Lanka in December 2007 - January 2008 will look like

1. Hayden
2. Rogers
3. Ponting (c)
4. Clarke
5. Hussey
6. Watson - I think he will edge out Symonds, due to age. Also Ponting loves Watson.
7. Gilchrist (wk)
8. Lee
9. Bracken
10. Clark
11. MacGill

I would like to have either Hussey or Hodge opening the batting instead of Rogers because they are more experienced cricketers and opening the batting is very important.

I think you might see Watson open the batting Quaggy. Plus my mail is that Voges has jumped past Jaques and Rogers as the golden haired boy. And Magilla wants to watch his back from Cameron White who is also still high on the agenda.

[darksideofthemoon]

Australia give 25 contracts and England give 13 contracts. Can't we afford it? Anyway on to the fast bowlers, I have added Watson and Hopes although they are more all rounders to even up the sides. Well we have 161 Tests to Australia's 149 so we are starting out roughly with the same experience on the fast bowling front.

Player - Age/Tests

Harmison (28/50) - Clark (31/9)
Hoggard (29/62) - Bracken (29/5)
Jones (28/18) - Tait (24/2)
Anderson (24/16) - Hilfenhaus (24/0)
Plunkett (22/6) - Johnson (25/0)
Mahmood (25/8) - Lee (30/59)
Broad (20/0) - Gillespie (32/71)
Onions (24/0) -Watson (25/3)
Lewis (31/1) - Hopes (28/0)

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Statto

I dont think both Husseys will play tests, or have you just put Mike in twice?

Meant Hodge....

Rogers
Hussey
Ponting
Clarke
Hodge
Voges

When Gilchrist goes Haddin bags the no 7 spot (until a great gloveman comes along).

The seamers should then be Johnson, Bracken and Hilfenhaus with Lee in reserve and the spinner(s) should be Hogg and/or MacGill.

[Quagmire]

Jaques is more in the Hayden mould and Rogers is more in the Langer style of batting.

Jaques - 27 yrs - 98 mat, 9460 runs at 56.98, hs 244, 27x100, 46x50
Rogers - 29 yrs - 91 mat, 7732 runs at 50.20, hs 319, 21x100, 37x50

Jaques is young and is more of a run making machine but Rogers was in better form in the Pura Cup.

Pura Cup 2006/07

Jaques - 11 mat, 987 runs at 47.00, Sr 58.23, hs 192, 3x100, 5x50
Rogers - 10 mat, 1202 runs at 70.70, Sr 59.71, hs 279, 3x100, 7x50

It will be an interesting to see who they choose, personally I think when Hayden goes they both will be opening and Hussey will stay where he is because of how well he has been doing batting down the order.

Its funny that Haddin is probably one of the best wicket keeper batsman in the world, with the bat I think that Sangakkara, Gilchrist and maybe Dhoni are better, he is a better batsman that players like Boucher, McCullum, Akmal and who ever is the West Indies keeper

[Younis Khan #1]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

Jaques is more in the Hayden mould and Rogers is more in the Langer style of batting.

Jaques - 27 yrs - 98 mat, 9460 runs at 56.98, hs 244, 27x100, 46x50
Rogers - 29 yrs - 91 mat, 7732 runs at 50.20, hs 319, 21x100, 37x50

Jaques is young and is more of a run making machine but Rogers was in better form in the Pura Cup.

Pura Cup 2006/07

Jaques - 11 mat, 987 runs at 47.00, Sr 58.23, hs 192, 3x100, 5x50
Rogers - 10 mat, 1202 runs at 70.70, Sr 59.71, hs 279, 3x100, 7x50

It will be an interesting to see who they choose, personally I think when Hayden goes they both will be opening and Hussey will stay where he is because of how well he has been doing batting down the order.

Its funny that Haddin is probably one of the best wicket keeper batsman in the world, with the bat I think that Sangakkara, Gilchrist and maybe Dhoni are better, he is a better batsman that players like Boucher, McCullum, Akmal and who ever is the West Indies keeper

Ramdin i believe?

Do you think Bracken will get another test chance, then?

[Quagmire]

Yes I think he should because he was improved so much in the ODI game over the last two years and he is a quality Pura Cup bowlers so I think that he should be ahead of Tait and Johnson untill they mature and are around the age of 26 - 27, blooding Tait and Johnson through the ODI side is probably the best thing for them with the occasional test match here and there. I hope to see Hodge in that side but at whos expence, if Hussey opens instead of Rogers or Jaques then Hodge should make it into the side.