Has Ackers vote as well

Well, we have McDonald should he take White's position or Watson's because I have been out voted 2-1? Or do we drop a batsman and move either White or Watson up the order because they are both more batting allrounders in my opinion

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

I don't know that any of White, Watson and McDonald can be put forward without reservations... and I think it reflects very, very badly on the callibre of candidate that two of the three are likely to make the XI: none really (at the moment) merit mention in the same breath as Rogers / Voges and Johnson / Hilfenhaus!

Long term... I suspect White and Watson WILL (rightly or wrongly) play quite a few Tests for Australia... but they should be forced to work for this privilege - McDonald has been doing more than either and whilst he may NEVER play for Australia... it would be wrong to prefer the non-performing "prospects" to the guy who is currently delivering.

For what it's worth.. I'd rather have MacDonald than Watson and I'd rather have Heal than White.

I reckon Whites OK at 7 and Ronchi at 8. We need to retain White for the spin option hence the two who go head to head for 12th man in my opinion are Dominic Thornley and Andrew McDonald. My preffered batting order would be.
Jaques
Rogers
Watson
Voges
North
Thornley/McDonald
White
Ronchi
Tait
Johnson
Hillfenhaus

I think we have to be mindfull with Watson that allthough he is a household name in the ODI squad he is still an emerging Test player who is still outside the test squad. In that regard I think the only other players in the above A team squad who could be rated as better batters than him excluding players we have allready rejected due to age such as Hussey, Haddin etc; are Jaques, Rogers and Voges. I my opinion North, Thornley and McDonald are behind him.
Cameron White as spinner as we have argued previously Heal, Cullen and Bailey just are not doing enough to stand out as warranting a place in this side. I am sure I could justify a spot for 1 or 2 of them in the Australia B side, but thats the point their form is not currently of a standard to warrant selection in the Australia A team.
With White as well the spin we get the batting he is just a better package.
Maybe if one of the spinners stands up in the coming season they may press for next years selection, but currently they are B team at best. The pressure these guys are putting on the current test team is so little that Brad Hogg is being touted as the likely partner for McGill if they get a turning wicket.
As for having a lot of allrounders that's probably more to do with cricket in Australia developing more of this type of player this day and age; probably due to the increase of one day cricket played, also bear in mind at junior level here most competitions revolve around limited over matches and at district/grade matches they revolve around 2 day matches. Still in Watson's case even though he is an allrounder he is also in the group of the top 4 emerging batsman vying for a test spot. Likewise Thornley, McDonald and even White are batting better than many dedicated batsman only.

White and Watson are ACB contracted players, bit hard to judge how McDonald will go in the big time but at this stage the national selectors Merv Hughes, Andrew Hilditch, Jamie Cox and David Boon are voting that White and Watson are better players than McDonald. I would like to see McDonald face the real acid test though in an international.
As far as Heal go's he is allready behind White, Cullen and Bailey who all have ACB contracts. Heal does'nt.

White is in there as a batting allrounder, Heal does not deserve to be in the side yet because after one season its a little hard to put him in. Before 2006/07 season McDonald was never seen as ever getting close to being concidered for a A team position. Ive watched McDonald play a fair bit and he does not look to be an international standard player, even with great 2006/07

McDonald's Career

Batting
FC - 27 mat, 1151 at 32.88, hs 150*, 1x100, 7x50,
List A - 41 mat, 674 runs at 32.09, hs 65*, 0x100, 3x50
20/20 - 7 mat, 69 runs at 23.00, hs 36*

Bowling
FC - 27 mat, 66 wickets at 29.93, bb 6/34, 2x4wi, 2x5wi
List A - 41 mat, 33 wickets at 39.45, bb 2/23,
20-20 - 7 mat, 7 wickets at 18.00, bb 3/33.

2006/07
Pura - 10 matches.
Batting - 18 inn, 750 runs at 57.69, hs 150*, 1x100, 5x50
Bowling - 29 wickets at 30.13, bb 6-34, 1x5wi

Ford Ranger Cup (ODD) - 11 matches
Batting - 8 inn, 185 runs at 37.00, hs 65*, 0x100 1x50
Bowling - 71 overs, 11 wickets at 31.36, bb 2-24

2005/06
Pura Cup - 0 matches

ING Cup (ODD) - 4 matches
Batting - 4 innings, 83 runs at 41.50, hs 47
Bowling - 34.3 overs, 4 wickets at 46.25, bb 1-39

2004/05
Pura Cup - 2 matches
Batting - 4 innings, 51 runs at 12.75, hs 36
Bowling - 44 overs, 1 wicket at 129.00, bb 1-48

ING Cup (ODD) - 6 matches
Batting - 4 innings, 66 runs at 66.00, hs 28*
Bowling - 36 overs, 5 wickets at 30.80, bb 2-23

2003/04
Pura Cup - 10 matches
Batting - 15 innings, 225 runs at 22.50, hs 51*, 1x50
Bowling - 61 overs, 32 wickets at 26.43, bb 6-67, 1x5wi

ING Cup (ODD) - 9 matches
Batting - 8 innings, 146 runs at 24.33, hs 55*, 1x50
Bowling - 65 overs, 7 wickets at 44.71, bb 2-24

__________________
Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

I suppose at least McDonalds carreer is going in the right direction.

Rachael, Andy and others can we have your teams ?

I like to go with what I've seen of players rather than stats, and on this basis, I will side with Quagmire. If on current standard, Quagmire doesn't think McDonald is international class, maybe we should let him have another season. One thing's for sure though, another season like 2006/7 and he'll get the call next year.

As a result, I am inclined to go for this team:

Jaques
Rogers
Watson
Voges
North
Thornley
White
Ronchi
Tait
Johnson
Hilfenhaus

If Watson's playing, he needs to be given the responsibility of batting at three to show that his batting is up to international class. Obviously if he's just bowled 30 overs then he can be moved down (probably swapped round with North)

My worry with this team is that we've got only three international class bowlers - Johnson and Hilfenhaus, Tait when on-song. Watson is not a great bowler - really just better than a part timer and White, Voges and Thornley all offer something, but that 'something' isn't too great.

Given that we have no spinner available who puts his hand up and says 'pick me' over Cameron White, I'll go for the team above and I'd back our side to perform bloody well in one-dayers. The lack of solid bowling options if the seamers get tired on a flat deck makes me worry about winning a four-dayer, but with that much batting firepower, they sure won't be losing many (if any!)

Thornley for another seamer ? but who ?

The bowling line up does look weak for a non odi side, I think that White would definatly be in the ODI A team but i'm starting to doubt him in a test situation at the moment. He reminds me of Afridi brilliant ODI player but not too sure about test cricket.

__________________
Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.