Cricket !!

[Donny]

His name was Scrappy, PP2003. Unfortunately, I lost him to a tick shortly after that pic. He's now pushing up some beautiful petunias.

Lol, JLC. Those Pakis !! Are they the Monty Pythons of world cricket or what ?? Funny how 3 or 4 of them suddenly get injuries at certain times, eh ?

Although that wasn't the case with Inzi (Inzamam-ul-Haq). He just found a certain hamburger shop giving free burgers for a month and flat out refused to go on tour.

Mate, the names I want to see are the batsmen you think rate above Marto - in the Test arena. I'm sure we'll enjoy some hot debates about the Oz one-day team but that's down the track a bit. Lol.

Donny.



GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[Pies Premiers 2003]

sorry to hear about scrappy....look like a handful that one!!

Poms are 3/91 at Lunch...lee taken two wickets....can anyone see this test going longer then 3-3.5 days????

Paks are all over the shop...unless their is decent money behind them (themselves) they rank with Zimbabwe

THE PIES GO MARCHING ON

[JLC]

Ok i admit at present there are not too many guys putting their hand up and demanding a spot from Lehman or Martyn. However what better opportunity than to blood a new player for the future in the test arena than against England who have a second string bowling attack.

Personally i think it will be hard for any Victorian batsmen to make the Australian team as half the games they play on the MCG are on bowler friendly wickets making it very hard to score. You also dont get value for runs like in Adelaide or the WACA.

Im quite confident that if Brad Hodge was playing for NSW he would have been pushed along for test selection. Cause any NSW player who shows even a glimmer of talent is pushed forward for Australia or Australia A selection.

As for the one day team:

Australia needs a true all rounder who could get picked as a bowler or a batsmen. Similar to Kallis or Klusener (even though he hasnt been in good form lately)

Ian Harvey - When he returns to the Victorian team he needs to step up and make more runs so he can command a position as a bowler or a batsmen.

Andrew Symonds - Needs to improve both aspects of his game to demand selection.

Shane Watson - Another player who needs to step up and improve both aspects of his game.

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[Donny]

Yeah, m8. I agree with your thoughts about Brad Hodge. I think he's there with Martin Love, Matthew Elliott and Jimmy Maher and is also a useful offie.

Greg Blewett (hit a ton yesterday in the ING) and Michael Bevan seem to be out of the selectors thinking and Michael Clarke's prospects were somewhat inflated with his pair of tons earlier in the season - since scored 1 & a duck against Tassie - but is certainly one of the younger brigade to look to. Will probably be taken on the next tour for experience.

Donny.


GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[Donny]

On the one day team ?

Andrew Symonds seemed capable of anything a couple of years back but seems to have stalled. I'd love to see him reach his potential. Another disappointment is Ian Harvey. Similar situation to Symonds but more of a bowler who could hit useful runs in the lower order. Opens the bowling in County one dayers.

It seems Shane Watson is the 'chosen one' at the moment and shows heaps of potential.

With Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting, Bevan and Lehmann fairly settled in the batting order, and Maher as a handy 'floater', Martyn fits nicely in there as the only other right hander and capable of sharing the extra bowling duties with Lehmann.

McGrath, Gillespie and Warne pick themselves and I'd have Harvey in ahead of Williams or Lee. Watson and Hauritz would complete a pretty good World Cup squad of 15.

Donny.


GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[JLC]

With the World Cup in South Africa i think you will need four quality bowlers and a spinner. There wickets will be tailored made to compliment Pollock, Ntini, Donald, Klusener, Kallis etc. The last thing they want is a wicket that shows any sign of being favourable to spin considering their main danger is Australia. If Australia rely on Lehmann to bowl 5 or 6 overs then they are in big trouble.

Australia have the best opening combination in the world with McGrath and Gilespie. Brett Lee is a good option but this must be from overs 15 to 35 when he can have protection in the field. I would save Harvey for the last 10 overs as he can use his variation in pace to good effect.

Clarke will have to be the next batter in the test line up. Lets face facts Waugh will retire after the Sydney Test and Ponting will be made captain. This being the case when was the last time NSW did not have a batsmen in the top 6 of the Australian bating line up. Considering Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor and Michael Slater have had long stints i suggest it would be quite a while.....lol There is no way the Australian selectors would allow the top 6 to be without a NSW player Maybe McGrath is in line for a batting promotion

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[Ian]

One blessing of the current England side - "and Collingwood picks up the ball".

[JLC]

Disappointing shot by Lehmann a player trying to establish his test career!!

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

Hi.
Love always, Alyssa xoxo

oh yeah go cricket!

__________________________________________________
*~Jarrod Molloy's #1 Fan~* *~Jarrod 4 Copeland 2003!~*

"I used to love seeing past players. Seeing them now and saying hello gives you a huge buzz. The passion and tradition around the club is fantastic and I love the way Collingwood supporters go about it- it certainly helps the way I play."- Jarrod Molloy

[Donny]

WORLD CUP MARKET. - Cricinfo.

Aust. 15/8
RSA. 10/3
India, Pak. 13/2
SL. 9/1
Eng. 12/1
NZ. 14/1
WI, Zim. 20/1
Bang. 250/1
Kenya, Namibia, Holland. 500/1
Canada. 1000/1

Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[JLC]

I will be interested to see how the Windies go as they have been in good form lately against India. They may surprise a few teams!!!

I had a quick glance at Stackpoles article in the paper trhis morning and i agree Waugh (Steve) needs to be in the team to harden up the middle order. When times are tough the middle order capitulates.

Ok so here is my one day team

Hayden (Just play natural game and try and bat as long as possible)

Gilchrist (Go crazy in first 15 overs)

Ponting (Play normal)

Bevan (Tries to be a perfectionist...i would tell him just rotate the strike)

Martyn (Try not to be too slow and play for the team)

Waugh (just play as u always have)

Harvey (Be ambitious but choose shot selection carefully)

Warne

Gilespie

Bracken

McGrath

then i would have Lee in the squad, with Symonds and Langer and another bowler preferably a seam bowler but cant think of any at the moment. (Dawes ?? But i havnt seen him bowl much)

Ok Langer may sound dumb as a selection but i think he could prove ok as the pitches over there will be hostile and it may pay to have an experienced batsmen. Plus he can keep wickets as well. In the test arena he doesnt score that slowly either. I couldnt really think of many other quality batsmen.

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[JLC]

Well it seems that Lehmann is finally in the runs at the moment........pity its in the form of a stomach upset

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[Donny]

OK, m8.

First, I wasn't advocating that Lehmann/Martyn be considered as the fifth bowler in the one-dayers but as bowlers to be considered when one of main bowlers - McG,Dizzy,Harvey,Warney and Watson, or variations which would include, Lee, Williams or Hauritz - were off the game, as sometimes happens. With 6 batsmen plus the two all-rounders, Watson and Harvey, we normally wouldn't need to call on other bowlers. I did name Maher as a 'floater', not as a first choice top 6 batsman.

The reason Steve was dropped from the one-dayers is exactly why you (and Stacky) are saying he should be brought back !! We were brittle in the middle order and who was the main culprit ? One S. Waugh. His replacement, now who is he again ..?.. oh yeah, D Lehmann, has done the job AND Ponting has used him as the sixth bowler.

Donny.



GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[Donny]

Incidently, I agree about Alfie. I would've selected him ahead of Maher anyway. Neither of them bowl and Langer is probably the more complete and attacking batsman.

The 15 I named were more who I think will be picked. I see Lee as more of a Test bowler and would be looking in Bracken's (or Noffke perhaps) direction as well.

Hey, m8. You really don't like the Shrek, do you ? And you going for SA. Lol.

Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[JLC]

Yeah but last summer we couldnt even reach the finals against either South Africa or New Zealand.....lol lol New Zealand had our measure and i found that rather embarrassing.

All i know is that when the pressure is on i would have Steve Waugh in the team any day ahead of Lehmann.

I believe Lehmann is at his best when he is opening the innings as he is a great improviser and can exploit the field settings in the first 15 overs. However state cricket and playing for Australia is completely different.

Yeah i do go for South Australia but im not biased when it comes to selection. I wanna see the best 11 playing for Australia.

Hopefully the selectors will give everyone a chance this one day series. I wanna see Harvey, Watson etc being bowled at the death and see if they are up to it. I wanna see all the part time bowlers given plenty of overs to see whether they are up to it.

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues