Australian summer 2009-10 : Australia vs WI

[Don Sharma]

Australian summer 2009-10 : Australia vs WI

where is Fidel Castro

Injured, I guess. He is not playing for Barbados in the ongoing President's cup too.

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Full-strength Windies 'in disarray' West Indies cricket remains "in limbo" despite the news that Chris Gayle will captain a full-strength side to Australia this summer, Brian Lara says. More... West Indies 'in disarray' despite strong squad to face Australia, Brian Lara says By Ben Dorries November 04, 2009 West Indies cricket remains "in limbo" despite the news that Chris Gayle will captain a full-strength side to Australia this summer, Brian Lara says. The West Indies players' strike is over and senior players such as Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan will now tour Australia, but Lara says it may not make much difference to the tourists' hopes. The retired batting legend believes bickering between the players and board may have taken their toll, and West Indies will find it hard to jell on the field. "What's happened over the last six months must have an effect on team spirit and the guys jelling together," Lara said. "West Indian cricket is still in limbo at the moment and it's hard to assess what is going on. "For the last six to eight months we have been playing with a very sub-standard team. It's hard to find a position of where we are at. "They have to sort out any remaining problems quickly - and it's even tougher to sort those things out while you are playing cricket." The decision to name Gayle as West Indies captain is astonishing, given his contempt for Test cricket expressed this year. Gayle said in England that he wouldn't be sad if Twenty20 cricket took over from Test cricket, and he insisted that he would give up the Test captaincy "shortly". Gayle turned up 48 hours before the first Test against England after he had spent extra time in the Indian Premier League in South Africa. It was no surprise the under-prepared West Indies were flogged 2-0 by England in the two-Test series. But Australian cricket's marketing men were still breathing a sigh of relief as Gayle at least has some star power and might be able to put a few extra bums on seats this summer. After the highs of the 2008-2009 summer against South Africa - and the fascinating Ashes battle this winter - three Tests against West Indies were always going to be a hard sell. But Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland can at least take some heart from the promise of a full-strength side coming from the Caribbean. "We've seen in recent times where a West Indies side has struggled against Bangladesh and others, and I guess it is a great relief to know they are going to be full strength," Sutherland said.

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Ponting clueless ahead of Tests Australia captain Ricky Ponting has absolutely no idea what his bowling attack might look like for the first Test against West Indies at the Gabba in 22 days' time. More... Injuries leave Ricky Ponting clueless about Test attack By Daniel Brettig in Hyderabad, India November 04, 2009 Australia captain Ricky Ponting has absolutely no idea what his bowling attack might look like for the first Test against West Indies at the Gabba in 22 days' time. Such is the injury and schedule storm engulfing the team there is the possibility none of Ponting's first four pace bowling options - Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Brett Lee and Ben Hilfenhaus - will be fit for the opening match. Lee (elbow) and Siddle (side stiffness) are the chief concerns, but Johnson has struggled for rhythm since he suffered an ankle strain early on the trip. Hilfenhaus has languished in conditions not suited to his fast medium swing, as evidenced by a return of 1-83 in his one start so far. Ponting said a cruel schedule had finally overwhelmed his team, leaving them in vulnerable shape ahead of the home Tests. "Well there's more than a few (injuries), we've got a lot haven't we, which is a growing concern for us," he said. "We've done our best to try and manage the guys as well as we can, not only through this tour but over the last six months, trying to give them a game off here and there to freshen them up with a view to always having them going at the right times in the big series and the bigger games. "And up until the start of this tour we've actually had a pretty good run but everything's sort of come to a head on this tour." Siddle's complaint of side soreness/stiffness in Mohali immediately alarmed Ponting, given the potential for a lengthy lay-off if a strain is found. "He just said that he started to feel a bit tight in his side, stiff and tight was really what he said," Ponting recalled. "I get worried whenever bowlers start saying that about their sides in particular, because we know with those sort of injuries they're six-to-eight-week injuries if they actually do them. "I sent him off the ground straight away to have him checked. "The physio checked him and he came back on again and fielded for five or six overs and the temptation while he was out there was for me to bowl him again so I said to him 'look … if you are still sore and stiff now then you shouldn't take any more part in the game'." The need to nurse Johnson and Hilfenhaus through the rest of this tour has now become more pivotal than almost anything else, though their needs are different. Johnson arguably needs a rest but may struggle to get one due to his importance to the balance of the one day team, while Hilfenahus must find a way to get into some form ahead of the Gabba despite conditions that do not suit him. "With Siddle and Lee already being at home, they're two guys who could potentially be in our first Test line-up, and with Hilfenhaus and Johnson here we've got to make sure we do the right thing by those two," Ponting said.

[Riley's Girl]

:punter:

[DomainK]

If by any chance Australia loses to a full strength West Indies, our eastern neighbors will go totally mad.

[Malcolm Merlyn]

If by any chance Australia loses to a full strength West Indies' date=' our eastern neighbors will go totally mad.[/quote'] eastern??? u mean both eastern and western dont u btw if their batting can make some runs..........i give roach,edwards and taylor full chance of doing some damage

[Dirty_South]

eastern??? u mean both eastern and western dont u btw if their batting can make some runs..........i give roach,edwards and taylor full chance of doing some damage

Eastern wonly :D

[Chalks]

Eastern wonly :D

Yeah, Pakistan have never won a test series in WI afaik. So Ban have one up on their big brother, even if it was against West Indies D. (Which I guess would make their senior team West Indies B. :P)

[Guest Gunner]

:punter:

[Muzicorp]

We can’t underestimate the Aussies, as sunnyji_2k says if batting can make runs then it may still prove to be a tough task. And an Aussie side at home is a dangerous one no matter which way you look at it

[Lord]

We can’t underestimate the Aussies' date=' as sunnyji_2k says if batting can make runs then it may still prove to be a tough task.[b'] And an Aussie side at home is a dangerous one no matter which way you look at it

:hmmmm2:next 3 games r in Sydney?

[Muzicorp]

I’m glad that some of the youngsters made the team as they were available for West Indies while players were striking. Having Gale back is good but I wonder what story it really tells about WI cricket. Playing in Aussie home grounds is never going to be easy even with an injured Aussie side, but this gives a little hope. Hope the youngsters come to the party and put on a good performance

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Lee faces uphill battle for Test spot The push of Brett Lee and Stuart Clark to regain their Test spots at the Gabba could be in vain after Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, indicated Australia's three younger bowlers would remain the panel's preferred option. More... Lee faces uphill battle for Test spot Cricinfo staff November 12, 2009 The push of Brett Lee and Stuart Clark to regain their Test spots at the Gabba could be in vain after Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, indicated Australia's three younger bowlers would remain the panel's preferred option. Australia's decision makers are already looking ahead to next year's Ashes series and will use the Tests against West Indies and Pakistan to groom the side for the attempt at regaining the urn. That means Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus will have the inside running, leaving Lee and Clark to hope for the next berth whenever the side goes with a four-man pace attack. There is always a chance of that formation being used at the Gabba, which hosts the first match against the West Indies from November 26, but Hilditch does not see any changes to the pecking order. "It's going to take something pretty special for Brett Lee or Stuart Clark to force their way in for a variety of reasons," he told the Australian. "The situation has pretty much remained as is. Those three bowlers were the leading wicket-takers in the Ashes. One [Johnson] has just been named international cricketer of the year, Hilfenhaus was the bowler of the Ashes and Peter Siddle was the young cricketer of the year." Despite their success they were unable to prevent Australia from losing the series and Johnson's performances in the two defeats at Lord's and The Oval were particularly costly. Hilditch said Lee and Clark remained "very good" bowlers". "Brett has been one of our very best," he said. "It's up to him to get back to four-day cricket and demonstrate a case to get back in." Lee has suffered in 2009 with a recovery from ankle surgery, a side strain and now an elbow problem that means he must prove his fitness for New South Wales. While the attack appears settled, with Siddle expected to start bowling next week after a minor side strain, the batting order is less predictable. There has been a big push for the opener Phillip Hughes to return to the team, but Michael Hussey's strong performances in India have almost certainly secured his spot at the Gabba. Shane Watson replaced Hughes during the Ashes and has been told by Hilditch to remain flexible as the selectors try to find a way back in for the 20-year-old. ''As far as Phil Hughes is concerned, I've made it very clear that he is a long-term player," Hilditch told the Sydney Morning Herald. "He is certainly in the running, we've been watching how he's been going in the Sheffield Shield … He is going to be strongly considered for the first Test.''

[Bradman99]

This is what i consider to be the strongest side. Katich Hughes Ponting Hussey Clarke Watson/North Haddin Johnson Lee Hauritz Siddle I think that both Watson and North would be unlucky to miss out on a spot, but I don't see who else to take out. I think Hughes deserves another crack, Hussey is the only other batsman that could be taken out really, but he's form against India was superb.

[Gambit]

It will be interesting to see which quicks are selected in the playing XI. I would go for an all out pace attack featuring Lee's pace, Siddle's indefatigability, Johnson's unpredictability and Clark's accuracy. BTW :WTF: is Kreja?

[Don Sharma]

I will be happy if the Windies boys take the game to the fifth day of every test. :(( PS: Looking forward to watch Barath.

[Shane]

When is the Ozzie Squad going to be announced? Probable WI XI for the First Test. Chris Gayle Travis Dowlin Ramnaresh Sarwan Shivnarine Chanderpaul Brendan Nash Dwayne Bravo Denesh Ramdin Sulieman Benn Jerome Taylor Kemar Roach Ravi Rampaul What about Fidel Edwards? Injured?

[Don Sharma]

When is the Ozzie Squad going to be announced? Probable WI XI for the First Test. Chris Gayle Travis Dowlin Ramnaresh Sarwan Shivnarine Chanderpaul Brendan Nash Dwayne Bravo Denesh Ramdin Sulieman Benn Jerome Taylor Kemar Roach Ravi Rampaul What about Fidel Edwards? Injured?

Dowlin is not an opening batsman and he is no way better than Barath. I agree with rest of the XI even though I think Sammy might get picked instead of Benn. Yes, Fidel is injured.

[Shane]

Dowlin is not an opening batsman and he is no way better than Barath. I agree with rest of the XI even though I think Sammy might get picked instead of Benn. Yes, Fidel is injured.

Haven't seen either of them play in a longer format, so wouldnt know, I don't quite think they will go without a spinner in any of the games.

[broken_wings]

cant wait to watch WI vs Aus in SCG !!! yeaahhhh :two_thumbs_up: