George Bailey

Tasmanian Cricket captain George Bailey was chosen to replace the embattled Michael Clarke for the rest of the Chappell-Hadlee series being played in New Zealand.

Bailey who was in preparation for the Tigers last shield game of the season when he got the call up, has not played at international level but is prepared to take any opportunity with both hands.

The call up comes off the back of a terrific Ford Ranger cup season. 538 runs at an average of 59.78 which includes one century and five half centuries. Bailey’s form had a lot to do with the Tigers capturing their fourth Ford Ranger Cup championship, it was also Bailey’s first year as Captain.

George Bailey media conference on the Cricket Australia website

The timing is a little bit off for the Tasmanian as the last ODI against New Zealand will be played on Saturday the 13th of March with Bailey’s Deccan Chargers playing their first IPL game for season 2010 less than 24 hours later.

Image by addynapper

Travis Birt

Birt’s inclusion came due to his heavy hitting and good performances in the Australian domestic Twenty20 competition, playing a total of 22 games at an average of 23.25 and with a strike rate of 132.48. 

Andrew Keyte wrote an article for the SportsAustralia web site stating that we are seeded below Bangledesh for the upcoming world cup and that was due to playing our one-day squad in Twenty20 matches when more enthuses should be placed on playing specialists. Tim Paine was the only Tasmanian to make his hypothetical team. 

The popularity of this form of the game has forced us to start picking specialist players. The dollars, the Indian dominance over world cricket affairs and sportsbetting will rule in the end. 

Birt has now had a chance and was dismissed for one, let hope he gets another go and makes the squad for the upcoming World cup.

The dropped catch was what Ponting needed to get some luck going his way, as he took the opportunity to turn his form and to reply to the suggestions from the media and ex-cricketers that he should retire or should bat down the order to prolong his career.  

Ponting’s test form this season on home soil has been ordinary, scoring a total of 353 runs at an average of 44 and a high score 137 not out which could be built on today.  He was also just named Player of the Decade which is voted by a jury comprising former and current players and cricket writers.

At the close of play on day one Ponting finished the day on 137 not out and shared a partnership of 231 with Michael Clarke who is 111 not out. The partnership broke Australia’s fourth-wicket record against Pakistan, set by Greg Chappell and Graham Yallop in Faisalabad 30 years ago.

Mike Gatting better known in Australia as the Englishman who was at the strikers end when Shane Warne bowled the ball of the century (See the ball of the century here on you tube) has recently stated that Ponting should retire on his terms, that he risked playing one season to many and that he needed to seriously self-evaluate his exit from the game.

I would imagine that all Englishmen would like to see Rick Ponting retire and to me retiring on your own terms would not come from pressure from the media but with consultation with family, friends & team mates.  He has speculated in this article that he would consider batting down the order if a better candidate for the number three spot was available.

Ricky Ponting

 Image:

The latest news about this match is:

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has dropped Kamran Akmal as wicketkeeper after a disappointing Sydney test, dropping Mike Hussey three times. Hussey went on to score an unbeaten 134.
Akmal will be replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed & did not rule out Kamran Akmal being in the squad as a specialist batsman.

Today in an effort to prove his fitness and get back into the side, Simon Katich took part in two stints of batting practise in the nets, fielding practise and also bowled his wrist spin.
After todays efforts all signs seem positive for his return, which will mean future star Phil Hughes will more than likley miss the third test, especially after out of form Marcus North has been backed in to play through his dry spell by both Captain Ricky ponting and coach Tim Nielson.

Ex Pakistani coach and former Australian pacemen Geoff Lawson has said that the Psychological impact suffered on the Pakistan team due to the dissapointment from the Sydney Test will be enough for Australia to inflict a heavy defeat on them during the third test.

Bellerive Oval

Ricky Ponting

It seems that a lot of Criticism is being thrown at Ricky Ponting at the moment, especially from Rodney Hogg in an article he recently wrote.
Hogg has called for Ponting to be replaced by Simon Katich & pointed out six Ricky Ponting captaincy blunders:

1. WINNING the toss and batting in the second Test at Edgbaston in 2005, after losing Glenn McGrath to injury half an hour before the game.
2. IN THE second Test in Nagpur in 2008 when Australia had India 6-166 in its second innings, Ponting chose to bowl Mike Hussey when concerned about the over rate.
3. IN THE second Test of the 2008-09 Australia-South Africa series at the MCG, having no obvious plan to dismiss tailender Dale Steyn (76) and refusing to bowl Simon Katich, preferring an injured Andrew Symonds.
4. IN THIS year’s Ashes series choosing not to bowl Ben Hilfenhaus in the first Test at Cardiff when Australia needed one wicket to win.
5. BOWLING Peter Siddle for 10 straight overs in the first innings against the West Indies in Adelaide when the speedster should be used in five or six-over bursts.
6. NOT picking Nathan Hauritz in the Ashes decider at The Oval when English spinner Graeme Swann took eight wickets.

On top of this, Ponting has also fallen out of the top 10 batsmen in the world for the first time since 2002. The most recent figures released by the International Cricket Council have Ponting sitting 12th.
He has been the number one batsman on three occasions, in 2003, 2005 & 2006.
Pontingis Australia’s 42nd skipper and took over from Steve Waugh, inheriting a great team.

From the squad that first toured Sri Lanka under the captaincy of Ponting (R T Ponting, A C Gilchrist, M L Hayden, J L Langer, D R Martyn, D S Lehmann, A Symonds, S K Warne, M S Kasprowicz, J N Gillespie, S C G MacGill), all have retired or are not playing first class cricket.

Right or wrong, Hogg is entitled to his opinion. Pontingis not going to have the success that Steve Waugh had & comparing the two is unfair as Waugh was an attacking captain, but he could afford to be with his side.

I have complied a table of statistic from the last three test captains to compare, so draw your own conclusion.

Tassie Tigers

The Tassie Tigers have won their second game in the Ford Ranger Cup by beating a full strength New South Wales side packed with Australian international players, by six wickets.

Among the internationals playing for the Blues were: Phil Hughes, Dave Warner, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark & Phil Jaques.

George Bailey won the toss and sent the Blues in & then took a risk early by opening with the spin of Jason Krejza. It payed off but not in wickets but in pressure. Krejza finished the game with no wickets but bowled tight against the powerful Warner and talented Hughes and finished with a strike rate of only 3.13.

With a slow run rate and the pressure mounting, Hughes was trapped in front with the score on 55, which triggered a minny collapse. The Blues found themselves at 5/108 & in trouble but some good late innings hitting from Pete Smith & the other tailenders, tallied a respectable 271.

Brendon Drew & Brett Geeves were the multiple wicket takers for the Tigers & new recruit Ed Cowan took the catch of the year to dismiss Haddin on the boundary.

The Tigers started off their innings quickly and with a touch of luck. Every batter scored some good runs but Bailey & Birt put the game to bed.

Bailey with a great captains knock scored 81 off 76, while Birt hit a quick fire 71 off only 51 balls.

“I’ve got to keep scoring runs and keeping well and when Brad comes back we’ll wait and see then,” Paine said. “It’s very important, just to make the most of it. I’ve got a short opportunity here while Brad’s away and he’s the best wicketkeeper-batsman in Australia so he’s going to come back. I guess I was in a bit of a positive situation, I couldn’t really lose, so I’m just trying to enjoy my time until he comes back and still trying to do my role in the team”.

Tim Paine image:paddynapper

Tim Paine image:paddynapper

The Tasmanian Tiger Vice Captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine is now England bound after being selected in the one-day squad as Brad Haddin’s back up.
If fit, Paine should see some action as Haddin is currently playing with a broken finger and his selection puts him ahead of Graham Manou as Australia’s second wicketkeeper, maybe with an eye on the next ICC Cricket world cup (50 over game) in 2011.

Australian chairman of selectors said;

“Tim has been picked not only because he is an excellent wicketkeeper but because he has opened the batting in this form of the game with great success, which gives us good versatility if Brad Haddin misses any of the ODIs.”

The squads are:

One-day squad:
Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Nathan Bracken, Callum Ferguson, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Hopes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Tim Paine, Peter Siddle, Shane Watson, Cameron White (Tim Paine selected subject to fitness).

Twenty20 squad:
Michael Clarke (c), Brad Haddin (vc), Callum Ferguson, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Dirk Nannes, Adam Voges, David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

In other news from the tour, Ricky Ponting will be rested from the Twenty20 competition and will make a late start to the one day series, due to the managment of his work load.

Ricky Ponting

During Australia’s first innings of the Third test, Ricky Ponting surpassed Alan Border as the highest run scorer in tests for Australia. That record had stood since December 14, 1987. He is now third behind India’s Sachin Tendulkar and West Indian Brian Lara on the all time run scorers list.

Below is a table comparing the last three Australian captains:

* Still currently playing.

ICC

A preliminary squad has been announced for the ICC champions trophy to be held between the 22nd September to the 5th of October. The tournament will be held in South Africa.

The squad is:

Ricky Ponting (c) – TAS, 35
Michael Clarke (vc) – NSW, 28
Doug Bollinger – NSW, 27
Nathan Bracken – NSW, 31
Callum Ferguson – SA, 24
Brett Geeves – TAS, 27
Brad Haddin – NSW, 31
Ryan Harris – QLD, 29
Nathan Hauritz – NSW, 27
Moises Henriques – NSW, 22
Ben Hilfenhaus – TAS, 26
Jon Holland – VIC, 22
James Hopes – QLD, 30
Phillip Hughes – NSW, 20
David Hussey – VIC , 32
Mike Hussey – WA , 34
Mitchell Johnson – WA , 27
Jason Krejza – TAS, 26
Brett Lee – NSW, 32
Shaun Marsh – WA, 26
Andrew McDonald – VIC, 28
Clinton McKay – VIC, 26
Marcus North – WA, 29
Tim Paine – TAS, 24
Peter Siddle – VIC, 24
Shaun Tait – SA, 26
Adam Voges – WA, 29
David Warner – NSW, 22
Shane Watson – NSW, 28
Cameron White – VIC, 25

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch says the squad, which must be trimmed to 15 by August 23rd.

The Australian Fixture:

Group A
Saturday 26 September: Australia v West Indies (The Wanderers)
Monday 28 September: Australia v India (Centurion)
Wednesday 30 September: Australia v Pakistan (Centurion)

Semi Finals
Friday 2 October: 1st Semi Final – 1st Group A v 2nd Group B (Centurion)
Saturday 3 October: 2nd Semi Final – 1st Group B v 2nd Group A (The Wanderers)