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Pick your 15 man 2019 World cup squad + OFFICIAL SQUAD ANNOUNCED 15/4

Bazal

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Id leave him out, but never was gonna happen. Have watched him in the IPL and he cant get going, S/R is 107, piss poor in that format for someone in the top 4

Khawaja, SMarsh and Smith isnt what we need in the top 5 batting in ODI, not all 3 of them. Both Khawaja and / or SMarsh can rebuild an innings,if early wickets fall, proven a few times this year

He is in the squad now, so up to him to shine up and not be a passenger

Correct.

Plus there is likely to be much more value looking towards the ashes in giving Smith the A tour.

I should also add that ultimately I would have left Stoinis out (or Marsh), but I don't believe that was ever in the selectors mind so in a fight for a spot between Smith and Handscomb, as it stands right now, it certainly isn't as clear cut as "Smith walks in to the side..."
 
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8,480
I'm happy with the squad, apart from leaving Hazlewood out. Assuming the selectors want to keep him rested after his back injury, or perhaps not fully recovered?

As for openers - Warner should open with Finch for mine, Khawaja 3. Although I'd equally be as happy if Kept Khawaja & Finch, and brought Warner in down the order at 6.

Warner as an opener can destroy bowlers in the early overs unlike anyone else in our team, and possibly in world cricket for that matter.

However Khawaja and Finch have done brilliantly in the last two series against India and Pakistan. Setting great platforms for the rest of the innings on most occasions. I wouldn't mind them opening either then Warner down the order to bring home in the 2nd half of the innings.

I'd be having this as my first 11.

Warner
Finch
Khawaja
Smith
Stoinis
Maxwell
Carey
Cummins
Coulter-Nile
Starc
Zampa
 

AlwaysGreen

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47,822
I'd be having this as my first 11.

Warner
Finch
Khawaja
Smith
Stoinis
Maxwell
Carey
Cummins
Coulter-Nile
Starc
Zampa
If they play Stoinis it has to be below Maxwell. I can also see them playing Smarsh over Khawaja.

Coulter Nile would be left out for Lyon if pitches suit, which at times I think they will.
 
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If they play Stoinis it has to be below Maxwell. I can also see them playing Smarsh over Khawaja.

Coulter Nile would be left out for Lyon if pitches suit, which at times I think they will.

Yeah get your view with stoinis and Maxwell. Stoinis can take a while to get going while Maxwell can tee off immediately. I’d have em interchangeable depending on the state of the game.
 

Bazal

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If we even pick Stoinis he should always bat above Maxwell in a natural order, unless he starts off in the tail.

When it gets down to 15-20 overs to go you start changing it for sure, but otherwise Stoinis comes in first.

The bloke takes eighteen years to get going. He almost needs to bat in the middle overs even if that means coming in at three, just because otherwise he wastes so many balls at valuable times

You'd bat Stoinis even lower than NCN in a hitting situation though
 

Bazal

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They clearly don't believe Haze is fit enough. Seems to be the only explanation
 

AlwaysGreen

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I'd say saving Hazelwood to be fully fit for ashes .

Kane Richardson will definitely be the 15th man in the squad, possibly only there to provide pies for Finch.
 

Front-Rower

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5,297
Australian XI - 6/277 (50 Overs)

NZ 5th XI - 2/224 (40 Overs)
Will Young 106 n.o.
Tom Latham 49 n.o.
 

TheParraboy

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66,136
It can't actually be from the Kiwis.

They're all too nice. Every one of them, such a nice guy, a credit to humanity

Have they formulated an under arm joke in there somewhere yet? or waiting for the WC proper?
 

AlwaysGreen

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Not happy and rightly so:

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...by-double-world-cup-snub-20190515-p51ngy.html


Bitterly disappointed to be twice overlooked for the World Cup, Josh Hazlewood hopes selectors keep him in mind if Australia need a mid-tournament replacement.

Excluding Hazlewood, the world's top-ranked ODI bowler in 2017 and part of Australia's 2015 World Cup triumph, from the 15-man squad was arguably the boldest and most contentious call that selectors made last month.

Trevor Hohns' panel doubled down on that snub last week, calling up Kane Richardson rather than Hazlewood when Jhye Richardson (dislocated shoulder) was forced to withdraw from the tournament in England, which starts on May 30.

Selectors felt Hazlewood, recovering from the back injury he suffered in January, wouldn't have enough games under his belt and should instead focus on being cherry ripe for the Ashes that start on August 1.

The right-armer proved his fitness by coming off his long run last week, troubling captain Aaron Finch and other teammates in the nets during a training camp in Brisbane, and was confident he could produce his best at the World Cup.

"It was obviously bitterly disappointing," Hazlewood said.

Not playing cricket for four months went against me. I can see their side of things."

Hazlewood acknowledged that international cricket would be a step up compared to practice but felt he was "pretty close to 90-95 per cent" at Allan Border Field last week.

The vice-captain has been included in an Australia A squad that will tour England prior to the Ashes, with the first of their five 50-over games starting on June 20.

It means Hazlewood will be acclimatised for the final five weeks of the World Cup - and ready to answer selectors' call should anything happen to one of the incumbent quicks.

"I guess if someone went down halfway through the tournament then my chances would be a bit better [compared to last week]," Hazlewood said.

"You never know."

Finch praised Hazlewood's rhythm and pace in the nets last Friday but wasn't sure whether the 28-year-old would be on standby for the World Cup.

"It's a good question. I don't have an answer," Finch said.

Hazlewood is giving little thought to such a possibility, preferring to pour all all his energy into preparation for the five-Test series in England that starts on August 1.

It'll obviously mean I have a few more four-day games with the Dukes ball in England, so that's going to be fantastic for me," he said.

"And probably put me a step ahead of a few other guys who are only going to get the one red-ball game before the Ashes."

Finch's squad spent the past few days visiting WWI sites in Gallipoli but will start training in England later this week as they prepare for a June 1 World Cup opener against Afghanistan.
 

Timbo

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From all reports he'd have been good to go by the end of the group stage.

I understand wanting someone who's good to go from minute one, but I've never seen a single thing from Kane Richardson that convinces me he's an international calibre bowler. They guy made his ODI debut six years ago, has never been a regular - hell, has never even been a regular backup - and has been consistently mediocre at best.

This is a really dumb call by the selectors. But what f**king else is new.
 

lockyno1

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From all reports he'd have been good to go by the end of the group stage.

I understand wanting someone who's good to go from minute one, but I've never seen a single thing from Kane Richardson that convinces me he's an international calibre bowler. They guy made his ODI debut six years ago, has never been a regular - hell, has never even been a regular backup - and has been consistently mediocre at best.

This is a really dumb call by the selectors. But what f**king else is new.

What happens if “he’s not ready to go by the end of the group stages”. We have wasted a spot on an unfit player.
 

Bazal

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From all reports he'd have been good to go by the end of the group stage.

I understand wanting someone who's good to go from minute one, but I've never seen a single thing from Kane Richardson that convinces me he's an international calibre bowler. They guy made his ODI debut six years ago, has never been a regular - hell, has never even been a regular backup - and has been consistently mediocre at best.

This is a really dumb call by the selectors. But what f**king else is new.

I understand not picking Haze if he's going to miss the majority of the group stage.

Not sure I understand using Kane Richardson in his stead though. I quite like him in that he's a good honest bowler who does a job when needed...but he's not a front line, World Cup quick.
 

AlwaysGreen

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What happens if “he’s not ready to go by the end of the group stages”. We have wasted a spot on an unfit player.
We've wasted a spot on Kane Richardson.

If he bowls against England on one of those batting paradises they're producing he'll be giving Mick Lewis' record a shake.
 

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