He should be there in place of North tbh.

Khawaja then Ferguson most likely

There's no way Ferguson deserves to be anywhere near the Test Team tbh.

I agree but i think that's the way the selectors are thinking

The Guardian
Channel 9 Australia will unveil its presenting team at the SCG on Tuesday, says the press release I have just been forwarded.

Channel Nine's Wide World of Sports commentary line-up will be Richie Benaud, Tony Greig, Ian Chappell, Bill Lawry, Ian Healy, Mark Taylor, Mark Nicholas, Shane Warne, James Brayshaw, Michael Slater and Simon O'Donnell

Sky Sports will be offering all the usual favourites (Botham, Willis, Hussain, Lloyd etc etc plus Shane Warne), as will Test Match Special (for those who like to drift in and out of sleep to the sound of the radio/refuse to hand over their cash to that famous American, Rupert Murdoch).

But who would be in your dream commentary box? For the sake of argument, you can only pick four.

To start the ball rolling, I'd have Benaud (smart, succinct), Sir Geoffrey Boycott (opionated, Yorkshireman, tautological?), LordSelvey (of this parish) and Vic Marks (also of this parish, does that make me sound too biased?).

Lacks Jonathan Agnew. Love his voice:lol:

But who would be in your dream commentary box? For the sake of argument, you can only pick four.

When one-day cricket was new Andrew Tate
November 14, 2010

With the Twenty20 form of the game stealing the crowds and limelight from the 50-over format, it's worth remembering just how popular the one-day form of the game became, and why, after the World Series Cricket revolution.


1. Getting stroppy?
ONCE upon a time there were no West Indies players in pink uniform, drop-in pitches or even the sound of bat on ball at VFL Park - with Dennis Lillee bowling bouncers as seen in our picture. But that was all before the great Australian fast bowler had a few quiet moments alone in a Perth hotel room in 1976 - and World Series Cricket was, apparently, born. In his 2003 autobiography, simply called Lillee, the great man revealed that the Kerry Packer-backed breakaway cricket competition that ultimately spawned one-day cricket as we know it was solely his idea. As The Age's Sporting Life column explained at the time until then the consensus had been that WSC came about as a result of a suggestion made by Lillee's good friend John Cornell (better known as Paul Hogan's mate Strop). But Lillee disputes this saying it was his idea alone and he helped Cornell and manager Austin Robertson sell the idea to Packer, who was desperate to get cricket on television and break the bond between the Australian Cricket Board and the ABC. Lillee went on to become one of the great exponents of the one-day form of the game and as the crowds, and TV ratings, grew no one could dispute the fast bowler was at the centre of his own universe. Cornell has long maintained his central role in cricket's revolution, but probably worries more about the taxman these days having gone on to help Hogan with his ideas in Hollywood. And while Cornell may not be stroppy at the fast bowler's recollection of events, no one is holding their breath for a screenplay based on Lillee's book.


2. Ties that bind

AFTER the first stuttering season of World Series Cricket in 1977-78, the format that proved most popular was the day-night one-day games. While one-day internationals had been played since 1971 and the West Indies had won the inaugural World Cup in 1975, it was by stoking the rivalry between Australia and the Windies under lights that WSC really took off. More than 44,000 turned out at the first such game at the SCG, signalling to the old guard that the game would never be the same again. It was the glory days of Australian-West Indies one-day rivalry, with master blaster Viv Richards and Lillee in epic form through much of the era - although with the Windies usually winning when it counted in the finals of the triangular ODI tournaments. In the 1981-82 season, Richards smashed 536 runs in the series as the Windies went on to defeat the home side 3-1. It was a similar story in 1983-84, when Australia lost 2-0 - although the finals featured the first tied one-day match when both sides hit 222 at the MCG. You can check out highlights of the final frantic moments that so engaged the crowds and the TV audience by searching for ''one day first tie'' on YouTube.


3. Classic catches

PERHAPS one-day cricket's greatest achievement was to elevate and amplify the art of fielding. Not only did the burgeoning TV audience warm to the new rules regarding field placement, the people collectively swooned over the ''classic catch'' competition. And while any highlights reel from the 1980s would feature a number of remarkable slips catches, it was Australia's Steve Waugh who topped the decade with his out-field scorcher in a 1989 match against the West Indies at the MCG. A skied ball from Roger Harper looked set to go over the fence for six before Waugh - running at full tilt towards the boundary line, the sightscreen and a lumbering Merv Hughes - managed to put everything else out of his mind to take a screamer. And while Hughes is on the record as saying he happily yelled out ''yours'' to Waugh, the big Victorian had his own way of pulling the crowds through the gates. His warm-up exercises in front of Bay 13 became a television staple, with the crowd emulating his every move. Proving that one-day crowds pretty much amused themselves and the cricket came second to having a good time.


4. Pigeon paired

WHILE one-day cricket has struggled in recent times, there's little doubt that any excitement still generated by the 50-over form of the game on TV is due in no small measure to the ongoing exertions of the Nine commentary team - and more particularly the great Bill Lawry. The man with a nose to match his stature in the game makes it clear that it's always a great day to be an Australian-slash-Victorian-slash-pigeon fancier. Lawry's commentary has long been a highlight of one-day cricket in this country. Be it Lawry's cry of ''GOT HIM!'' ''go ball go'' or copping some gentle ribbing for his ''bird fancying'', Lawry helped make one-day cricket a phenomenon.


5. Who cares?

THERE was a time when one-day cricket seemed so important you'd do almost anything to win a game - even bowl an underarm delivery in 1981 to give New Zealand something to complain about for all time. But in recent times the public appears to have switched off the 50-over game, with the recent Sri Lankan match at the SCG attracting the lowest crowd for such a fixture in 17 years. Proof, if needed, our attention spans are shrinking.


http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/when-oneday-cricket-was-new-20101113-17ryb.html

Border bags England's 'Empire XI'

November 16, 2010 - 9:24PM

Rather than bag national selectors for naming an extended Ashes squad, ex-Australian skipper Allan Border has taken aim at England by saying they look more like the "Empire XI" due to their overseas-born players.

Australian selectors have been generally panned for announcing a 17-man first Test outfit - one more than England's entire touring squad.

Their uncertainty ensures there are now major question marks over the likes of Mike Hussey, Marcus North and Nathan Hauritz ahead of this month's Ashes opener in Brisbane.

But Border was happier putting the English squad through the wringer, taking a cheeky dig at the tourists' foreign brigade in Brisbane on Tuesday.

Amongst the squad, skipper Andrew Strauss is South African-born along with Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott while talented left-handed batsman Eoin Morgan is Irish.

"England are sailing under the radar beautifully - let's get stuck into them a bit," Border smiled.

"I don't know whether they should be called England - it should be the Empire XI.

"They got any Poms in their side?

"They are all South Africans and Irishmen - let's question where these blokes are actually from."

But Border got serious when it came to Australia's first Test outfit.

He said naming an extended squad ensured healthy competition and was surprised by the general reaction to the selectors' decision.

"Selectors had no alternative but to name a big squad," he said.

"We've still got some Shield games to play and there's probably some spots up for grabs.

"But I don't see any dramas with it.

"I am surprised by the media. It has been very negative.

"I am wondering if Australia should bother turning up, that's how bad we are going according to the media."

Border said if anything, naming 17 players showed Australia's depth rather than the selectors' uncertainty.

"We've got 17 guys who could all play in that first Test," he said.

"That's a good thing, rather than scraping the bottom of the barrel (for players)."

But Western Australian coach Mickey Arthur questioned the selectors' wisdom after his experienced charges Hussey and North came under increasing pressure ahead of the Ashes.

Hussey and North will be under the spotlight in WA's clash with Victoria at the MCG from Wednesday.

Ex-South Africa coach Arthur believed Australia would have been better served not announcing their first Test team until after this week's round of Shield games.

"Because then you present a structured front," he said in Melbourne on Tuesday.

"You're presenting to the opposition what your best team is, what your best starting line-up is and what their roles are."

Arthur thought Australia would regain the Ashes but had been impressed with how settled England looked.

"They certainly know what their team is come next Thursday in Brisbane and although that doesn't count for a huge amount it shows that they are a little bit more settled at this stage than Australia are now," he said.

England are so comfortable with their line-up they will send top-line bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steve Finn and Graeme Swann to Brisbane's Allan Border Field nets to acclimatise from Wednesday.

AAP

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/border-bags-englands-empire-xi-20101116-17vvk.html

[size=8]FREE BEER FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS[/size]

An Australian brewery will provide a free beer for every adult in the country if the Australian cricket team wins the Ashes series against England.

Carlton and United Breweries – who make Fosters, Kronenbourg, Corona and Carlsberg among others – announced the promotion in Sydney today at a launch attended by the Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

If Australia wins back the Ashes, the brewery will print vouchers in five Australian newspapers which can be redeemed for a bottle of its beer. The promotion could cost the brewer as much as A$20m (£12m).

The first Test begins in Brisbane on 25 November, with the final Test in January. England have not won a series in Australia for 24 years.

whats the go at the SCG... NSW bowled out for 90 odd then Tasmania went for 100 odd, Hauritz didn't get a bowl and Doherty was only used for 4 overs

NSW got 97 and Tasmania got 125. Sounds like a good day to watch

Glad the State pitches are finally getting some bowler friendly conditions. 3 Exciting matches on atm, all because the batsman and bowlers have been at even odds.

Glad the State pitches are finally getting some bowler friendly conditions. 3 Exciting matches on atm, all because the batsman and bowlers have been at even odds.