So, which Australian batsmen make it to the Ashes?
For http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and England, winning the Ashes is as important as coming on top in a World Cup. An Ashes victory is the only thing that can rival the popularity of football in England. So much so that when the English side reclaimed the Ashes from Australia in 2005 after a gap of 16 years, the country came to standstill in celebration.
The 2010-11 Ashes is slated to be played in Australia. England is the current holders of the Ashes. In the previous Ashes series that was played between the two sides, England had edged past Australia 2-1.
However, the same result in 2005 had been followed by a 5-0 whitewash against England in the next Ashes. Australia has always been a side to beat in their own den, and despite having had an up and down record in the recent internationals, the Aussies will be a different side altogether in the battle for the urn.
Having said that, the Australian cricket team is in a transition phase. They are yet to come to terms with the retirement of their stalwarts and are still looking for the perfect balance in their batting.
While their batting line-up is strong, what needs to be seen is how well it performs against a side like England, which has a decent bowling attack.
The current Australian Test squad has seven specialist batsmen and two all-rounders. Skipper Ricky Ponting, Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 are the people who will have to lead the charge against England.
From this list, Khawaja is a Pakistan-born new-comer who has yet to play an international for Australia. But he has had a very successful domestic season and thus been included in the squad. Currently he averages 48 in the 20 first class matches that he has played and has a highest of 172. He has been ear-marked for the future, but one does not see him make his Ashes debut yet.
The Australian team is still trying to find someone who can match up to the stature of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755.
Paine’s issue is his lack of experience in the longer format of the game as he is a relative newcomer. On the other hand, Haddin’s fitness has been a concern for some time now and whether or not he will be fit for an important series like this is a question-mark.
As far as the two all-rounders, North and Watson are concerned, both should make it to the squad. However, despite North’s recent six-wicket haul, the Aussies will need more from him with the bat in his hand; something that he has not been able to deliver.
North has a good record against England. He has maintained a healthy average of 52 against them and has a highest of 125.
On the other hand, barring a run of form which has seen Watson cool off a tad, he has been Australia’s best batsman for some time now. He is a makeshift opening batsman, had been sent up to open the innings for Australia in the previous Ashes. Since then, he has done enough to cement his place there.
Ponting shoul continue to lead the side, but what he will be more concerned about is the lack of those big hundreds. Same goes with Clarke, who seemed to have let his off-field issues and break-up with his fiancé affect his batting. The two sureties in the batting line-up are Simon Katich and Michael Hussey, and both have been in the form of their life.
Katich has had so many 50s and centuries going for him, that he is easily Australia’s most consistent batsman. Hussey adds depth and solidity to the line-up and could well be the player to watch out for the Aussies.
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