Australia Story

[Fatty Batter]

Australia Unveil Mathisen as new Coach

The Australians today unveiled Greg Mathisen as their new coach taking over from Tim Neilsen, the young coach will have a tough job on his hands as many of the current side are ageing now. He will have to look to rebuild the side especially the Australian spin bowling stocks which have been hugely depleted since the retirement of Shane Warne. The Australian batting however remains very strong and should last them for some time with Ponting and Clarke leading the team forwards, his first series is in the West Indies and it will start with a three day game against Guyana before the x test seies gets under way. Then they will play Barbados in a one day warmup before the start of a 5 match one day series, they enter this series as favorites and will be expected to win comfortably. The 20 Players with Central Contracts have also been announced they are-
1.Simon Katich
2.Matthew Hayden
3.Phil Jacques
4.Shaun Marsh
5.Ricky Ponting
6.Michael Hussey
7.Michael Clarke
8.Marcus North
9.Brad Hodge
10.Shane Watson
11.Andrew McDonald
12.Brad Haddin
13.Tim Paine
14.Mitchell Johnson
15.Brett Lee
16.Stuart Clark
17.Nathan Bracken
18.Peter Siddle
19.Ben Hilfenhaus
20.Brett Geeves
The only surprises in the list is the inclusion of the inexperienced Peter Siddle who has only played 8 first class matches and the Tasmanians Brett Geeves and Tim Paine.
The squad to tour the West Indies is expected to be announced shortly

[Fatty Batter]

Australia in West Indies May-July 2008

Itinerary-
16th May Three Day Friendly vs Guyana
22nd May-1st Test Match
30th May-2rd Test Match
12th June-3rd Test Match
20th June-T20 International
21st June-One Day Friendly vs Barbados
24th June-1st ODI
27th June-2nd ODI
19th June-3rd ODI
4th July-4th ODI
6th July-5th ODI
Australia Squad-
1.Matthew Hayden
2.Phil Jacques
3.Shaun Marsh
4.Simon Katich
5.Ricky Ponting (capt)
6. Michael Hussey
7.Michael Clarke
8.Brad Hodge
9.Shane Watson
10.Andrew McDonald
11.Cameron White
12.Brad Haddin
13.Mitchell Johnson
14.Brett Lee
15.Stuart Clark
16.Nathan Bracken
17.Peter Siddle
18.Ben Hilfenhaus
The inclusion of Cameron White is a surprise as he wasn't named in the centrally contracted players but the omission of any other frontline spinner is surprising. Once again Symonds is overlooked suggesting the new coach dislikes his checkered past.

[habib]

Hummmm good luck to discover a spinner though

[Fatty Batter]

Three Day Friendly vs Guyana Preview

Guyana- Australia-
1.S.Chattergoon 1.P.Jacques
2.Z.Mohamed 2.S.Katich
3.R.Sarwan 3.R.Ponting
4.N.Deonarine 4.M.Hussey
5.L.Cush 5.M.Clarke
6.A.Haniff 6.S.Watson
7.R.Griffith 7.B.Haddin
8.D.Christian 8.M.Johnson
9.E.Crandon 9.B.Lee
10.V.Permaul 10.P.Siddle
11.R.king 11.B.Hilfenhaus
Australia have picked the two least experienced bowlers for this warm up probably with a view to playing one or both in the first test Jacques and the surprise pick to open Katich are fighting to take the openers slot alongside Matthew Hayden.

[Fatty Batter]

Three Day Friendly vs Guyana Preview

Guyana- Australia-
1.S.Chattergoon 1.P.Jacques
2.Z.Mohamed 2.S.Katich
3.R.Sarwan 3.R.Ponting
4.N.Deonarine 4.M.Hussey
5.L.Cush 5.M.Clarke
6.A.Haniff 6.S.Watson
7.R.Griffith 7.B.Haddin
8.D.Christian 8.M.Johnson
9.E.Crandon 9.B.Lee
10.V.Permaul 10.P.Siddle
11.R.king 11.B.Hilfenhaus
Australia have picked the two least experienced bowlers for this warm up probably with a view to playing one or both in the first test Jacques and the surprise pick to open Katich are fighting to take the openers slot alongside Matthew Hayden.

[Fatty Batter]

Hummmm good luck to discover a spinner though

there are some possibilities Hauritz, Smith, Cullen, Bailey and Doherty but they need time to develop and i don't want to use them against WI on pitches suited to fast bowling

[Fatty Batter]

Australia Rip Guyana Apart

Katich and Jacques both put in good performances in the only warm up game on this tour each striking a century in Australia's first innings effort of 392 then thanks to good bowling from Hilfenhaus (4-53) and Watson (4-40) Guyana were bowled out for 239, Ponting declined to take the follow on and Jacques scored his second century of the match of only 89 balls and ponting scored his second 50 of the game and had not been gotten out. The Australians had just over 2 and a half sessions to bowl the Guyanans out but they only needed till halfway through the second session of the day to wrap the game up with Peter Siddle taking 5-14 and Hilfenhaus again amoung the wickets taking 3-36.

[Fatty Batter]

Australia Selection

Australia have gone with Phil Jaques to partner Simon Katich in a surprise move but after the performance of both in the warm up neither waranted dropping the only other change from the warm up is in the return of Stuart Clark in place of Peter Siddle meaning Hilfenhaus makes his test debut alongside Brad Haddin.
1.Phil Jaques
2.SimonKatich
3.Ricky Ponting
4.Michael Hussey
5.Michael Clarke
6.Shane Watson
7.Brad Haddin
8.Mitchell Johnson
9.Brett Lee
10.Stuart Clark
11.Ben Hilfenhaus

[Fatty Batter]

West Indies

The West Indies have named a very similar side to that which played Sri Lanka with the bowling attack who did poorly against Sri Lanka still retained and Austin Richards still having his place in the middle order.
1.C.Gayle
2.D.Smith
3.S.Chanderpaul
4.R.Sarwan
5.A.Richards
6.D.Bravo
7.D.Ramdin
8.D.Sammy
9.D.Mohammed
10.R.Emrit
11.T.Best

[Fatty Batter]

Mitchell Johnson 8-60 in a magnificent spell of bowling he ripped through the West Indies line up and finished up without the man of the match award despite taking 10 wickets WI 229ao Sarwan 85 dropped of Johnson early Austin Richard 44
Jacques imperious 162 his highest test score which gave him the man of the match, Katich making 58 in superb 167 run opening stand. Ponting made 70 before edging Bravo to slip, Hussey Clarke ahd to negotiate a tricky period but lasted till stumps Hussey completing his 50 in the last over of the day and they began day 2 calmly compiling Australia's lead before Clarke was magnificently caught at slip by Austin Richards.
Hussey continued to make his hundred and Australia finished with a lead of 328 Bravo was the only bowler to come out with any credit toiling away to get 3-57.
Better start by WI following on but Lee removed Smith for 15 and when Gayle was out for 21 it looked as though Australia may run through the West Indies but Chanderpaul and Sarwan saw West Indies almost through to the close before Lee popped up to have Chanderpaul caught at slip for 29.
Day 4 and Lee removed Sarwan for 45 and was unlucky to get no more reward for a vicious spell of bowling. Bravo and Richards staged a fightback in a partnership of 89 before Bravo was bowled by the part time spin of Katich. Richards continued however to post a first half century before Lee had him caught with the new ball Sammy was out next ball to a full delivery that tailed back and hit him plumb LBW but Mohammed negotiated the hat-trick ball, Lee finished with 5-54 off 19 oversthe game was won by Hilfenhaus who removed best for his maiden test wicket and Australia won by an innings and 41 runs.

West Indies-229 all out
Sarwan-85 Richards-44
Johnson 8-60 Lee 2-39

Australia-557 all out
Jaques-162 Hussey-133
Bravo 3-57

West Indies-287 all out
Richards-71 Bravo-47
Lee 5-54 Johnson 2-51

[Fatty Batter]

Australia West Indies 2nd Test

Australia go in with an unsurprisingly unchanged line-up and will be looking to the in form Jaques to make another big score.
The West Indies have made only one change bringing in Kieron Pollard for Dave Mohammed in an attempt to shore upo the batting but they still appear to lack the penetration to beat this Australian side.

[Fatty Batter]

Australia West Indies 2nd Test

Australia's Batsmen once again showed the inadequacies of the West Indian bowlers with Katich (116) and Jaques (159) putting on a stand of over 250 ponting made 93no but after the wicket of Jaques it looked as though a collapse may be on the cards as Hussey and Clarke fell in quick succession to Tino Best the pick of the West Indian bowlers with 3-124 but Shane watson steadied the ship with his first hundred in a stand of 159 with ponting he helped Australia to post a total of 569-7 dec. The West Indies knew they needed to bat well, a number of them were under pressure to get runs, none more so than Devon Smith and he responded well making 83 before Johnson trapped him LBW as one of his 5 victims in the innings the rest of the west indies side made starts but none were able to get a big score and so they made 387 avoiding the follow on but still behind the 8-ball. Again Australia enjoyed a good opening partnership but Jaques fell for 48 this time and Katich made 82 sharing a good third wicket stand of 116 with Michael Hussey (87) the Australians declared on 277with the West Indians having 3 and a half sessions to bat for a draw or 459 for an unlikely and undeserved win Australia began well removing smith and gayle quickly but the West Indies middle orde were able to salvage a draw with Chanderpaul (150) and Richards (118) making hundreds.

Australia-569-7 dec
Phil Jaques-159 Simon Katich-116
Tino Best 3-124

West Indies-387 all out
Devon Smith-87
Mitchell Johnson 5-104 Ben Hilfenhaus 2-66

Australia- 277-5 dec
Michael Hussey-87 Simon Katich-82
Chris Gayle 2-8 Dwayne Bravo 2-50

West Indies-391-6
Shivnarine Chanderpaul-150 Austin Richards-118
Mitchell Johnson 3-124 Shane Watson 2-73

[Fatty Batter]

Australia vs West Indies 3rd Test

Australia have made one change to their line up for the third test with the uncapped Peter Siddle coming in for the out of sorts Stuart Clark, Siddle will bring aggression to the Australian team but they may miss the degree of control brought by Clark.
The West Indies have only made one change also bringing Dave Mohammed back in for Kieron Pollard but their bowling still looks to light to bowl the Aussie's out.
The pitch will once again offer assistance for the seamers and Australia having the far superior team will expect to come out with a victory and a two nil series win.

[Fatty Batter]

Australia vs West Indies 3rd Test

The West Indies were totally outclassed in this game especially in the bowling department dbutant Peter Siddle took 4 first innings wickets for 92 to (with help from Mitchell Johnson 3-73) bundle the West Indies out for a respectable 373 helped mainly by the parterships of the lower order who made 179 runs. As with the entirity of this series Australia's batsmen dominated Katich making a sublime 256 not out in the first innings getting him the man of the match ably supported by Clarke (102) and Ponting (59) only Rayad Emrit managed to gain respectable figures of 3-62 all the others went for over 100 (bar Bravo who only bowled 8 overs). The West Indies began the second innings with little chance of victory and after Mictchell Johnson snared the top 3 West Indian batsmen they had none, Sarwan and Richards produced a brief show of fight scoring 68 and 40 respectively but then the unluckiest f Australia's bowlers on this tour Ben Hilfenhaus nipped both out in quick succession. These wickets opened the door for Johnson to return and he took another 3 wickets to finish with match figures of 9-163 before Siddle and Hilfenhaus mopped up the tail and Australia needed just 97 for victory which they made comfortably for the loss of Jaques only.

West Indies-373 all out
S.Chanderpaul-85 D.Mohammed-68
P.Siddle 4-92 M.Johnson 3-73

Australia-512-5 dec
S.Katich-256no M.Clarke-102
R.Emrit 3-62

West Indies-235 all out
R.Sarwan-68 A.Richards-40
M.Johnson 6-90 B.Hilfenhaus 3-27

[Fatty Batter]

Australia vs West Indies T20

Australia-
1.S.Marsh
2.S.Watson
3.R.Ponting
4.M.Clarke
5.M.Hussey
6.C.White
7.B.Haddin
8.M.Johnson
9.B.Lee
10.N.Bracken
11.B.Hilfenhaus

West Indies-
1.C.Gayle
2.DevonSmith
3.S.Chanderpaul
4.R.Sarwan
5.D.Ganga
6.D.Bravo
7.D.Ramdin
8.Dwayne Smith
9.D.Sammy
10.R.Emrit
11.J.Taylor

The game was a one sided affair with Shaun Marsh the standout performer making 72 off 54 balls and Ponting making 32no off 36 in Australia's total of 131. The West Indies were never in the game as Johnson and Lee had them 4 down after 8 overs Bracken then came on and bowled accurately in his 4 over going at only 4 an over, Hilfenhaus took 2 wickets in his first over but Darren Sammy who top scored for the West Indies took 3 boundaries off it to dampen his figures Shane Watson polished off the tail taking 3-7 and rounded off a good victory.

Australia-131-2
Marsh-72 Ponting-32

West Indies 74 all out
Watson 3-7 Johnson 3-16 Hilfenhaus 2-22