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World A Team.com recently selected its Australian A Team for 2007/08. Read this to see who was selected.
World A Team 2008 Australian Team
This year’s selection panel included:
Acker (Chairman of Selectors), Andy Mellon, Aurelius, Rachael, sittingduck, Quagmire and draexem.
Before launching into the selection for this year, let’s have a look back at how successful the Class of 2007 were:
2006/07 WAT Australian A team
Phil Jaques
Chris Rogers
Marcus North (c)
Adam Voges
Shane Watson
Andrew McDonald
Luke Ronchi (+)
Mitchell Johnson
Aaron Heal
Shaun Tait
Ben Hilfenhaus
Of last year’s WAT Australia side, Phil Jaques, Chris Rogers, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait played Test cricket for Australia. Jaques and Johnson are no longer eligible for World A Team selection due to having played more than five tests for Australia.
Furthermore, Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait played ODI cricket for Australia. Shane Watson and Shaun Tait played in the successful World Cup final winning side.
Adam Voges and Mitchell Johnson played T20 cricket for Australia The selection process for 2008 was made more complicated by the ineligibility of players who would previously have been straight into our A Team. The main selection criteria for the World A Team sides is that the players must be under 30 years of age and have played less than 5 tests. The selection process for 2008 was made more complicated by the ineligibility of players who would previously have been straight into our A Team. The main selection criteria for the World A Team sides is that the players must be under 30 years of age and have played less than 5 tests. This unfortunately made last year’s top three ineligible and meant some other known quantities, such as David Hussey, were also ineligible. For the most part the players who made our final list were those that had done so by virtue of their clearly defined stand out performances compared to other eligible players during the 2007/08 Pura Cup season. By taking this year’s performances as a key selection criteria, the disappointing seasons endured by previous incumbents Aaron Heal and Ben Hilfenhaus, combined with the semi-retirement of Shaun Tait meant that only one player - Luke Ronchi has retained his place in the WAT 2007 Australian First XI. Andrew McDonald and Adam Voges have obtained places in the 14 man squad for this year, however.
The major discussion points during the selection process of the Australian WAT 2008 team included: - Choosing a specialist opening batsmen or the best performing batsman, not necessarily an opening one.
- This argument revolved around the fact that out of the pool of specialist openers that were considering for the squad, one had the performance record to walk into the side regardless of batting position, but there were a few middle order batsmen with a better batting average than the next ranked opener. At the end of the day though, the selectors were convinced that a specialist opener would perform better than an experienced middle order batsman playing out of position. Figures aside, openers have to deal with the new ball.
- To allow players competing in their fifth match of the season the Pura Cup final, but not necessarily having played 50% or more of the season due to the final making it 5 played out of 11 matches.
- The selectors viewed that playing 5 matches was the primary mandate over the percentage of games played. Also, other players whose teams did not reach the final were eligible through having played 5 matches. It was thought fair not to disadvantage players whose fifth game was the Pura Cup final, especially given the tougher nature of the five-day final.
- The wicketkeepers batting performance and keeping performance
- Choosing a specialist spinner ahead of better performed pace bowlers
The First Eleven:
Phil Hughes – The 19 year old left handed opener from New South Wales who scored an impressive century in the Pura Cup final which secured his spot in the team.
Ryan Broad – 26 year old right handed opener from Queensland. Ryan is the son of former Queensland player Wayne Broad. Shaun Marsh – 24 year old left handed batsman from Western Australia who has just been rewarded with an ACB contract and selected for the ODI Australian side touring the West Indies. He is the son of former Australian test vice captain and coach Geoff Marsh. George Bailey – 25 year old right handed batsman and Tasmanian vice captain. George's great great grandfather toured England with the Australian side in the 1870’s. Luke Pomersbach – 23 year old left handed batsman from Western Australia who broke through for Australian selection in T20 cricket this season. He also won the Bradman young cricketer of the year 2008. Cameron White – 24 year old right handed batsmen and right arm leg break bowler who is also the Victorian captain. He broke his ankle during the season which probably forced him to concentrate more on his batting, for which he averaged almost 50. He still holds an ACB contract and has been selected for the ODI Australian side touring the West Indies.
Despite his injury, he is still a handy leg spin bowler averaging 38 with the ball. Luke Ronchi - 26 year old wicketkeeper and right handed batsman from Western Australia, notably born in Manawatu, New Zealand. He caused a stir early in the season when in a Pura Cup match against Queensland he scored a century in 51 balls, the last 50 runs coming in just 11 balls. He returned a tidy 33 catches/dismissals behind the stumps only beaten by Victorian Matthew Wade and current Australian test keeper Brad Haddin. Luke was also a member of the 2007 A team. Beau Casson – 25 year old left arm unorthodox wrist spinner and right handed batsman from New South Wales (originally from Western Australia). Casson took 4 wickets to rout Victoria in the 2nd innings of the Pura Cup final. He was no doubt the stand out spin bowler in the Pura Cup this year and has been rewarded with an ACB contract and selection in the Australian test team touring the West Indies. He is also a handy lower order batsman who averages 24.6 in first class cricket. Peter Siddle – 23 year old right arm pace bowler from Victoria who took 9 wickets in the Pura Cup final against New South Wales and finished the season with 33 wickets at the incredible average of 15.75. Siddle is currently undergoing a shoulder reconstruction. Steve Magoffin – 28 year old tall right arm pace bowler from Western Australia (originally from Queensland). Since moving West in order to get regular first class games a couple of years ago, he has been an extremely consistent and durable performer. Magoffin took 35 wickets in 10 matches this year. Doug Bollinger – 26 year old tall left arm pace bowler from New South Wales. Like his name he’s had cause to crack open the champagne this year with his 2007/08 Pura Cup performances, having taken 45 wickets at an average of 15.45; the best in the competition. He has been rewarded with an ACB contract and being picked in the Australian test squad for the West Indies. To top things off now has a new head of hair the members of Duran Duran would be proud of.
Other Squad Members: (12th Man) Andrew McDonald – 26 year old right handed batsman and right arm tall medium pace bowler from Victoria. This season, McDonald scored 545 runs at a healthy average of 49.54 and took 13 wickets at an average of 37.92. A very consistent performer who was also a member of the Australian 2007 A team. Adam Voges – Classy right handed Western Australian batsman who fell just short of selection for this year’s team with a slightly under-par record in this year’s Pura Cup. Voges’ class is not in doubt, however as he was again selected for Australian honours in the 20:20 series against India, nearly taking a hat trick in the process with his useful, occasional slow left-armers. Adam Voges – Classy right handed Western Australian batsman who fell just short of selection for this year’s team with a slightly under-par record in this year’s Pura Cup. Voges’ class is not in doubt, however as he was again selected for Australian honours in the 20:20 series against India, nearly taking a hat trick in the process with his useful, occasional slow left-armers. Chris Hartley- Diminutive left-handed wicket keeper batsman who plays for Queensland and has continued to excel behind the stumps. Hartley provides backup for Ronchi in this year’s WAT squad. Summary
I consider the selectors have picked a versatile squad and probably a more youthful squad than in previous Australian A team years. In the process some 10 changes were made to the Australian A team squad of the previous season. At some stages a few of us mentioned that we thought this would be a weaker squad than that of previous years. Looking at our final bowling line-up, however, we have 2 quick bowlers averaging 15 and another averaging 25; and that’s with over 113 Pura Cup season wickets between them! We can also add into this mix a spinner with almost 30 wickets at an average of 35. Considering the strength of the selected bowling line up, it can easily be thought that we may have underestimated the potency of the side we eventually picked. Especially the bowling line-up.
This year’s side has found room for one of Australia’s most precocious talents in the form of 19 year old Phillip Hughes who still occasionally plays for the Australian Under 19 squad.
This year’s selection panel represented a strong cross section of contributors to the World A Team site, and included members from England and New Zealand as well as Australia. Despite the occasional differences in opinion, the selection debate moved along fairly well and all contributions of posters were openly forthright and constructive.
I hope you are pleased with your selected Australian A team 2008, from my part it was a pleasurable experience.
I look forward to being part of another A team discussion with all of you. Click here to read about the selection process. Acker - April 2008 |
