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Message: [QUOTE="m1c, post: 2351324, member: 1944"] IMO this has to be the final nail in someones coffin. Some of the processes they have been through just don't add up, and are quite frankly, amateur. I wouldn't expect this from club cricket. They settled on a squad years ago for this tournament. Obviously there would be a small amount of changes through injury or major spikes or slumps in form. To jettison James Hopes 3 matches before the squad was named is ridiculous. Especially given that they have been left with little option but to run with an all out raw pace attack - something that IMO is completely wrong for the conditions, however I can't be too critical as injury has forced this hand. Surely Hopes would be the perfect foil for their rocks or diamonds approach - a defensive bowler to sure up one end. I'm not sure how a player can be part of your plans for 3 years, then so suddenly fall out of favor. The inverse is Hastings. Thrown in after 3 internationals? Dave Hussey. It was decided ~2 years ago that he wasn't the man for the job and he was appropriately cut after many mediocre returns. 1 game before the World Cup squad is announced and he is back in? This is despite the fact he barely averages 20 for one day domestic cricket this season. On the other hand batsmen Marsh and Ferguson who had been groomed for this tournament the last 3 years are not even given a look in. Onto Hodge... there is only one point to be made and that is if you want to win a world cup tomorrow you put differences aside and pick Brad Hodge. I find it staggering - even more so given the injury clouds over Hussey and Ponting - that he is not there. Having seen the host nation in India pick 3 frontline spinners and a spinning all rounder in their squad of 15 it doesn't take a genius to work out what the pitches will be like. IMO Australia's best chance of success is to bat first and rack up a big total. If any of Watson, Ponting or Hussey go down, they are in serious trouble. They are their 3 best batsmen by a mile and there is simply not a replacement of quality in the final squad. White and Haddin are hit or miss, Smith and DHussey not up to it, whilst unfortunately with the introduction of t20 cricket; ODI cricket has rapidly evolved to the point where it seems Clarke - despite his skill as a batsman - has been left behind. Hodge is the only batsman in the country of similar quality. [/QUOTE]

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