Another World Cup Win Coming Up

It is amazing how quickly things can change. Not three months ago we were bemoaning the lack of planning and character as the Australian Cricket Team meekly wilted against a barrage of swing at The Oval, unhappiest of all locations in England for Aussie cricketers. By the time the next Ashes take place in England, in 2013, chances are highly likely Australia will take a squad that includes no one who has tasted victory in a series in England. The good thing about that was that the last time this happened was 1989.

Fast forward those three months, and the Australians are victorious once more. What is more impressive is that is has been accomplished with an eleven of similar quality sitting back in Australia either injured, or with papers marked "Never to play for Australia again" (and I'm talking about you, Brad Hodge).

The side that destroyed India on Sunday was Marsh, Watson, Ponting, White, Hussey, Voges, Manou, Johnson, Hauritz, Bollinger and Clint McKay. Graham Manou is Australia's third string keeper, so comparitively inept with the bat he bats at number eight. Paine and Haddin often open the batting when playing for Australia.

Cameron White has left no one pining for Michael Clarke's return, and Adam Voges has more than covered for the promising Callum Ferguson.

The side that's not playing at the moment? Haddin, Paine, Clarke, Ferguson, Hodge, D Hussey, Hopes, Holland, Siddle, Lee & Bracken. A match between those two teams would be a coin flip. And I couldn't find a spot in either side for David Warner , Ben Hilfenhaus or Moises Henriques.

This is why, if Australia can maintain their form in the one day version of the game, they should be looking forward to a fourth consecutive World Cup win in 2011.

Australia should start selecting one-day squads now for 2011. Despite his reasonable current form, Michael Hussey should probably be left to resurrect his test form (and dropped to number five in that form of the game). Brett Lee should be filed in the same area of the cabinet draw as Brad Hodge. He's old and brittle.

The selectors should also consider Brad Haddin's long term future in one-day cricket. It's not like he's a long time fixture in the team, anyway. Keep him fresh for the test matches too, and groom Tim Paine now.

A fifteen man squad for the next 18 months could ideally look like this: Ponting, Marsh, Watson, Clarke, White, Ferguson, Hopes, Johnson, Hauritz, Bracken, Siddle, Paine, Bollinger, Voges & Henriques. Plenty of quality outside of that fifteen, including players we may have not heard much about yet.

The Australians probably won't get much of a challenge this summer from the West Indies, and Pakistan are notoriously unpredictable. Let's hope the Aussies can get the challenge they need to keep at top form, and over the twelve months after that before the next World Cup. Things are looking good.