Bic out. Kaspa in.

[Donny]

Revised Australian squad for VB Series finals

Cricket Australia

Cricket Australia announced today that the National Selection Panel (NSP) has chosen a revised squad for the best-of-three VB Finals Series against India.

The 13-man squad is:

NAME - STATE - AGE - MATCHES

Ricky Ponting (captain) TAS 29 192
Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain) WA 32 183
Michael Clarke NSW 22 18
Jason Gillespie SA 28 63
Ian Harvey VIC 31 66
Matthew Hayden QLD 32 87
Brad Hogg WA 32 41
Michael Kasprowicz QLD 31 18
Simon Katich NSW 28 3
Brett Lee NSW 27 79
Damien Martyn WA 32 141
Andrew Symonds QLD 28 87
Brad Williams WA 29 20


Paceman Andrew Bichel has been replaced by fellow Queenslander Michael Kasprowicz who returns to one-day international action following his role in Australia's success at the 2003 TVS Cup in India.

Kasprowicz has taken 11 wickets in the ING Cup this summer at an average of 15.81, claiming his season's-best figures of 4-19 against the Tasmanian Tigers at Bellerive Oval on 26 January.

Bichel will return to Brisbane this morning.

Simon Katich has been retained, in place of Western Australia's Michael Hussey.

Hussey, who replaced the injured Michael Bevan for Australia's last preliminary match of the VB Series in Perth on Sunday, has travelled to Hobart ahead of the RetraVision Warriors' Pura Cup clash with the Tasmanian Tigers at Bellerive Oval tomorrow.

Commenting on the squad, NSP Chairman Trevor Hohns said: "It is fair to say that Andy Bichel has not been bowling as well as we would like, and we feel that a spell at state level might help him recapture his form.

"Michael Kasprowicz deserves this opportunity. We were impressed with his work on the recent one-day tour of India, and his performances for Queensland over a long period of time have been first-class.

"The decision to leave Andy out of the side was a judge t call that we had to make.

"It is unfortunate for Michael Hussey who did a terrific job for the side on Sunday and it can be said that his strong performance was recognised by the selectors with a view to the future," he said.

Hohns also added that the date of announcement for the one-day international squad to tour Sri Lanka is still to be confirmed. Details will be advised in due course

[JLC]

One QLD OUT and another one IN.

A swing bowler should be useful for the finals and Kaspa is a good bowler but maybe not as profocient with the bat as Bichel can be.. However i thought the selectors were going for a YOUTH policy in the one day team ?? I get the feeling Harvey will be dropped for the finals and they will go with a 4 prong pace attack.

jlc

[commonwombat]

Don't think they'll risk the youth strategy for a final seies that looks anything but a laydown misere.

Would look at seeing one or 2 young bowlers blooded next VB series.

[JLC]

Very interesting article in the Herald Sun with some cries of double standards by Bichel in relation to Lee and Martyn.

jlc

[commonwombat]

Bichel has a degree of justification for feeling aggreived. However he has never, for whatever reason, been a settled member of either the Test or ODI team whereas Lee and Martyn have had that degree of safer tenure.

Not saying it's necessarly right but his role has sadly been that of a Mr Fill-in and temporary fix-it rather than a long term solution. Sadly his performances have shown as such. Frequently very useful but never remotely suggesting match-winning potential.

[JLC]

In a funny sort of way i feel sorry for Bichel even though i don't think he is that good.

In the test team he definately does not warrant a place as Williams has assumed his position and the selectors are still in love with Bracken. I have a feeling that love wont last long though. McGrath still has to return as well.

However in the one day arena he is a bit unlucky to be dropped. His fielding and batting are pretty handy and that surely must count for something??

jlc

[Donny]

Mate, Bic is a bowler. He wasn't there for his batting or fielding.

Wombat, this is somewhat off the mark: "but never remotely suggesting match-winning potential." Did you follow the world Cup ?

[commonwombat]

Ah Donny, yes I did, in fact I saw a few of them in person.

By no means am I denigrating Bichel. The facts as I see them are that he has never been a bowler that is going to rip through a good intl batting line-up and set-up a victory. This is how I define a match-winner.

Others such as McGrath, Warne, Gillespie and Lee (on song) have that something extra which sadly Bichel does not possess.

Can you see my reasoning ??

[Donny]

Of course.

I've always said Bic was an honest toiler with a great attitude and obvious love for the game but he only ever got Test games as a fill-in and was useful at best in the ODIs except for his wholehearted efforts in the WC where he almost single handedly won 2 games - one being a vital 'back from the dead' performance against England which, at the time, was a flashpoint match for the Aussies.

[Collies4Eva]

Bic can feel hard done by as Lee has been getting a lot of bad PR with his recent shockers and didnt get dropped while Bic got dropped for his own poor form. but then again bic isnt exactly lee is he.

[Johnson#26]

I feel VERY VERY sorry for Bic, it is very sad to see that one of the great work-horses of the team get dumped like that before the finals series. But you never know, a cople of good state games and he could be on the plane to Sri Lanka...

BTW - Why has Lee stayed in the side all summer when clearly under-done??