Wednesday 20 May 2009

Ashes Squad

What do I say about Ronald? So there he was, gorging himself on Happy Meal after Happy Meal, waiting by the phone to be told he wasn't in the squad, and that Andrew Symonds would be the lucky man.

But then he reached for the toy in his Happy Meal (several of them, in fact) and found a plastic four-leaf clover instead. It was Irish week at McDonald's and today Andrew McDonald would be the luckiest man alive in Australia.

The squad: Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Graham Manou, Andrew McDonald, Marcus North, Peter Siddle, Shane Watson.

Most of those are expected, because as I said earlier, it was only the allrounders we were particularly concerned about. The battle for those two spots was narrowed down from three to, well... two.

And in the midst of it all, McDonald's performances "speak for themselves". He outplayed Andrew Symonds for this spot, will you look at that.

That's not to say he'll be in the starting XI. In fact, I don't even think he'll be in the starting XI. Johnson, Siddle, Hauritz and Clark seems about right, with neither Watson nor McDonald making it into the side. Even then, Australia still have Hilfy in their reserves, not to mention Brett Lee, who's hoping he'll be opening the bowling for the first match. A bit hit or miss, in my books.

Altogether, it's an expected side. Symonds will likely be wondering how someone like McDonald could vie for the same spot as him, and then go on to actually make it. Shane Watson, meanwhile, has been included in the squad alongside a grain of salt. He's only in if he's fit, and they'll be watching his injury pretty carefully.

Katich is going to be on the hunt for glory, after a few misfires in previous Ashes series. He is man, hear him roar.

Apparently there's 50 days to go, if you hadn't already noticed.

8 comments:

Morne is sex on a stick said...

Lol at McDonald in that squad. Ugly and very ordinary batsman trying to play as an allrounder. It should be a close series.

Suave said...

I love the fact that they've used an upside down 20 for the cake/whatever the fuck it is.

Tightwads couldn't even get the cake made properly.

Esra_Star said...

A very lucky ranga indeed. Doubt he'll get a game, they gave him a shot in the IPL last night - epic failure as per usual.

For the record that grain of salt is probably more reliable than Watto, making it through the ashes minus an injury!

Stani Army said...

No Symonds? That's racist Amy! (kidding)

O, and please don't tell NWG that there's cake on your site. Please.

Amy said...

MISOAS, I've since learnt to see the positive side of it. If we win the Ashes, we will have done so with a shithouse ranga on the team. McDonald doesn't have any real strengths in anything, he's just a bit of everything.

Suave, I'm convinced there must be some sort of inside joke relating to the upside down 20, but I can't for the life of me figure it out. It's not even a T20 tournament or anything, for fuck's sake. Bet Ricky had a lot of fun eating that cake afterwards.

Esra, I don't think he'll get a game either. If he did, he'd be dispatched over the boundary more times than I care to imagine. And that too by England's batsmen who'd never dare hit a boundary more than once a session in a Test match.

Stani, I'm sure she doesn't appreciate the jokes you make at the expense of her. For precisely that reason, I'm telling her about the cake.

Stani Army said...

Amy, Suave. It's a cake that is aimed at cost saving. It was designed with the general economic climate in mind. When there's 20 days left until the ashes, they will turn the 5 around into a 2, and when there's no days, remove the 5/2 and leave the 0. It's genius!

Notice how the word 'ashes' is not on the cake. This means it can also be used at Christmas, on Stuart Broad's 20th birthday or Ricky Pontings 50th....not sure which is first. The urn is removable and covered with silver edible leaf, hence doubling up as a cup for a t2o tournament cake. So the cakes not really supposed to be eaten (unless NWG finds it of course).

That's what you was gonna write hey Amy?

Amy said...

It's a countdown cake for all occasions. I see now.

Stani Army said...

On a serious note. I was surprised Symonds didn't make it. I mean I don't like the guy at all but he's probably your best sledger.

It's good for me though. I was planning a streak for one of the ashes tests and was hoping Symo would not be there to knock me over. I hear he enjoys knocking naked men to the ground and has a history of it.

If anyone cares to join me please get in touch....may be touch is the wrong word...please let me know. Strictly on a first come first serve basis. Thanks