[Lord Snooty]

Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series
Australia v England v India

There couldn't possibly be a more difficult set of circumstances facing England as they start their final preparations for the 2015 World Cup. Not just the opponents, but after three years of building the squad for this purpose and the fine toning of the team and tactics, the selectors suddenly dropped the bombshell of sacking the captain, not just from the skippership, but from the squad entirely. Alistair Cook will be replaced as the leader by the equally out of form Eoin Morgan.
Captain Cook can now turn his attentions fully to the test arena, with 17 test matches coming up in the next 12 months, including an Ashes series. That's not the problem. The problem is the timing. Why now? Why not last summer or even last winter when it was becoming obvious that he wasn't up to the job. He even missed one of the ODI tours, the West Indian series just before the t20 World Cup. That series was skippered by Stuart Broad, who if fully fit, and maybe still has to prove that, would've been the obvious choice to replace Cook as captain.
Anyway, Cook missing out has meant that Gary Ballance, mysteriously omitted from the ODI scene since late summer, is back in the set up. Also back from missing the pre Christmas tour of Sri Lanka as well as Broad is James Anderson, giving the attacking options a bit more experience. They have replaced Harry Gurney and quite surprisingly, Ben Stokes. Surprising, not because of the form he's been in, which isn't good, but the fact that his best performances as an England player have come in Australia, the very same places that we now head to for this tri series and then the World Cup itself.

The Aussies and the Indians have been warming up for this by playing out a 4 match test series. With one match left, Australia have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead by drawing the 3rd match. Defeat in this series has now led to their inspirational skipper, MS Dhoni, also handing in his notice. He will take control of this ODI series though and the World Cup.
The Aussies will be led by George Bailey in the absence of the injured Michael Clarke, who despite saying his career may be over following his latest injury, might now be back in time for the World Cup.
As yet, neither the Australian or Indian squads have been announced.


Jan 12: England v ACT Invitational XI, Manuka Oval, Canberra. - England won by 216 runs Scorecard
Jan 14: England v Prime Minister's XI, Manuka Oval, Canberra. - England won by 60 runs Scorecard
Jan 16: Australia v England, Sydney Cricket Ground - Australia won by 3 wickets Scorecard
Jan 18: Australia v India, Melbourne Cricket Ground - Australia won by 4 wickets Scorecard
Jan 20: England v India, The Gabba, Brisbane. - England won by 9 wickets Scorecard
Jan 23: Australia v England, Bellerive Oval, Hobart. - Australia won by 3 wickets Scorecard
Jan 26: Australia v India, Sydney Cricket Ground - No Result Scorecard
Jan 30: England v India, The WACA, Perth. - England won by 3 wickets Scorecard
Feb 1: Final, Australia v England, The WACA, Perth. - Australia won by 112 runs Scorecard

England squad: Eoin Morgan ©, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes.

[Lord Snooty]

England are in the air on their way to Australia. Meanwhile, the left out Ben Stokes has, as expected, scored a pot load of runs on his Big Bash debut today.
Should be in the World Cup squad.

[Lord Snooty]

Jan 12: England v ACT Invitational XI, Manuka Oval, Canberra.

Scorecard

[Lord Snooty]

England 364-6 (50)
ACT Invitational XI 148 (32.4)
England won by 216 runs

[Lord Snooty]

Jan 14: England v Prime Minister's XI, Manuka Oval, Canberra.

Prime Minister's XI: Chris Rogers ©, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Matt Condon, Pat Cummins, Jake Doran (wk), Peter Handscomb, Simon Mackin, Glenn Maxwell, David Moody, Lega Siaka, Mac Wright (12th man).

Scorecard

[Lord Snooty]

A century for Ian Bell.

Eng 292-2 (41)

[Lord Snooty]

391-6. Bell made 187 and was out to the penultimate ball of the innings.

---

PM's XI 51-2 (10)

[Lord Snooty]

331 (48.1)

England win by 60 runs

[Lord Snooty]

Australia v England
Match One
Friday January 16th - 14:20 local time (03:20 GMT)
at The Sydney Cricket Ground

Both teams start the series with relatively new captains. The home side are still missing Michael Clarke, who is hoping to be back for the World Cup, so they will be led in this series by George Bailey, who himself could find that he's surplus to requirements if Clarke returns next month, such is the strength of the Aussie batting line up with Yorkshire's Aaron Finch opening with David Warner, followed by Shane Watson and Steven Smith.
Mitchell Marsh is recovering from a hamstring injury, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood may be rested after playing in the recent test series against India, so that could mean an ODI debut for Gurinder Sandhu.

England, after having planned and prepared for three years with Alistair Cook as captain, now go into this series and the World Cup with Eoin Morgan as skipper. He will bat at 5 with Cook's opening slot being filled by Ian Bell, marvellously in form having scored 187 in the final warm up match. Moeen Ali will also open alongside Bell, with James Taylor and Joe Root coming in at 3 and 4.
Stuart Broad took four wickets in the match on Wednesday and will lead the attack alongside who, we don't know yet as James Anderson is struggling for fitness.

Australia Squad: GJ Bailey ©, PJ Cummins, XJ Doherty, JP Faulkner, AJ Finch, BJ Haddin (w), JR Hazlewood, MG Johnson, MR Marsh, GJ Maxwell, SPD Smith, MA Starc, DA Warner, SR Watson.

England Squad: EJG Morgan ©, MM Ali, JM Anderson, GS Ballance, IR Bell, RS Bopara, SCJ Broad, JC Buttler (w), ST Finn, AD Hales, CJ Jordan, JE Root, JWA Taylor, JC Tredwell, CR Woakes.


Scorecard

[Lord Snooty]

A captain's innings from Eoin Morgan has at least given England something to defend. They were blasted out early doors by Mitchell Starc who got two wickets in the first over with Bell and Taylor going for ducks.
Morgan however stuck around to make 121, but all out for 234 doesn't make a winning total.

Eng 234 (47.5)