Ok readers, it’s time to pick your test team from the massive pile of talent currently being paraded in the Pura Cup. I managed to only pick three Queenslanders, bonus marks if you pick a team with less

My First XI
1 Hayden
2 Jaques
3 Ponting
4 Clarke
5 Hussey
6 Symonds
7 Gilchrist
8 Hogg
9 Lee
10 Johnson
11 Clark
12 Hilfenhaus

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Here’s a few of my thoughts on the current crop of players going around, please post in the Commments anyone you feel I’ve missed, under or over-rated.

Openers
+Hayden (incumbent)
+Jaques (weight of runs over 3 years, NSWelshman)
-Rogers (injured, going out of form)
-Watson (sh1thouse, probably injured again, not an opener)
-Hussey (not an opener, needed in middle order)

First Drop
++Ponting, Rick
–Hodge (never rated him. pretty ordinary against spin. Only positive is he hasn’t shortened his name to Rick)

Middle Order
+Clarke (incumbent, looking forward to some runs here, also taking wickets)
+Hussey
-Hussey, Dave (double Huss, lots of puns, a Huss in the city is worth two in the bush… ok bad I know)
-Katich (another triple century and he’ll be pushing someone out)
-Haddin (close as a specialist batsman)

All Rounder
+Symonds (good one day form, bowling half decent, fielding, team morale)
-Nofke
-Dizzy (119*!)
-Simpson
-White (should have been in the T20 W/C but bowls too many pies)

Keeper/Batsman
+Gilchrist (will need some runs though.. more exposive than Haddin but I feel less reliable)
-Haddin (Taken over Macgilla as the most unlucky aussie cricketer – must be spewing Gilly didn’t retire!)

Quickies
++Clark (my only automatic pick of the bowlers)
+Lee (incumbent, NSW)
+Johnson (great ODI form, confident in Brisabne)
-Tait
-Hilfenhaus (so so close, will stick him in the first 11 for the second test in Tassie at the expense of the least performing quick)
-Bracken (man hair)

Spinner
+Hogg (3/21, 58* and 5/62 at MCG, no-one can pick his wrongun, sticks his tongue out like a champion)
-Macgilla (ordinary at SCG, can’t bat, getting over knee injury)
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I’d love to hear others comments on what I’ve written above, feel free to argue any of these points and I guarantee no offence will be taken. Cheers, Moses.