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As we glow in the aftermath of Australia’s emphatic World Cup final victory, thoughts inevitably turn to what happens next.
For Australia, the focus now shifts back to Test cricket, with a two-Test series in the West Indies starting June 5, followed by the Ashes in July and August.
Their next one-day international is not until August 27, against Ireland, followed by a five-match series in England in the first two weeks of September.
What will our side look like in that series? Scarily, it could be better than the team that emphatically won the Cup on Sunday night.
Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin will be gone, and it’s quite possible that Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson won’t be there either, either voluntarily or through selection.
My team
1. David Warner
A solid World Cup for the dynamic left-hander, Warner’s innings in the final took the heat off of a potentially tricky situation.
2. Aaron Finch
Had an up and down World Cup and never looked comfortable at any stage – even when he made a century in the opening game against England, he should have been caught for a duck. Has enough credit with the selectors to get one more series.
3. Steve Smith (c)
What can you say about Smith that hasn’t already been said? The new skipper has had one of the best summers ever seen. His World Cup was fantastic after a slow start and his move to the number three position permanently was one of the catalysts of the run to the Cup.
Has the potential to have a similar impact on Australian cricket as Ricky Ponting did.
4. George Bailey
Bailey played one game (as captain) in the World Cup for a half-century full of courage and skill. His classy performance in knowing that he would be the one to miss out once Clarke returned from injury shows just what a great team man he is.
He deserves to take Clarke’s place and should be returned as vice-captain.
5. Mitchell Marsh
If we want to keep the team structure of the World Cup in place, Marsh will come in to take Watson’s spot. Marsh is not quite as good a batsman, but is far superior with the ball and in the field. Watson has been a good servant but his time has come.
6. Glenn Maxwell
‘The Big Show’ delivered on the big stage and is now our first-choice one-day spinner. Always in the game and his fielding is outstanding.
7. Matthew Wade
Played in the South Africa series in November when Haddin rested so the Victorian skipper would appear to have first dibs on being the keeper in the post-Haddin era. If the selectors are looking for a left-field pick, Ben Dunk could be an option as the second-highest run-scorer in the domestic one-day cup last season.
8. James Faulkner
New Zealand were the latest team to be ‘Faulknered’, this time he did it with the ball in the final. Has a knack of winning man of the match awards.
9. Pat Cummins
If Mitch Johnson decides to retire from ODI cricket, or at least take a rest after the Ashes, Cummins is the logical replacement having been in the World Cup squad and performing serviceably when called upon. Still very young, Cummins is a wicket taker, a gun in the field, and more than handy with the bat.
10. Mitchell Starc
The current number one ranked ODI bowler in the world set the tone in the final with a beautiful in-swinging yorker that rattled the stumps of Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum. You could feel the Kiwi crowd groan, knowing the game was virtually over in the first over.
11. Josh Hazlewood
Had a great World Cup, performing the Glenn McGrath role of the tall quick who puts it on the spot all the time. With Cummins, Faulkner and Starc, Hazlewood will form a formidable attack that will be around for a long time.
Squad members could include Fawad Ahmed, Adam Voges, Gurinder Sandhu, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Sean Abbott.
That side should comfortably account for England, even if Kevin Pietersen returns.
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