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Test squad Hodge's reward
March 2, 2005

VICTORIAN batsman Brad Hodge has been named in the Australian squad for this month's three-Test series with New Zealand.

Hodge is in the squad for a second time having made the tour to India late last year, where he played just one first-class fixture and made 30 and 29 not out against Mumbai.

National selection chairman Trevor Hohns said Hodge's inclusion is reward for another fine domestic season.

The squad: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist (v-capt), Michael Clarke, Jason Gillespie, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Michael Kasprowicz, Simon Katich, Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne

Darren Lehmann better hope he fails or it could be curtains for boof thanks to the surgery that kept him out of this series.

I don't think he would have been picked anyway. I think he's finished as far as playing for Australia is concerned.

I think Hodge is one of those players who can make plenty against ordinary attacks yet cant seem to do it against the elite. I dont think he will get a test anyway.

Top call Ron. Hodge has never even played a test so ur bagging him before he's even had a go. He made a double ton against India when they were out here 2 years ago.

Hodge has to prove himself against a bigger bowling side than INDIA, common india's bowling attack is like a sunday league team and honestly sometimes not strong enough for international cricket.. they know they have the batting to save them but that struggles soemtimes too... if hodge wants to prove himself he has to hit big runs against the Pakistan or West Indies bowling

No offence Andy, but you obviously haven't really kept up to date with Cricket. The current West Indian bowling line-up poses no threat whatsoever and now that they don't have Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis and Shoaib is unreliable, the Pakistanis aren't that brilliant either.

got agree sportz, India have one of the best bowling attacks in the world and the windides and pakis are in not great shape
INDIA: Harbajan, Kumble, Pathan, Khan...very strong. Singh + Kumble work very well together, one turning it in and one away. Similar with the pace bowlers, two left arm swing bowlers
WINDIES: Dillon, Bravo, Bradshaw, Collins, whoever else they want to throw in...ordinary to the max
PAKIS: Aktar, Sami, Razzaq, Kaneria/afridi...aktar hardly plays, razzaq is just stock standard medium pace, kaneria + afridid are ok

Apart from the aussies i think India have the best attack in the world, and, backed up with the likes of Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar, Sehwag + ganguly they have a class team on paper

BTW i think you got the two teams mixed up Sportz!

The best attacks in world cricket, OTHER THAN THE BLEEDING OBVIOUS, is india, england and Sri lanka. The pakis and windies are ORDINARY!!
How you blokes are hanging Hodge when he hasn't even had a go yet is absolutely beyond me. He topped the shield runs last year with an average somewhere around 100 and this year after a slow start he is in absolutely scintillating form and has finished with around 800 runs.
He is GOOD, don't worry about that and if he gets a go he'll shut all his critics up.