Roar Rookie
Joined February 2020
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If the Kangaroos relocated to Perth and based themselves somewhere in the Northern suburbs of the city they could be the Northern Kangaroos, retaining their colours.
Yes, I know, we still have a Test match to play against South Africa then the second half of the Sheffield Shield. Then our…
Test cricket has a problem with slow over rates. In the old days, we used to get 100-110 overs per day, whereas now it…
I have often wondered why bowlers in T20 matches are restricted to four overs while batsmen can bat the whole innings. I see no…
This is not meant to be disrespectful of the clubs still in the finals in 2020 – good luck if your team is still…
There has been a lot of negativity in the media over the 2020 season so far over umpiring, complaining coaches, unfair fixtures, players diving,…
Yes, I know, there has been lots of talk about how unfair the AFL fixtures are. The fans of non-Victorian teams complain about the…
Not sure what the problem is SCG.
Every time I travel, I take with me – my PA, my chef, my personal trainer and my manager.
Just happens to be all the same person (me).
Will Australia have the Galle to play just one fast bowler in Sri Lanka - Starc or Boland for solitary role?
Clarke and AB are other examples of part timers taking a bag – I’m sure there are others.
Head is a good part timer because he naturally thinks aggressively. Lyon and Murphy will be more conservative.
Will Australia have the Galle to play just one fast bowler in Sri Lanka - Starc or Boland for solitary role?
I think last time Starc got reverse swing was just before Cape Town.
Will Australia have the Galle to play just one fast bowler in Sri Lanka - Starc or Boland for solitary role?
I’m a leftie and could roll the arm over if need be. Not sure how much it would spin as it’s been a while.
I’m not passed it – despite being in my 7th decade on this planet.
Smith under cloud for Sri Lanka as Kuhnemann clings onto hope despite broken thumb
There is no doubting Green’s talent but I don’t think he is captain material. Even in junior cricket, he rarely captained sides at higher levels.
McSweeney looks and acts like a captain to me so I’d be giving him every opportunity to consolidate a position in the team.
Smith under cloud for Sri Lanka as Kuhnemann clings onto hope despite broken thumb
In a sense yes. However, if I were picking the team, I would open with Head and leave Khawaja out.
So, it might look like this:
Konstas
Head
Labs – I’d rather see McSweeney there but they’ll stick with Marnus
Smith
Inglis or McSweeney
Webster
Connolly
Carey
Starc or Boland
Murphy
Lyon
That gives you 3 front line bowlers, a genuine (and durable) all rounder plus two part time spinners in Head and Connolly (who should both be suited to the conditions).
However, I’m sure they wont go for this team.
'Doesn't look great': Test spinner’s Sri Lanka tour in doubt after gruesome injury in Heat's BBL loss
Except that the pace bowlers probably wont bowl many overs. I would prefer they played one pace bowler plus Webster with 3 spinners but this seems to be unlikely and not popular amongst many of the astute judges on here.
I think Smith’s captaincy will be vastly different to Cummins and I honestly think he will manage the spinners better than Pat would. Smith apparently rates Connolly highly (although I’m not sure if that is just his batting) so it wouldn’t surprise me if they gave him a go – especially if we win the first test.
'Doesn't look great': Test spinner’s Sri Lanka tour in doubt after gruesome injury in Heat's BBL loss
This is bad luck for Matt. If he’s not able to tour, who do they take as a replacement?
It will probably be Agar or Swepson as the selectors will be looking for someone to take the ball away from right handers.
Or do they just stick with Connolly and hope he can do something with the ball if he’s given a long enough spell?
No point in having more than 2 offies plus a part timer there.
'Doesn't look great': Test spinner’s Sri Lanka tour in doubt after gruesome injury in Heat's BBL loss
Yep. I remember Warnie saying often that he would rather be hit for 6 than have an easy single taken off him.
Being hit for 6 gives the batsman some confidence and Warne considered this gave him an opportunity to get a wicket.
Having an easy single taken off him meant the batsman was safely at the other end.
Leg spin will never die but Zampa’s right to air concerns over flick of the wrist magicians vanishing
That famous delivery from John Howard was not his offie – it was his attempted bouncer off the long run.
Leg spin will never die but Zampa’s right to air concerns over flick of the wrist magicians vanishing
100%.
Zampa is not our best leggie in first class cricket.
I’d rate him behind Sangha, Swepson and Pope (in that order).
No question about his (Zampa) credentials in white ball cricket but he just doesn’t cut it in first class cricket.
The next issue is why are we not producing test class leggies?
Perhaps there’s a two fold answer to this:
1 After Warne, our standards/expectations are too high.
2 Our best leg spinners are playing too much T20 cricket. Like our batsmen, it is hard to get out of habits formed in T20 cricket. For bowlers, T20 cricket is all about economy rates rather than averages. For batsmen, it’s all about strike rates rather than averages (Maxi averages less than 30 but strikes at over 150 and is one of the best).
Leg spin will never die but Zampa’s right to air concerns over flick of the wrist magicians vanishing
Can always count on your positive comments. You must be a joy to know.
Dollars and sense the only way to save Test cricket, not two-tier system that gives Big Three even more control
Hi JN, where have you been?
I’m assuming you’ll be back on here for the WTC final?
Anyhow, you are probably right Kenya and Zimbabwe are minnows but Zim did produce Andy Flower (and a few other good cricketers) who may have been good enough to press for a spot. The issue with minnows is mostly depth, this idea solves that problem.
It is a bit of a long bow but we are trying to save test cricket here. If a talented cricketer from Ken or Zim could see that there is potential for a pathway to play in a team that would be competitive then maybe it will inspire that talent.
As it stands, Zim has only played Aus three times (I think) and Kenya have never played Aus so if we manage to get one player from either of those countries into an African side it might help long term.
What we have been doing for the last 50 years hasn’t worked and the gap is probably getting wider.
Dollars and sense the only way to save Test cricket, not two-tier system that gives Big Three even more control
Yeah, generations are getting much shorter these days – that one might have lasted about 40 minutes.
Cummins no guarantee to make Champions Trophy, Marsh recalled despite form slump, young Renegade axed
I didn’t hear that but it sounds about right.
Contrast that with Maxwell’s comments who basically said he thought the selectors got it right by not picking him (Maxwell) for SL.
Zampa sits with Wade and Handscomb as my least favourite Aussie cricketers.
Cummins no guarantee to make Champions Trophy, Marsh recalled despite form slump, young Renegade axed
Seems bizarre doesn’t it. I’d have no problems with him in this squad but he is just carrying drinks in SL.
Sometimes (most of the time actually) I wonder what planet the selectors are on.
Cummins no guarantee to make Champions Trophy, Marsh recalled despite form slump, young Renegade axed
CHF apparently.
Cummins no guarantee to make Champions Trophy, Marsh recalled despite form slump, young Renegade axed
Seriously? Another pathetic performance by our selectors.
Cummins and Hazelwood are injured and should not be picked. Besides, neither of them are that good in this format and we want them right for the WTC.
Carey should stay in Aus – no need to send him as a back up keeper.
Hardie and Marnus are completely out of form and do not deserve to go.
Stoinis is never in form in this format.
Only one spinner?
The suggested replacements for my omissions:-
Morris or O’Neill for Cummins
Phillipe for Carey
Connolly and Webster for Hardie and Stoinis
Murphy or Chris Green for Hazelwood
McSweeney or Renshaw for Labs (reward form – Renshaw top scorer in One DayCup)
Cummins no guarantee to make Champions Trophy, Marsh recalled despite form slump, young Renegade axed
I have a variation on that – I think you need 7 teams. That way, you can play one series of 5 tests and two series of 3 tests each year and play each other team twice (home and away) in a 2 year window.
Obviously, Aus, Eng and India are teams on their own.
SA could include Kenyan, Zimbabwe players.
West Indies and NZ could form a team and SL & Bangladesh form a team.
That leaves Pakistan needing to stand on their own feet – a challenge they are capable of doing with some better administration.
Aus, India and Eng would have to nominate a 25 player squad for the 2 years and only be allowed to play players within that squad. Players from outside of those squads could be selected by any other team for one series only and a maximum of 2 players per series.
So, let’s say Fergus O’Neill doesn’t make the Australian squad, he could be selected to play for SA against England. Or Henry Hunt misses out of a spot in the squad so WI/NZ pick him up for their series against India. Then Pakistan select him to play for them against Australia.
There would be qualification rules around the WTC final but that could be worked out.
You could even tinker a little more and say, depending on where you finished in the previous WTC table, you get to select more international players the lower you are placed. So, the team finishing 7th get say, 10 picks spread over the next 2 years, 6th gets 8 picks, 5th gets 6 picks, 4th 4 picks and 3rd 2 picks.
Dollars and sense the only way to save Test cricket, not two-tier system that gives Big Three even more control
Come on Dougie, don’t hold back.
Dollars and sense the only way to save Test cricket, not two-tier system that gives Big Three even more control
To be fair to Harsha, the “illusion” he was referring to is that test cricket is alive and flourishing. That may be the case in Australia (when we play India or England) but it is not the case around the world where test cricket is dying.
If we end up with just 3 nations playing test cricket, it will not last long.
Dollars and sense the only way to save Test cricket, not two-tier system that gives Big Three even more control
Has the coach got anything to answer for with Labuschagne’s returns?
Marnus started under Lehamna and only had 4 digs – averaging 21.5.
Then under Langer, he scored 2320 runs at 59.5.
Under McDonald he has scored 2126 runs at 40.1. This includes a double and three tons in 5 innings against SL and WI.
Does Marnus need some tough love or is the softly, softly approach of McDonald right for him?
How do you solve a problem like Marnus? The four options facing selectors as dry spell turns into drought
I haven’t seen him but I value your judgement.
Is there a case for him to move interstate (although I’m not sure where)?
Is Boland in the best team now … and who misses out? Six burning questions Australia must answer before the Ashes
In the recent test series against NZ (which SL won 2-0), they did play 2 pace bowlers (one was a part time medium pacer for the second test) in each test. However, they took a total of 2 wickets from 34 overs whilst the spinners bowled the other 250 overs for the series.
A fast bowler (either Starc, Boland or Abbott) plus Webster will be enough with 3 front line spinners.
Of course, they wont do this and will play Starc and Boland plus Lyon and Murphy. Then hope to get some overs out of Head.
Aussie squad CONFIRMED: Rookie bolter, Smith to captain, McSweeney returns for Sri Lanka tour
As you and everyone else, should be.
Smith under cloud for Sri Lanka as Kuhnemann clings onto hope despite broken thumb