Ashes 2015 Series in-game thread

I think this a test of our commitment to playing test cricket. As has been said, there needs to be a long term commitment to test cricket, and in my opinion, a pick and stick mentality. There does seem to be a leaning to the shorter forms of the game for the obvious financial benefit. My allegence will always be to test cricket. 20/20 and 50 over cricket is fun but it can't come close to the contest which is test cricket. Test cricket.
 
It hurts even more that we've not been beaten in a tight contest we've been outbowled, out batted and outfielded by a far better team. The last 3 series in England were close.

2005 - Pretty sure the result would've been different if McGrath didn't get forced out of the 2 tests the Poms won

2009 - We scored 8 centuries to 1 or 2 in that series and it went down to a decider. We were very unlucky not to win the first test of that series iirc and I think we were pushing quite hard for victory in the 5th test

2013 - Never seen a more inaccurate scoreline of 3-0 England were so lucky it wasn't funny. We were very unlucky not to win 3 of those tests. Apart from Lords England were pushed quite hard in the other 4 tests.
 
Broncoman said:
Still born and bred in Young NSW though. Not a South Australian in any way shape or form though.
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Except he played for them, they made his career, they took a groundsman and turned him into a Test player where NSW didn't want anything to do with them and then bought him back when he was the Test spinner.
 
Sproj said:
So in your opinion, it it better to give a shot to a 32 year old averaging 35 or a 23/4 year old averaging slightly better? Both suck but those are our choices:
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I honestly don't know. I think you'll see a change in attitude from selectors and a more nurturing approach to young batsmen; I expect Burns, Khawaja, Handscomb, Bancroft and Stoinis to all be in the mix for Bangladesh.
 
1910 said:
I honestly don't know. I think you'll see a change in attitude from selectors and a more nurturing approach to young batsmen; I expect Burns, Khawaja, Handscomb, Bancroft and Stoinis to all be in the mix for Bangladesh.
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It would be ideal if they can pick and stick with a few of these blokes for this summer. It is a pretty easy schedule with the Windies for 3 test but the Kiwis will be a handful. After our summer we have NZ and SA which will be tough challenges. I'd like to get Bancroft in as opening and Burns in at 5 at the very least.
 
On that note, since we all know we suck in the batting department, let's look at our options and get a discussion going.

Current bats in test squad: Warner, Rogers, Smith, SMarsh, Clarke, Voges, Watson, MMarsh

Potential bats: Maddinson, Burns, Lynn, Silk, Bancroft, Patterson, Head, Turner, ??

Current Keepers: Nevill, Haddin

Potential keepers: Wade, Handscomb, Whiteman - Can any of these be considered bats only?

Current Pacemen: Siddle, Johnson, Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood

Potential Pacemen: Pattinson, Sandhu, Abbott, Sayers, Faulkner, Cummins, NCN, Putland, Bird, Rainbird, ?? (So much depth here)

Current spinners: Lyon, Ahmed

Potential spinners: Muirhead, Zampa, Boyce, Agar, ??

So I may well have missed a few but you would imagine Clarke, SMarsh, Watson are gone. Rogers will probably unfortunately retire and Voges is probably the big question mark.

So, out of those options or any I've missed, where do we go from here?
 
Sproj said:
On that note, since we all know we suck in the batting department, let's look at our options and get a discussion going.

Current bats in test squad: Warner, Rogers, Smith, SMarsh, Clarke, Voges, Watson, MMarsh

Potential bats: Maddinson, Burns, Lynn, Silk, Bancroft, Patterson, Head, Turner, ??

Current Keepers: Nevill, Haddin

Potential keepers: Wade, Handscomb, Whiteman - Can any of these be considered bats only?

Current Pacemen: Siddle, Johnson, Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood

Nice list Sproj.
the bowlers and keeper do worry me so much. Of the batting group who would you say are the most mentally tough. I liked what I saw from Silk early on.

Potential Pacemen: Pattinson, Sandhu, Abbott, Sayers, Faulkner, Cummins, NCN, Putland, Bird, Rainbird, ?? (So much depth here)

Current spinners: Lyon, Ahmed
Great list. The bowlers and keeper don't worry me so much. Who are the most mentally tough from the batting group. I liked what I saw from Silk early on.

Potential spinners: Muirhead, Zampa, Boyce, Agar, ??

So I may well have missed a few but you would imagine Clarke, SMarsh, Watson are gone. Rogers will probably unfortunately retire and Voges is probably the big question mark.

So, out of those options or any I've missed, where do we go from here?
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Nice list sproj.
The bowlers and keeper don't worry me so much.
who would you say, potential aside, are the most mentally tough in the batting group.
I liked what I saw from Silk early on.
 
Yeah I like what we see in Silk, Lynn, Burns and Bancroft.

I must admit, I would take the biggest punt on Patterson but it would be a massive punt. We have batsmen at present who don't know how to apply themselves and that is why I think we need Rogers staying around, if not playing, definitely in a mentoring role.
 
I think we are missing a few hard nuts to hold the order together, maybe its a generational thing. Someone like S Waugh.
 
Socnorb said:
I think we are missing a few hard nuts to hold the order together, maybe its a generational thing. Someone like S Waugh.
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Yeah absolutely. Too many metros these days who must have everything going for them and be happy or just give up. I see the kind of fight in Burns but even then, he is not even close to the level of Waugh went it comes to hardness.
 
So I think it seems these positions are the lock in moving forward, the brackets are my picks:

1. Warner
2. (Silk)
3. Smith (c)
4. (Burns though I think Voges will be retained and I am not totally against that)
5. (Lynn)
6. MMarsh
7. Nevill
8. Johnson (Starc is the next one in and given Johnson probably has one summer left, let Starc go back and earn it, plus the two Mitches unbalance the bowling as they are both strike lefties and so it eliminates the element of impact)
9. (Pattinson/Cummins depending which one is fit)
10. Hazlewood
11. Lyon
 
Lynn is not in the picture yet guys. I really rate his talent but he needs to play the whole summer of first class cricket and be consistent. Silk had a poor summer last year as well. He needs to get some runs this summer.
 
The A tour and four day games is a great chance; and really a chance to show you can play on low spinning pitches before being picked for Bangladesh.

Bancroft is old school; he bats and protects his wicket. He could be a potential Test opener. Two things selectors want to see are consistency and big scores. Batting for 13 hours last summer and making 200 against New South Wales is great. 896 runs and 3 centuries from 8 games is a good start. 150 for Australia A on this tour is great.

Head- well if you can't score a FC 100 I am sorry you can't play Test cricket. Especially if you play in Adelaide. 7 50's last year! Just got 50 for Australia A too.

Handscomb- 91 for Australia A at 4. Backing up his 647 at 54 last year.

Burns and Khawaja I've pretty much covered. Khawaja is rising nicely as a leader too with the Bulls job and unbeaten A tour currently on.
 
The selectors like to give mixed messages. Bancroft is ideal but Stuart Law ( coach of Aus A) has come out said they've been trying to get Bancroft to score more. Can we just let him play instead of ruining his game. We need an opener who can bat all day because that isn't how Warner plays.
 
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