Ashes Discussion

[Sproj]

I would have been all in on a new keeper if they were playing the Afghanistan test first but they aren't. The ashes are our biggest test series in the calendar year, do we want to expose a complete rookie to this straight away. Its very important they make a good start to really ram home the home town advantage. Give England a sniff and they will make you pay.
I think it might be a mute point however as I expect Paine to play

I can totally see your point and your reasons are absolutely valid, I am just of the opinion that it is a risk worth taking when you have a couple of decent keeper-bats waiting in the wings. England are coming in fairly green as well. Anderson has always struggled here. Broad has been a little better but both those guys are old and one ball away from retirement. Robinson, Curran, Woakes and whoever else they have are all medium pacers and they don't work in Aussie conditions. The concerns are Wood and Stokes but both will probably get injured and be out after the first test. No Archer is huge for them. They also have no decent spinner so I think England are a bit overrated to be honest. So give a newbie a go.

I do agree though that it will be Paine unfortunately.

 

[Fitzy]

To be fair the captain does have a big say in the matter. If they were to call up another keeper into the squad I could see smithy being pretty brutal to Paine if he was to get the nod as captain. That decision might be taken out of Smiths hands though

 

[Renegade]

anyone going to the gabba test? i somehow got roped into seats in the skydeck for the first 2 days @ 200 a pop per day... i mean I like cricket and I've been to the ashes before in Brisbane but dunno if i'm that big of a fan... should be fun all the same, last big one before the little one arrives.

 

[Sproj]

Couple of good performances by young guys around the grounds with Ward continuing his impressive career start, Merlo and Kerr showing all round potential and Sangha continuing to impress with his amazing leggies.

 

[mitch222]

anyone going to the gabba test? i somehow got roped into seats in the skydeck for the first 2 days @ 200 a pop per day... i mean I like cricket and I've been to the ashes before in Brisbane but dunno if i'm that big of a fan... should be fun all the same, last big one before the little one arrives.

It wont be the same this year with the travel restrictions. The barmy army are half the fun of the game and 10-15k crowd wont be here because of the restrictions.

 

[Sproj]

Richardson is 100% in my first test team, he’s too good to leave out.

 

[Fitzy]

If I was a betting man I think there is every chance Smith gets re-appointed as captain they are looking for reasons to do it. It’s an Ashes I think they might take the chance on Smith whilst they can cause Pat Cummins is so underwhelming as a captaincy choice.

 

[Sproj]

Richardson so far:

Batting 43
Bowling: 4/40 (out of 5 wickets, he has 4 of them)

He has this ball moving both ways and cutting both ways. He is bowling grenades while everyone else is bowling ok. Seriously, Richardson is absolute banging the door down. He has to play in the Ashes, England won't know what hit them.

 

[Sproj]

Uh oh, Jhye's shoulder is affecting him, he's having to take pain killers out there.

 

[BroncosFever]

Smith is the logical choice, everyone in the Aussie team and most people in Australia who actually watch the sport respect him a lot, enough for him to be the captain of the team

Even his opponents would respect him I would suggest

Is this about PR or is this about having the best man for the job? if it's the latter, they'll pick Smith, if it's the former, they'll go with Cummins. I think Smith has earned the right, he's done enough. I have seen people in other teams actually commit the act of changing the condition of the ball and not get stood down, he didn't even commit the act, guilty by association.

 

[mitch222]

My only concern with Richardson is he is another right arm fast bowler. If he was to make the side its over Starc and it gives us three right arm fast bowlers but no lefty for different shape and variation.

 

[Fitzy]

Smith is the logical choice, everyone in the Aussie team and most people in Australia who actually watch the sport respect him a lot, enough for him to be the captain of the team

Even his opponents would respect him I would suggest

Is this about PR or is this about having the best man for the job? if it's the latter, they'll pick Smith, if it's the former, they'll go with Cummins. I think Smith has earned the right, he's done enough. I have seen people in other teams actually commit the act of changing the condition of the ball and not get stood down, he didn't even commit the act, guilty by association.

Exactly he is being held to very high accountability to association. I believe the right call is Smith and I feel they all know that. It just depends on whether they can bare there name be in the headlines for 2 more weeks until he shows what he can do as captain again

 

[Sproj]

My only concern with Richardson is he is another right arm fast bowler. If he was to make the side its over Starc and it gives us three right arm fast bowlers but no lefty for different shape and variation.

He is a different kind of bowler though. Hazlewood is tall and cuts it both ways, tremendous accuracy. Cummins is just at you all day, he's relentless. Richardson is shorter, skiddier and moves it everywhere.

 

[Sproj]

That's a screamer by Pjillippe - he's coming along very well this season.

 

[mitch222]

Good hundred from Patterson to help NSW recover.

 

[Fitzy]

Don’t know how I feel about this one. Five person panel to select the next captain and the Coach isn’t one of them. Either a sign Langer is on the way out or this will be a decision made that best represents the boards image rather than someone who can actually captain.

 

[1910]

Don’t know how I feel about this one. Five person panel to select the next captain and the Coach isn’t one of them. Either a sign Langer is on the way out or this will be a decision made that best represents the boards image rather than someone who can actually captain.

Langer put forward the candidates/recommendations to the panel.

 

[BooKhaki]

Paine should have never stood down, but now he has I don't think I'd pick him. His captaincy was what was keeping him in the side. It's also pretty tough to debut a new keeper in the Ashes. This is what I'd pick, knowing this is 0% chance of actually happening.

1. Khawaja
2. Warner
3. Lasangashane
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Green
7. Paine/Peirson/Inglis
8. Starc
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood

I'd like to see Neser get a debut, I'm hoping Starc gets back his form from a few years ago, but it's nearing the point of him being dropped.