Ashes Discussion

[Fitzy]

Yeah well, I got up and watched him a bat a few times during the Cup, and **** it he deserves the credit he's getting. We all hated him, he's been the litmus test of desperate selection, and he proved us wrong. Good for him.

‘Australia hates me’: Mitch Marsh goes from villain to hero

It’s hugs all around for the man Australia loved to hate.

www.news.com.au

I agree he deserves every little bit of credit. However, this is test cricket and he wasn't playing test match shots (not that I expected him to block every ball but still), if we had a genuine keeper-bat then he could slot in at 6 or 7 but we don't. I don't think he has a nice enough technique or batting approach to make it in test cricket still.

 

[ZTop]

Typical media do love a good narrative though

 

[Fitzy]

We have the practice match coming up. I think the squads will be a pretty good hint at the way the selectors are leaning for this series and in the future. I reckon the 22 will be as followed:
Openers:
David Warner
Marcus Harris
Henry Hunt
Matt Wade (Run out of openers so they might give him a shot up top. If not they will probably go Burns)

Middle order:
Steve Smith
Marnus Labuschagne
Usman Khawaja
Cameron Green
Travis Head
Mitch Marsh
Nic Maddison
Josh Phillipe (I know he is a keeper but inform bat)

Wicket-Keeper:
Tim Paine (might get rested if so will definitely get replaced with Carey even though I hate him)
Jimmy Peirson

Fast Bowlers:
Pat Cummins
Josh Hazlewood
Mitch Starc
Jhye Richardson
Mark Steketee
Sean Abbott/Michael Neser (if fit)

Spinners:
Nathan Lyon
Mitch Swepson

A couple blokes might miss out like Tim cause he isn't fighting for his spot and can definitely see them going for the Smith vs Cummins captain narrative.

 

[1910]

That's my two teams.

Ashes Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, David Warner.

Australia A squad: Alex Carey (c), Scott Boland, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Nic Maddinson, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Philippe, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Tim Ward, Jack Wildermuth.

 

[Big Del]

That's my two teams.

Ashes Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, David Warner.

Australia A squad: Alex Carey (c), Scott Boland, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Nic Maddinson, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Philippe, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Tim Ward, Jack Wildermuth.

Never been a fan of just naming a squad .
Put them in a batting order and then I can relate to it . Having to rearrange names into the team batting order req pen and paper for me .

 

[1910]

Australia's Ashes squad: Tim Paine (c), Pat Cummins (vc), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

Australia A players: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Nic Maddinson, Mitchell Marsh, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street

 

[1910]

Renshaw can consider himself super lucky with 3 100's since 2018 to be playing for Aus A.

Street too.

Hate picking out Bulls but dear me, surely geography played a part in their selection.

I thought Wildermuth deserved a reward, his two other games for Aus A he has 100 and 50 and six wickets against India and England- his form like every Bull hasn't been great this season.

 

[Sproj]

Renshaw can consider himself super lucky with 3 100's since 2018 to be playing for Aus A.

Street too.

Hate picking out Bulls but dear me, surely geography played a part in their selection.

I thought Wildermuth deserved a reward, his two other games for Aus A he has 100 and 50 and six wickets against India and England- his form like every Bull hasn't been great this season.

I agree with your assessment but I would imagine Renshaw's inclusion is more due to a dearth in quality batsmen anywhere in Australia than being a warranted selection. I think they have got most of the squad pretty much right which is nice to see for both Aus and Aus A. The only one I disagree with is Harris but we've all had this discussion.

 

[Fitzy]

I agree with your assessment but I would imagine Renshaw's inclusion is more due to a dearth in quality batsmen anywhere in Australia than being a warranted selection. I think they have got most of the squad pretty much right which is nice to see for both Aus and Aus A. The only one I disagree with is Harris but we've all had this discussion.

You'd find no countries could go that deep, other countries just usually have more notable players because they just chuck their shorter form players in for these 'A' (reserve) games. It also doesn't help that 2 of our better batters are keepers so they will never make it as a batter or at least its unlikely (Phillipe and Peirson). Also Wade has been dropped altogether so I'm assuming he just said don't waste my time if I'm not in the squad because he'd most likely be better off playing BBL preparing for the t20's and ODI's later on. Assuming Khawaja gets picked at 5 our next 6 best batters are head, Phillipe, Peirson, Maddison, Pucovski/Harris (Pucovski should be In test team but obvious issues) and Hunt (2 openers). It’s not horrible if you ask me. Just horrible selection. You also have Marsh, Wildermuth, McDermott, Bancroft, Handscomb, kurtis Patterson, Henriques who all if in form are pushing for the main squad let alone Australia A. I just think Renshaw and Bryce got a bit lucky to be honest.

 

[Sproj]

You'd find no countries could go that deep, other countries just usually have more notable players because they just chuck their shorter form players in for these 'A' (reserve) games. It also doesn't help that 2 of our better batters are keepers so they will never make it as a batter or at least its unlikely (Phillipe and Peirson). Also Wade has been dropped altogether so I'm assuming he just said don't waste my time if I'm not in the squad because he'd most likely be better off playing BBL preparing for the t20's and ODI's later on. Assuming Khawaja gets picked at 5 our next 6 best batters are head, Phillipe, Peirson, Maddison, Pucovski/Harris (Pucovski should be In test team but obvious issues) and Hunt (2 openers). It’s not horrible if you ask me. Just horrible selection. You also have Marsh, Wildermuth, McDermott, Bancroft, Handscomb, kurtis Patterson, Henriques who all if in form are pushing for the main squad let alone Australia A. I just think Renshaw and Bryce got a bit lucky to be honest.

All very valid points, I pretty much agree with all of it. I think India would be able to go that deep but yep every other test team, nope.

 

[Fitzy]

All very valid points, I pretty much agree with all of it. I think India would be able to go that deep but yep every other test team, nope.

True I did think of India but I thought I'd over-emphasise my point by saying nobody else could.

 

[Unbreakable]

Jimmy Peirson time?

If Paine isn't captain, he certainly isn't good enough be in the team on form.

 

[The True King]

Someone in CA has sat on this information for quite a while.

The timing of the release after a t20 WC win leading into an Ashes series is very questionable.

I've never been a big Paine fan so I'm not really bothered that this probably ends his time in the side. Agree he isn't good enough if he's not there for his captaincy, which at time is questionable anyway.

Time for CA to put on their big boy pants and give the job to Smith. It'll cause all sorts of an unnecessary political shit storm but he's the best option by the length of Flemington straight.

 

[Unbreakable]

Someone in CA has sat on this information for quite a while.

The timing of the release after a t20 WC win leading into an Ashes series is very questionable.

I've never been a big Paine fan so I'm not really bothered that this probably ends his time in the side. Agree he isn't good enough if he's not there for his captaincy, which at time is questionable anyway.

Time for CA to put on their big boy pants and give the job to Smith. It'll cause all sorts of an unnecessary political shit storm but he's the best option by the length of Flemington straight.

The timing lines up perfectly if they're doing it to shoehorn Paine out of the job to give the captaincy back to Smith and bring in a better keeper than Paine, lol.

 

[tommy]

Investigated and exonerated 4 years ago. Wtf.

 

[Fitzy]

Jimmy Peirson time?

If Paine isn't captain, he certainly isn't good enough be in the team on form.

I agree with you but Jimmy won’t get picked, the Aus A side suggests that they are to ignorant to pick Peirson

 

[McHunt]

 

[Fitzy]

I swear to god if Alex Carey is the keeper I might just have to start cheering along with the Barmy Army, most useless underwhelming **** to ever play a game of international cricket.