CRICKET Australia v India Summer

[Fernando]

If one of our openers gets 25 the selectors will be doing cartwheels

I think India are a good chance at the MCG. The MCG pitch has been really good in the last few years but if it is flatter than the first 3 venues Bumrah is still good enough to roll us, and I think the Indian batsmen are a better chance at cashing in.

 

[1910]

Is Konstas really going to take up the attack to Bumrah though? Is that even really his game. We certainly need to show more intent up the top of the order.

It would certainly be bold for the 19-year-old on debut on Boxing Day in front of 100,000 people to go the good time route.

I think the BBL runs the other night and the 100 in Canberra have seduced them.

 

[Sproj]

Funny thing is that he's averaging more than Uzzie... so he's failing as an opener, but the experienced opener that's out there with him has scored less runs.

Maybe it's the world class bowler that is averaging 11 and has ripped the top order apart to start every innings... nah it's gotta be the young guy that is a middle order bat in shield... selectors probably

Yeah but McSweeney isn't part of the in crowd, so he's more expendable.

Seriously though, I do get the selectors reluctance to drop the likes of Khawaja and Marsh although at absolutely don't agree with it. Given their ages, dropping them likely means their test careers are over. I imagine they want to use Khawaja to mentor Konstas moving forward as Australia has a massive issue with opening batters and aside from this series, Khawaja has done pretty well there in recent years. Time looks definitely to be catching up with him though not only with the bat but also in the field, he's dropped a number of catches.

In terms of Marsh though, he's never locked his spot in, Webster is bashing down the door and of course there is Green to come back. Marsh really isn't that important. And yes, I really do hope he makes a mountain of runs when he is inevitably picked but I don't have any confidence whatsoever that he will.

Then there is the Labushagne issue. He is young enough to be dropped and make it back and really, I don't think there could be any complaints if he was dropped instead of McSweeney. But Labushagne is very much one of the boys, he isn't under any pressure whatsoever and he should be.

 

[Fernando]

Khawaja was looking pretty good on day 1 at the Gabba before the rain struck.

 

[Bucking Beads]

It would certainly be bold for the 19-year-old on debut on Boxing Day in front of 100,000 people to go the good time route.

I think the BBL runs the other night and the 100 in Canberra have seduced them.

Tbh I actually fully endorse backing in his talent and we will need to do more of it because there is no real performers in the shield. But they need to give him
more than 3 tests.

 

[Fitzy]

You'd just be repeating the McSweeney problem- Inglis has never got runs at 4.

All his runs for WA have come at 6 or below- 7 FC 100's.

Three- six times av 12
Four- once
Five-six times for one 50.

Agreed Inglis is not a top order batsman in a test arena as a debutant. 5 at best 6 would work well and 7 as the keeper would be the ideal slot but Carey is doing just well enough to keep that conversation to a minimum.

 

[Fitzy]

I think it’s harsh I really do and I’m one of McSweeney’s biggest lovers but if you aren’t confident he can face what’s in front of him he shouldn’t be selected. I’m not confident he can at opener. I don’t think with his temperament he has a long future at opener and I don’t think he has a promising short term future to persist. Send him back to domestic, let him do his thing and come back in a more appropriate environment and position for Nathan.

For him he is going to have a much more comfortable, natural and enjoyable career in the middle order anyway. Go back to the big bash, have some fun, forget about it. Come shield time go score a shit load more runs, keep anyone in the 3-6 spots honest and his time will come.

After that second A’ game when he opened my concerns of if this was the right fit for him arose. I don’t think he is an opener. He was just a sitting duck the whole time. I think it’s really promising how many balls he could face which shows his potential but he just wasn’t batting in a position he could afford to not be scoring runs in both from a personal and team perspective.

On the contrary I’m not convinced Konstas will or would do any better.

Bring Nathan back in at 6 in Sri Lanka when you want that extra batting quality. Plays the spin well and technique is so important over there. Also offers some decent tweakers alongside Travis.

All in all another 4 innings of this and Nathan could be in a far worse position than he is in now. The selectors like him, rate him and are probably very rightfully feeling openings not for him. That’s fine but the reality is the position is just not there for him in this side in the middle order at the minute. Hence he needs to go continue to ply his trade. He got a taste, he has a baggy, he is back to where he was in November. Trying to break into the Australian middle order. Smith and Marsh are on their last legs, Labuschagnes not batting well. There will be opportunities and I think he is far better off suffering this and waiting for one of them then getting 10-15 innings down the track and losing a shit load more confidence and being blacklisted all together.

Australias loss is the heats win anyway.

 

[Fitzy]

The fact that a bloke who has never had an aggressive style or temperament and is batting the exact same way he did in shield is being dropped because that’s what he did in the test arena is a seperate issue however and one that really questions the temperament and suitability of George Bailey as the selector of the Australian men’s cricket team. I would have no issues with him being the scapegoat if more changes aren’t made very soon.

 

[Sproj]

Anyone see say Starc or Cummins getting rested after their workload and Richardson being streamlined in? Starc and Cummins looked absolutely wrecked after Brissy.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Anyone see say Starc or Cummins getting rested after their workload and Richardson being streamlined in? Starc and Cummins looked absolutely wrecked after Brissy.

Not a chance IMO.

 

[1910]

If one of our openers gets 25 the selectors will be doing cartwheels

I think India are a good chance at the MCG. The MCG pitch has been really good in the last few years but if it is flatter than the first 3 venues Bumrah is still good enough to roll us, and I think the Indian batsmen are a better chance at cashing in.

The Bulls game there two weeks ago was wild- Bulls 5/56 after Victoria sent them in Victoria 7/99 and no team cracked 250.

 

[Fernando]

The Bulls game there two weeks ago was wild- Bulls 5/56 after Victoria sent them in Victoria 7/99 and no team cracked 250.

I hope it's got juice in it. If it's flat I think the gap between Bumrah and everyone else just widens. He'll still take a bagful while all other bowlers have a tough time, and Kohli and Sharma probably cash in. But it's been spot on the last few years so hopefully more of the same.

 

[1910]

Real generational change/shift tomorrow- have we given up on the born 2000 era that should be coming into their prime now.

For the first time ever in our Test history we won't have a player in their 20's in the team.

We have gone from born in the 1990's skipped a generation to Konstas and the U19 team from 12 months ago.

 

[Sproj]

There is the unlikely event that Richardson gets picked - he is in his 20s. But this is George Bailey's test side, not the Australian representative side. He picks his mates. If Warner hadn't retired, he'd still be there too.

 

[Bucking Beads]

There is the unlikely event that Richardson gets picked - he is in his 20s. But this is George Bailey's test side, not the Australian representative side. He picks his mates. If Warner hadn't retired, he'd still be there too.

I don’t know if Warner is anyone’s mate though

 

[Sproj]

I don’t know if Warner is anyone’s mate though

Yeah that’s fair. But also, if Green was fit, obviously he’d be there too, so that’s a 20s player. McSweeney should also be there at the expense of probably Labushagne. I suspect as well that if not injured, Hardie also would have made a strong case to be there too.

Then of course you have the sad injury tales of Richardson and Pucovski who otherwise you’d think would now be mainstays. You’ve also got Bartlett who must be close if not for untimely injury and O’Neill.

And of course if I had my way, Inglis. Although he is knocking on 30.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Yeah that’s fair. But also, if Green was fit, obviously he’d be there too, so that’s a 20s player. McSweeney should also be there at the expense of probably Labushagne. I suspect as well that if not injured, Hardie also would have made a strong case to be there too.

Then of course you have the sad injury tales of Richardson and Pucovski who otherwise you’d think would now be mainstays. You’ve also got Bartlett who must be close if not for untimely injury and O’Neill.

And of course if I had my way, Inglis. Although he is knocking on 30.

We kind of slipped when we persisted with Marsh when he can’t bowl. The number 6 should be the spot we bring the young blokes through. Green is a lock for number 4 but he’s still a long way from the finished article. If Marnus can get back to his best we should be ok but Konstas is 19 so he’ll have form dips and Khawaja is done after this series IMO. They’re nuts if they take him to Sri Lanka.

I’m in the minority but I’d be opening with Travis Head in Sri Lanka and having a McSweeney or Inglis in at 5.

 

[Big Pete]

I wouldn't say they've given up as much as Konstas has skipped the cue. I don't follow cricket as closely as you guys but from the outside in it seems like the average age of a Shield player is late 20s. So a lot of that generation has yet to emerge yet and players like your McSweeneys, Davies, Goodwins etc. have only just entered the conversation.

McSweeney won the race on this occasion, but you get the feeling had Davies or Goodwin played a great innings they could have been there.

If they go Konstas, Anderson and continue to pick from there I'd be asking some serious questions. Right now, it seems like the exception that proves the rule.