CRICKET Australia v Pakistan Series

[Sproj]

So looking at next test against the Windies, honestly, I'd be changing it up just a little to try and future proof this side a little:

1. Pucovski/Renshaw
2. Smith
3. Labushagne
4. Green
5. Head
6. Marsh
7. Carey
8. Richardson
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Morris

I know, I know but Australia needs to start transitioning at some point and the Windies aren't going to put up much of a fight, so give some of the next gen some confidence.

 

[BroncsFan]

So looking at next test against the Windies, honestly, I'd be changing it up just a little to try and future proof this side a little:

1. Pucovski/Renshaw
2. Smith
3. Labushagne
4. Green
5. Head
6. Marsh
7. Carey
8. Richardson
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Morris

I know, I know but Australia needs to start transitioning at some point and the Windies aren't going to put up much of a fight, so give some of the next gen some confidence.

Dropping Ussie is some sort of insanity... no way do they go into the series with a new opening pair, but also dropping their highest run scorer from the previous year.

I hope to God they don't bring Harris in, I would take literally any other contender except for Harris... whether that be Smudge/Green, Bancroft or Renshaw.

I keep seeing comments that Harris is the most like for like on Warner, but I have no idea how people are getting to that conclusion.

Bancroft is a top opener in the BBL and Harris can't even get a gig with either of the crap Melbourne teams... so if they want someone who can come out and score quickly, whilst also being a home town flat track bully then Bancroft is the most like for like.

Ultimately I can see Renshaw being the Ussie replacement... probably within the next 12-18 months.

Not sure what's happening with Pucovski, but he needs to get himself back into consistent shield cricket before they start bringing him into the test squad.

 

[broncos4life]

So looking at next test against the Windies, honestly, I'd be changing it up just a little to try and future proof this side a little:

1. Pucovski/Renshaw
2. Smith
3. Labushagne
4. Green
5. Head
6. Marsh
7. Carey
8. Richardson
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Morris

I know, I know but Australia needs to start transitioning at some point and the Windies aren't going to put up much of a fight, so give some of the next gen some confidence.

Pucovski? Bloke will concuss himself walking out to bat if he stands up too fast.

 

[Sproj]

Dropping Ussie is some sort of insanity... no way do they go into the series with a new opening pair, but also dropping their highest run scorer from the previous year.

I hope to God they don't bring Harris in, I would take literally any other contender except for Harris... whether that be Smudge/Green, Bancroft or Renshaw.

I keep seeing comments that Harris is the most like for like on Warner, but I have no idea how people are getting to that conclusion.

Bancroft is a top opener in the BBL and Harris can't even get a gig with either of the crap Melbourne teams... so if they want someone who can come out and score quickly, whilst also being a home town flat track bully then Bancroft is the most like for like.

Ultimately I can see Renshaw being the Ussie replacement... probably within the next 12-18 months.

Not sure what's happening with Pucovski, but he needs to get himself back into consistent shield cricket before they start bringing him into the test squad.

I'm not dropping Ussie, I am giving a young opener a series to get some confidence. The guys I have left out can play BBL. The fact is, this side is old now and apparently, most of them are planning to retire after the next Ashes, which means all of Smith, Lyon, Hazlewood, Starc and Khawaja will go at the same time, maybe even Carey, who knows.

Essentially, you also give Green and an opener + Smith time to see who should partner Ussie moving forward.

 

[Santa]

Im a bit confused. Dont know that much about cricket, but are we supposed to like Warner? Wasn't he behind all that sandpaper ball tampering stuff?

 

[Browny]

 

[Big Del]

So looking at next test against the Windies, honestly, I'd be changing it up just a little to try and future proof this side a little:

1. Pucovski/Renshaw
2. Smith
3. Labushagne
4. Green
5. Head
6. Marsh
7. Carey
8. Richardson
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Morris

I know, I know but Australia needs to start transitioning at some point and the Windies aren't going to put up much of a fight, so give some of the next gen some confidence.

Yeah , thanks Uz , you can can have an early retirement when you have scored 1000 runs in the year .
Not gonna happen Sproj ...

 

[BroncosFever]

Jamal played great but I never agree with a player from a losing team getting player of the match. It’s weird.

Indian fans reckon Kohli wins every man of the match award, even when they get comprehensively flogged

 

[BroncosFever]

Im a bit confused. Dont know that much about cricket, but are we supposed to like Warner? Wasn't he behind all that sandpaper ball tampering stuff?

I think he was a good bat but a shit bloke.

 

[Allo]

Pucovski? Bloke will concuss himself walking out to bat if he stands up too fast.

Sproj’s undying love for him will never end.

Pucovski will have been retired for a decade and he’ll still name him in a first XI for a series

 

[1910]

Not sure what's happening with Pucovski, but he needs to get himself back into consistent shield cricket before they start bringing him into the test squad.

His last three SS seasons.

189 runs
46 runs
146 runs

You just can't reward that tiny amount of runs or cricket.

Australia needs to pick a team to beat India in 12 months, not beat the West Indies. They have four Tests to sort out as much as they can and then the start of the Shield season in October. Whoever does well against the WI and NZ is a very good chance to be there first Test against India- if you can't see him scoring 100 against India then he's not your man.

But that doesn't mean just everyone gets a cap; it needs to be very well thought out.

 

[BooKhaki]

Unfortunately I see them picking Marsh to open to get Green back into the side. I'd be taking Renshaw.

Harris should have a line through his name, never to be picked again at Test level. He has had 25 innings and averages 25 with 0 hundreds. On top of that, he is almost 32yrs old and a gumby in the field.

 

[Fitzy]

Unfortunately I see them picking Marsh to open to get Green back into the side. I'd be taking Renshaw.

Harris should have a line through his name, never to be picked again at Test level. He has had 25 innings and averages 25 with 0 hundreds. On top of that, he is almost 32yrs old and a gumby in the field.

I agree with the second part. Personally I feel Renshaw will be picked when Khawaja is done I just don’t think it will be now. Harris can **** off. I personally don’t have an issue with Bancroft I think he is the best of the 3 right now only concern is his age and the fact that first time wasn’t that successful. Very different person and player this time around though. I think they will do whatever they can to get Green back in the side personally.

 

[Browny]

Yeah Australia is still obsessed with finding our own Flintoff hence the push for Green

 

[Mister Wright]

So looking at next test against the Windies, honestly, I'd be changing it up just a little to try and future proof this side a little:

1. Pucovski/Renshaw
2. Smith
3. Labushagne
4. Green
5. Head
6. Marsh
7. Carey
8. Richardson
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Morris

I know, I know but Australia needs to start transitioning at some point and the Windies aren't going to put up much of a fight, so give some of the next gen some confidence.

I can see where you're coming from, but the minute we start handing out baggy greens for 'experience's sake' then we are just as responsible for the demise of test cricket as South Africa.

Baggy Greens should be earnt, not just handed out. It is actually up to the incumbents to make wise decisions on when to retire or on the selection panel to make brutal calls.

 

[BroncsFan]

I can see where you're coming from, but the minute we start handing out baggy greens for 'experience's sake' then we are just as responsible for the demise of test cricket as South Africa.

Baggy Greens should be earnt, not just handed out. It is actually up to the incumbents to make wise decisions on when to retire or on the selection panel to make brutal calls.

Yep and I think it needs to be noted that the Australian team doesn't need to be like domestic / franchise teams, where they get introduced for development and experience.

Not every player is going to be Punter or Pup and needing to be in the team at 20 because they're a generational talent.

Green looks the next most promising from that generational talent perspective, but I don't think 30yr old players need to be thrown on the scrap heap because of their age.

Hussey didn't debut until he was 30 and he came in with 15k shield runs (or whatever ridiculous stat is was). Voges came into the setup into his 30's and Marsh is having a resurgence at 32.

If the best player for the situation is beyond 30 then I'd prefer they go with him rather than potentially risking the development of a younger player just to get them in.

Fraser-McGurk looks to be the next one from a media perspective that will be getting the call ups to get into the Australian team, but I don't think it's necessary to fast track anything and just let him cook down in shield until he's absolutely banging the door down. At the moment he's flogging pace bowlers around in BBL, but if he's playing tests then he needs to get ready for spin in the subcontinent or swing over in England.

 

[Sproj]

The interim 28-32 year olds will be needed during this impending transition period. Spin looks ok with Murphy learning his trade behind Lyon and then there is Sangha too.

In the pace bowling department, there is plenty there with Richardson entering that 28 year old age group very soon, Steketee also, W Agar is there too and he is becoming pretty consistent at shield level. But in the next gen you have O'Neill, Salzmann, Sutherland, Hardie, Morris and a few more. Australian pacers will be fine once Hazlewood and Starc call it a day, though there isn't really a gun lefty coming through that I am aware of as Paris is already 32 I think.

The keeper slot has Inglis in that almost 28 year old group too and he will succeed Carey at test level too unless there is a young keeper-bat I am not aware of coming through. Phillipe is a similar age to Inglis and hasn't really kicked on at shield level. Pierson is another interim option but he isn't getting any younger either. Obviously Harper can hit a decent score but he is nowhere near consistent and has a concussion history as well.

So really, there needs to be some long term batting planning because that is where things look a little weak in the interim. You have Bancroft who is likely blacklisted, Harris who just sucks when the pressure is on and not much else in that 28+ group that deserve / have earned a shot. Hughes would have been a good shout but he is probably too old now.

In terms of openers, Ward and Hunt have fallen off a cliff, Street is probably forgotten. Jewell looks promising but is also so inconsistent. Whiteman could be a short term option AND can keep but he is also getting on.

For other batting positions, Drew looks promising but he has also fallen off a cliff a bit. So you need to get Green in the side and just back him because he is the best bat by a mile at state level and that is not even counting his elite bowling as well, he just needs to become more confident. Of course, from a purely subjective point of view, I like the look of McSweeney and he is putting together a Labushagne-like portfolio for potential selection out of the blue.

The gen next all look good in O Davies, Fraser-McGurk, Clayton, Wylie and Hardie but again, not many of them, aside from Davies and Hardie and to a lesser extent Clayton, have many runs on the board. So to me, your pecking order should be:

Openers:
1. Smith
2. Renshaw
3. Pucovski (yes, I am so biased with this guy)
4. Bancroft
5. Jewell

Middle-Order:
1. Green
2. Hardie
3. McSweeney
4. Davies
5. Drew
Bolter: Fraser-McGurk

Keeper:
1. Inglis
2. Pierson
3. Harper
4. Philippe
5. Doran

Pacers:
1. Morris (purely because he has been so close already in recent times)
2. Richardson (my personal preference)
3. Sutherland
4. W Agar
5. Steketee
6. O'Neill

Spinners:
1. Murphy
2. Sangha
3. Rocchicholi
4. Kuhnemann
5. Manenti

Spinner actually have a bit of depth right now.