CRICKET Sam Konstas

Jewell got a double ton in the English FC and has a few other 50s and 100s this year, he's going great.
No doubt. Has been decent in Shield for a few years as well. In saying that though anyone who is dumb enough to go making selections off division 2 county form will get bitten on the ass. There is nobody in the 15 top runscorers that you would give a sniff so I’m not sure why Jewell who has the same amount of runs as Harris is getting his dick sucked for it.

Absolute bare minimum if you want to be in a test cricket conversation.
 
No doubt. Has been strong in Shield as well. In saying that though anyone who is dumb enough to go making selections off division 2 county form will get bitten on the ass. There is nobody in the 15 top runscorers that you would give a sniff so I’m not sure why Jewell who has the same amount of runs as Harris is getting his dick sucked for it.

Absolute bare minimum if you want to be in a test cricket conversation.

It isn't rocket science mate, its because Harris has been found wanting and Jewell looks the best of a VERY bad lot.
 
It isn't rocket science mate, its because Harris has been found wanting and Jewell looks the best of a VERY bad lot.
Genuinely implore you to go take a look at the top 15 runscorers and top 15 wicket takers of that comp and get back to me on why we should be so impressed by Jewell’s form.

We don’t put any weight into 2nd XI runs into test discussions in Australia why the **** are we putting any weight on it in England of all places. Div 1 is massively inferior to shield so let alone Div 2.

It mightn’t be rocket science but it sure is stupidity if you go picking teams based on that.

38 average with 1 ton and 1 50 in 5 games whilst decent is not at all knocking the door down. He needs early shield runs and a lot of them.

I’d say he really isn’t standing out from the said rest of the lot as much as you think he is.
 
I actually applaud Australia for making a brave call on a young batter. It is something we don't usually do. We've seen how successful Jaiswal has been for India. Sometimes you just got to give them a go.

However, you also need to know when to cut them and let them build their game again in Shield cricket.
Before debut, Jaiswal averaged 80 with 9 hundreds, Konstas averaged 40 with 2 hundreds(Both in the same game)
 
So we look at the Konstas situation take our learnings and scream Jewell- 270 runs last year in the Shield three more than Nes.

Maybe Neser should open.
 
Hopefully Marnus has a strong start to the Shield and makes it a simple decision.

I think that's ideal and hopefully for Queensland and Australia he scores five 100's in four games.
 
The two form openers last summer were Weatherald and Kellaway. Weatherald nearly cracked 1000 runs which hasn't been done since 2019 and did it in Tasmania the hardest batting in the country and had big 100's- 186, 155 and 145.

Kellaway moved from three and responded to Rogers coaching. It's his first good season so first four games next year are pivotal but if he goes back to 250 runs next summer then it doesn't amount to much.

They just opened together for Aus A against Sri Lanka and Kellaway got 13 and Weatherald got 50.
 
Do some of you blokes actually read comments before flying off the handle?

To clarify, I don't think I've named Jewell to open in a single team list I've spoken about. I've gone with Head to partner Khawaja and have even in this very thread put Kellaway ahead of Jewell in the pecking order and I wouldn't be picking him unless he backs up the back end of his Shield season least year either, otherwise you have another Konstas potentially.

All I've simply said is that out of a very bad bunch Jewell looks ok and has some decent scores behind him and now somehow I'm calling him a saviour or something stupid like that, no idea how we got to this. We don't live in the 90s anymore where we have Jimmy Maher, Martin Love, Jamie Siddons, Mike Hussey, Dave Hussey, Matthew Elliott, etc bashing the door down averaging 45+ over multiple years. So why discuss it? These players don't currently exist, so you can't pick these types.

Australia has a dearth of options and until blokes who average even over 40 consistently again appear, you have to look at guys with averages in the 30s because that's the ACTUAL options you have. This is compounded by the fact two of the options averaging high 30s are both A. old and B. unpickable for different reasons in Bancroft and Harris. And of the three blokes who do bat in the top three at Shield level who do average over 40 - one is almost 40 years old and looks terrible against anything over 130kph in Khawaja, one just got dropped in Labushagne and will likely come back in anyway and one is batting currently at 5 in the test side and doing a decent job there.

This might also be an inconvenient truth but one of those guys, Labushagne, got picked out of nowhere with an FC average, wait for it, in the 30s.

Actually read, it is a common courtesy, deadset.
 
Weatherald ?

Yep he would be in selectors minds you'd imagine. He just opened with Kellaway in the Aus A game and had a nice back end to last year as well. He's a little older than Jewell though but not by much. He would definitely be in discussions.

I think the options really are (in most likely order):
1. Labs recalled as opener
2. Head promoted to opener and someone like Inglis bought in at 5
3. Kellaway as he is youngest of those in discussion by far and had a strong end to last season and you'd be hoping he grows into the role
4. Inglis as a pick and hope he can grow into it
5. Renshaw as a pick and hope
6. Back to McSweeney as a pick and hope
7. Either Jewell or Weatherald as a pick and hope
8. Bancroft or Harris because all other options are unavailable for some reason but I think they both in the never be picked again baskets and its hard to argue really
 
when he came out and made those runs with those stupid t20 shots i thought it was like an 18 year old in a casino winning a few grand on his first visit

good sugar high but it's going to have some flow on ramifications you may not like as much

unironically id prefer neser opening but i am EXTREMELY one eyed when it comes to cricket and queensland
 
So we look at the Konstas situation take our learnings and scream Jewell- 270 runs last year in the Shield three more than Nes.

Maybe Neser should open.
Not a bad shout. Would probably average 25 with the stick.
 
Yep he would be in selectors minds you'd imagine. He just opened with Kellaway in the Aus A game and had a nice back end to last year as well. He's a little older than Jewell though but not by much. He would definitely be in discussions.

I think the options really are (in most likely order):
1. Labs recalled as opener
2. Head promoted to opener and someone like Inglis bought in at 5
3. Kellaway as he is youngest of those in discussion by far and had a strong end to last season and you'd be hoping he grows into the role
4. Inglis as a pick and hope he can grow into it
5. Renshaw as a pick and hope
6. Back to McSweeney as a pick and hope
7. Either Jewell or Weatherald as a pick and hope
8. Bancroft or Harris because all other options are unavailable for some reason but I think they both in the never be picked again baskets and its hard to argue really

Cpl of days ago Jewel had the inside running .
You have reconsidered ?

Mc Sweeney is on the radar .
He top scored in Aus A . But Renshaw keeps getting picked for Aus A . Is he only considered a middle order player now ?

Inglis with a hundred on debut must have some credits ?
 
Cpl of days ago Jewel had the inside running .
You have reconsidered ?

Mc Sweeney is on the radar .
He top scored in Aus A . But Renshaw keeps getting picked for Aus A . Is he only considered a middle order player now ?

Inglis with a hundred on debut must have some credits ?

I would consider Jewell IF he starts the Shield season well because he finished last season well and has done well in England. It’s a big if. The thing I like about him compared to most other options is that he has a couple of double tons. Very few Aussie domestic batsmen have a double ton, let alone two or more.

Would I pick him right now? No I wouldn’t. I’ve already said I’d put Head there and bat Inglis at 5. I’m a huge fan of Inglis, have said so many, many times.

The fact is, Australia either goes a specialist opener or picks a lower middle order bat and hopes for the best.

If Australia goes for a specialist opener, the options are dire and if it isn’t Labushagne (who isn’t a specialist opener anyway but then neither was Khawaja), then Jewell has to be in the conversation because it’s basically out of him, Kellaway, Weatheral and Renshaw (unless Renshaw is seen as a middle order bat now as you said).

So just to be clear, who is my preferred option? Head. I suspect though Australia will be reluctant to move him from 5 on pacy wickets because he’s so valuable where he is.
 
36 average is the new 40 .
Bowlers have added new skills and pitches are more bowler friendly is my take .
Where did this wobble seam thing come from ??

Also DRS more batsmen being given out by 3rd ump .
 
McSweeney has to be the one to get a crack by finding room in the middle order

22-23: 492 @ 35.14 from 8 games
2 x 100’s / 3 x 50’s

23-24: 762 @ 40.10 from 10 games
3 x 100’s / 3 x 50’s

24-25: 478 @ 43.45 from 6 games
1 x 100 / 3 x 50’s

1732 runs in 24 games at an average of 39.36 with 6 tons and 9 50’s in 3 years in the top order. Who else is doing that?

Not to mention if you combine the Australia A games against India and New Zealand in 23 & 24 he is averaging 46.25 runs.

Also averages 39.48 in List A cricket.

Great technique, awesome head on his shoulders, captaincy and leadership skills

Only thing he has done wrong is been on the wrong end of some of the best test bowling of all time at opener in his first 3 test matches.

Seriously if Travis isn’t opening and McSweeney getting an opportunity at 3 or 5 I just do not know what’s going on.

Someone like a McSweeney is just all class to. Once he gets comfortable at a level he just becomes a perennial scorer. Absolutely dominated local prem grade cricket and 2nd XI cricket to get his opportunities. He is a run scorer.

Give the lad a proper go.
 
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