CRICKET Who replaces Warner?

[1910]

First let me say I don't think any of the candidates are ideal, I wouldn't be against playing with 10 to send the message to them it's not good enough.

Renshaw:

Last three Shield seasons.
21/22-410 at 29
22/23-310 at 51
23/24-348 at 31

Since January 2001 Renshaw has scored two 100's opening for Queensland averaging 38. His most successful position is actually five for Queensland av 52.

Test Career-14 Tests, Av 29 and one 100.

Bancroft:

Last three Shield seasons:
21/22-502 at 35
22/23-945 at 59
23/24-512 at 56

Bancroft wins the Shield battle easily; averaged 50 since 2021, 10 100's- next best is Harris with five in that time.

Test Career: 10 Tests, 446 runs, av 26.

Harris

Last three Shield Seasons
21/22-322 at 40
22/23- 601 at 37
23/24- 282 at 31

Harris doesn't have a great record on Australia's Test grounds, which is worrying when you're auditioning for a Test opening spot. He averages 33 across the six grounds for Victoria.

Test career: 14 Tests, 607 runs, average 25

Strike rate concerns me- Warner's strike rate is 70 but Khawaja 46, Harris 45, Bancroft 42, Renshaw 41. I can see some slow starts for a while and teams will get on top even if Australia are none for 100 it could be tea.

I don't think any of the three openers can go up a gear. Which openers need.

Green-I think can be similar to Watson, Green doesn't play spin well and this would take that away to some degree. Watson averaged 40 as an opener and 30 down the order. Green averages 50 batting at four for WA.

Smith- Averages 67 at number three and seems to be keen for the challenge.

17 of Australia's last 30 openers haven't started out as openers so I don't see that as an issue. I am warming to Green or Smith.

 

[Sproj]

It would be a risk to open with your all rounder.

 

[Mister Wright]

As long as it is not Harris, I really don't care.

 

[The True King]

For me it has to be Bancroft.

1. He's the most deserving based on shield form
2. He's right-handed
3. He is the best fielder by a mile
4. He has a point to prove and wasn't dropped due to ability/form

There's a player in Bancroft and I think he could have quite a decent twilight to his career if he gets the chance.

I would be telling Renshaw to knuckle down and get himself ready to replace Khawaja in the not to distant future.

Not a fan of Green in the top 3, despite his ability he's got alot to work on.

 

[Mister Wright]

For me it has to be Bancroft.

1. He's the most deserving based on shield form
2. He's right-handed
3. He is the best fielder by a mile
4. He has a point to prove and wasn't dropped due to ability/form

There's a player in Bancroft and I think he could have quite a decent twilight to his career if he gets the chance.

I would be telling Renshaw to knuckle down and get himself ready to replace Khawaja in the not to distant future.

Not a fan of Green in the top 3, despite his ability he's got alot to work on.

Bancroft has been dropped on ability/form. He was dropped after the 2nd test of the 2019 Ashes. What was also overlooked during the 'Sandpaper Gate' scandal was that Bancroft's form at the time wasn't that great either. He's not the standout option a lot of people think he is.

 

[The True King]

Bancroft has been dropped on ability/form. He was dropped after the 2nd test of the 2019 Ashes. What was also overlooked during the 'Sandpaper Gate' scandal was that Bancroft's form at the time wasn't that great either. He's not the standout option a lot of people think he is.

My point was he wasn't dropped after the RSA test due to form/ability.

Not sure the relevance of the 2019 Ashes. All sorts of test greats have been dropped at one point or another.

 

[BroncsFan]

I think Bancroft has earned his shot at replacing Warner... his shield form looks good over the last few years and he's almost cracked 10,000 shield runs and just turned 31yr.

Realistically we need to find 2 openers though and also look to replace Smudge at 4 within the next 2 years you'd think.

So if Smudge moves up to open that could allow Green to come into the team at 4. I'm leaning towards that as my second choice, because if Green fails at opener it could end up like early days Uzzie who started at 3 but wasn't able to cement his place and was dropped... it took a long time for Uzzie to get back into the team and was seemingly black listed, until they realised that he was more than handy as an opener.

If Green is brought in to open, but then middles around with a 30 average, then he might get put on the scrap heap for a little bit thinking that he can't cut it... so my preference is for Green to be setup as best as possible for him to succeed and that would be to play him in his preferred position of 4.

The conversation on who replaces Uzzie and when needs to start happening though... if it's Renshaw then they need to find out from the Bulls if he's going to be opening for them moving forward.

 

[BroncsFan]

One thing I will say about Renshaw is that I think he's been hard done by in his career to date... not so much in shield but in his opportunities for the test team.

Out of him, Bancroft and Harris, he's the only one that has played more away tests than home tests and is averaging 64 in Australia, by far the best of the 3. In the away series he's played mostly in India (literally the hardest away series there is for Australians) with 6 matches, but he's also pulled together 2x 50's in those conditions.

His other away series was in Bangladesh who are also tricky for Australians.

He then got brought over at the 11th hour to play in South Africa after sandpaper gate on a hiding to absolutely nothing.

So he's basically been given one shot with the 2016 series in Australia, where he killed it, then he was straight into India and Bangladesh away.

He also took it upon himself to play in the England County comp and did quite well over there I believe... so he's potentially an opener that can be very good in Australian conditions, capable in England and possibly Sth Africa (similar conditions to Australia), and has then showed he could be at least handy in subcontinent conditions, given I think he's a better player of spin than pace and was able to pull together 2x 50's in his first test series in India and was Australia's 2nd highest run scorer behind only Smudge for that series.

Ultimately I think his development has been mishandled by Australia and they've let a pretty promising player be squandered, all because his initial criticisms were "he doesn't score quick enough or through the off side".

 

[Mister Wright]

My point was he wasn't dropped after the RSA test due to form/ability.

Not sure the relevance of the 2019 Ashes. All sorts of test greats have been dropped at one point or another.

How is being dropped after 2 tests in the 2019 Ashes not relevant? Especially given your point for his inclusion was: "4. He has a point to prove and wasn't dropped due to ability/form"

 

[Mister Wright]

One thing I will say about Renshaw is that I think he's been hard done by in his career to date... not so much in shield but in his opportunities for the test team.

Out of him, Bancroft and Harris, he's the only one that has played more away tests than home tests and is averaging 64 in Australia, by far the best of the 3. In the away series he's played mostly in India (literally the hardest away series there is for Australians) with 6 matches, but he's also pulled together 2x 50's in those conditions.

His other away series was in Bangladesh who are also tricky for Australians.

He then got brought over at the 11th hour to play in South Africa after sandpaper gate on a hiding to absolutely nothing.

So he's basically been given one shot with the 2016 series in Australia, where he killed it, then he was straight into India and Bangladesh away.

He also took it upon himself to play in the England County comp and did quite well over there I believe... so he's potentially an opener that can be very good in Australian conditions, capable in England and possibly Sth Africa (similar conditions to Australia), and has then showed he could be at least handy in subcontinent conditions, given I think he's a better player of spin than pace and was able to pull together 2x 50's in his first test series in India and was Australia's 2nd highest run scorer behind only Smudge for that series.

I think his development has been mishandled by Australia and they've let a pretty promising player be squandered, because "he doesn't score quick enough or through the off side".

View attachment 25698

He's also improved his all-round batting ability since he last had a proper go at test cricket, especially in the T20 format, where he is now one of the more consistent performers in that format.

 

[The True King]

How is being dropped after 2 tests in the 2019 Ashes not relevant? Especially given your point for his inclusion was: "4. He has a point to prove and wasn't dropped due to ability/form"

Ugh.. semantics. You know what I meant.

I'd be equally happy if its Renshaw

 

[BroncsFan]

He's also improved his all-round batting ability since he last had a proper go at test cricket, especially in the T20 format, where he is now one of the more consistent performers in that format.

Yeah I think that was to address the whole "doesn't play through the offside"... but it may have been at a detriment to his long form game.

When he first came in he was ridiculously good at knowing exactly where his off stump was and left everything that he didn't want to play at and then punished bowlers who strayed onto his pads. However, after the criticisms he's now fishing outside his off stump far more and getting nicked off.

If Australia had stuck with him as a traditional opener that sees off the new ball, punishes anything on his pads and then scores as the bowlers get tired, then who knows where he could be right now... but he went away probably thinking his time in the test team was done and worked on improving his T20 game, because if he improved that then he can play domestic comps around the world and get paid.

I'm surprised at how much his T20 game has improved and he is becoming quite a good anchor for the innings, but I think he mostly takes down the spinners, which is actually great for Australia, except he does it a lot with reverse sweeps and various things... so not always going to work. Still has a bit to work on, but has improved massively compared to where he was originally.

 

[Sproj]

I would certainly go with Smith because Green needs to be given an extended run at 4. Renshaw would be my reserve bat.

For longer term planning, I would be interested in giving O Davies a run at opener and see how he goes at state level. He will play for Australia, it is just a case of when and where, so give him a couple of innings and see how he goes. If he can't do it, put him back in the middle order.

 

[BooKhaki]

If Smith wants to do it, I'm going with him. Green comes straight into #4 and Head and Marsh stay put.

 

[Allo]

Smith scares me as an opener tbh

I think his unique style will lead him to getting out way too early and often.

But who knows, he will probably end up averaging 50 there too. It may get him interested in playing again, because he hasn’t looked it lately

 

[1910]

One thing I will say about Renshaw is that I think he's been hard done by in his career to date... not so much in shield but in his opportunities for the test team.

Out of him, Bancroft and Harris, he's the only one that has played more away tests than home tests and is averaging 64 in Australia, by far the best of the 3. In the away series he's played mostly in India (literally the hardest away series there is for Australians) with 6 matches, but he's also pulled together 2x 50's in those conditions.

His other away series was in Bangladesh who are also tricky for Australians.

He then got brought over at the 11th hour to play in South Africa after sandpaper gate on a hiding to absolutely nothing.

So he's basically been given one shot with the 2016 series in Australia, where he killed it, then he was straight into India and Bangladesh away.

He also took it upon himself to play in the England County comp and did quite well over there I believe... so he's potentially an opener that can be very good in Australian conditions, capable in England and possibly Sth Africa (similar conditions to Australia), and has then showed he could be at least handy in subcontinent conditions, given I think he's a better player of spin than pace and was able to pull together 2x 50's in his first test series in India and was Australia's 2nd highest run scorer behind only Smudge for that series.

Ultimately I think his development has been mishandled by Australia and they've let a pretty promising player be squandered, all because his initial criticisms were "he doesn't score quick enough or through the off side".

View attachment 25698

The other issue with Renshaw for me was his home batting average record isn't much chop.

Gabba- 31
Hobart-17
Perth-20
Adelaide-41
SCG-62
MCG-33

I disagree he's a hard luck story, he just hasn't got the runs in a long while. He got dropped from the Bulls in 2020.

 

[BroncosFever]

We need a long term solution.

Steve Smith is not it.

 

[1910]

Smith scares me as an opener tbh

I think his unique style will lead him to getting out way too early and often.

But who knows, he will probably end up averaging 50 there too. It may get him interested in playing again, because he hasn’t looked it lately

SMITH'S AVERAGES WHEN ARRIVING AFTER...
1-2 overs: 6 innings; 3x100s; 1x50; 531 runs @ 106.2
3-5 overs: 18 innings; 2x100s; 4x50; 726 runs @ 42.7
6-10 overs: 23 innings; 4x100s; 7x50s; 1452 runs @ 66

0-5 overs: 24 inns; 5x100s; 5x50s; 1257 @ 57.13
0-10 overs: 47 inns; 9x100s; 12x50s; 2709 runs @ 61.5
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