Aus vs NZ

[Quick Hands]

Omitting Bancroft is at least justifiable. He's not in great form (ave 28 this year) and the selectors may not want to chuck him into the night/pink ball lottery against some very good swing bowlers.

There's plenty of batsmen I would have had in ahead of Smarsh though.

The Marsh family do know where the bodies are buried.

I agree that Bancroft has done himself no favours in his last match, but he scored 111 against SA 10 days ago (SMarsh scored 92 in the same match).

Bancroft has scored 171 runs at 28 and SMarsh has scored 207 runs at 34, so it's not as if Marsh is in Bradmanesque form. Not much difference at all considering they've each played only 6 innings.

To me it just points to more confusing selections - I just can't fathom the obsession that the selectors have with guys in their mid 30s who are nothing more than good first class cricketers.

 

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That's pretty much my read of the Marsh selection too Highlander, he's a band-aid fix because Khawaja won't be out long and Usman is the long term option at 3.

Had it been another position in the batting line-up (say an opener or 5/6) I think the selectors may have rolled the dice on a younger bloke.

I think the selectors are looking to build the depth behind the starting XI and the blokes in form right now in the shield haven't been batting at 3.


Openers - Bancroft, Dean, Dunk, Finch (think he's been batting at 5 lately?), Carters
3s - S. Marsh , Cowan, Doolan
Middle Order - Maddinson, Klinger, Cooper
All-rounder (6/7) - Maxwell, Faulkner, Agar

If Johnson wasn't retiring and Khawaja fit I think there's a good chance Mitch Marsh would have been dropped

 

[Strewthcobber]

To me it just points to more confusing selections - I just can't fathom the obsession that the selectors have with guys in their mid 30s who are nothing more than good first class cricketers.

Surely you can't be referring to Adam Voges who currently has the second highest test average of all time!

Think they are just trying to give Smith a bit of help. He's not exactly full of experience and Dave Warner is the vice captain

They may just see that the more guys around with a few games under their belt the better.

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Surely you can't be referring to Adam Voges who currently has the second highest test average of all time!



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He definitely should never have been selected. What a failure that turned out to be!!

 

[Strewthcobber]

He definitely should never have been selected. What a failure that turned out to be!!

Been meaning to ask what you thought of Burns back in the team

Having seen his technique this year still has the same flaws - goes too hard at the ball, steps across and plays way too many balls outside off away from his body.

Gets away with it here but against a moving ball......

I can see why his county stint didn't go well and why they were reluctant to select him for England. I reckon Anderson would have eaten him for breakfast.

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Been impressed with him so far but everything has to be put into perspective. NZ bowling in Brisbane was very poor and he cashed in when given the opportunity. It's my impression he isn't an opening batsman and is more suited to bat at 5 or 6.

That said, the opportunity right now is for him at the top of the order and the experience he is gaining right now is invaluable.

With the exception being that he scores a mountain of runs at the top of the order, I think once Voges moves on Burns is the man likely fill that void.

 

[Lindommer]

With Rogers, Clarke, Watson, Haddin, Harris and Johnson departing recently maybe the selectors are giving Smith the opportunity to build a team in his image. For all the opportunities FU Watson was given surely MMarsh can get a series, or two, to cement his all-rounder's place on the team. If Khawaja can keep his body fit (does he have any structural physical problems?) he must be a monte for the 3 spot for a coupla years. SMarsh'll have to blast a century or two to get past Usman in the later tests this summer.

For the fast bowling spot next test I hope Siddle gets the nod, wouldn't like to see young Pattinson break down on a benign Adelaide pitch.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Siddle should play in Adelaide. We're missing that grinding stock bowler at the moment who if he's not taking a bag can at least apply pressure for the blokes at the other end. Longer term I'd like to see Patto really unleash his full potential and command a spot. That would be a very good young pace attack we'd have.

Agree that Khawaja looks to have 3 sewn up if he can keep scoring and stay fit. That's one problem solved.

 

[Quick Hands]

Surely you can't be referring to Adam Voges who currently has the second highest test average of all time!

Think they are just trying to give Smith a bit of help. He's not exactly full of experience and Dave Warner is the vice captain

They may just see that the more guys around with a few games under their belt the better.

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If you couldn't score a hundred on that pitch you never will.

 

[I like to watch]

Surely you can't be referring to Adam Voges who currently has the second highest test average of all time!

Think they are just trying to give Smith a bit of help. He's not exactly full of experience and Dave Warner is the vice captain

They may just see that the more guys around with a few games under their belt the better.

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I just looked up his Test record 612 in 14 innings with 4 not outs.
Which suggests that many of his innings were not exactly under high pressure conditions.
His Test average flatters him.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Maybe so, but they won't drop him for the moment. When the game could have gone sideways in the evening session on day four he stuck fat with his captain and took us to safety. He'll be there for a little while yet.

 

[Braveheart81]

Good to see young Steve O'Keefe in the squad. IMO he is the future and his FC stats are phenomenal.

O'Keefe's 31. Lyon's 28. If they were thinking two spinners, it should have been Agar IMO.

There was more than a little hint of sarcasm in my post.

Agree it should have been Agar.

Agar is young and improving, but is he really there as a bowling threat? He's averaging 40 with the ball in first class cricket.

Meanwhile O'Keefe is averaging 25.

31 is hardly that old in cricket terms. In what is likely to be a one off test (and I'd bet they probably won't go with two spinners), surely you select the player you think will deliver the most in that game.

Selecting really young players to play test cricket with the premise that they are a talent for the future rarely seems to pay dividends. At some point, you'll select them and they'll be good enough, but generally there'll be a string of failures resulting in them being dropped up until that point in time.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Agar is young and improving, but is he really there as a bowling threat? He's averaging 40 with the ball in first class cricket.

Meanwhile O'Keefe is averaging 25.

31 is hardly that old in cricket terms. In what is likely to be a one off test (and I'd bet they probably won't go with two spinners), surely you select the player you think will deliver the most in that game.

Selecting really young players to play test cricket with the premise that they are a talent for the future rarely seems to pay dividends. At some point, you'll select them and they'll be good enough, but generally there'll be a string of failures resulting in them being dropped up until that point in time.

Don't necessarily disagree with any of that, but one gets to bowl at the SCG every second match and the other is at the WACA.

Either is going to be 12/13th man in any case.....

 

[Braveheart81]

Don't necessarily disagree with any of that, but one gets to bowl at the SCG every second match and the other is at the WACA.

Either is going to be 12/13th man in any case...

Yeah, I'd be very surprised if we picked two spinners. We rarely do it when we play in the subcontinent let alone in Australia.

Agar has taken 4/296 in Shield cricket this season. None of those three games have been at the WACA.

 

[Quick Hands]

I just looked up his Test record 612 in 14 innings with 4 not outs.
Which suggests that many of his innings were not exactly under high pressure conditions.
His Test average flatters him.

Big time - scores his runs on flat decks with nothing at stake.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Big time - scores his runs on flat decks with nothing at stake.

Think you are being pretty unfair there to be honest QH.

Debut hundred in WI was neither of those, statistically one of the best debuts ever (no other recognised batsman scored more than 28). Last test he came in in the second dig effectively 3/-19, if he gets out cheaply Australia are under all sorts of pressure.

The 51* in Nottingham had plenty at stake and on a tough pitch.

Scored a few more fifties chasing quick runs which is all that can be asked.

That's what a good 5 can do - remove the pressure from the situation

 

[Quick Hands]

^^^You're right, I was being overly harsh, although I think that some others are being overly complimentary.

 

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Warner and Boult are both in doubt.

Losing either from this upcoming test would be a huge loss for both the fans and the teams respectively.

 

[Highlander35]

The return of the Cowan?

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[light]

18 tests with an average of 31.28. I would seriously hope he's not who the selectors have an eye on.