Cricket Summer 2017/18

[Up the Guts]

Will be interesting to see what the selectors will do with the keeper job. Maybe its time to try a youngun and give him some time to settle.

Unfortunately through injury and non-selection we missed out on Tim Paine who could have had a fine international career in my mind. I think you're right it's time to get a younger guy in there so this doesn't happen again. I heard Kerry O'Keefe say there was a young keeper from SA whose name escapes me. Anyone heard any good reports? Otherwise I think I'd prefer Neville over Wade given his current form.

I would personally feel more comfortable to see Cartwright or Maxwell at 6. Lehmann and Bancroft are two other blokes I would play ahead of Stoinis .

I heard Clarke say in commentary that Finch could be picked at 6 given his current form for the test side. What are your thoughts on this? I would say he's in the same sort of boat as Stoinis, great ODI player but perhaps a tad too old and doesn't quite have a good enough first class record. You also miss out on the bowling you could get out of someone like a Hilton Cartwright.

 

[Braveheart81]

The SA keeper is Sam Whiteman. I rate him. Good young keeper and a good batsman. Is definitely worth considering.

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[Up the Guts]

The SA keeper is Sam Whiteman. I rate him. Good young keeper and a good batsman. Is definitely worth considering.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Thanks for that, it was Whiteman O'Keefe was talking about. I've only seen him briefly in the shorter formats but I don't think it would be a bad idea to throw him into the test side. Handscombe and Renshaw cemented themselves in the side pretty quickly after they were introduced in Adelaide last year so there's no issue with youngsters in this team environment. If they do decide to stick with Wade or return to Neville though I hope they show a bit of faith. I don't really like the idea of chopping and changing the keeping role. Perhaps give Wade until Perth to prove himself and if he doesn't perform then make a permanent move to Neville or Whiteman.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'd be going back to Pete Nevill for the Ashes. I think he is still the best keeper and has a first class batting average of 40. Nevill is about to turn 32.

Whiteman is 25 and a has a first class average of just under 35.

I think Whiteman is promising but I don't think he's an obvious long term standout. Until one emerges I think you just pick your best keeper and go with them until that situation changes.

Anointing someone in the hope they develop as you plan is risky as there's every chance your prediction of how good they may become isn't correct and someone else might emerge as a better long term option.

 

[Up the Guts]

Yep agree with that. Neville's axing was pretty harsh and he scored well in shield after that. I don't think Wade has done enough so would be happy to see Neville again. If Whiteman shoots the lights out this season then maybe we can consider him next year.

 

[light]

Put a line through Wade for the summer. Carey or Nevill for the Ashes, Paine or Dunk for limited overs.

Finch should be considered if he scores runs in domestic cricket and our incumbents struggle. Given we have picked blokes like Rogers in the past I don't think age should rule anyone out.

 

[The torpedo]

Fuck me.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...a/news-story/443ff0280cef56d190c9f5b27695fd54

Relevant part

3. Incredibly, there’s increasing speculation that Matthew Renshaw is under pressure to retain his spot at the top of the order in the Test team — despite his outstanding entrance to the international arena in the past 12 months. The criticism is that the Australian team wants an opener who can force the tempo. An opener, perhaps, like Nic Maddinson. Maddinson is back refreshed and rejuvenated after a difficult summer in which he cracked into the Australian Test team before he was forced to step away to focus on his own mental health. His comeback is one of the great stories heading into the Shield season, and some hefty knocks could put him firmly in the conversation to reclaim the Test No. 6 spot. But instead of showing what he can do in the middle order, Maddinson will open alongside David Warner when NSW play South Australia. Conveniently, it gives selectors a chance to see how they could combine — maybe with one eye on the Gabba Test line-up.

EDIT: credit to r/cricket for bringing the article to my attention

 

[RugbyReg]

Fuck me.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...a/news-story/443ff0280cef56d190c9f5b27695fd54

Relevant part


EDIT: credit to r/cricket for bringing the article to my attention

that's fucking mind blowing.

 

[Up the Guts]

Fuck me.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...a/news-story/443ff0280cef56d190c9f5b27695fd54

Relevant part


EDIT: credit to r/cricket for bringing the article to my attention

Isn't Warner there to force the tempo? I prefer a cooler head down the other end to complement Warner, play Maddison at 6 if his form warrants it. They're using a pink ball in the NSW vs SA game and it's hooping around like crazy. Cummins, Copeland et al. are bowling hand grenades, SA all out for 90.I will be interested to see how Maddison and co handle it when NSW bat, especially given the NSW team this round is basically the national side.

EDIT: Maddison and Smith have already been dismissed.

 

[Braveheart81]

Not a lot of runs made by the contenders for the 6 spot. In fact Khawaja who you would assume will bat 3 was the only player to score a century in the 1st round of the Shield.

Mitchell Starc bowled beautifully in the second innings for NSW taking a career best 8/.

His ball to remove Travis Head for a golden duck was almost unplayable.

 

[cyclopath]

Struggling to remember ever being less interested or invested in an Australian team for an Ashes series. Might change I guess when the English arrive and there is an obvious target to dislike!

 

[Up the Guts]

Mitchell Starc bowled beautifully in the second innings for NSW taking a career best 8/.

Opening up against Starc with a pink ball under lights on a greenish pitch is never going to end well. Even if you do manage to survive you've got Cummins tearing in at you from the other end. Balls like that ^^^^ are why my ambitions to open up promptly ended as soon as I reached an age guys were starting to bowl with real pace.

 

[Braveheart81]

So we're waiting on Josh Hazlewood to regain fitness but here's how I see the side for the first test shaping up.

Warner
Renshaw (I don't believe they won't pick him. It would be lunacy)
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
??? (this spot is genuinely wide open)
Nevill (also pretty open. Maybe they'll stick with Wade)
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood (needs to return from injury but he suits the rest of the attack best)
Lyon

 

[Up the Guts]

So we're waiting on Josh Hazlewood to regain fitness but here's how I see the side for the first test shaping up.

Warner
Renshaw (I don't believe they won't pick him. It would be lunacy)
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
??? (this spot is genuinely wide open)
Nevill (also pretty open. Maybe they'll stick with Wade)
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood (needs to return from injury but he suits the rest of the attack best)
Lyon

The weekend before last Smith batted against Starc and Hazlewood at the Shore School in a fitness test for NSW. Starc and Smith obviously passed as they played this week but they must have ruled Hazlewood out.

 

[Braveheart81]

Mitchell Starc becomes the first Aussie to take two hat tricks in a first class match.

I think it's the first in world cricket since the late 70s.

Some amazing bowling.

 

[barbarian]

Cameron Bancroft has emerged as an option for the wicketkeeper spot, or even a specialist batsman.

While I wouldn't be opposed to seeing him debut in Brisbane, I'd be more comfortable with Nevill behind the stumps.

I also think Maxwell has earned the right to bat 6, given his decent test form and good domestic form.
.

 

[Braveheart81]

Bancroft almost has to be selected. You could put him in as a specialist batsman.

I'd select Nevill as well. I think he's the best keeper by some distance.

Renshaw is hard to select right now after a run of failures but I think they'll stick with him in the first test at home. Bancroft would be the guy to replace him with as he opens for WA.

I'd pick Bancroft at number 6 otherwise. I don't think Maxwell has done enough to keep his spot.

Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
Bancroft
Nevill
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood
Lyon

 

[Up the Guts]

Bancroft almost has to be selected. You could put him in as a specialist batsman.

I'd select Nevill as well. I think he's the best keeper by some distance.

Renshaw is hard to select right now after a run of failures but I think they'll stick with him in the first test at home. Bancroft would be the guy to replace him with as he opens for WA.

I'd pick Bancroft at number 6 otherwise. I don't think Maxwell has done enough to keep his spot.

Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
Bancroft
Nevill
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood
Lyon

I like that team but Fairfax is reporting that we will see a few shocks. In particular, Renshaw to be dropped for Bancroft, Tim Paine in as keeper, and old mate Shaun Marsh at 6. Whilst I do think Renshaw deserves another crack given his performances for Australia in the past I am glad that the selectors once again seem to be placing enough value on Shield form to warrant the displacement of incumbent players. The only real opposition I can see to Paine is his age but he could conceivably play for another 5 years if he retires at 37 like Haddin and for an Ashes series I'm more concerned about form rather than development. Just feels like we've been there so many times with Marsh at 6 and it seems to be a never ending cycle of getting dropped and selected again.

 

[Braveheart81]

All the media orgs are reporting that same team so it would seem likely.

Amazing that Tim Paine will be selected as keeper despite not actually keeping currently for Tasmania.

I don't really understand the premise of recalling Marsh at 6 and dropping Renshaw. I think Bancroft had to be included but he could definitely bat 6.

Renshaw has had a lean period of form but he's young, he's shown he has the temperament for test cricket and he's the kind of crease occupying opener we need as a foil to Warner.
The Shaun Marsh recall is a complete joke.

 

[barbarian]

You can make a case for Bancroft and Paine, though I disagree with both selections.

Marsh is utterly ridiculous. Not even in great Shield form. Continual failure at test level, especially in Australian conditions.

One of the most reckless selection decisions I've ever seen. Makes a mockery of the last 12 months, especially where Renshaw is concerned. We may never see him again.
.