Summer of 16/17

[Quick Hands]

Is Agar a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder though?

I don't buy into picking a bloke who averages 40+ with the ball and sub-30 with the bat on that grounds that he can sort of do both.
That bowling average needs to substantially improve before he's considered a genuine threat with the ball and his batting needs to be better if he's going to be coming to the wicket at 6 or 7 in any (let alone Indian) conditions.

While I think taking him to India is a good development opportunity, I think it's a wasted selection given we already have a left-arm slow orthodox option and leaves us potentially short on batsmen.

I'm not really offering an opinion either way on Agar, it's just that his selection in the 13 for Sydney suggests that the selectors are going to pick him for India. I can see no other reason for his selection for the test squad.

His bowling at 1st class level isn't good enough IMO for him to be considered as a genuine all-rounder. He's a batsman who can bowl useful overs, much like Cartwright. So I reckon that they'll take both of them as batting all-rounders who can bowl a few overs with Cartwright the seam option and Agar the spin option.

EDIT: Not sure if there are any 1st class matches on the tour to India. I hope that there are one or two so that we can get some guys some good cricket on sub-contiental pirches.

 

[Quick Hands]

It appears that we'll be playing two intra-squad matches in Dubai under Indian conditions rather than 1st class games in India..

A shame IMO, but that's modern sport.

http://indianexpress.com/article/sp...epare-in-dubai-for-india-test-series-4455579/

 

[light]

Agar wouldn't be the worst selection because he has huge potential, I just don't see the point when he doesn't really offer an alternative bowling style to what we already have.

If we really need an extra batting option then surely a specialist is the way to go.

 

[Quick Hands]

Agar wouldn't be the worst selection because he has huge potential, I just don't see the point when he doesn't really offer an alternative bowling style to what we already have.

If we really need an extra batting option then surely a specialist is the way to go.

I agree. It's why I found the Agar and SOK selections for the Sydney test squad a little odd. The only logical explanation is that both are going to India and they want them around the team.

It seems that they will be playing two internal "1st class matches" in Dubai on Indian type wickets. Maybe they want a left arm spinner on each team?

 

[Highlander35]

Poor Dutchy.

 

[No4918]

I don't see a couple of internal matches where our batsmen face our average spinners in conditions neither have excelled in providing much benefit.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think Tim Payne should be seriously considered for a return to the test side. IMO he is a better keeper than Wade and just as good a batsman. I'd rank both Payne and Neville as better keepers than Wade.

 

[light]

I'd like to see him in our T20i team first, BR. He's a terrific striker of the ball and in good form in the BBL. Probably would have been our long term test keeper after Gilly if he didn't have so many injuries.

Right now I'd rank our keepers something like:
Nevill, Hartley, Whiteman, Paine, Wade, Dunk.

Cam Bancroft is also a good prospect but I'm not sure he's #1 for WA with the gloves right now.

 

[Highlander35]

Maybe it's just me, but do we think that SOKs great first class record is due to frustrating the fuck out of the inferior Shield batsmen causing them to hole out or miss, which doesn't translate well to Test Cricket, where most are patient enough to wait for the bad ball?

Go for Dutchy or Agar. At least they can make the ball turn horizontally.

 

[No4918]

Maybe it's just me, but do we think that SOKs great first class record is due to frustrating the fuck out of the inferior Shield batsmen causing them to hole out or miss, which doesn't translate well to Test Cricket, where most are patient enough to wait for the bad ball?

Go for Dutchy or Agar. At least they can make the ball turn horizontally.

Yeah, what's all the SOK fuss about? Says a lot that despite going for more runs Lyon has now bowled 27 to SOKs 17 overs. And what a ripper that 3rd wicket was, Warnesque turn.

 

[Quick Hands]

I don't see a couple of internal matches where our batsmen face our average spinners in conditions neither have excelled in providing much benefit.

I agree, but that's what's happening. I gather that CA thought that SL prepared green pitches for the warm-up matches and then dusty turners for the tests. This plan is to overcome that allegation.

NB: This idea comes from Pat Howard, so I take no confidence in it whatsoever. As long as he keeps working for CA and stays the hell away from rugby, I'm willing to bear it.

 

[Quick Hands]

Maybe it's just me, but do we think that SOKs great first class record is due to frustrating the fuck out of the inferior Shield batsmen causing them to hole out or miss, which doesn't translate well to Test Cricket, where most are patient enough to wait for the bad ball?

Go for Dutchy or Agar. At least they can make the ball turn horizontally.

He's the Adam Voges of left arm spinners. There's probably a very good reason why he's hardly played a test after more than a decade of 1st class cricket.

 

[Quick Hands]

I think Tim Payne should be seriously considered for a return to the test side. IMO he is a better keeper than Wade and just as good a batsman. I'd rank both Payne and Neville as better keepers than Wade.

Nevill is the one who has been harshly done by - is batting better than Wade and is a superior gloveman, but is dropped because Wade talks more loudly behind the stumps.

 

[light]

Lynn should stroll into our best XI in all three formats.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

That was some innings tonight wasn't it and against the best attack in the comp.

 

[Highlander35]

Best pace attack yes. He's yet to face the Spin Twins, and he may not even do that if he ends up in the ODI squad.

Big performance against them would be the best way to work yourself into that India Squad, given the prevelance of Ashwin and Jadeja in the most recent series.

 

[No4918]

Lynn should stroll into our best XI in all three formats.

I've rented him a pad in Sydney so it won't be long now.

So he bats 6 in tests. Replaces Bailey in the ODI team. Anyone in the T20, he can take over from Smith if he wants

 

[RugbyReg]

He himself has stayed his shoulder isn't quite right for first class cricket yet. He hasn't played Shield this year and has had shouldn't trouble for 3 years.

He may be a career T20 an adequate shield player.

Still he should obviously be in the Aussie team for the two short versions of the game.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[light]

Yeah the shoulder injury is the only real issue I see with him playing test cricket. His FC average is certainly good enough to justify selection but he needs to play more consistently.

If he misses out on a test spot for the Indian tour I'd imagine he will be highly sought after for the IPL.

 

[light]

He's the Adam Voges of left arm spinners. There's probably a very good reason why he's hardly played a test after more than a decade of 1st class cricket.

Finished up with one of the greatest test batting averages of all time and 5 centuries. His FC average is also nothing to be sneezed at, in fact it's better than the likes of Clarke.

I'd wager that if SO'K can achieve even half that success with the ball then he will have had a very decent test career.