Cricket

[tigerman]

It was...............interesting that they went with Green at 4 because he had a good record batting at 4 for Wa in shield cricket.
With Warner finally retiring they needed an opener and overlooked Bancroft who has been the leading run scorer in shield cricket for the last two seasons, as an opener.
I do understand that they would've wanted Green in the side for his bowling, but Marsh is in the side as an allrounder.

 

[spook]

Ultimately Steve Smith in serious decline shouldn't be opening.

Who should be though?

 

[Mr Brightside]

Smith as an opener as he gets older is just dumb , Green at number 4 lol geez this is comical , let’s turn a potential great 6 who bowls into a spud .

Gazza though very good is without question the most overrated bowler of all time , in saying that he never put the goat tag on himself , reckon will find better quickly if we give others half the chance we gave Gazza .

Geez it’s great to not have Warner playing

 

[spook]

Great to see AB looking and sounding well. God I love that man.

 

[MD Jazz]

Who should be though?

The opener with the best recent record in the country. Bancroft. Unless he is a total prick as a teammate/member. Which I doubt he is.

Or Renshaw.

 

[Streak]

Marnus, who only averages 54 at 3.

Average is important, I won’t deny it, but No.3 is a critical spot that requires a batsman who can play the role in the manner dictated by the circumstances.

And for the record I understand he has averaged 36 batting at No.3 since Jan 1 2023.

In that time, in 26 completed innings (excluding 6 not outs), he has 1 century and 6 half centuries.

That is carrying your No.3 IMO

 

[MD Jazz]

Smith as an opener as he gets older is just dumb , Green at number 4 lol geez this is comical , let’s turn a potential great 6 who bowls into a spud .

Gazza though very good is without question the most overrated bowler of all time , in saying that he never put the goat tag on himself , reckon will find better quickly if we give others half the chance we gave Gazza .

Geez it’s great to not have Warner playing

Gazza has had the serendipity of timing. Warne gone and not one single guy coinsistently pressuring his position. He wouldn't be in the top ten spinners of all time for me yet he could play another 5 years and end up the No.2 test wicket taker of all-time........

 

[spook]

Average is important, I won’t deny it, but No.3 is a critical spot that requires a batsman who can play the role in the manner dictated by the circumstances.

And for the record I understand he has averaged 36 batting at No.3 since Jan 1 2023.

In that time, in 26 completed innings (excluding 6 not outs), he has 1 century and 6 half centuries.

That is carrying your No.3 IMO

No, it's cherry-picking isolated stats without context. What's the average of every other batsman in those games?

 

[MD Jazz]

Great to see AB looking and sounding well. God I love that man.

As a kid he was a god to me and my brothers. How tough! He never ever let you down. He never got an easy time, coming in at 4 for less then a 100 and ofetn 4-50. What a legend.

And how was his slip fielding?? Brilliant. Legend.

 

[TrialByVideo]

Great to see AB looking and sounding well. God I love that man.

Yeah I agree... I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw him today as I thought he was just about ready to cash his chips in.
He looked great

 

[TigerForce]

Yeah I agree... I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw him today as I thought he was just about ready to cash his chips in.
He looked great

Yep. Another avenue from concussion issues. Good to see AB still well, but Michael J Fox I can't bear to watch anymore.

 

[RoarEmotion]

Yep. Another avenue from concussion issues. Good to see AB still well, but Michael J Fox I can't bear to watch anymore.

Watch the doco on Apple about fox. Very well done. As far as I can gather he’s making the best of what he has and has a very supportive partner.

 

[mk33]

Will there be changes to the top order for the series in New Zealand as the pitches to seam and their bowlers are likely to be better than what we have faced in home series.

Question marks are on all of the top order

Usman Khawaja aged 37
v South Africa 209 @ 70 HS 195 1/0 (100/50)
v India 333 @ 48 HS 180 1/2
v India WTC 13 runs
v England 496 @ 50 HS 147 1/3
V Pakistan 220 @ 37 HS 90 0/1
v West Indies 129 @65
up to 2nd innings v West Indies
Since Dec 2022 18 test 1400 @46 3/7
Reigning test player of the year, struggled against Pakistan with two ducks. Important player to curb New Zealand at top of the order. How long has he got left

Steve Smith aged 34
v SA 231 @58 HS 104 1/1
V India 145 @ 29 HS 38 0/0
V India WTC 155 runs including 121
v England 373 @37 HS 110 1/2
v Pakistan 194 @ 39 HS 50 0/1
V West Indies 29 @15
Since Dec 22 18 test 1127 @ 40 3/4
Average Mid 30s since Ashes, needs to go back to Number 4

Marnus Labuschagne aged 29
v SA 109@36 HS 79 0/1
v India 244@41 HS 63mo 0/1
v India WC 67 runs
v England 328 @ 33 HS 111 1/1
v Pakistan 207 @ 41 HS 40 0/0
V West Indies 14 @7
Since Dec 2022 18 tests 969 @35 1/6
Is in his first form slump in his career, is probably not under real pressure for his spot yet

Cameron Green aged 24
v SA 69@69 HS 51no 0/1
v India 135@67 HS 114 1/0
v India WC 31runs
v England 103 @ 21 HS 38 0/0
v West Indies 22 @ 11
Since Dec 2022 10 Tests 360 @ 30 1/1 and 14 wickets
His bowling has exceeded his batting, he is lacking time in the middle with a lack red ball cricket in last six months. Is at this stage best suited to 5/6

Travis Head aged 30
v SA 213@53 HS 92 0/1
v India 235 @47 HS 90 0/1
v India WC 181 runs with HS 163
v England 362 @ 36 HS 77 0/3
v Pakistan 81@16 HS 40 0/1
V West Indies 119 @ 60
Since Dec 22 17 tests 1191 @ 43 2/7
Maybe Australia most important batsman, he has really struggled this summer with two golden ducks

Mitch Marsh aged 32
v England 250 @ 50 HS 118 1/1
v Pakistan 344 @ 86 HS 96 0/4
v West Indies 26 @ 13
Since Dec 22 8 test 620 @56 1/5 with 3 wickets
Australia best batsman since he came into the side, pity he didnt convert a couple of 50's to 100's

Unfortunately there is not much else there with no depth
Cameron Bancroft is the best with 915@59 in 22/23 and 512 @ 56 Iin 23/24. Looked out of his depth when he did play tests but you could say the same for most players in their first stinst


Next best shield batters this year
Nathan McSweeney aged 24 501@45
Beau Webster aged 30 498@71
Don Wakim 443@40 aged 32
Peter Handscomb 393@35


others a bit lower
Matt Renshaw 348 @ 32 though he also got 100 v Pakistan for ACB XI
Aaron Hardie 273 @45

 

[Redford]

The Pope putting together an outstanding innings. If the tail can hang around with him, this test ain’t over yet.

Why anyone would watch the irrelevant, boring, bs summer of Australian cricket over the England v India series is beyond me. Ozzie Ozzie….zzzz …zzzz…zzzz.

 

[MD Jazz]

Other than Joseph, the WI have bowled rubbish. Not enough balls around off stump nor full enough.

 

[MD Jazz]

Greaves has to pitch it up further. Moronic bowling in the conditions. What a wasted opportunity.

 

[tigerman]

Not that he bowled well in the first innings, but Shamar Joseph busting his toe hasn't helped the Windies. It's been good to watch their young players showing a bit.

 

[TigerMasochist]

Not that he bowled well in the first innings, but Shamar Joseph busting his toe has helped the Windies. It's been good to watch their young players showing a bit.

I thought Starkers busted Joseph's toe. About time someone bowled a decent sand shoe crusher instead of the barrage of short *smile* that hardly causes most players to even duck properly. Good bouncers get to rib n chin height and angle back into the batsman, causing him to hop about n maybe fall over as well. A metre over the batsman's head is just a waste of ball condition n energy.

Weird game of crickup to watch. Pink ball good for about 15 overs of wicket mayhem n then it's sweat n hard yakka to winkle out the middle n tail.

 

[mrposhman]

The Pope putting together an outstanding innings. If the tail can hang around with him, this test ain’t over yet.

Why anyone would watch the irrelevant, boring, bs summer of Australian cricket over the England v India series is beyond me. Ozzie Ozzie….zzzz …zzzz…zzzz.

Pope showing that the surface isn't that bad. If we'd have bowled better in the Indian 1st innings, maybe we would have been in with a shot, though if we can get the lead up over 250, maybe we can put some pressure on them. Got to take our catches though, that drop from Foakes right at the start of Day 2 when Rahul was on 0 was a big 1 to drop.

 

[Redford]

Pope showing that the surface isn't that bad. If we'd have bowled better in the Indian 1st innings, maybe we would have been in with a shot, though if we can get the lead up over 250, maybe we can put some pressure on them. Got to take our catches though, that drop from Foakes right at the start of Day 2 when Rahul was on 0 was a big 1 to drop.

Wood throwing it down at 152 kph was impressive.