Australian test selection thread 2015/16

[Niall]

The current Australian team would still beat everyone on their home soil and most teams overseas. For some reason they couldn't be bothered, or didn't see the need, to adapt to English conditions and paid the penalty.

You missed them getting whitewashed in the UAE and India I assume?

 

[Flem274*]

it's lillian thomson guys the bloke doesn't watch every series he comes here to revel in being a self aware **** and winding you all up with ease

 

[SeamUp]

I flat-out do not rate Bancroft.

Got to ask the same question as Nufan ?

He shows the ability to play time and play each ball on its merits. Scores big hundreds and is the old fashioned opener. Could be a good foil for Warner. First tour to sub-continent I imagine & has shown his game has adaptability.

Between him , Burns and Khawaja for that spot.

M. Marsh, Handscomb, Ferguson, Head, Maddinson, Lynn the challengers for the 3 middle order sports still up for grabs potentially.

Don't think they will go back to the future with Cowan, Doolan, Quiney etc

 

[Tangles]

The selectors could easily, and wrongly, take the easy way out for the summer.

Warner
Darsh
Smith
Voges
Watson/Burns
MMarsh

Cowan should considered short term for the opener slot.I would consider Burns and Lynn for 4 and 5.

 

[Black_Warrior]

The current Australian team would still beat everyone on their home soil and most teams overseas. For some reason they couldn't be bothered, or didn't see the need, to adapt to English conditions and paid the penalty.

....

 

[91Jmay]

Love how 'adapting to English conditions' is apparently easy and just something they decided not to do

 

[Tangles]

Not easy but they didn't seem to have a plan b when plan a (go hard, #intent) didn't work.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Love how 'adapting to English conditions' is apparently easy and just something they decided not to do

It pretty well established that part of their downfall was trying to play the same game as they do on harder wickets with bat and ball. Nice of you to laugh at the only part of what I wrote that was actually true though.

 

[Gob]

i rate Usman so he is in. Shaun Marsh is okay. I would also consider moving Smith to 4 to make it not so top heavy but it would be a backward step for him so dunno.

Warner
Burns
Khawaja
Smith
Marsh
Nevill
Marsh

 

[Fuller Pilch]

You really see them beating the SC sides except Bang in the SC? I do not think they can keep eking out wins in RSA either with this many players gone if blokes like Pattinson or Cummins do not realize the potential they showed when they first burst on to the scene. They have already shown they can't be even as competitive as India were last year in English conditions. Your definition of "most" is very interesting, to say the least.

I actually think the Bangladesh series is 50/50. Bangladesh has more patience, a better middle order and more spinning depth.

 

[NUFAN]

i rate Usman so he is in. Shaun Marsh is okay. I would also consider moving Smith to 4 to make it not so top heavy but it would be a backward step for him so dunno.

Warner
Burns
Khawaja
Smith
Marsh
Nevill
Marsh

My problem with Usman is that he hasn't made a score of 50+ for almost a year in First Class Cricket. it is a fairly small sample size but all his runs of late have been in List A matches. Also, there are question marks on his ability to handle spin, so Bangladesh could be a tricky test for him.

In saying that, I think there are negatives about every single candidate so maybe I just need to focus on the positives such as management naming him Captain for Australia A recently and he really is at a good age to get back into the team to have a long career, plus yeah his List A form has been great.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

The selectors have shown their cards by naming Ussy captain, his injury behind him, plus scoring runs even at a lower grade seems he's in.

 

[NZTailender]

My problem with Usman is that he hasn't made a score of 50+ for almost a year in First Class Cricket. it is a fairly small sample size but all his runs of late have been in List A matches. Also, there are question marks on his ability to handle spin, so Bangladesh could be a tricky test for him.

In saying that, I think there are negatives about every single candidate so maybe I just need to focus on the positives such as management naming him Captain for Australia A recently and he really is at a good age to get back into the team to have a long career, plus yeah his List A form has been great.

Such an un-Australian problem to have, eh? Welcome to the club.

 

[Gnske]

My problem with Usman is that he hasn't made a score of 50+ for almost a year in First Class Cricket. it is a fairly small sample size but all his runs of late have been in List A matches. Also, there are question marks on his ability to handle spin, so Bangladesh could be a tricky test for him.

In saying that, I think there are negatives about every single candidate so maybe I just need to focus on the positives such as management naming him Captain for Australia A recently and he really is at a good age to get back into the team to have a long career, plus yeah his List A form has been great.

His footwork is only second to Johnson in how robotic and plonky it is.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah true Gnske.

Hey Red Hill, I'm waiting for your new team with Mark Cosgrove in it. He did just make a century in County Cricket and as long as you don't confuse his red ball cricket form with his white ball, you could definitely argue that he has the runs on the board that most other candidates don't.

 

[Red]

You know I ****ing love Cossie. And he should've been in the test team for the last 5 years. Far better than both Marshes and Watson and Voges. Still only 31. Still time. He's durable.

 

[Red]

Imagine Warner and Cosgrave as an opening combo. ****!

But even better for this summer…

Rogers (stays on)
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Cosgrove
Burns or Lynn
Nevill

Won't see that bundled out for under 100

 

[Dan]

Until it is.

 

[Flem274*]

khawaja is trash

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I think it is safe to say there will be more attention on the Australian summer and selection from the rest of the world than normal. Clearly going to be 3 or 4 places up for grabs and maybe more.