***Official*** Australia in the West Indies 2015

[Dan]

easy to forget the potatoes on your plate when you have a juicy cut of Warner, Clarke and Smith.

I think Smarsh is fractionally better than a spud these days.

Emphasis on fractionally, but complete spud he ain't (he actually can't be a spud anyway, he's Western Australia and potatoes are basically illegal there)

 

[Spikey]

I don't see why Watson would now be moved from no 3 tbh. expecting smith 5, marsh 6. maybe clarke 5.

 

[Spark]

Why didn't we declare short of the follow on?

 

[Gob]

Rogers
Warner
Marsh
Smith
Clarke
Watson

Do not see the problem here

 

[Spark]

Why are Haze and Siddle still batting holy ****. Declare, get Nev and Haddin to lob up a few and then give Rogers and Clarke a proper bat.

 

[Tangles]

Never been a Marsh fan </understatement> but tbf he has been tonning up regularly since the 13/14 Shield Season. 6 tons (and a test 99) @ 49.4 from 24 fc matches before this game is much more like the form he should have been showing before he got a test cap. This ton pushes that record to 7 tons and over 50 average in that time so you can't really complain about him retaining his place.

Still leaves some interesting questions on the batting line up though. Openers are settled, but do they play Watson, Smith or even Marsh at 3? Does Clarke go back to 5? Personally I'd probably go Smith, Marsh, Clarke, Watson, but could be almost any combination.

Marsh has been batting at 5/6 for WA coming in after Voges. So that's not all that impressive imo. Shouldn't be considered for higher than 5. If Voges is considered a better bat by WA then Australia should maybe just follow suit.

 

[Spark]

I like Voges but calling for him to be picked over Marsh just 'cos at this stage is just weirdly stubborn

 

[Tangles]

I get that Marsh is the incumbent so he probably has the spot and Voges is the backup. I get that Voges is in the squad based on runs. It just seems odd to take Voges as a backup given his age. If we have no injuries and we keep winning Voges gets a few tour games and that's it. I just wonder if that experience would better benefit a younger guy. Probably moot given our record with injuries anyway.

 

[Spark]

I can only assume they're having a look at Voges for the all-rounder spot, because otherwise this seems thoroughly pointless. We've basically spent most of the day having bowlers bat and batsmen bowl.

 

[Spark]

Now MMarsh is bowling leggies. (edit: and they are horrendous.)

I get the feeling they've stopped taking this seriously

 

[Spark]

Now the other Marsh with left arm pies!

This is silly.

edit: oh man please get him to bowl in a test at some stage, that is gloriously, amazingly filthy

 

[BeeGee]

Not a great "warm up" for most of the Aussie batsmen. They're going to be short of a gallop going into the first test.

 

[Spark]

Not a great "warm up" for most of the Aussie batsmen. They're going to be short of a gallop going into the first test.

Yeah, that's what annoyed me about today. We'd have been far better off declaring as soon as Marsh got out, following on, and having another bat.

 

[El Nino]

Video of marsh's bowling tripe pls

 

[Spark]

the first ball was so short and wide that nev had to move in front of clarke to take it, and he pretty much fell over in doing so. fairly sure it pitched in marsh's half of the pitch.

 

[Furball]

Rodgers bowled a maiden

 

[Gnske]

Rodgers bowled a maiden

Who the hell is Rodgers?

 

[Dan]

Now the other Marsh with left arm pies!

This is silly.

edit: oh man please get him to bowl in a test at some stage, that is gloriously, amazingly filthy

Amla-esque filthy chucker, or just utterly inept left-arm spin? Mitch Marsh bowling leggies sounds hilarious tbh. Should have given Haddin an over too IMO.


Anyway, Leon Johnson completes his pair, Theophile fails and gets one start, Chandrika makes a 50 and a golden duck. Literally no questions have been answered for the WI selectors on who to take ahead of Shiv.

In absence of any real opening options, maybe they'll keep Hope there and bat Holder at 7 to bring in C Brathwaite after his gun showing here?

 

[aussie tragic]

So aussie team a lock except whether to play 2 spinners, which would leave a very long tail with Johnson, Hazlewood, Lyon and Ahmed (needs a Starc or Siddle at 9).


For batting order, I'd go with Smarsh, Smith, Clarke, Watto.....which means half the time Smith will bat same as if # 3

 

[Tangles]

If TPC wants 3 then WI is better than trying in the Ashes.