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*Official* WTC FINAL Australia vs South Africa 2025
- Thread starter Gob
- Start date
StephenZA
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
All this tells me is you not watching SA cricket being played...
GoodAreasShane
Cricketer Of The Year
I know full well he fluked a few against Pakistan. But the calls of "hE hAs A tEsT cEnTuRy In HiM" from Shaun Pollock (whom I otherwise respect) absolutely deserve to be treated with pure contempt for as long as he has never made it even halfway there in any serious level game of cricket at all
StephenZA
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
You focusing on the wrong part here... This has nothing to do with how good Rabada is as a batsmen. This is how poor Maharaj has been playing. He has hardly been lasting any time at the crease and he isn't scoring runs. SeamUp isn't putting Rabada above Maharaj because he rates Rabadas batting, it's because Maharaj has performed so very very poorly with the bat for the last few years.
As I said, you obviously haven't actually been watching SA Test team play recently. 3 years ago Maharaj would have been put at 8 no issues.
Coronis
Hall of Fame Member
I think its a good thing
StephenZA
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Well yes, honestly we talking about the 9/10/11 their job isn't really to score runs; and as a bowler Maharaj has been phenomenal, I`m quite happy for him to have stopped scoring the few edges he did if he continues bowling the way he is.
GoodAreasShane
Cricketer Of The Year
I wasn't having a crack at SeamUp at all, he is absolutely one of my favourite members here for his knowledge and insight. But Maharaj being vastly better than Rabada has been a thing for years, no amount of "he hasn't been great recently" can make up for the fact that he has vastly more history of competence with the bat, 2 FC tons and 17 50s, including 5 in Tests, versus zero and zero in any major level cricket at all. Career performance should take precedence all day every day
This however is completely true though. Genuinely good bowler, whatever the Australian XI is there will be a fair part of it who could absolutely struggle against quality left arm spin
Gob
International Coach
The problem with Marnus opening is that there won't be much run scoring going on for the first session or so. Didn't check the stats but I'm pretty sure Marnus has been occupying the crease for a lot longer than most even in his recent drought its just that he is always in an ultra defensive mode and only looks for survival.
Maybe they should instruct him to be more positive if he is to open.I'm sure he is capable of that (re Hobart 2022). We all know Usman goes in his own pace (which is slooow) so you'd have to be a brave man to bet that the RR wouldn't be above 2 for a fair while.
That being said, if that sets up the stage for a run a ball 160 from T Head, I'm all for it
Looks like the end of Marnus career with the return of Green
I believe Green will become a specialist batter from here on. Don't think he will bowl anymore. Not worth the risk, he's basically our best bat in the future.
Konstas
Khawaja
Green
Smith
Head
Carey
Webster(all rounder)
Starc
Cummins
Lyon
Hazlewood
I believe Green will become a specialist batter from here on. Don't think he will bowl anymore. Not worth the risk, he's basically our best bat in the future.
Konstas
Khawaja
Green
Smith
Head
Carey
Webster(all rounder)
Starc
Cummins
Lyon
Hazlewood
shortpitched713
Cricketer Of The Year
There is a good reason to have Green open. Opening has become so hard recently, I'd say it makes sense to "sacrifice" a lesser, young batsman like Green at that position. I think this kind of thing could possibly be seen more and more.
GoodAreasShane
Cricketer Of The Year
No, I could not possibly disagree any more strongly. Especially considering Green is almost certainly Australia's long term 4 when Smith packs it in, the idea of shoehorning him in batting in a role he is completely unaccustomed to and ill-suited for is absolutely the worst single idea imaginable
If you wanted to "sacrifice" a player like that, not that I agree with the concept in the first place, surely someone like Inglis who's a bit older and unlikely to become a long term Test fixture in his own right makes abundantly more sense
Coronis
Hall of Fame Member
Why would Smith move from 4? You put the best batsman in their preferred position that’s a no brainer. And #4 has generally been where the best batsman bats for a long period of time.
Really, pretty sure Don Bradman, Ian Chappell and Ricky Ponting were best bats in their team and they batted #3 so why not Smith
Greg Chappell was the only Aussie best bat slotted in at #4
Coronis
Hall of Fame Member
So? Who mentioned Australia?
Are you serious? You responded about Smith should bat 4 and he is Australian. It's also an Australia vs South Africa thread
Coronis
Hall of Fame Member
**** me how **** is your comprehension? I said #4 is generally the batting position of the best bat in a test side, as has been the case for a while.