4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester

[quincywagstaff]

Mitch Marsh in English conditions seems like a disaster waiting to happen. In Asia (or UAE) or bland Oz pitches you could argue he's capable but in seaming conditions I can't see his technique stand up at all.

In anycase, he's had more than enough chances to show he's a Top 6 bat and 9 times out of 10 hasn't been up to it.

 

[the big bambino]

I don't know how deliberate that was for a Marsh brother...

Yeah I liked it. Couldn’t have been an auto correct, or at least unlikely, so good word play.

 

[TheJediBrah]

The Bancroft comment was odd but I honestly would probably prefer five frontline bowlers over Marsh at 6. That would work out much stronger with bowling and only slightly weaker in batting, Cummins Pattinson and Starc combined isn't a bad tail.

Certainly wouldn't go that way personally, but I have so little faith with MMarsh with the stick that I honestly believe it is a marginally better option

You really think? I can't see it adding that much to the bowling, and it significantly weakens the batting.

 

[Spark]

Now now, does your post need to be dickish? I picked my team earlier and that is still the one I’d go with. The post you quoted represents alternatives to the likelihood of Marsh being picked, though not my actual choice. I think any alternative to Marsh would be preferable and the post quoted just an illustration as to how ridiculous Marsh’s continuous selection is.

Those two alternatives are manifestly worse than picking MMarsh at 6. A guy with a bad technique is much more of a problem opening the batting than at 6, and dropping Lyon is a sign that this discussion is no longer being motivated by reason.

 

[stephen]

Picking Marsh strengthens the team the same way that banging your head against a brick wall makes your wife prettier.

 

[the big bambino]

Those two alternatives are manifestly worse than picking MMarsh at 6. A guy with a bad technique is much more of a problem opening the batting than at 6, and dropping Lyon is a sign that this discussion is no longer being motivated by reason.

Its amazing that anyone who is critical of picking a player on poor technique would then prefer a player despite his poor technique. But you do you. Apart from a misunderstanding in your imagination i don't know anyone who'd drop Lyon.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Picking Marsh at 6 seems an even greater risk when 7 isnt making runs and the tail is only intermittently effective.

If he's required to share the bowling load because the main 4 haven't taken wickets than Oz are already headed for defeat anyway.

 

[Spark]

Picking Marsh at 6 seems an even greater risk when 7 isnt making runs and the tail is only intermittently effective.

If he's required to share the bowling load because the main 4 haven't taken wickets than Oz are already headed for defeat anyway.

Yeah but this is with the understanding that the alternatives are all crap anyway. We aren't talking about 21yo Ricky Ponting on the sidelines here.

Honestly I would probably persist with Wade as the best of a bad lot, but it really is the best of a bad lot. I definitely definitely would not be going anywhere near Bancroft, nor the ludicrous idea of playing 5 bowlers/all quicks.

 

[the big bambino]

Playing 5 quicks would be bad. Who suggested it?

 

[GoodAreasShane]

As I said clearly I would not consider going with five bowlers myself, but honestly I don't think Marsh would do much better than our specialist bowlers with the bat anyway. Batting is clearly the main weakness, but Marsh has thoroughly and comprehensively proven he isn't the solution to that issue.

And anyone proposing dropping Lyon should be taken to a dark room and beaten

 

[aussie tragic]

Just saying, Marsh has scored 304 runs @ 76.00 and taken 14 wkts @ 18.36 in England since July.

 

[harsh.ag]

Just saying, Marsh has scored 304 runs @ 76.00 and taken 14 wkts @ 18.36 in England since July.

Against?

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Marsh

 

[BoyBrumby]

I don't have a dog in the Marsh fight, but one couldn't honestly say cutting any one of Harris, Khawaja, Paine or Wade for him would significantly weaken the batting based on their current returns for the series.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

It's been confirmed that Denly and Roy are swapping places in the order.

 

[Burgey]

There can’t be an Englishman alive who isn’t hoping MMarsh is picked.

 

[stephen]

Paine's batting is easily of a higher standard than Marsh's right now.

Marsh is one of those guys who is great at everything at lower levels but just isn't quite good enough at higher levels. He's not good enough to play as a bowler or as a batsman. If we had Gilchrist who could bat at 6 then maybe he could skirt in at 7 and do decently well. But he just seems to not have the game for the big stage.

And I was backing him for years to come good - I still think he can - but he needs to pile on the shield runs for a few seasons before he gets another run. He's not the bowler he was five years ago and he's not good enough with the bat.

 

[aussie tragic]

It's been confirmed that Denly and Roy are swapping places in the order.

Sounds great when reading this quote:

"Denly's first-class record at the top of the order is hardly prolific, either. The 33-year-old scored his only century opening the batting four years ago and has not passed 50 in his past 14 innings facing the new ball."

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Sounds great when reading this quote:

"Denly's first-class record at the top of the order is hardly prolific, either. The 33-year-old scored his only century opening the batting four years ago and has not passed 50 in his past 14 innings facing the new ball."

I think he does have it in him to bat for a couple of hours against the new ball, which doesn't seem to be the case with Roy. But the way he was playing the short ball (by never keeping his eyes on it) and got out in the second innings at Headingley doesn't create much confidence. I don't think he's likely to blunt the new ball attack and then kick on and make a big hundred.

 

[Groundking]

Denly opening with Roy going 4 is ****ing stupid and won't improve the situation. Just have some balls and drop the useless ****ers who are averaging sub 10 (Roy and Buttler)