Australia's Test Squad for England and West Indies

[Justo]

One thing to consider is that Burns is getting a run in the Indian A tour. As such the selectors probably thought its better he get some cricket under his belt (and in foreign conditions) then warm the bench waiting for an injury to Warner or Rogers. It makes sense if they view him as the replacement for Rogers. If that is the case then I don't mind his non selection.

As for Voges he did have a good 2013-14 Shield season as well. Considering that we don't exactly have a lot of great options (Shaun Marsh leading the pack) at the moment (but likely will in a year or so if Maddinson, Lynn etc go well) it's not a bad pick IMO and works well if we do move Smith to 3.

 

[Red]

what does versatile even mean

I think the point is Burns can open, bat at #3 or in the middle order, which is handy on a tour.

Guess we have Watto who can do all those things already there anyway.

 

[Riggins]

I know you don't want to pick someone based on only a handful of good games, but that season was next level good. Averaging 100+ including a hundred in the final is beyond just a good year, and when he has played international cricket he's done great. It's not like when someone has a good year averaging 65 and there are calls for his selection. I'm fine with it.

 

[Red]

Yeah it really does depend on the rationale. If the rationale is just that he scored lots of runs this season then I think that's pretty dire given he's not so much filled an open position as replaced someone who didn't really need replacing. If the rationale is something more nuanced then it's fine. I just can't help but feel it's the former.

My feeling is they also want some batting stability for these two series. I think Smith may very well move to #3 (which I'm not sold on but I think it'll happen), with Voges at #4 and Clarke in his favoured #5 spot. Plus Voges' experience in England etc.

Rogers
Warner
Smith
Voges
Clarke
Watson/M.Marsh
Haddin

The above makes me feel a lot more confident that if we have Watson and Marsh in the top 6 together.

 

[howardj]

Voges can bowl, so this isn't 100% true. Plus you could argue Burns was only there because Clarke and Marsh were injured.

Versitile or however you spell it, in the sense of being able to bat anywhere in the order

 

[JBMAC]

Could someone enlighten me on Peter Nevill. I have never seen him keep.How clean is he behind the stumps? Is he prepared to stand up at the stumps for a medium pacer? etc etc etc. NOT interested in stats just on what you have seen.

 

[Prince EWS]

Could someone enlighten me on Peter Nevill. I have never seen him keep.How clean is he behind the stumps? Is he prepared to stand up at the stumps for a medium pacer? etc etc etc. NOT interested in stats just on what you have seen.

I'm not exactly a keeping technique expert, but he looks the best keeper in state cricket to me (ignoring batting totally). He seems completely comfortable when he keeps up to Trent Copeland; I think I've seen him keep up to Henriques as well.

 

[ajdude]

I thought Khawaja wasn't gonna be fit for the Ashes, isn't the Aus A tour on around the same time?

 

[Dan]

Could someone enlighten me on Peter Nevill. I have never seen him keep.How clean is he behind the stumps? Is he prepared to stand up at the stumps for a medium pacer? etc etc etc. NOT interested in stats just on what you have seen.

He's very, very clean. Footwork is generally quite good so he isn't overly-reliant on athleticism like most modern 'keepers, and his glovework is very good as well. When he's behind the stumps, I can't say I've ever really noticed him as such -- he gets in there, does his job to a very high standard, and doesn't require a full-length dive to take a simple chance.

I'd say Hartley is fractionally better with the gloves (there's very little in it though, and its basically at the top of a diminishing marginal utility curve), but Nev blows him away with the bat.

He's been very tidy up to the stumps to the NSW spinners, and though I can't specifically remember him 'keeping up to medium pacers, I imagine he'd be more than capable of doing it to Watson (let's face it, there aren't many Australian quicks around who can have the 'keeper up to the pegs these days).

 

[Prince EWS]

Hartley looks neater but randomly drops catches he seems to be in perfect positions to take. Weird player.

 

[dermo]

if burns is being groomed to take over rogers spot then i dont really mind him being left out, as long as he's opening the batting on the A tour to india

 

[Justo]

From the squad it looks like Burns and Bancroft will open unless the selectors decide Maddinson should open again.

Usman Khawaja (c) QLD

Matthew Wade (vc) VIC

Ashton Agar WA

Cameron Bancroft WA

Joe Burns QLD

Patrick Cummins NSW

Andrew Fekete TAS

Peter Handscomb VIC

Travis Head SA

Nic Maddinson NSW

Glenn Maxwell VIC

Stephen O'Keefe NSW

Gurinder Sandhu NSW

Marcus Stoinis VIC

 

[adub]

I think we’re still being punished for producing Sir Joh, Pauline, Kevin, Scott Muller etc.

no punishment severe enough to fit the crime

 

[Antihippy]

Wait, Khawaja is fit again? Tearing your ACL is no joke.

 

[adub]

I think Voges definitely deserved selection. Has been solid over a long time, good record in blighty, 13/14 was very very good and 14/15 was freakishly great. Don't think dropping Burns for him though was really that great a call. To be fair to Smarsh he did have his best season in a long long time (the sort of season he should have been producing before he got a baggy green), but still he was hiding down at 5 and scoring after Bancroft, Maxy and Voges had beaten up the bowlers. Not really rateable. Burns does the biz at opener for Qld and looked no worse than Smarsh in his test chances. Also Watson and Mitchell Marsh strikes me as overkill, one of those three would have been the ones I'd have looked at before Burns, but it wouldn't be straight forward.

On the subject of getting selected after one good season surely that applies to Ahmed much more than Voges. I'm not super worried about the call as a quality leggy always makes English minds turn to madness, but his record prior to this season wasn't exactly compelling.

 

[adub]

That A Squad actually looks pretty handy and good balance for the conditions with Stoinis and Maxwell offering bowling options in the top six and SOK and Agar solid batting at 8 & 9. Good for them to get some sub-continental experience.

 

[howardj]

He's very, very clean. Footwork is generally quite good so he isn't overly-reliant on athleticism like most modern 'keepers, and his glovework is very good as well. When he's behind the stumps, I can't say I've ever really noticed him as such -- he gets in there, does his job to a very high standard, and doesn't require a full-length dive to take a simple chance.

I'd say Hartley is fractionally better with the gloves (there's very little in it though, and its basically at the top of a diminishing marginal utility curve), but Nev blows him away with the bat.

He's been very tidy up to the stumps to the NSW spinners, and though I can't specifically remember him 'keeping up to medium pacers, I imagine he'd be more than capable of doing it to Watson (let's face it, there aren't many Australian quicks around who can have the 'keeper up to the pegs these days).

What State does he come from?

 

[howardj]

Glad the **** face Wade was overlooked

Pretty much kills him off

 

[Prince EWS]

What State does he come from?

Victoria.

 

[Spikey]

he was crap when he was in victoria but

I don't mind Voges being selected but then I'm not a huge wrap for Burns
.