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Bryce Mcgain- Should he tour SA?

mikeW

International Vice-Captain
With the upcoming SA tour coming up this is one of a few selection quandary's the selectors will have to debate. At 36 he isn't a long term option but at this point in time is comfortably the best spin bowler in Australia. Do we select him or has he missed the boat completely?

There's obviously no point taking him unless we see him as a first XI player imo. No point taking him and not playing him, he either tours and plays or stays at home. No point wasting a valuable squad position on him else when valuable experience can be gained by someone like Krejza or a more long term option.

Thoughts?
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
Big test coming up, obviously. Lets see him in the Sheffield Shield first...

Be interesting to see what the reception is. He's not some ridiculous spnner of the ball, has very good accuracy and subtle variations. Can see him being knifed quickly if he doesn't do wll though.
 

Langeveldt

Soutie
Think they'll need more than Bryce McGain to be honest. But why play a specialist spinner at all in SA? Clarke is decent enough to fill a few overs in
 

pup11

International Coach
Think they'll need more than Bryce McGain to be honest. But why play a specialist spinner at all in SA? Clarke is decent enough to fill a few overs in
Yeah that would make sense if the pitches for the upcoming series are lively seaming tracks that we expect to see in South Africa, but if they aren't then obviously there is a case of playing a spinner.


I think too early to make a call on McGain, he is the best spinner in Australia by a mile, but the upcoming Shield game is a huge test for him, if he can show some form there then obviously he would be picked for South African tour, but there is also another thing that should be taken into account, he is not a bloke who has played much FC cricket, last season he played a full season of domestic cricket and which was soon followed by a shoulder problem, so at 36/37 is his body good enough to go through rigours of international cricket, that's another thing that's up for debate imo.
 

Uppercut

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Think they'll need more than Bryce McGain to be honest. But why play a specialist spinner at all in SA? Clarke is decent enough to fill a few overs in
Indeed but that's not to say they shouldn't even bring him on the tour.
 

inbox24

International Debutant
I'd rather McGain than Hauritz, and Krejza rather than either of them, until McGain gets back to his peak.

At the moment anything would be better than the innocuous Hauritz, even a half fit McGain.
 

pasag

RTDAS
Hurts me to say this and I've never advocated this before but he should play with an eye on the Ashes. If he fails he's just another crappy spinner, if he succeeds we go into that serious with a serious boost. Obviously he needs to play well in the lead up.
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
What Jack said - we'll basically have to see how he goes in the one Shield game, and hopefully they'll play him in the 2nd XI match coming up as well, purely to get more overs under his belt and a chance to get some good performances on the board. (although what the selectors can take from performances against a non-FC unit as a guide for performances against SA's batting line up is questionable, other than the appearance of his bowling...)
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
It would be better for him to get through some longer spells for his match fitness though, wouldn't it?
 

chaminda_00

Hall of Fame Member
It would be better for him to get through some longer spells for his match fitness though, wouldn't it?
If he was a certain selection yes. He will slip under the radar if Hauitz is taking wickets for Australia or NZ in ODs. Or if Crazy taking wickets for Tassie in ODs. For him it as much about showing he is a class above as much as the overs.
 

Uppercut

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Well he's the only Aussie spinner who can be described as anything other than a joke-bowler.
 

TT Boy

Hall of Fame Member
Think they'll need more than Bryce McGain to be honest. But why play a specialist spinner at all in SA? Clarke is decent enough to fill a few overs in
Every since Stuart Clark at Cape Town, the South Africans wickets have been curiously favorable to the slower bowlers. Cape Town in particular in recent years has been more Mumbai than Green Mamba. And given the current spin stocks in Australia, I don't think that situation is going to change.
 

dontcloseyoureyes

BARNES OUT
Every since Stuart Clark at Cape Town, the South Africans wickets have been curiously favorable to the slower bowlers. Cape Town in particular in recent years has been more Mumbai than Green Mamba. And given the current spin stocks in Australia, I don't think that situation is going to change.
They were certainly not spinners wickets when Steyn tore apart NZ and the Windies.
 

TT Boy

Hall of Fame Member
They were certainly not spinners wickets when Steyn tore apart NZ and the Windies.
I recall one greentop against the West Indies at Durban but the New Zealand series really never started, they were beaten in less 3 day and 200 overs. And no disrespect to the opposition but Mickey Arthur said that if they were playing the big boys, wickets like the one seen at Kingsmead would not have been produced.

Pakistan, India and Bangladesh have all been treated to almost home conditions in the recent past. South Africa don't like seaming wickets because they always lose when they play on them. They haven't lost a test on a flat or turning track in the Republic in years.
 

Uppercut

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I recall one greentop against the West Indies at Durban but the New Zealand series really never started, they were beaten in less 3 day and 200 overs. And no disrespect to the opposition but Mickey Arthur said that if they were playing the big boys, wickets like the one seen at Kingsmead would not have been produced.

Pakistan, India and Bangladesh have all been treated to almost home conditions in the recent past. South Africa don't like seaming wickets because they always lose when they play on them. They haven't lost a test on a flat or turning track in the Republic in years.
Hmm, but on the other hand when they toured India they violently mauled them on the seaming track then were violently mauled on the turning track.
 

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