*Official* Road to the 2025-26 Ashes

[TheJediBrah]

You said that great many times

Nope, literally never said it. I said, repeatedly, that if he regains form he should be picked, but that I don't think he will. I guess you just have comprehension issues

You've also contradicted yourself because:

I think it was good for him that he missed the wi tour

You were not saying this at the time lol

 

[Molehill]

I've had this discussion pointlessly way too many times with tjb. Marnus still averages 46 in Test Cricket, relatively young and scaled heights that some of his potential replacements could only dream of (like accumulating over 900 points in the ICC ratings). It's hilarious that some blokes are like let's bin him for good and move on to the next shield bat with an average of 35 when Konstas is stinking it up by averaging 8

Or you could say he averages under 26 over the last 2 years. From an English point of view, would have no issue seeing him back for The Ashes.

 

[the big bambino]

2 more drunk uncles.

 

[Gob]

Or you could say he averages under 26 over the last 2 years. From an English point of view, would have no issue seeing him back for The Ashes.

The assumption is that he will come out of this slump. Because he is a very good player

 

[Gob]

Nope, literally never said it. I said, repeatedly, that if he regains form he should be picked, but that I don't think he will. I guess you just have comprehension issues

You've also contradicted yourself because:

You were not saying this at the time lol

Cos windies wickets were **** to bat on and the last place someone who is trying to regain form would want to play

I realised this after the series

 

[TheJediBrah]

The assumption is that he will come out of this slump. Because he is a very good player

At what point does it stop being a slump and be just how good he is now. 3 years? 4?

 

[Gob]

Nope, literally never said it. I said, repeatedly, that if he regains form he should be picked, but that I don't think he will. I guess you just have comprehension issues

You've also contradicted yourself because:

You were not saying this at the time lol

Now you are starting to sound like my wife

 

[Gob]

At what point does it stop being a slump and be just how good he is now. 3 years? 4?

Virat lasted for 5 so that is the cutoff point I guess

 

[Molehill]

Cos windies wickets were **** to bat on and the last place someone who is trying to regain form would want to play

I realised this after the series

So his average would be even worse if he'd had to bat on tough pitches?

He averaged 9 from his 3 innings in CC Div 2 (neither of which were minefields).

 

[Gob]

So his average would be even worse if he'd had to bat on tough pitches?

He averaged 9 from his 3 innings in CC Div 2 (neither of which were minefields).

No one would improve their averages batting on those wickets so yes. It's not the ideal scenario for someone who is looking to score some runs

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I literally never said that. You were saying we should pick him for West Indies and the WTC final when he was batting like a blind man, that was our disagreement

Can't speak for anyone else, but my issue at that time was less about him being dropped and more about who he was dropped for. Even not at his best, current Marnus was still vastly more likely to be able to do a serviceable job than Konstas, as his performances in the West Indies proved (yeah they were tough pitches, but he was still vastly worse than Khawaja who wasn't exactly batting too well himself). That's why Marnus being dropped left such a bad taste to me

 

[Red]

I've had this discussion pointlessly way too many times with tjb. Marnus still averages 46 in Test Cricket, relatively young and scaled heights that some of his potential replacements could only dream of (like accumulating over 900 points in the ICC ratings). It's hilarious that some blokes are like let's bin him for good and move on to the next shield bat with an average of 35 when Konstas is stinking it up by averaging 8

I think it was good for him that he missed the wi tour and I admit that he needs a score but as soon as he is back in form, he should be back at 3. Marnus and Head are the ones to guide Australia through the transitional period post Smith

So let’s just say at your local cricket club there’s a guy who plays A grade and has for years, and has averaged 20 something at number 3 over the last couple of years, and there’s a guy in B grade who’s averaged 57 last season. Just keep going with the incumbent?

 

[Burgey]

I think he's saying if the bloke who's averaged 20 in A grade starts the season in B grade but makes a stack of runs then he should be brought back into A grade, as he's previously shown he can make runs consistently there.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Can't speak for anyone else, but my issue at that time was less about him being dropped and more about who he was dropped for. Even not at his best, current Marnus was still vastly more likely to be able to do a serviceable job than Konstas, as his performances in the West Indies proved (yeah they were tough pitches, but he was still vastly worse than Khawaja who wasn't exactly batting too well himself). That's why Marnus being dropped left such a bad taste to me

Agreed. Dropping Marnus could be the right decision at the same time as picking Konstas was the wrong one, except that one led to the other. Konstas never should have been there

 

[Red]

I think he's saying if the bloke who's averaged 20 in A grade starts the season in B grade but makes a stack of runs then he should be brought back into A grade, as he's previously shown he can make runs consistently there.

Yeh and I’m not against that. But I’m also for rewarding guys making good shield runs over a decent period of time when the test incumbents have been mediocre.

Having a fully firing Labuschagne is obviously ideal with Khawaja going (should be gone) and Smith getting older. But I can’t stand the quotes from him along the lines of “happy to open or bat at 3 blah blah if the team needs”. The only quote he should be making is “I’m trying to work my way back into the test team by weight of FC runs”.

Patterson had a great Shield season, as did Weatherall. Recent comments from both Labuschagne and Khawaja are entitled sounding, and not necessary. Both Patterson and Weatherall are very justified wondering what more they’d need to do if a half decent score in one FC match from Labuschagne sees him in an ashes XI

 

[TheJediBrah]

Agree with Red 100%. There's a big sense of entitlement with the incumbents. It's been an issue for a while and the overly friendly nature of the coach/selector/player relationship doesn't help.

 

[Spark]

Agree with Red 100%. There's a big sense of entitlement with the incumbents. It's been an issue for a while and the overly friendly nature of the coach/selector/player relationship doesn't help.

The recent rumours that Lyon being dropped for the d/n Test really didn't go down well aren't encouraging in that regard

 

[TheJediBrah]

The recent rumours that Lyon being dropped for the d/n Test really didn't go down well aren't encouraging in that regard

IMO it's part of the reason we lost a couple of Test series with the bowlers refusing to be rested in a long series. They need to be managed not allowed to do whatever they want regardless of what's best for the team

 

[Burgey]

Yeh and I’m not against that. But I’m also for rewarding guys making good shield runs over a decent period of time when the test incumbents have been mediocre.

Having a fully firing Labuschagne is obviously ideal with Khawaja going (should be gone) and Smith getting older. But I can’t stand the quotes from him along the lines of “happy to open or bat at 3 blah blah if the team needs”. The only quote he should be making is “I’m trying to work my way back into the test team by weight of FC runs”.

Patterson had a great Shield season, as did Weatherall. Recent comments from both Labuschagne and Khawaja are entitled sounding, and not necessary. Both Patterson and Weatherall are very justified wondering what more they’d need to do if a half decent score in one FC match from Labuschagne sees him in an ashes XI

Tim Ward ffs!

 

[Red]

Tim Ward ffs!

Don’t know that much about him, just looked at one of his recent matches and Weatherald made 140 against Bird, Abbott, Dwarshuis