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*Official* WTC FINAL Australia vs South Africa 2025

Who will win the final

  • Total voters
    63
  • Poll closed .
trundler

trundler

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Qlder said:
I think Australia definitely has the best XI for this Test with Labushagne saved due to move to opener and his extensive experience in England. But I just can't get on board with Green at 3.

Green averages 36, has only 2 hundreds in 28 tests and has just come off a county stint batting 5 or 6 in lowly Division 2. I dont recall him batting 3 for WA either?

Would love to be proved wrong 😉
Click to expand...
Luckily for Australia, the opposing team's #3 is in pretty much the same situation.
 
social

social

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Qlder said:
I think Australia definitely has the best XI for this Test with Labushagne saved due to move to opener and his extensive experience in England. But I just can't get on board with Green at 3.

Green averages 36, has only 2 hundreds in 28 tests and has just come off a county stint batting 5 or 6 in lowly Division 2. I dont recall him batting 3 for WA either?

Would love to be proved wrong 😉
Click to expand...
Green was Australia’s best bat in the 12 months prior to his injury

Marnus has been poor for 3 years and actually failed in lowly Division 2 whereas Green scored 3 tons

The 2 are not the same
 
Nintendo

Nintendo

Cricketer Of The Year
Qlder said:
I think Australia definitely has the best XI for this Test with Labushagne saved due to move to opener and his extensive experience in England. But I just can't get on board with Green at 3.

Green averages 36, has only 2 hundreds in 28 tests and has just come off a county stint batting 5 or 6 in lowly Division 2. I dont recall him batting 3 for WA either?

Would love to be proved wrong 😉
Click to expand...
I don't like it either, but I think it's the best call based on available players. Coming in,

1.Khawaja
2.
3.
4.Smith
5.Head
6.
7.Carey

These 4 spots seemed pretty locked down. Webster has done really well in the few tests he's played and with an injury prone hazelwood in the XI I think you need the allrounder, so webster bats #6.

That leaves

2 and 3 open with konstas, inglis, green and marnus fighting for 2 spots. Inglis has never batted above #5 in FC cricket as far as i'm aware and if he has he's not made runs. England is the hardest place in the world to open and konstas has never played there before. As exciting as he is, I think I prefer marnus who's made a 100 opening for glamorgan in english conditions and has two away ashes worth of experience. I also prefer green at #3 vs konstas. He's in form in these conditions (not that div 2 batting 5/6 translates to batting 3 vs jansen and rabada), and is a more proven cricketer. Green can also play spin which helps his case. If konstas does manage to get past the new ball i'm not extremely confident of him vs maharaj given how he played jadeja in AUS and the whole "konstas is so bad vs spin where going to play head as an opener instead of using him" situation in SL.
 
Q

Qlder

International Vice-Captain
social said:
Green was Australia’s best bat in the 12 months prior to his injury

Marnus has been poor for 3 years and actually failed in lowly Division 2 whereas Green scored 3 tons

The 2 are not the same
Click to expand...
I didn't say Labuschagne was better than Green. I just said I don't see Green as a #3

btw I've been calling for Labuschagne to open since Warner retired so I'm ok with that
 
Last edited:
Coronis

Coronis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
SeamUp said:
Working from home tomorrow, so will be getting some goodies to cook up a storm. The winter has hit in Cape Town alright.
Click to expand...
I’ll be getting home from work around an hour after match start and have the next 3 days off so I should be able to follow much of the match closely. Only annoying thing will be if it goes further into the 4th day or ends up being a 5 day match, I’ll have to sleep through much of the 4th day .
 
social

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Qlder said:
I didn't say Labuschagne was better than Green. I just said I don't see Green as a #3

btw I've been calling for Labuschagne to open since Warner retired so I'm ok with that
Click to expand...
I agree with you

Marnus should’ve opened some time ago ( but refused) and have been discarded

Smith should be batting 3

Green is a 4 at best

Just pick an opener
 
MW1304

MW1304

Cricketer Of The Year
Hopefully this lasts into day 5 and Aus bat second, might be the last time I get to see Smith.
 
Nintendo

Nintendo

Cricketer Of The Year
social said:
I agree with you

Marnus should’ve opened some time ago ( but refused) and have been discarded

Smith should be batting 3

Green is a 4 at best

Just pick an opener
Click to expand...
Nah smith shouldn't be batting 3. He's not the peak smith of 2016-2019 who could walk in vs the new ball and thrive. From memory since 2022 he's averaging ~30 in tests if his entry point is pre 30 over mark (opening and batting 4) vs ~60-65 post 30 over. I think he should be batting lower if anything.

I think green is our long term #4, but if smith is in the team the gap between him vs the old and new ball is too big to ignore. Green can bar where he fits until smith calls it quits.
 
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