1st Test New Zealand v Australia Feb 29-Mar 4 0830hrs @ the Basin Reserve

[Westend]

Pretty convenient...

the decision to pick Renshaw as the back up batter with his recent form was pathetic IMO and undermines the shield comp

 

[Jimthegreat]

Warner got years, do Marnus probably has another year of poor form still before he gets dropped

Openers you can get away with if your no.3 is in form. Much easier to recover from 1/5 than it is to lose a couple quick at 3, 4, 5.

 

[Voice of the G]

IN-FORM Bancroft has been dead stiff, but will most likely not play again for Oz while Cummins is Captain and tight with/protective of his bowlers.
I like Cummins, a lot, but Bancroft's indiscreet comments have probably sealed his fate.

I think Harris has made some comments about his non selection as well which could harm any plans of him returning.

 

[PhatBoy]

Mark Taylor went to England badly out of form in 1997 and came home in form.
Greg Chappell got about ten consecutive single figure scores.
Mark Waugh was called Audi for consecutive pairs.
Everyone goes out of form, you don't average 50 unless you can play.
Marnus will be fine.

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ML has had a high average his entire career, true enough.
It has been fashioned around 10 centuries at home and 2 away.
Of those 12 hundreds, he’s made 3 against England, India and South Africa in 27 matches against them, and 2 of them were in Australia.

He’s done, prior to his current slump, basically as much as he could have done, but he’s not done what guys like Taylor and Waugh did who had ups and downs and bounced back each time. He started up, he built a great record albeit it’s been fattened a bit against the likes of the Windies and the Kiwis in particular, and now he’s in a fairly big slump so it’s still to be seen whether he can fix that. He deserves a bit more time yet, having an average of 50 will buy that for him, but he has a bit to prove yet

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

The hockey puck is playing some luscious shots. Let’s hope he can keep the noggin out of the way

 

[CrowBloke]

"Don't tell me what to do" SPD Smith, probably.

SPuD Smith needs to spend overnight in front of his Motel Room mirror practising letting wide, bouncy balls GO when there's only a few overs left like today.
Maybe always.

 

[Plugger35]

At least Marnus is walking off quicker now when he gets out rather than standing around in disbelief that he got out like he was Viv Richards.

 

[Voice of the G]

The hockey puck is playing some luscious shots. Let’s hope he can keep the noggin out of the way

Been watching that,run a ball stuff,lets hope he goes big in a vital innings for himself and Victoria.

 

[Jimthegreat]

In marnus favour the back up batter on tour is in pathetic form as well....if Renshaw was scoring big runs and in form ....yes I could see a change next test...but it's not going to happen

I'd rather Renshaw open with Smith at 3. You can recover from 1/5 more so than losing wickets further down. Smith isn't an opener and likely to fail more than he succeeds. Then Marnus comes in and we are 2 down before we know it. Smith is more likely to make runs at 3.

 

[JackFlash]

Both Marnus and Smith will play the next Test, but neither one of them are a certainty when Australia next plays a Test series this year.

 

[Joffaboy]

He better find form again soon though because he's been in a slump since the Indian tour. His performance at the Old Trafford has been been his only good game over the past 12 months.

Only one more test before November. Find form at County, or not, find form at Sheffield Sheild or not. If not he will be dropped.
Ponting
Clark
both Waugh's
got dropped.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Westend]

Both Marnus and Smith will play the next Test, but neither one of them are a certainty when Australia next plays a Test series this year.

umm no Smudge is a certainty to play the next test series

marnus yes I can agree there is some uncertainty he might not be playing later this year

 

[JackOutback]

I think Harris has made some comments about his non selection as well which could harm any plans of him returning.

My nine-year-old daughter is learning in school that you sometimes need to work with people that you don't get along with. Do our cricketers need a refresher?

 

[hawkman]

ML has had a high average his entire career, true enough.
It has been fashioned around 10 centuries at home and 2 away.
Of those 12 hundreds, he’s made 3 against England, India and South Africa in 27 matches against them, and 2 of them were in Australia.

He’s done, prior to his current slump, basically as much as he could have done, but he’s not done what guys like Taylor and Waugh did who had ups and downs and bounced back each time. He started up, he built a great record albeit it’s been fattened a bit against the likes of the Windies and the Kiwis in particular, and now he’s in a fairly big slump so it’s still to be seen whether he can fix that. He deserves a bit more time yet, having an average of 50 will buy that for him, but he has a bit to prove yet

With that record he would fit in well with the NZ team.

 

[Westend]

I think what we are finding atm with our top six is that you can't beat having quality practice in the red ball format (the Shield) compared to white ball slogathons

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

I think what we are finding atm with our top six is that you can't beat having quality practice in the red ball format (the Shield) compared to white ball slogathons

Yeah. Can’t beat it. Double round robin between 6 fantastic cricket teams. Needs to be given total preference

 

[The 747]

My nine-year-old daughter is learning in school that you sometimes need to work with people that you don't get along with. Do our cricketers need a refresher?

Our cricket team has always been focused on in groups and out groups, for as long as I can remember. The guys in the in group get more chances, the guys in the out group get limited chances and get dropped quickly.

Doesn't really matter re: Bancroft and Harris anyway though, they aren't good enough.

 

[CrowBloke]

I think Harris has made some comments about his non selection as well which could harm any plans of him returning.

Comments about Bancroft, or himself please?

Harris is not in the frame to open again, surely? He was a walking wicket, always crabbing across the crease at Test level.
But Bancroft has been in top form opening for the last 2 Shield seasons. Bancroft has form and runs enough to demand selection.

(fwiw, I have always opposed Smith's move to opener --- it's hubris/ego on his part thinking he can transform to an opener at this stage of his career. Smith is trying to re-invent himself for his own good/longevity, not "for the team". It's a failed experiment.
Our Test Cricket selectors are as bad as the Crows' selectors, if not worse, selecting on seniority/reputation and NOT form.
Warner (showing even more hubris/ego in announcing his Farewell Tour @ home) should have been booted before the Pakistan series and Bancroft restored.
Currently Lab needs to regroup (be dropped); Second Test, open with Khawaja/Bancroft, Smith back to #3 ie tell him to bat where he's told to bat and learn to wait like all non-openers for the good of the team.

 

[Freezin]

You got to commend Smith and Labuschagne for allowing NZ to keep a smidgen of their dignity in front of their own fans....in what was a bad day at the office for the Black Caps.....a very bad day.

 

[Forward Press]

Comments about Bancroft, or himself please?

Harris is not in the frame to open again, surely? He was a walking wicket, always crabbing across the crease at Test level.
But Bancroft has been in top form opening for the last 2 Shield seasons. Bancroft has form and runs enough to demand selection.

(fwiw, I have always opposed Smith's move to opener --- it's hubris/ego on his part thinking he can transform to an opener at this stage of his career. Smith is trying to re-invent himself for his own good/longevity, not "for the team". It's a failed experiment.
Our Test Cricket selectors are as bad as the Crows' selectors, if not worse, selecting on seniority/reputation and NOT form.
Warner (showing even more hubris/ego in announcing his Farewell Tour @ home) should have been booted before the Pakistan series and Bancroft restored.
Currently Lab needs to regroup (be dropped); Second Test, open with Khawaja/Bancroft, Smith back to #3 ie tell him to bat where he's told to bat and learn to wait like all non-openers for the good of the team.

Bancroft should have been selected months ago based purely on Shield form - but we all know there is a reason/s (whether we agree with it or not) that it's not happening.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Both Marnus and Smith will play the next Test, but neither one of them are a certainty when Australia next plays a Test series this year.

There is no way Smith gets dropped dude

 

[The 747]

Bancroft should have been selected months ago based purely on Shield form - but we all know there is a reason/s (whether we agree with it or not) that it's not happening.

There has never been an opening spot available. When Warner retired a bloke who averages nearly 60 wanted to open - and so Green could come in. So we should have instead used a bloke who averages 30 as an opener and left Green out of the side?

 

[JackOutback]

Our cricket team has always been focused on in groups and out groups, for as long as I can remember. The guys in the in group get more chances, the guys in the out group get limited chances and get dropped quickly.

Doesn't really matter re: Bancroft and Harris anyway though, they aren't good enough.

Of course, but at some point the players need to be put in their place and be told who to play with. Such as, when you need an opener and there's one in the Shield that's averaged over 50 two years in a row. Now, I tend to agree Bancroft isn't a long-term solution, that goes to the lack of depth in our batting across the Shield, but he should get one last chance. He was coming good against South Africa when he got suspended, then got dropped after just two Tests in England. He's had less chances than Renshaw or Harris.

 

[BG32]

Both those dudes are cheeks, its over

 

[PhatBoy]

With that record he would fit in well with the NZ team.

Or his own if you were to remove Steve smith. No wins away in how many years now? It’s pretty much the same for most teams