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

[Blue1980]

I actually would argue that literally everyone else is wrong because it's absolutely ****ing mental.

Hey Mitch, we know you average 29 with the stick in test cricket but we're going to shuffle some things around to make sure we can fit you in, hope that's ok.

Well he’s averaged about 50 since being back in the side, so be pretty stupid to drop him.

 

[Blue1980]

They dropped Handscomb pretty quickly when he was going out the same way

Labs a few more credits in the bank.

He’s lucky we only have one test until next summer.

 

[Black Diamond]

Apart from the 4th test that series they weren’t rolling out the pitches we faced there last year for example.

Yes, but Gillespie and Kasprowicz without McGrath rolled Sri Lanka 3-0 a couple of months earlier.

 

[Blue1980]

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.

Long way to go until the India series, 8+ months until our next series after this one.

If labs and others have country cricket season and early shield games to put their case forward.

Labs also has the next test to put his case forward.

 

[JackOutback]

McGrath's stats are complete up to the age of 37 when most professional athletes decline as they age. It's all well and good saying Cummins' stats are the same, but he's at his peak and only just keeping up. If he is wily and continues these figures until his mid 30s, then he is comparable to McGrath. But right now, he's well back.

 

[adogsfan5]

Khawaja
Renshaw
Smith
Green
Head
Marsh
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Lyon
Hazelwood

Lasagna back to the twos to find form.

Gimme!

 

[PhatBoy]

McGrath's stats are complete up to the age of 37 when most professional athletes decline as they age. It's all well and good saying Cummins' stats are the same, but he's at his peak and only just keeping up. If he is wily and continues these figures until his mid 30s, then he is comparable to McGrath. But right now, he's well back.

Correct, but he’s also done it while missing a large chunk of what were essentially his best years.

You could rightfully argue that he may have missed years that were still his ‘learning’ years and perhaps may have had a few s**t series but given that he basically never missed a beat from his debut to his return that’s probably less likely.

I’m not trying to argue down against McGrath, he sits in the very highest echelon in the game’s history but there is little if anything else that Cummins could have done up until this point in time to match him

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Wish people would stop bringing up Marnus’ career average when talking about his form of the last three years.

It’s irrelevant.

 

[Santana]

Wish people would stop bringing up Marnus’ career average when talking about his form of the last three years.

It’s irrelevant.

It's not completely irrelevant though, especially to the selectors. A player that has shown they can do it will always get more lean way, and he is still averaging in the early 40's the last 3 years. If he is still struggling in the first few matches of the home summer then he should be under real pressure.

 

[Voice of the G]

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.

How can you bring in Bancroft for 2nd test and he is not even there and Renshaw is.

 

[spike101]

Is that the same England that have two Kiwis as their coach and captain?

Labus and Khawaja?

 

[spike101]

@ spike101

Learn to quote reply holy s**t my man

 

[spike101]

For whatever reason my reply doesn’t work; not my fault

 

[spike101]

You don’t experiment at Test level though, sure in Shield.

Two cases I can immediately think of on this board is Bryce Street and more recently Teague Wyllie.
These guys have been quickly found out even at State level.

We need to trust the selectors to find the right batters, then usher them in.
Hysterical people aren’t cricket lovers, they are just people who love their own voice.

 

[spike101]

Why have you all gone woke; they are batsmen FFS

 

[spike101]

Correct, but he’s also done it while missing a large chunk of what were essentially his best years.

You could rightfully argue that he may have missed years that were still his ‘learning’ years and perhaps may have had a few s**t series but given that he basically never missed a beat from his debut to his return that’s probably less likely.

I’m not trying to argue down against McGrath, he sits in the very highest echelon in the game’s history but there is little if anything else that Cummins could have done up until this point in time to match him

 

[spike101]

Cummins not played in a winning series away from home in India nor England and yet to be seen if Australia wins in NZ

 

[revo333]

I don't understand Smith taking the first over, Khawaja is the rock, the proven opener.

When I opened I always wanted the first ball, I can't remember too many times where I got a good ball first up.

 

[PhatBoy]

Cummins not played in a winning series away from home in India nor England and yet to be seen if Australia wins in NZ

He hasn’t, however he’s also not spent his entire career with a top 6 - and for 8 years of it a top 7 once Gilchrist arrived - all averaging 40+ with the bat, which I imagine made those things a lot easier for McGrath’s teams to achieve.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

For whatever reason my reply doesn’t work; not my fault

It is your fault, it's working

Not only are you an annoying pom you can't even use a ******* forum right

 

[4Seasons]

Why have you all gone woke; they are batsmen FFS

What’s “woke” about saying batter?
We say bowler rather than bowlsman.
If someone wants to say “batsman” fair enough, not sure someone getting their knickers in a knot about someone saying batter makes anyone “woke”.
Am I allowed to say fielder, or must it be fieldsman?
Keeper is a tricky one I suppose. Keeperman sounds a bit odd, sounds more like a title to a Nick Cave song rather than a cricket term.

 

[CrowBloke]

How can you bring in Bancroft for 2nd test and he is not even there and Renshaw is.

It was a hypothetical.
It's not going to happen, of course (**below).

(BUT the 2nd Test starts on March 8th. They could easily get Bancroft over there, say, if Lab was dropped and Renshaw injured, but see ** above )

 

[4Seasons]

Why is there so much talk about past and future selections, after day two of a Test where Australia is dominating?
Test Cricket is dead. Even those that claim to love it can’t enjoy a days play. They’re so bored and distracted they need to talk about post game stuff in the middle of the actual game.

If people loved Test Cricket, the last multiple pages would be about…
Cam Greens big 150+ no.
Australia muscling their way to 380.
Skittleing the Kiwi top order..

There’s virtually none of this, just complaining about cricket.

 

[010203]

Watching these overseas tests makes me appreciate Aus TV camerawork so much more. Far more rare to see camera operators unable to track the ball over here.

Nothing beats the South African cameramen though.

 

[grumbleguts]

Cummins not played in a winning series away from home in India nor England and yet to be seen if Australia wins in NZ

You sure your "ike" in your name isn't "am"