2nd Test Australia v West Indies Jan 25-29 1430hrs @ the Gabba

[Stottzy]

Shamar Joseph, what a boss of a performance! Worrying signs from Australia. Some of these series wins are putting band-aids on some major issues.

Might be an unpopular opinion, but I really think the travelling side should be awarded the series, rather than the winner of the previous one.

 

[Westend]

Great effort by the West Indies poor effort by the batting unit

Nice to see smith and green get some runs

 

[Around the Wicket]

Hopefully Shamar Joseph doesn't choose Franchise cricket over Test Cricket, they could be competitive again if they get a core group of good youngsters

 

[FreoRicci]

Head’s century makes it look better. But gee Labs in a bit of sorts.

Apart from his century, Marsh hasn’t had a good summer either.

Batters need to do better

 

[PhatBoy]

Sure, I forgot you are never wrong.

I’m not about this.

 

[BACCS]

No cultural issue.

World Test Champions
ODI Champions
Won the 2nd most recent T20 WC.
Hold the Ashes

There was some s**t batting in this match, and in a game of fine margins, that was what counted.

Tbh, it was an elite bowling spell that was the difference in this match. Some of those balls to guys like Green, Head and Marsh were just things of beauty! Even if Joseph is off by just 5% from that level today then Australia win, that's how good the spell was.

 

[BACCS]

I agree, but I don't think it is a bad thing.
Other countries should be better than they are.
Our team contains a couple of only slightly above average Batsmen in Marsh and Green.
This Joseph could be the best bowler in the game in a year's time.
It is good for the game this result.

 

[Around the Wicket]

If they can keep McKenzie, Hodge and S Joseph in Test Cricket they could emerge from the Ashes.

 

[BACCS]

Head’s century makes it look better. But gee Labs in a bit of sorts.

Apart from his century, Marsh hasn’t had a good summer either.

Batters need to do better

Marsh never made a century and he played some key innings to help us win the Pakistan series.

 

[Bungeye]

No they weren’t. India are already a power side. People were acting like the world was ending.

Though many others rightly thought it was a great win for India.

Yeah and those people who were in the "great win" category were rightly singing their praises and test cricket in general.

Don't complain next summer bemoaning test cricket all over again..

West Indies deserved more respect.imo

 

[gtrxuone]

Watch a lot of big bash because it on in the evening. Listen to a lot of tests on the radio,while at work or in the car.
Been a while since I've watched a full test match.And a great test to watch.Momentum swings both ways.Aussies looked home with Smudge and Greene going well.
After two summers of the Windies.And the Adelaide result.Was thinking it was about time to replace the Windies with Afghanistan.
The Calypso cricketers proved a lot of us wrong.Ian Bishop mentioned the massive numbers watching and listening,in the Caribbean. In the wee hours of the morning over their.

 

[Around the Wicket]

They need to do everything they can to keep S Joseph in international cricket, the kid is a out and out superstar, if he goes to Franchise it'll be a devastating blow.

 

[Sea fog]

Hopefully Shamar Joseph doesn't choose Franchise cricket over Test Cricket, they could be competitive again if they get a core group of good youngsters

As some of the West Indian greats have said, they still have the talent but need the money to nurture it.

 

[sherb]

I’m not about this.

Or anything else. At least in your mind.
That's the problem.

 

[PhatBoy]

Or anything else. At least in your mind.
That's the problem.

It’s an opinion based forum, does literally anyone post something that they think is wrong?

‘Here is what I think. I also think it’s not correct.’

 

[to1994]

Head was due a quiet summer after his winter heroics, no issues there.

Our problem is our elite players have turned into good but not great ones. Smith and Labuschagne are performing to a level where they won't be dropped, but their returns are smaller than is years past. The rest of the batsmen aren't really making up the difference that we've lost.

I'm not sure there's really a better team we could be selecting at the moment. Right now, every member of the side deserves to be there more than anyone waiting in the sheds. Green is maybe the only exception but we need at least half an eye on the future.

 

[H00t]

Well done to the West Indies. S Joseph was incredible Hodge, Da Silva and Sinclair deserve a ton of credit. When the Aussies were on top they knuckled down and set a total.

Contrast to the Aussie batters who just kept throwing their wickets away. Labs is in awful form and the rest thought it was a t20. So many batters not wanting to do the hard work and even those that got in just gave it away.

Also Smith’s batting with the tail was questionable. No problem with him giving Hazelwood 2 balls to face, it was his zero intent, happy to get singles and let the tailenders do the scoring before that. It’s the only time we actually needed someone to try and score yet it’s the only time we didn’t show intent.

 

[Redline]

The bowling unit has won us test matches, sometimes even with their batting.

I think there are questions marks over all the top six in various ways.

Khawaja - Has been our most consistent but age is against him. I think he could be gone in 12 months. To me he is the type of player who could fall away real quick or just walk away.

Smith - made runs today but has been anything but convincing this summer. I think his best is past him but still has a few years left.

Labs - I think of all the top six he would benefit from being dropped. He will come back a better player. He is a good number 3 but won't get anywhere near the levels some were predicting. He gets grouped with Steve Smith but he won't get near him over the course of his career.

Green - Looked like getting out every ball but did get some runs today. I am happy to have him in the team as an all rounder but he is not good enough as a pure batsman at the moment. Looks a walking wicket at times.

Head - Needs to do better. I'd give him longer than Labuschagne to find form only because I don't think dropping him will help. He has also scored more imprtant runs in recent times but he will need to be more consistent in New Zealand or he could be gone.

Marsh - I thought he might stick around for a few years and make plenty of runs. Not so sure anymore, another one who is lucky there isn't much pressure from outside the team. A bit like Head, I think once he is gone he won't make it back so I'd stick with him for a bit longer.

 

[JimmyBC]

Marnus is annoying but he'll get it back together

 

[SleazySimon]

Shamar Joseph, what a boss of a performance! Worrying signs from Australia. Some of these series wins are putting band-aids on some major issues.

Might be an unpopular opinion, but I really think the travelling side should be awarded the series, rather than the winner of the previous one.

Like the away goal rule in soccer?

 

[western royboy]

The bowling unit has won us test matches, sometimes even with their batting.

I think there are questions marks over all the top six in various ways.

Khawaja - Has been our most consistent but age is against him. I think he could be gone in 12 months. To me he is the type of player who could fall away real quick or just walk away.

Smith - made runs today but has been anything but convincing this summer. I think his best is past him but still has a few years left.

Labs - I think of all the top six he would benefit from being dropped. He will come back a better player. He is a good number 3 but won't get anywhere near the levels some were predicting. He gets grouped with Steve Smith but he won't get near him over the course of his career.

Green - Looked like getting out every ball but did get some runs today. I am happy to have him in the team as an all rounder but he is not good enough as a pure batsman at the moment. Looks a walking wicket at times.

Head - Needs to do better. I'd give him longer than Labuschagne to find form only because I don't think dropping him will help. He has also scored more imprtant runs in recent times but he will need to be more consistent in New Zealand or he could be gone.

Marsh - I thought he might stick around for a few years and make plenty of runs. Not so sure anymore, another one who is lucky there isn't much pressure from outside the team. A bit like Head, I think once he is gone he won't make it back so I'd stick with him for a bit longer.

Who are the ready replacements? I’m going with N.One

 

[mikey127]

I know he didn't have a great tour with tge bat but gee Braithwaite captained well.

 

[The Sultan]

As some of the West Indian greats have said, they still have the talent but need the money to nurture it.

time to step up ICC, stop cupping Indias balls.

 

[Around the Wicket]

A drawn series should mean both teams hold the trophy imo, *ed Australia have the trophy aloft when they just lost and it being 1-1

 

[BACCS]

Head was due a quiet summer after his winter heroics, no issues there.

Our problem is our elite players have turned into good but not great ones. Smith and Labuschagne are performing to a level where they won't be dropped, but their returns are smaller than is years past. The rest of the batsmen aren't really making up the difference that we've lost.

I'm not sure there's really a better team we could be selecting at the moment. Right now, every member of the side deserves to be there more than anyone waiting in the sheds. Green is maybe the only exception but we need at least half an eye on the future.

Smith still averaged mid 40s last year and nearly batted his team to a win singlehandedly today, he is elite by any measure. Ussie and Head have been making runs for fun over the last 18-24 months and are very much still elite.