West Indies v Australia 1st Test, Roseau Jun 3-7 2015

[The_Reaper]

Looks like we're going with the three quicks, Lyon and an allrounder.

Shaun Marsh to open, Smith to bat at 3 and Voges to come into the middle order to accommodate for Rogers' withdrawal.

Until the warm up match nobody would have considered Shaun Marsh as a possible opener but if he scores runs here and in England elsewhere in the order he'd have to be a pretty good chance of opening in Bangladesh later this year.

The West Indies quicks are stronger than the spinners so I don't think we'll get a turner. The only change for them, from the team that beat England, should be Dowrich in for Chanderpaul.

So I'm going to tip

West Indies

1. Kraigg Brathwaite
2. Shai Hope
3. Darren Bravo
4. Marlon Samuels
5. Jermaine Blackwood
6. Shane Dowrich
7. Denesh Ramdin+*
8. Jason Holder
9. Veerasammy Permaul
10. Jerome Taylor
11. Shannon Gabriel

Australia

1. David Warner
2. Shaun Marsh
3. Steve Smith
4. Michael Clarke*
5. Adam Voges
6. Shane Watson
7. Brad Haddin+
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Nathan Lyon
11. Josh Hazlewood

Watson could easily miss out for Mitch Marsh.

Interestingly it looks like two shield sides, NSW and WA could provide the entire test XI.

And with Victoria, three shield sides make up the entire touring squad.

 

[vicpride]

I would personally love to see Ahmed play with Lyon. Watson at 6 m. marsh at 5. Might try to sneak a few hours in tonight. Has been a long 6 months without tests.

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[Smartys Power]

Can't wait for this. Will be great to see the Aussies in Test action once again.

 

[The_Reaper]

I would personally love to see Ahmed play with Lyon. Watson at 6 m. marsh at 5. Might try to sneak a few hours in tonight. Has been a long 6 months without tests.

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Is weakening the batting to that extent wise when we have Shaun Marsh opening the batting?

 

[vicpride]

It's a fair point you make but I'm confident Mitch marsh Has the ability to average 40+. Time will tell but the upside And nasty word I know potential of marsh to voges is significant enough to try it imo.

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[Tendo Jones]

It's a fair point you make but I'm confident Mitch marsh Has the ability to average 40+. Time will tell but the upside And nasty word I know potential of marsh to voges is significant enough to try it imo.

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Even if he does average 40+, is that good enough? Watson averages 35 and SMarsh is average. Can't have all three of them in the top 6. Why do we need these all-rounders that aren't quite good enough at either stat anyway? Watson can't bat well enough to hold down a top 6 spot and he certainly isn't a front-line bowler, Mitch Marsh the same (although he might get there in time). Wouldn't it be better to pick 4-5 specialist bowlers (depending on conditions) and fill the rest with batters and a keeper? It served us well until Flintoff killed us in 2006. Most of our bowlers can bat.

 

[vicpride]

Even if he does average 40+, is that good enough? Watson averages 35 and SMarsh is average. Can't have all three of them in the top 6. Why do we need these all-rounders that aren't quite good enough at either stat anyway? Watson can't bat well enough to hold down a top 6 spot and he certainly isn't a front-line bowler, Mitch Marsh the same (although he might get there in time). Wouldn't it be better to pick 4-5 specialist bowlers (depending on conditions) and fill the rest with batters and a keeper? It served us well until Flintoff killed us in 2006. Most of our bowlers can bat.

My viewpoint and feel free to disagree is that a 24 year old marsh deserves the opportunity to grow into a 10+ year player for Australia as a batsman. he Has the ability imo. Now with this test match I think Johnson and Hazelwood are my preferred duo with the two spinners. Watson and marsh to also bowl. The difference atm between a 35 year old voges and a developing elite prospect like marsh is very little imo. And Watson I feel has the experience we will need in England. Voges for me isn't in my best 11 the potential to play two spinners in this test just confirms the choice to pick Watson and marsh.

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[The_Reaper]

Marsh can have the opportunity to grow when we move on Watson (very shortly).

The difference between Voges, coming off a 1300+ runs at an average of 100+ shield season and Mitch Marsh with the bat is massive.

And we have two mediocre spinners so why go with two?

 

[Tendo Jones]

My viewpoint and feel free to disagree is that a 24 year old marsh deserves the opportunity to grow into a 10+ year player for Australia as a batsman. he Has the ability imo. Now with this test match I think Johnson and Hazelwood are my preferred duo with the two spinners. Watson and marsh to also bowl. The difference atm between a 35 year old voges and a developing elite prospect like marsh is very little imo. And Watson I feel has the experience we will need in England. Voges for me isn't in my best 11 the potential to play two spinners in this test just confirms the choice to pick Watson and marsh.

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Through 44 first class games he hasn't gotten his batting average to 30. This rings alarm bells. 44 games is a lot to have an average so low. In those 76 innings he has scored just two hundreds.

I agree he could be a good batsman for Australia in the future... but I'd like to see him do SOMETHING at state level.

His first-class bowling average is pretty good, but he only has 59 wickets in 51 innings, so can't make the side as a bowler alone.

Lets face it, he is a player with enormous potential that really needs 2 more seasons of domestic cricket until he can prove he's test standard. I don't want a guy with a first-class average of 29 in the top 6 for Australia in the Ashes

 

[vicpride]

You guys have sold me. I'm still picking marsh over Watson but voges really does deserve an opportunity. His shield season was consistent beyond belief. Just not sure on the merits of a 35 year old looking long term with Johnson Harris Watson Clarke Rogers Haddin all near the end.

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[Tendo Jones]

You guys have sold me. I'm still picking marsh over Watson but voges really does deserve an opportunity. His shield season was consistent beyond belief. Just not sure on the merits of a 35 year old looking long term with Johnson Harris Watson Clarke Rogers Haddin all near the end.

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Voges only needs to make it until the end of the Ashes

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

Gonna get a quick nap in now I recon, what time does the coverage start tonight?

 

[Showbags]

Even if he does average 40+, is that good enough? Watson averages 35 and SMarsh is average. Can't have all three of them in the top 6. Why do we need these all-rounders that aren't quite good enough at either stat anyway? Watson can't bat well enough to hold down a top 6 spot and he certainly isn't a front-line bowler, Mitch Marsh the same (although he might get there in time). Wouldn't it be better to pick 4-5 specialist bowlers (depending on conditions) and fill the rest with batters and a keeper? It served us well until Flintoff killed us in 2006. Most of our bowlers can bat.

An allrounder averaging 40 is very good. Even 35 is ok (people have to disregard the likes of Sobers and Kallis, they are exceptions to the rule) . Anything below that though and you really need a quality wicketkeeper batsmen that can average 40+ as well to offset that.

I think Marsh has the ability to average low 40's and mid 30's with the ball. Which is more than adequate as an allrounder (infact that would probably make him our greatest batting allrounder ever if you count Keith Miller as a bowling allrounder).

 

[The_Reaper]

Through 44 first class games he hasn't gotten his batting average to 30. This rings alarm bells. 44 games is a lot to have an average so low. In those 76 innings he has scored just two hundreds.

I agree he could be a good batsman for Australia in the future... but I'd like to see him do SOMETHING at state level.

His first-class bowling average is pretty good, but he only has 59 wickets in 51 innings, so can't make the side as a bowler alone.

Lets face it, he is a player with enormous potential that really needs 2 more seasons of domestic cricket until he can prove he's test standard. I don't want a guy with a first-class average of 29 in the top 6 for Australia in the Ashes

To be fair the majority of those games are from when he was getting selected in a weak WA side as a teenager on potential and to develop him.

Since 2013 he averages over 40 at first class level.

I'm not really sure results from when he was younger and basically kept his spot on potential in a weak side should really be relevant to the play he is today.

It's about as relevant as the period when Shane Watson averaged over 40 opening the bat at test level

 

[The_Reaper]

You guys have sold me. I'm still picking marsh over Watson but voges really does deserve an opportunity. His shield season was consistent beyond belief. Just not sure on the merits of a 35 year old looking long term with Johnson Harris Watson Clarke Rogers Haddin all near the end.

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Voges only needs to make it until the end of the Ashes

The fact that Johnson, Harris, Watson, Clarke, Rogers and Haddin are all retiring actually strengthens Voges claim.

Yes he is 35 but unlike those above players he isn't retiring in a few months, hasn't shown obvious signs of declining and currently has no injury problems.
In fact he is in by far the best form of his career.

With all those players leaving shortly we could be left with Warner opening the batting, Smith as Captain and an entire team full of inexperienced players.

If Voges can hang around for a few years (performance warranting) his experience and also his Captaincy experience could really help Steve Smith out in a transitional team.

 

[Tendo Jones]

An allrounder averaging 40 is very good. Even 35 is ok (people have to disregard the likes of Sobers and Kallis, they are exceptions to the rule) . Anything below that though and you really need a quality wicketkeeper batsmen that can average 40+ as well to offset that.

I think Marsh has the ability to average low 40's and mid 30's with the ball. Which is more than adequate as an allrounder (infact that would probably make him our greatest batting allrounder ever if you count Keith Miller as a bowling allrounder).

But why do we need an all-rounder? And if we are going with one, why not Faulkner? Better bowler, similar batting average (only 1 less first-class ton, both average 29-ish), same age. Faulkner in the right conditions can be a front-line bowler

 

[Ashton Agar]

Until the warm up match nobody would have considered Shaun Marsh as a possible opener

Why not? I reckon he is more suited to opening than say Burns who is likely to replace Rogers when he retires.

 

[The_Reaper]

But why do we need an all-rounder? And if we are going with one, why not Faulkner? Better bowler, similar batting average (only 1 less first-class ton, both average 29-ish), same age. Faulkner in the right conditions can be a front-line bowler

Mitch Marsh is a better batsman than Faulkner.

The career stats don't show it but it's the reality.

 

[The_Reaper]

Why not? I reckon he is more suited to the top order than say Burns who is likely to replace Rogers when he retires.

Well Burns opens the batting for Queensland and Shaun Marsh was batting at number 5.

 

[Ashton Agar]

Well Burns opens the batting for Queensland and Shaun Marsh was batting at number 5.

Burns only really opens though as Queensland lack many other options. Even though Marsh has been batting at 5, I believe he's better suited up the order.

The test order post-Rogers should be Warner, Marsh, Smith, Burns.

 

[HBF]

Gonna get a quick nap in now I recon, what time does the coverage start tonight?

Midnight AEST.
Was thinking the same thing, but I think i'll just go all the way through.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

With midnight start times think I won't be seeing any of this test match.

 

[Ashton Agar]

With midnight start times think I won't be seeing any of this test match.

It's a pain in the ass, especially when I need to be studying full on. Might only seem some on Friday Night/Saturday Morning and Saturday Night/Sunday Morning.

 

[Righteo]

Poor Easterners

Looking forward to being able to catch a session or two for the next few days.

 

[Torz]

Probably catch the first session. I'll be a zombie tomorrow.