Rolling Ashes Squad Thread, now featuring Haddin XII v Hick XII beginning p. 147

[Kram]

You know, when people talk about the national team, no one gives a **** about state bias. It's as though people from WA have some sort of brick sized chip on their shoulder. Pissed off that the Marsh brothers finally got axed, hopefully for good? Write to your local MP about it.

I don't care where players are from but when you see all this countless rubbish about 2 average players over 30 hyped up as the most talented and robbed players by selectors in the history of the game I'm calling this crap out.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

You know, when people talk about the national team, no one gives a **** about state bias. It's as though people from WA have some sort of brick sized chip on their shoulder. Pissed off that the Marsh brothers finally got axed, hopefully for good? Write to your local MP about it.

Of course they are, without the Marsh name Mitch would be a fun grade cricketer and that’s it.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

In fairness, Quiney and Ferguson were clearly not test level before they played test cricket and it showed pretty quickly. Quiney was picked as a batsman with a high score of 9 and two ducks, while Ferguson was a middle order batsman with a high of 3. 1 test was quite enough to see they weren't cut out for international cricket at the highest level.

You’ve got to guys more time than that, sorry.

 

[eth-dog]

National cricket has exposed his technique as being pretty average mate.

But you were complaining that "runs" didn't dictate the fact he was selected initially, which I just proved to be completely incorrect.

 

[bh90210fan]

Well he is averaging 47 this year so is still obviously making runs.

One century in 2 1/2 years and you think he’s going to do what at test level? S Marsh can make 30’s and 40’s if that’s what you’re hoping for.

Wade and Maxwell will just be shuffling deck chairs, the guys which have come in are as good of a chance to make runs and apart from Renshaw, have actually done so this year.

They’ve already got rid of Finch, Handscomb and the Marsh’s, how many more changes do you want?

 

[Kram]

How many tests did Quiney play? Hardly think he was given a chance. Same as Ferguson.

Bobby slogged a quick 9 and then knicked off for a couple globes on a couple of balls that didn't move on a freeway wicket. Pretty safe to say he wasn't going to be up to it. Ferg only really got one chance.

 

[eth-dog]

Yeah, Quiney wasn't test standard. But let's not pretend that only Victorians get unjustified test caps.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

One century in 2 1/2 years and you think he’s going to do what at test level? S Marsh can make 30’s and 40’s if that’s what you’re hoping for.

Wade and Maxwell will just be shuffling deck chairs, the guys which have come in are as good of a chance to make runs and apart from Renshaw, have actually done so this year.

They’ve already got rid of Finch, Handscomb and the Marsh’s, how many more changes do you want?

Well firstly Marsh wasn’t even really doing that. Not in his last game anyway. Finch was played out of position and not given a chance to excel at 6. That’s where he plays for Victoria.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

But you were complaining that "runs" didn't dictate the fact he was selected initially, which I just proved to be completely incorrect.

He has a shield average of 36, not very convincing compared to others is it? Point is, after seeing him play at the top level I don’t think his technique is great, happy to be proven wrong against SL though, but it’ll be hard against a duke given his tendency to hit leg side and have average footwork thus far.

 

[Gough]

Yeah, Quiney wasn't test standard. But let's not pretend that only Victorians get unjustified test caps.

Victoria had a very good Shield team, when Quiney, Hastings and the like got capped but when most of them were promoted to higher honours they were found wanting.

 

[eth-dog]

He has a shield average of 36, not very convincing compared to others is it? Point is, after seeing him play at the top level I don’t think his technique is great, happy to be proven wrong against SL though, but it’ll be hard against a duke given his tendency to hit leg side and have average footwork thus far.

He had games pumped into him when he was 19 and 20 and wasn't FC standard, I think his average at the end of the 12/13 Shield was around 26 or 27, in the past 3 seasons he's made over 2000 runs at an average of around 44/45. I'm sorry but using career averages never tells the full picture for some players, especially in Head's case.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

Victoria had a very good Shield team, when Quiney, Hastings and the like got capped but when most of them were promoted to higher honours they were found wanting.

Quiney got a few goes at it against an in form South African bowling attack. How many goes does Labuschagne get after averaging below 30 in shield cricket? Or if Pucovski fails are we going to stick with him because he is young?

 

[Len Nicodemo]

He had games pumped into him when he was 19 and 20 and wasn't FC standard, I think his average at the end of the 12/13 Shield was around 26 or 27, in the past 3 seasons he's made over 2000 runs at an average of around 44/45. I'm sorry but using career averages never tells the full picture for some players, especially in Head's case.

If he wants to cut it he has to overhaul his technique big time.

 

[Pykie]

The biggest issue with Australian cricket has been the invention of a 3rd form of cricket.

I'm not blaming the change in technique focus etc, purely the scheduling problems it has caused for the Shield and the national side by adding in another domestic competition as well as international games, with effectively a drop off of 0 games from the other forms.

Whilst every country has had to deal with it, I think given the way the shield has been historically setup, around a small number of teams, the time of year it falls here and our strong history of white ball cricket, it's destroyed the test side. I mean our best professional players are playing 2 games of 4 day cricket for an entire season? How ****ed is that.

I think we need to take a step back for a minute and reassess what we want to be known for as a country.

Test cricket is still the pinnacle, regardless of where the money is, Australia has very few things in world terms where we have a large foothold in something almost ancient and steeped in history, yet cricket is the one thing that dates back to almost our discovery as a country, we were one of the co-competitiors in it's creation, yet test cricket isn't being treated and prepared for as the pinnacle.

We should be prioritising the Shield over all things (including the Big Bash) as it's the breeding ground for the pinnacle of our sport.

I honestly think the only way back to being a cricketing powerhouse is effectively abandoning one form of the game as a minimum. I think 50 over international cricket selection for Australia should be used effectively as our A team development. The format is long enough that it will prepare a bunch of our young players in difficult circumstances and against good players. It will free up our best players to play full seasons of shield cricket, and expose those younger players who get the opportunity to play 50 over cricket to better bowlers etc than they normally would. These younger players also would only be playing 1 international format, rather than 3.

The Big Bash is what it is and isn't going anywhere, but it needs to be rescheduled so it doesn't conflict with the Shield.

 

[Pacman Carney]

Direct quote from Hohns, "We're also very mindful of the Big Bash that is going on and not disrupting the franchises by taking away too many of their players." What the actual f***???!! All that ails cricket at the moment surmised in a sentence.

Was he talking about the tour game? Not the test team?

 

[Gough]

Was he talking about the tour game? Not the test team?

Whether it's the tour game or not, do we want to develop Test match cricketers or do we want protect the interests of twenty over cricket?

 

[The Swans Blog]

I don't care where players are from but when you see all this countless rubbish about 2 average players over 30 hyped up as the most talented and robbed players by selectors in the history of the game I'm calling this crap out.

Shaun Marsh and Mitchell Marsh are arguably two of the worst players to play test cricket for Australia this decade. I call it as it is, not because they're a couple of clowns from WA.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

Whether it's the tour game or not, do we want to develop Test match cricketers or do we want protect the interests of twenty over cricket?

Whilst there’s the BBL and a market for it, it’ll always get protected. CA will never compromise the BBL. Fans and people these days can get anything instantly, it’s a generation of instant results. You want something, you can get it virtually instantaneously.

Sport is entertainment, and when people can be given their entertainment in 3 hours as opposed to 5 days, they’ll gravitate to that. That’s one issue.

The other is that every country had a T20 competition so why aren’t we putting up good Test Cricketers? Well selection is one issue but the other is a cross over between T20 skill Sets and long form game skill sets. Scheduling is a huge issue, SS has to coincide with the summer test season so perhaps BBL needs to find a place at the end of the season?

 

[The Swans Blog]

You’ve got to guys more time than that, sorry.

Both players were averaging mid 30s before they were selected. Sure, they had better seasons than a few have had recently that have played for Australia (cough, Finch, MMarsh, cough), but they were never test material.

 

[The Swans Blog]

Victoria had a very good Shield team, when Quiney, Hastings and the like got capped but when most of them were promoted to higher honours they were found wanting.

They really got their chance off the back of far better players in the squad. I remember at the time being quite amused at their selections, while they had far better players in their squad but were deemed never to return.

 

[Kram]

Shaun Marsh and Mitchell Marsh are arguably two of the worst players to play test cricket for Australia this decade. I call it as it is, not because they're a couple of clowns from WA.

Geez you've worked yourself up into a lather over the rather obvious Maxwell and Wade fanboy stuff getting called, must be upset about about Lead Boot's career being over. Didn't you want him promoted up the order on the back of scrapping together a whole 37 runs?

lolol.

 

[The Swans Blog]

The Big Bash is what it is and isn't going anywhere, but it needs to be rescheduled so it doesn't conflict with the Shield.

CA sold their soul for the broadcast rights, and are basically at the mercy of whatever Channel 7 and Foxtel demand. If they want a 3-month BBL competition, they'll have to do it. If they want their male players wearing rainbow tutus, they'll have to do it.

 

[The Swans Blog]

Geez you've worked yourself up into a lather over the rather obvious Maxwell and Wade fanboy stuff getting called, must be upset about about Lead Boot's career being over. Didn't you want him promoted up the order on the back of scrapping together a whole 37 runs?

lolol.

Wade? I never thought he should have played test cricket. When he came in, Haddin was barely clinging on, with atrocious form with gloves and bat. After a few of those Ashes tests all those years back, it was clear he wasn't going to cut the mustard. I firmly believe that Wade shouldn't return to the test team as a batsman, because he's a pretty poor batsman, even if he is tonking runs for fun against weak bowling attacks.

Maxwell? I'm not the only one in Australia that believes he's getting stiffed. You even have your own compatriots from WA saying he's been stiffed. Pull your head out.

As for Butters, he should be persisted with because he's better than the alternatives. Finch can go right back to white ball cricket, his test career is over. If Pucovski, Labushagne, Wade and Burns are considered better, then Australian cricket really is in trouble.

 

[Agent93]

Shaun Marsh been selected to play for Australia on numerous occasions after posting big Shield numbers?

... and recovering from back / hamstring injuries. And batting in the top 4.

 

[Kram]

Wade? I never thought he should have played test cricket. When he came in, Haddin was barely clinging on, with atrocious form with gloves and bat. After a few of those Ashes tests all those years back, it was clear he wasn't going to cut the mustard. I firmly believe that Wade shouldn't return to the test team as a batsman, because he's a pretty poor batsman, even if he is tonking runs for fun against weak bowling attacks.

Maxwell? I'm not the only one in Australia that believes he's getting stiffed. You even have your own compatriots from WA saying he's been stiffed. Pull your head out.

As for Butters, he should be persisted with because he's better than the alternatives. Finch can go right back to white ball cricket, his test career is over. If Pucovski, Labushagne, Wade and Burns are considered better, then Australian cricket really is in trouble.

Whilst I'd pass on Wade, Maxwell I would actually happily select myself and I'm sure I've said this many, many times. I'm only calling out the ludicrous hyperbole over him being overlooked, there are valid reasons either way.

As for Lead Boots you would make a good captain, hanging on with him and going down with the sinking ship is very brave.