Endless Summer of Cricket

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All are from the fully professional era - after it became nearly impossible for youngsters to break into the side, as veterans held on for as long as possible while reeling in the big $$$. i.e. the window which I had already excluded in the post to which you originally replied.


Picking a random test in 1968 (1st test against Windies), with their debut age:

Redpath - 23
Lawry - 24
Ian Chappell - 21
Stackpole - 25
Shehan - 21
Inverarity - 24
Jarman - 22

Australia v Pakistan 2019

Warner - 25
Burns - 25
Labuschange - 24
Smith - 21
Wade - 24
Head - 24
Paine - 25 (he did play a test in 2010)

Really you're looking at a couple more in the 1968 side who got in young, however, it's likely to do with a dearth of talent in our batting stocks then professionalism. I.e. Pucoviski was a likely debut (at 19) if he didn't withdraw for mental health reasons.
 
Anyway, hopefully Head can develop consistency and have a career comparable to a Langer, Hussey, Hayden or Martyn.
I hope so too. Seems like a decent young bloke and at 25 has room to get better.
I heard ABC commentators talking about his Captaincy potential, but I think Labuschagne fits the bill --- what a find he has been!
I don't think Head is as good as Langer whose grit/determination reminded me of Border; certainly not in the Hussey or Hayden class, but better than Martyn whose downfall was similar to Head's now --- that awful slash outside off stump at balls he could well leave (too wide, and usually not full enough to clobber).
 

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I hope so too. Seems like a decent young bloke and at 25 has room to get better.
I heard ABC commentators talking about his Captaincy potential, but I think Labuschagne fits the bill --- what a find he has been!
I don't think Head is as good as Langer whose grit/determination reminded me of Border; certainly not in the Hussey or Hayden class, but better than Martyn whose downfall was similar to Head's now --- that awful slash outside off stump at balls he could well leave (too wide, and usually not full enough to clobber).
If Head can settle himself in the Test side, he is the best future Australian captain option. Has captained through all the under age (including winning Australian WC side) & now SA. He has an astute cricket brain.

Too early to judge whether he can make it, but he has been more consistent than many who have been in the Australian side. Just needs to get rid of his loose Martyn slash, as Martyn did... who you under-rate as he became a very, very good player once he matured.
 
If Head can settle himself in the Test side, he is the best future Australian captain option. Has captained through all the under age (including winning Australian WC side) & now SA. He has an astute cricket brain.

Too early to judge whether he can make it, but he has been more consistent than many who have been in the Australian side. Just needs to get rid of his loose Martyn slash, as Martyn did... who you under-rate as he became a very, very good player once he matured.

I think there are positive signs that Head could mature into a number 5 seeing he has made some pretty tough 50s or so whilst being decently young. I suppose the pressure is also off to a degree with Labuschange also breaking out which should offer another reliable bat which should hopefully give Head more opportunities in good batting conditions.

As you said though, needs to get rid of those brain fades and could be a pretty reliable 45 average bat. Whether this is a case of Head will learn to do it in the side, or have to return at 28-29 when he's a bit more mature is another factor.
 
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I think there are positive signs that Head could mature into a number 5 seeing he has made some pretty tough 50s or so whilst being decently young.
Pucovski is highly-rated and will probably make the side when he has resolved whatever emotional/mental issues he has had --- I don't know, but I suspect he thinks he isn't good enough to play Test Cricket. Just guessing.
Carey will probably replace Paine eventually (keeper batting @ #7), Head @ #5 if he can make some regular solid scores, Pucovski @ #6, or vice versa.
So, pretty soon:
Burns/Warner (for now), Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Pucovski, Carey (and he'd be a bloody good #7!) then the bowlers. No "all-rounder" as such but Labuschagne and Smith can bowl a few if needed.

Kurtis Patterson has a First-Class avge of close to 41 and must still be in the mix as well. What's the latest on him, anybody know?
 
Burns; brain-fade, or early innings nerves? He did cop a ball that moved into him, might explain it.
Warner looking ominously good, punishing anything short and wide, or too full, for multiple 4s.
Labuschagne remains, in spite of dodgy-looking timing. If he relaxes and finds his groove he and Warner might feast after lunch.
 

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Stumps called about 30 minutes ago and I can't believe I am the first to post on Australia being 1/302 with both Warner and Labuschagne in cruise control against a not-very-good Pakistani attack.
The longer they batted, the easier it looked, aided by loose bowling and some woeful fielding. Warner flayed loose balls for boundaries and Labuschagne's on-side driving was fluent/beautiful.
Plenty of "tickled pink" jokes in online articles. :rolleyes:
 
+Another shocking outing by Pakistan here, may as well not even bothered coming down.
It's a bit like the Jumping mountain goats who fart when they jump --- it's not known if the jumping makes them fart, or the farting makes them jump.
Is the Pakistan team listless/disunited because they're playing poorly, or vice versa?
They do not look like a happy team. Their fielding was woeful and it was easy to see why Abbas was not selected for the First Test. I batted anywhere from #8 to #11 and I wouldn't mind facing his low 120's dollies.
 
From the ABC live blog website:
"Australia won the toss, chose to bat and then pummelled Pakistan so deep into the Adelaide Oval deep it's hard to see how they can possibly get out. David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne both picked up right where they left off in Brisbane, notching another ton each in ruthless and relentless fashion. The batting seemed so easy (possibly because it was), and it feels as if these two could probably just bat for as long as they feel like it tomorrow. Steve Smith getting antsy and forcing one of them to retire seems a more likely outcome than one of them getting out.
Pakistan was generally dreadful. Embarassing in the field, sloppy in bowling execution and all over the shop tactically. When you consider that Azhar Ali would have chosen to BOWL if he had won the toss, you get an idea of how off the pace the whole team is. This is getting worse before it gets better for them."
 
No atmosphere in the crowd at an AO test, not a great day.
 
The only days worth going are when Pakistan are batting because you'll still see some great shots but wickets will fall and fielding will be of a higher class and it'll look more like a game and less like a bully hogging the bat in backyard cricket
 
Hopefully bat for another innings or so and aim for quick runs, total around 450 with a declaration. A few patches of rain expected in the next few days, so we need to be more aggressive with the declaration if we’re wanting a result.
 
Hopefully bat for another innings or so and aim for quick runs, total around 450 with a declaration. A few patches of rain expected in the next few days, so we need to be more aggressive with the declaration if we’re wanting a result.

Just wasting our position, get 6-650, bat Pakistan out of the game and give them 3 and a bit days to save the test match.

No point giving Pak any hope of winning.
 
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