Test Frank Worrell Trophy Second Test West Indies v Australia July 3-7 2330hrs @ National Cricket Stadium, Grenada

[Gough]

West Indies from, Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales
Australia from, Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

Confirmed changes for us from the WTC Final are Konstas and Inglis in for Marnus and Smith.

 

[Gough]

West Indies from, Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales
Australia from, Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

 

[jannissary]

i think this'll be a very tough test to win.

 

[the_interloper]

i think this'll be a very tough test to win.

With our top order any test is tough to win, I think the bowlers will dominate this one as well, probably a 3 day test.

 

[jannissary]

With our top order any test is tough to win, I think the bowlers will dominate this one as well, probably a 3 day test.

i do wonder if we'll see any changes to the WI side given the news that was dropped last week

 

[the_interloper]

i do wonder if we'll see any changes to the WI side given the news that was dropped last week

Very true, will be interesting to see how they handle that one.

 

[PhatBoy]

i do wonder if we'll see any changes to the WI side given the news that was dropped last week

Aside from the obvious hand grenade that they have to try and navigate, something has to change with the batting. Please please bring in Kevlon Anderson

 

[Blightys Barrel]

A little pressure on Konstas and Green to get amongst the runs. The Boxing Day test bravado for SK has dissipated. Another failure for both will only lift the confidence of the Poms for the Ashes.

 

[jb04]

I think the bowlers will dominate this one as well, probably a 3 day test.

100%

Brave money on a draw.

 

[Westend]

Well looks like they want green dog to bat 3 again . As I said previously before the last test it’s stupid and just setting up the young fella to fail. He is coming off 12 month break due to injury and Macca wants to give it time to see if it will work.

Even if it comes off I don’t see the point when he starts bowling again

The management of the top four these last 18 months has just been a basket case imo from the selectors firstly smudge wants to open mcsweeney getting shafted and green up and down in the order

Imo your best bat bats at three and that’s smudge with green 4 where he scored his highest score

Oh well good luck greenie got 4 innings

 

[PhatBoy]

Well looks like they want green dog to bat 3 again . As I said previously before the last test it’s stupid and just setting up the young fella to fail. He is coming off 12 month break due to injury and Macca wants to give it time to see if it will work.

Even if it comes off I don’t see the point when he starts bowling again

The management of the top four these last 18 months has just been a basket case imo from the selectors firstly smudge wants to open mcsweeney getting shafted and green up and down in the order

Imo your best bat bats at three and that’s smudge with green 4 where he scored his highest score

Oh well good luck greenie got 4 innings

Been a long time since many sides have gone with the ‘best’ at 3 mantra.
Kallis - 4
Root - 4
Williamson - 4
Kohli - 4
Smith - 4
Lara - 4
Tendulkar - 4

Admittedly these guys almost all batted at 3 at some stage and pretty much all did a good job but 4 is where your primary run scorer goes in modern cricket with a few notable exceptions (Ponting is an obvious one). They did almost all have the luxury of a good 3 before them though admittedly

 

[Westend]

Been a long time since many sides have gone with the ‘best’ at 3 mantra.
Kallis - 4
Root - 4
Williamson - 4
Kohli - 4
Smith - 4
Lara - 4
Tendulkar - 4

Admittedly these guys almost all batted at 3 at some stage and pretty much all did a good job but 4 is where your primary run scorer goes in modern cricket with a few notable exceptions (Ponting is an obvious one). They did almost all have the luxury of a good 3 before them though admittedly

Yeah it’s the norm now phat with the modern batter

I just think the way the Aussies are atm with the batting returns smudge is better at 3 with green at 4 if both are playing in the same team. Smudge had no issue opening I see no issue with him batting 3

 

[Westend]

Been a long time since many sides have gone with the ‘best’ at 3 mantra.
Kallis - 4
Root - 4
Williamson - 4
Kohli - 4
Smith - 4
Lara - 4
Tendulkar - 4

Admittedly these guys almost all batted at 3 at some stage and pretty much all did a good job but 4 is where your primary run scorer goes in modern cricket with a few notable exceptions (Ponting is an obvious one). They did almost all have the luxury of a good 3 before them though admittedly

Peak Lara at 3 was the best

 

[JackOutback]

My prediction, one of the players under the pump (Konstas, Green or Inglis) will go big in this Test.

 

[Soggy2112]

It’s funny, heaps of people complained that we haven’t used these series against lesser nations to prepare for life after Smith/Khawaja.

Now they’re doing that with Green at 3, and two tests without a score and people start to get antsy.

Personally, I think 4 is Green’s spot for the next 10 years, and Smith should move up to 3, however, what is clear is that Green is suited to batting 3-4 instead of 5-6.

This guy has shown us more than enough, it’s now time to back him in and have a little patience.

 

[Saints4ever]

I love Webster and would be filthy if he was dropped.

I can see into the future and it shows Webster out Green at 6.

Book mark it for the future.

 

[240volt]

I didn’t rate Green before the first test and I still don’t after it.
I’d rate Carey as a better batter.

 

[Jack Mundy]

Been a long time since many sides have gone with the ‘best’ at 3 mantra.
Kallis - 4
Root - 4
Williamson - 4
Kohli - 4
Smith - 4
Lara - 4
Tendulkar - 4

Admittedly these guys almost all batted at 3 at some stage and pretty much all did a good job but 4 is where your primary run scorer goes in modern cricket with a few notable exceptions (Ponting is an obvious one). They did almost all have the luxury of a good 3 before them though admittedly

Not many Aussies on that list

 

[PhatBoy]

Not many Aussies on that list

Ponting batted at 3.

Waugh batted most of his career at 5.

Border batted quite a bit at all three spots, had by a small margin his biggest stint at 4 but was fairly successful at all his spots.

The other outlier for Australia is Clarke, sort of succeeded Ponting as the mainstay: had a rubbish record at 4 but averaged over 60 at 5

 

[reubski23]

Green is a gun - you can’t watch him and not see that. Number 3 has been coming in pretty early for years, Ponting was a superstar but he also had the luxury of coming in especially at home after Langer and flat track bully Hayden had blunted the new ball. No shock that Marnus has struggled as Warner and Ussie aged.

Would love Smith who seems to be going through a second peak moves up to 3 with Green at 4.

Konstas should be ok but I reckon he is well and truly in his own head after his debut. I reckon Head and Ussie opening for the next 12-18 months wouldn’t be the worst thing.

 

[samFFC]

Ponting batted at 3.

Waugh batted most of his career at 5.

Border batted quite a bit at all three spots, had by a small margin his biggest stint at 4 but was fairly successful at all his spots.

The other outlier for Australia is Clarke, sort of succeeded Ponting as the mainstay: had a rubbish record at 4 but averaged over 60 at 5

Punter batted at 6 for several years, until Slater was dropped and Langer moved to opener in 2001

Played 33 tests at 6.

All-round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

 

[Gethelred]

Even if it comes off I don’t see the point when he starts bowling again

No.

Just let him become a world class bat. Bat him at 3. Bat him at 5. Open the batting. Bat him at 4. Do whatever the **** it takes to get him to a 40+ average with the bat. Dedicate his training time purely to batting; hours in the nets and the gym and sessions with a sports psych. Get him making ****ing runs.

Our bowling, even as old as it is, is the ****ing least of our worries; we produce bowlers pretty well. We need runs infinitely more than we need an all-rounder, especially when we already have an all-rounder producing runs and wickets at 6.

In my opinion, Green should never pick up the ball again unless and until he goes through a 3 year stretch averaging 50+ with the bat at test level. A bloke who averages 30 with the bat and 35 with the ball should not be batting in the top 6. Webster barely makes the cut, averaging 35 and 27 respectively.

We do not need the bowling. We don't. We still have at least a year or two of the current 4 blokes, and Webster's killing it with the ball.

Fix what's broken - the batting - and let the bowling take care of itself.

 

[peternorth]

Lyon passing on the baton....

 

[cricketnut14]

I love Webster and would be filthy if he was dropped.

I can see into the future and it shows Webster out Green at 6.

Book mark it for the future.

yeah i tend to agree.

i'm loving what webster's doing at the moment and he's doing a great job, however I don't see him having a long test career.

it's a difficult squeeze, to get in green, webster, carey and inglis all into the same XI as they are all 5,6,7 and smith and head are locks.

 

[Jack Mundy]

Ponting batted at 3.

Waugh batted most of his career at 5.

Border batted quite a bit at all three spots, had by a small margin his biggest stint at 4 but was fairly successful at all his spots.

The other outlier for Australia is Clarke, sort of succeeded Ponting as the mainstay: had a rubbish record at 4 but averaged over 60 at 5

Labs was no.1 ranked batsmen at one point. Boon was best while at 3 too.

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