Test The Ashes First Test November 21-25 1300hrs @ Perth Stadium

[Borisdog]

Jansen has an identical twin brother who plays exactly the same role as him as well. Not with the same proficiency but his record is not the worst.

Imagine that from both ends.
He could do with 10kg though.

I would guess that De Zorzi is a potential out for the home games - they’ve already spoken about him being a horses for courses selection. Muthusamy might hold his spot as a batsman. Rabada would be a straight swap for one of the two spinners in Harmer/Maharaj, and probably Ngidi or one of the real quicks like Burger or Coetzee would be vying with Mulder and Bosch or Muthusamy for a spot. I’d like to see them give Brevis or Pretorius a few more looks

De Zorzi for any of the good upper order players they have. There’s plenty.

Muthusamy won’t keep his place at home in the face of 4 quicks. He competes with Maharaj, and if I was a selector Maharaj wouldn’t get a game at home given what the Saffers turn out as home decks.

That leaves Harmer out, stiff - but that’s the way it rolls.

Moulder, meh, one knock. Maybe he stays.

So that’s 4, maybe 5, I’ve jettisoned.

The difference between me and the average BF selector is that the Saffers actually have options, genuinely viable options.

I’ve said upthread somewhere that they selected really well for this Indian tour. Full credit to both the selectors and the side. Really fantastic result for them.

 

[PhatBoy]

De Zorzi for any of the good upper order players they have. There’s plenty.

Muthusamy won’t keep his place at home in the face of 4 quicks. He competes with Maharaj, and if I was a selector Maharaj wouldn’t get a game at home given what the Saffers turn out as home decks.

That leaves Harmer out, stiff - but that’s the way it rolls.

Moulder, meh, one knock. Maybe he stays.

So that’s 4, maybe 5, I’ve jettisoned.

The difference between me and the average BF selector is that the Saffers actually have options, genuinely viable options.

I’ve said upthread somewhere that they selected really well for this Indian tour. Full credit to both the selectors and the side. Really fantastic result for them.

As a fairly close follower of them, and someone who loves the idea of them rolling out a four man attack of big fast quicks part of me loves the idea.

But Maharaj has an identical record in South Africa than Nathan Lyon does for his career. That’s how underrated he is. It’s better, if you go by strike rate (Lyon actually averages 0.27 less, they both average 30 plus change, Maharaj has a Strike Rate in SA of 56, Lyon’s career strike rate is 61) and he has 6 five wicket hauls in 29 tests there.

That’s always going to tempt them to pick 3 quicks and one of Mulder or Bosch.

 

[240volt]

Poor technique is more important than a ball. Too often players these days struggle leaving 3-4 balls and wonder why they nick off

Old days you never had the bash and crash cricket competitions.
It was basically test and shield games now it’s all Gun ho.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Old days you never had the bash and crash cricket competitions.
It was basically test and shield games now it’s all Gun ho.

Poor techniques coming through and too often sides worry about boundaries rather than staying in for an hour or session

 

[Borisdog]

As a fairly close follower of them, and someone who loves the idea of them rolling out a four man attack of big fast quicks part of me loves the idea.

But Maharaj has an identical record in South Africa than Nathan Lyon does for his career. That’s how underrated he is. It’s better, if you go by strike rate (Lyon actually averages 0.27 less, they both average 30 plus change, Maharaj has a Strike Rate in SA of 56, Lyon’s career strike rate is 61) and he has 6 five wicket hauls in 29 tests there.

That’s always going to tempt them to pick 3 quicks and one of Mulder or Bosch.

Yes, exactly the situation Australia face with Lyon.

But when you’re turning out pitches that are very likely to favour the quicks then you have to ask the question.

I wouldn’t play Lyon in Brisbane. But I’d have him in for every match after that, no question at all.

 

[sabso]

Wicket in the last India test match couldn’t have been that bad as South Africa made 489.
India are just total pants at the moment.

Their captain was pant(s)

They also went into the game with no batting. Amazing how much worse they look when shubman is injured

 

[Jack Lord]

Definitely time for a second test thread.

 

[BGman]

A PM X1 is supposed to take on England in a day/niter in Canberra today. But actually it is not the first X1 playing, it is their second stringers instead as the team beaten badly last week is not bothering with cricket but slumming it in Noosa. Bewildering.

In my view we are seeing the emergence of a future Baggy Green Test bowler today in specialist seamer Charlie Anderson. There is also a crop of others that in the near future could join him in the iconic cap in Curtis, Kellaway, Weibgen, Peake, while Konstas and McSweeney will also be out to remind selectors of their ability for a Test recall..

 

[Gough]

By popular demand.

Test - The Ashes Second Test December 4-8 1430hrs @ The Gabba

Australia from, Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster England from, Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[greatwhiteshark]

I don’t reckon the change to the cricket ball few years ago gets enough attention, main contributor why batsmen are struggling so much imo

They made the seam smaller and not stand up as much. In other words made it more difficult for the ball to move. So even easier for the batsman.

 

[Around the Wicket]

They made the seam smaller and not stand up as much. In other words made it more difficult for the ball to move. So even easier for the batsman.

 

[Around the Wicket]

In contemplations on low-scoring Tests in Australia the past two summers, bowler-friendly pitches are drawing all the attention, like prima donnas, obscuring an equally important factor: bowler-friendly balls.

Two years ago, in an effort to liven up Test cricket, Cricket Australia introduced a re-designed Kookaburra ball, with an extra layer of lacquer for hardening and a lining under the surface that means the all-important seam stands prouder for longer.

Batters scrambling: The new Kookaburra ball that seams to wreak havoc

Everyone is fretting about green pitches, but a change of ball is an equal factor in shorter, speedier Test matches in Australia.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Pistol Night]

Game Day! **** yeah not much work getting done post 2pm today

 

[greatwhiteshark]

View attachment 2490707

Fair enough mate and if thats what they tried to achieve then the ball itself does not marry up with this. I compared the ball we used in the 80's and 90's to the modern Kookaburra and the seam on the one we used is much higher than the latest version. Just holding both balls the modern version feels and looks terrible from a bowlers point of view. Anyway thats my view on it.