Test The Ashes Fourth Test December 26-30 1000hrs @ The MCG

[Golumless]

Also McSweeney is injured iirc

Ah, poor timing. Still, I was just picking someone whose on the cusp and in that next generation (albeit, it's looking like a lost one)

 

[jb04]

If you're looking for a laugh this Christmas Eve, this take down of Rob Key and the entire English cricket setup (complete with a contrast and compare with Spinal Tap no less) will probably scratch that itch:

English cricket meets Spinal Tap as Rob Key delivers latest Ashes autopsy | Barney Ronay

The England men’s cricket MD offered a postmortem that didn’t address the nuts and bolts of the system he manages

www.theguardian.com

Far out!

"In Rob Key the ECB hired the perfect person to explain the mistakes of Rob Key. This was his moment to execute."
"And buried in the filibuster, peeping out like rabbits in the tree line, there were some genuine admissions of fault."

 

[CakeEater]

Video apparently circulating of Ben Duckett in Noosa so drunk he can’t find his way back to the hotel . . .

Well its a fair walk to Gnomeville in Wa from.Noosa

 

[HBF]

He'd be lucky if England paid his air fare home.

Only 3 hours away from NZ.
Just sayin'

 

[Pistol Night]

Only 3 hours away from NZ.
Just sayin'

They no longer regard him as a NZ resident

 

[Bedi]

Dude averages ~20-30 as an opener in the last two years. In that role, Uzzie is done.

Still, we saw at Adelaide that there may be more to squeeze from him at number 5-7, if he's coming in with the pace of the game blunted. Of course, why Uzzie over say, McSweeney is a fair question unless you believe Khawaja is a fair bit better technically/mentally (and in which case, it's England, future be damned).

So by that logic i assume you didn't have Khawaja in your team for the 1st test? In which case who were your two openers?

 

[Pistol Night]

Video apparently circulating of Ben Duckett in Noosa so drunk he can’t find his way back to the hotel . . .

Seen that. Absolutely shit faced. I have new found respect for Duckett and hope he tons up on Boxing Day. How Australian can you get being blind at Noosa and forgetting where your hotel room is. My heart was swollen with pride

 

[Bedi]

Seen that. Absolutely shit faced. I have new found respect for Duckett and hope he tons up on Boxing Day. How Australian can you get being blind at Noosa and forgetting where your hotel room is. My heart was swollen with pride

My takeaway is that you'd have to be bit of a scumbag to circulate that to the media. Oh well, guess that's just the age we live in

 

[Pistol Night]

My takeaway is that you'd have to be bit of a scumbag to circulate that to the media. Oh well, guess that's just the age we live in

Yeah i hate that sort of shit. Bit like blokes racking up and filming their mates and circulating it. Why? No good can come of it. Idiots

 

[HBF]

They no longer regard him as a NZ resident

Perhaps a new gig as a Noosa tourism spokesperson.....???

 

[Spirit Level]

Given the English like doing everything but playing cricket perhaps we could give them a list of things to do while in Melbourne

Revs

 

[BGman]

Given the English like doing everything but playing cricket perhaps we could give them a list of things to do while in Melbourne

Do you have any Noosa like spots. They seem to prefer those to Test prep.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Revs

Keep Ben Duckett away

 

[bluespooner]

lol....Hardie ...you been reading my posts ...he has fallen downhill badly white ball stuffed him up needs some years in the shield.....and Connolly isn't ready yet for test cricket

Nah its not a west Aussie thing obviously a Vic thing with Macca coach and Dods a victorian selectors and the ground for Murphy to get picked

Rocco is the better spinner for me in Aussie Conditions dont care what anyone says and you can't convince me otherwise

Totally agree. Flights the ball beautifully and is capable with the bat. Should have been picked.

 

[Pistol Night]

Perhaps a new gig as a Noosa tourism spokesperson.....???

Noosa - "Beautiful one day, where the ****s my hotel room? the next"

 

[Golumless]

So by that logic i assume you didn't have Khawaja in your team for the 1st test? In which case who were your two openers?

Come day 1 of the first test, Head wasn't considered an opener (and with that, whatever suggested then is irrelevant). Now he is, and should be for the next phase of his career. With that change, I see no point sticking with a 39 year old whose form had fallen off a cliff as a no.2; seeing the thing we were clinging too was Khawaja's experience. Especially now Uzzie made runs at 4 when the new ball was blunted.

Much like Head, you ride the hot hand, and Uzzie made the case that 4-5 is his spot to finish up in.

 

[ams4crows]

If Smith has another vertigo episode just before the game who will be captain? Travis Head?

 

[Pistol Night]

If Smith has another vertigo episode just before the game who will be captain? Travis Head?

Trav or Carey? I reckon Kez would handle it with aplomb

 

[Speck]

Come day 1 of the first test, Head wasn't considered an opener (and with that, whatever suggested then is irrelevant). Now he is, and should be for the next phase of his career. With that change, I see no point sticking with a 39 year old whose form had fallen off a cliff as a no.2; seeing the thing we were clinging too was Khawaja's experience. Especially now Uzzie made runs at 4 when the new ball was blunted.

Much like Head, you ride the hot hand, and Uzzie made the case that 4-5 is his spot to finish up in.

Khawaja at 5 finishing up in Sydney is perfect, it then allows us to bring through McSweeney or someone else in the middle order before they are required to move up to 3/4 as form improves.

Heads time at number 5 is over. He solves a big problem for us opening.

 

[MarcMaverick]

They no longer regard him as a NZ resident

Ok, Cook Is.

 

[Bedi]

Come day 1 of the first test, Head wasn't considered an opener (and with that, whatever suggested then is irrelevant). Now he is, and should be for the next phase of his career. With that change, I see no point sticking with a 39 year old whose form had fallen off a cliff as a no.2; seeing the thing we were clinging too was Khawaja's experience. Especially now Uzzie made runs at 4 when the new ball was blunted.

Much like Head, you ride the hot hand, and Uzzie made the case that 4-5 is his spot to finish up in.

Usman will bat at 5 or he wont play at all.

But my point is that I reckon most people had Uzzie opening the 1st test, and nothing really has changed since other than him getting injured. Weatherald played that one cracking innings - but one knock out of six innings is what i call being on shaky ground. In fact he's been average otherwise. So personally if i had to pick between him and Uzzie, i'd be sticking with the more experienced option and freeing up another spot in the middle

 

[Bedi]

Khawaja at 5 finishing up in Sydney is perfect, it then allows us to bring through McSweeney or someone else in the middle order before they are required to move up to 3/4 as form improves.

Heads time at number 5 is over. He solves a big problem for us opening.

it's the bloke at the other end we're still trying to find i reckon. I have zero confidence in Renshaw, so Weatherald it is for now

 

[Art Vandelay_]

They took them off when it mattered Art.

On the field.

Thus proving his eternal floggery must be from hokball. I knew it was institutionalised floggery!

 

[Rocco sifreddi]

Just when Englands tour cant get any worse
Ben Duckett, hold my beer, literally.

 

[Pistol Night]

Just when Englands tour cant get any worse
Ben Duckett, hold my beer, literally.

I dont think he let any campaigner near his beer to be fair