Cricket Thread: Ashes 2025-26 Pink Test

[spenze]

I'd honestly like us to cast an eye to the future with this test, probably could have with this one as well.

Uzzie is a tough one, the team is pretty blokey so I don't think he will get dropped but if he plays, hand up to retire. If it was up to me, though, thanks for your efforts but it is time.

Marnus needs to go, two years without a ton as a number 3 is too long, it is supposed to be the best bats position in the side and his efforts for too long have been underwhelming to say the least. I'd keep him on as 12th man though and rotate others off the ground like the Windies used to do with Roger Harper.

Green needs to go and get some confidence but...is there a point in having an allrounder in the side if they bowl **** all overs? The whole point I thought, was to give us the flexibility to not overbowl our front line but if they bowl one over for the match.

Weatherall, still not convinced on him but think he'd benefit from a right hand left hand opening combination, drop Heady down to 3rd drop for the match and bring in Kellaway to see how he goes in the step up

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I'd honestly like us to cast an eye to the future with this test, probably could have with this one as well.

Uzzie is a tough one, the team is pretty blokey so I don't think he will get dropped but if he plays, hand up to retire. If it was up to me, though, thanks for your efforts but it is time.

Marnus needs to go, two years without a ton as a number 3 is too long, it is supposed to be the best bats position in the side and his efforts for too long have been underwhelming to say the least. I'd keep him on as 12th man though and rotate others off the ground like the Windies used to do with Roger Harper.

Green needs to go and get some confidence but...is there a point in having an allrounder in the side if they bowl **** all overs? The whole point I thought, was to give us the flexibility to not overbowl our front line but if they bowl one over for the match.

Weatherall, still not convinced on him but think he'd benefit from a right hand left hand opening combination, drop Heady down to 3rd drop for the match and bring in Kellaway to see how he goes in the step up

It's a pity McSweeney is injured.

Ideally we drop Labuschagne, Khawaja & Green.... but we have conservative selectors who hate making forced changes until it's bleeding obvious.

 

[hugecannon]

For the next test I think they’ll be reasonably conservative:-

Out: Richardson/Neser & Green
In: Murphy & Webster

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Marnus makes top 3...

Out Of Form Australia Batter Sinks To 44-Year Low After Double MCG Failure

Marnus Labuschagne finished his year with a double failure at the MCG, leaving him with the lowest average for a top four Australia batter in a calendar year since 1981

www.wisden.com

 

[Vader]

Marnus makes top 3...

Out Of Form Australia Batter Sinks To 44-Year Low After Double MCG Failure

Marnus Labuschagne finished his year with a double failure at the MCG, leaving him with the lowest average for a top four Australia batter in a calendar year since 1981

www.wisden.com

Interesting to see Khawaja (2024) 7th and Warner (2023) 10th on the list. Says how reluctant our current selectors are to drop their mates, despite prolonged periods of seriously awful form.

It's often been said that it was harder to get out of the Australian team than it was to get in - rarely has this been truer than in the last 3 years, under the current batch of selectors.

 

[hugecannon]

The decline of Labuschange in the past 3 years has been staggering, not sure there’s really anyway back for him in the next few years.

Maybe a move down the order to 5-6 to take some pressure off, but that’s really at best a bandaid solution.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Murphy in for Neser/Richardson

Otherwise unchanged

Starc may have needed a breather if this test went the distance but not now

No test match until August so no rush to solve the batting & allrounder issues

 

[Vader]

Marnus makes top 3...

Out Of Form Australia Batter Sinks To 44-Year Low After Double MCG Failure

Marnus Labuschagne finished his year with a double failure at the MCG, leaving him with the lowest average for a top four Australia batter in a calendar year since 1981

www.wisden.com

Labuschagne averaged 20.84 in 2025.
Green average 21.42 in 2025.

Sources:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/marnus-labuschagne-787987/bowling-batting-stats
https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/cameron-green-1076713/bowling-batting-stats

The only reason Green doesn't appear on the Wisden list, right below Labuschagne at #4 on the Hall of Shame, is that he batted in a variety of positions, whereas the Wisden list is limited to players batting in positions 1-4.

The reality is that BOTH players should be dropped, and should have been dropped before the Melbourne test.

 

[Vader]

Here's the list of the Lowest Batting Average for a Calendar Year, subject to the following qualifications:

• Australian batsmen.
• Minimum 10 innings at positions 1-6 in the calendar year.
• Innings played since 1981.

https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/e...eam=2;template=results;type=batting;view=year

That's the same qualifications used in the Wisden article, but with the batting positions expanded from 1-4 to 1-6.

The WoaT comes in at #1 (2015), #4 (2024) and #12 (2018) on that list, which probably won't surprise anyone. In 2015 he averaged a pathetic 15.11, yet they continued to select him on a semi-regular basis for the next 9 years. Shane Watson (#15 and #17) is the only other player whose name appears multiple times in the top-20.

In 2025, Labuschagne has averaged 20.84, which ranks him 6th on the List of Shame. In the same period, Green has averaged 22.00, coming in at #9. Any criticisms aimed at Labuschagne should be equally aimed at Green. BOTH players have been absolutely dysmal for a long time now.

Carrying 2 players at the same time, who are both having "top 10 worst calendar year batting performances" at the same time, has created a tremendous drag on the team - and placed enormous pressure on those players who ARE actually performing.

 

[Vader]

To clarify my previous post...

I thought the Wisden article was overly restrictive, in limiting their results to only innings played at positions 1-4. I wanted to see how Green's 2025 calendar year figured in the bigger picture, hence expanding the search criteria to positions 1-6.

Getting the hits on Mitch Marsh (AKA the WoaT), proving that he was without a doubt the worst Australian batsman of the last 45 years, was an unexpected bonus.

Green batted at #7 in the Boxing Day test, so his innings in this Test are not included in the search results. Given his twin failures in Melbourne, his calendar year average would have been even lower if they had been included.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Team i would go for in the 5th Test...

1 Weatherald
2 Renshaw
3 Smith
4 Green
5 Head
6 Carey
7 Webster
8 Nesser
9 Starc
10 Murphy
11 Boland

One of Labuschagne or Green need to go. I'm thinking Marnus as Green should have a future if he can sort out his mental game. Imo, #4 is is best batting position.

Renshaw has been in good form this year (avwrages 70) & imo should have been playing the series. Reckon he has a better technical game than Weatherald... but we we need to find new opening options.

Head is our most important batsman & best at #5.

Webster should be already in the side & helps with bowling loads, given 2 quicks have played all Tests.

 

[Vader]

Team i would go for in the 5th Test...

1 Weatherald
2 Renshaw
3 Smith
4 Green
5 Head
6 Carey
7 Webster
8 Nesser
9 Starc
10 Murphy
11 Boland

One of Labuschagne or Green need to go. I'm thinking Marnus as Green should have a future if he can sort out his mental game. Imo, #4 is is best batting position.

Renshaw has been in good form this year (avwrages 70) & imo should have been playing the series. Reckon he has a better technical game than Weatherald... but we we need to find new opening options.

Head is our most important batsman & best at #5.

Webster should be already in the side & helps with bowling loads, given 2 quicks have played all Tests.

Can't agree with much of this at all. Smith at 3 is bad. Head is without a shadow of a doubt Australia's best opener, and middle order players are dime-a-dozen, so shuffling him down to #5 makes little sense. Webster & Green is one all-rounder too many, and the excess baggage is Green - who can go back and play BBL & Shield cricket until he sorts out his technique and mental problems.

Dropping Labuschagne from #3 creates problems. Moving Smith up isn't a good solution, nor is Green. I'm just not sure who IS a good solution. However, Labuschagne definitely NEEDS to be dropped, so we NEED to find a solution to the problem. McSweeney would be a good solution, except for the fact that he's injured. Maybe we just need to find out if Renshaw can bat at #3...

My team:
1. Head
2. Weatherald
3. Renshaw
4. Smith
5. Khawaja**
6. Carey
7. Webster
8. Neser
9. Starc
10. Murphy
11. Boland

** Khawaja is only selected on the basis that he announces his retirement and is given a farewell Test. No retirement = dropped like a hot potato, and replaced by a batsman not currently in the squad (i.e. not Inglis/Labuschagne/Green).

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Can't agree with much of this at all. Smith at 3 is bad. Head is without a shadow of a doubt Australia's best opener, and middle order players are dime-a-dozen, so shuffling him down to #5 makes little sense. Webster & Green is one all-rounder too many, and the excess baggage is Green - who can go back and play BBL & Shield cricket until he sorts out his technique and mental problems.

Dropping Labuschagne from #3 creates problems. Moving Smith up isn't a good solution, nor is Green. I'm just not sure who IS a good solution. However, Labuschagne definitely NEEDS to be dropped, so we NEED to find a solution to the problem. McSweeney would be a good solution, except for the fact that he's injured. Maybe we just need to find out if Renshaw can bat at #3...

My team:
1. Head
2. Weatherald
3. Renshaw
4. Smith
5. Khawaja**
6. Carey
7. Webster
8. Neser
9. Starc
10. Murphy
11. Boland

** Khawaja is only selected on the basis that he announces his retirement and is given a farewell Test. No retirement = dropped like a hot potato, and replaced by a batsman not currently in the squad (i.e. not Inglis/Labuschagne/Green).

Lol, I knew you wouldn't agree, but I'm thinking long term, whereas you are not!

Head is not the long term solution as an opener, so we need to find a new opener or 2.

Imo, Renshaw is the current best option, yet you bat him at #3.

Khawaja will no doubt play, but has no future.

BTW, Smith has successfully batted at #3. It's where he averages the most lol - 65! Do you even watch cricket?

We need to be thinking long-term & the last Test we should be using to find out a few answers.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

1st time sincd 1932 no batsman reached 50 in an Australian Test...

Not good look for groundsman or batsman.

Pitch gamble that sparked Test farce explained... and Aussies who could pay the price

Inside Aussie cricket’s MCG problem... and the decision that sparked $10m ‘joke’

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Vader]

Lol, I knew you wouldn't agree, but I'm thinking long term, whereas you are not!

Head is not the long term solution as an opener, so we need to find a new opener or 2.

Imo, Renshaw is the current best option, yet you bat him at #3.

Head is easily the best option. If you're dropping anyone for Renshaw then it has to be Weatherald. I agree that batting Renshaw at #3 may well be a case of square-peg-round-hole, but in the absence of McSweeney I'm not seeing any better options.

Renshaw is only 2 years younger than Head, so I'm not sure why you think Renshaw is a long-term option while Head is not.

I just can't see the selectors picking Renshaw while Border is still walking the planet. Renshaw's refusal to shit himself for Australia has seemingly marked his card for the duration of Border's lifetime. Border may not be a selector, but he still wields massive influence.

Khawaja will no doubt play, but has no future.

I'm only selecting him on the basis of this being a farewell game, with him retiring at the end of the match. No retirement = no selection.

BTW, Smith has successfully batted at #3. It's where he averages the most lol - 65! Do you even watch cricket?

Yes, he has had success at #3 - and #4, #5 and #7 (though curiously not at #6). I still think it's a bad solution though. Given the alternatives, it's far from the worst suggestion you've made though.

We need to be thinking long-term & the last Test we should be using to find out a few answers.

If that were really the case, then you would have nominated Kelleway instead of Renshaw.

If we're talking long-term, then we probably shouldn't be looking at Webster (32yo) either, and both of us named him in our teams.

 

[Vader]

1st time sincd 1932 no batsman reached 50 in an Australian Test...

Not good look for groundsman or batsman.

Pitch gamble that sparked Test farce explained... and Aussies who could pay the price

Inside Aussie cricket’s MCG problem... and the decision that sparked $10m ‘joke’

www.foxsports.com.au

Pitch should be graded as "poor"- as it was back in 2017, albeit for diametrically opposite reasons. At best it should be "unsatisfactory", but "poor" is a better reflection of the cricket it produced.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Head is easily the best option. If you're dropping anyone for Renshaw then it has to be Weatherald. I agree that batting Renshaw at #3 may well be a case of square-peg-round-hole, but in the absence of McSweeney I'm not seeing any better options.

Renshaw is only 2 years younger than Head, so I'm not sure why you think Renshaw is a long-term option while Head is not.

I just can't see the selectors picking Renshaw while Border is still walking the planet. Renshaw's refusal to shit himself for Australia has seemingly marked his card for the duration of Border's lifetime. Border may not be a selector, but he still wields massive influence.

I'm only selecting him on the basis of this being a farewell game, with him retiring at the end of the match. No retirement = no selection.

Yes, he has had success at #3 - and #4, #5 and #7 (though curiously not at #6). I still think it's a bad solution though. Given the alternatives, it's far from the worst suggestion you've made though.

If that were really the case, then you would have nominated Kelleway instead of Renshaw.

If we're talking long-term, then we probably shouldn't be looking at Webster (32yo) either, and both of us named him in our teams.

We have been through this before... yes, Head can open, but as our most valuable batsman he should bat in the position he will be of best value to Australia, which is #5. I have never said he was incapable of opening, but we are wasting him in that position in most conditions (sub continent is the exception).

So we need to find 2 openers. Renshaw imo is currently our best option (averages 70 this year). I'm not convinced by Weatherald, but he he deserves to see out the series. Kellaway likely a better option going forward, but only averages 32 for the season.

I have selected Green & Webster so we can see what the side is like with both in the side.

Think McSweeney is the next in for our middle order, so it's a buggar he is injured. Better option than Marnus.

 

[Vader]

We have been through this before... yes, Head can open, but as our most valuable batsman he should bat in the position he will be of best value to Australia, which is #5. I have never said he was incapable of opening, but we are wasting him in that position in most conditions (sub continent is the exception).

His most valuable position is opening. Middle order batsmen are dime-a-dozen, and we're desperately short of quality openers. We lose far more by batting him in the middle, with a dud opener, than we do by opening with Head and having a middle-of-the-road batsman in the middle order.

So we need to find 2 openers. Renshaw imo is currently our best option (averages 70 this year). I'm not convinced by Weatherald, but he he deserves to see out the series. Kellaway likely a better option going forward, but only averages 32 for the season.

I don't disagree with you about Renshaw being a good option. In all honesty, he should probably be playing instead of Weatherald, who has mostly underwhelmed. The problem is that his refusal to shit himself for Australia has seen his cards marked, at least until Allan Border kicks the bucket.

I have selected Green & Webster so we can see what the side is like with both in the side.

I just don't see any reason to select Green, whose performances in 2025 have been only marginally less woeful than Labuschagne's. We're not talking "better", as there is little good about Green's 2025 output - we're just talking marginally less awful.

There is only room for 1 all-rounder in the team, and that position has to go to Webster, given Green's woeful form. Dropping Green gives us space in the side for another batsman - I'm going with Khawaja's farewell, but I would happily select another Shield batsman in this space.

Green is relatively young, and should be able to force his way back into the team in the future - provided he can fix his significant technical deficiencies and the gremlins inside his head. But for now, there is no longer any place for him in the Australian Test Team.

Think McSweeney is the next in for our middle order, so it's a buggar he is injured. Better option than Marnus.

On this, we are in complete agreement.

 

[1970crow]

It wasn't an easy pitch, but I didn't think it was that unplayable. Many of our dismissals (and England in the first innings) were the result of either very poor technique or batting shots. Green, Khawaja, Carey x2 and Weatherald's were especially bad.

It seems that a lot of modern batsmen look out of their depth when they're up against a pitch with a blade of grass whereas I'm confident the likes of prime Waugh, Hayden, Langer and Vaughan would've made decent scores on this pitch.

Barely watched a ball, but what I’m reading seems perfectly aligned with the newer generations. No grit or effort to work their way through something that’s tough. If it’s too hard, I’ll just get out and watch from the air conditioning and someone else can sort it out for me.

 

[1970crow]

Can someone explain exactly what the extra grass does?
Do it just keep the ball in tact longer?
Honestly can’t see what difference a few mm would make.

Always thought it was about moisture.

 

[Cromulant]

Just because you keep saying "middle order batsmen are dime a dozen" it doesnt make it true.

 

[Interloperer]

The MCG pitch has been "bad" in some way for as long as I've been alive. The original MCG used to crumble by day 3/4/5 in the way many pitches do.

The first gen drop-in pitch setup was the opposite extreme, and produced flat tennis-ball'esque pitches that led to inevitable draws

And the current one is like a faster, bouncier WACA, with more lateral movement. Unless its tamed within an inch of its life by the ground staff.

I mentally countered this with the thought that the curators would never have turned out a wicket like this if Warne was still part of Australia's attack.

When Warne was returning from his shoulder surgery, they produced an MCG pitch that was so spin-friendly that Australia picked 3 spinners.

Warne may not have made the XI behind Stuart MacGill and Colin Miller without this.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Why didn't anyone ask them the tough question?

Page keeps claiming he made the same preparations as last year's pitch, yet added another 3 mm of grass compared to last year's 7mm.

That is NOT the same!

Whoops... only a $10M mistake & ****ing it up as a spectacle.

But great, he has learnt his lesson... is this a bit like Nicks learning his lessons?

Inside the 21-minute grilling of the MCG curator and his boss

When MCG curator Matt Page and MCC chief executive Stuart Fox emerged from gate two of the empty coliseum on Sunday, their slow walk towards dozens of journalists said it all.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Interesting comments by Kim Hughes on Green... definitely a mental issue imo.

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/12/28/special-way-for-him-to-go-out-legend-says-scg-test-ideal-swansong-for-khawaja-as-pressure-mounts-on-misfiring-batters/

 

[Cromulant]

Interesting comments by Kim Hughes on Green... definitely a mental issue imo.

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/12/28/special-way-for-him-to-go-out-legend-says-scg-test-ideal-swansong-for-khawaja-as-pressure-mounts-on-misfiring-batters/

Seems to be, which is odd because they've backed him to the max like very few youngster before him.

I wonder if they've concentrated so hard on his technical issues that they've played with his mindset to a point he overthinks it.

Definitely doesnt look to be playing with any freedom.