Australia v Sri Lanka; 2nd Test @ Manuka Oval Feb 1-5.

[Woody15]

All this talk of Burns not being good enough for England, well he may not be. And regardless of his 180 in this test against whatever opposition, the reality remains that he has been shafted by the selectors time and time again, yet continues to average higher than most in Shield cricket. He also has three other test centuries, STILL more than Harris, Bancroft and Renshaw (the other openers many would prefer) combined in LESS tests. He also top scored in the last SA test despite no preparation whatsoever. I mean come on, he isn't an all time great but give the bloke a chance, he's earned that!

Completely agree. Has absolutely earned it.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

Burns and Harris would have to both be a big worry against good swing bowling in England. Each plants the front foot predictably and away from the length of the ball. I would love to bowl to them.

If Warner is back, I would play Patterson as an opener in front of anyone else.

But who else is there to pick from? We don’t have a plethora of batsman waiting in the wings to take on the English swing. Warner will need to open with Harris or Burns. Patterson won’t be opening, the highest I’d bat him is at 4 but that’s Smith’s spot. Head at 5, Patterson at 6. Id be putting Khawaja, Burns or Harris at 3.

We are a fifth ranked test nation so our depth is pretty cheap right now. We can create a pretty decent side when Smith & Warner are back, but I think at an absolute minimum Burns plays and one of Harris or Khawaja opens with Warner and the other is dropped. Renshaw May even be given a chance.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

The only way I'd even consider Stoinis is if we play Pattinson. Pattison is fast, brilliant but brittle.

Even then Stoinis would have to have some decent form.

There are about 4 other blokes I’d pick to bowl over Stoinis.

Pattinson
Tremain
Worrall
Boland

 

[Jimthegreat]

Only need him to do a Harris and be fit for two to three months for the Ashes. I've seen a lot of bowlers live but no one has ever looked as seriously intimidating as Pattinson, except Johnson a few years ago. High praise sure but he is that good when he is fit.

Yes, that's what I think too. i have Pattinson, Cummins and Richardson as my quicks in England. Just hope Pattinson is fit.

 

[Jimthegreat]

There are about 4 other blokes I’d pick to bowl over Stoinis.

Pattinson
Tremain
Worrall
Boland

I had Pattinson in the team. That was the point of my post. I just had given Stonis possibly in the team, i mean possibly, in case Pattinson got injured during the game. Doesn't leave us short on bowlers. I'd prefer not to pick him though so it would still depend on form. Don't want another mitch Marsh in there. Those other 3 guys don't bat at 6.

 

[Park cricketer]

I first saw Pattinson in the India series in 2011 when he demolished our lot. His aggression and confidence at such a young age stood out to me. I thought he was the next big thing in Australian cricket after that.

Sad to see his career has been marred by injuries and hasn't turned out that way 7 years later. To be fair, I have a bad track record of predicting greats. I also thought Shaun Marsh and Callum Ferguson would go on to become Australian greats when I first saw them.

 

[swanssince2002]

If Pattinson can live up to his potential we saw about 8 years ago it would be one of the greatest comebacks in cricket. Can be a batting all rounder as well. Only 28 as well so there’s still time.

 

[Jimthegreat]

If Pattinson can live up to his potential we saw about 8 years ago it would be one of the greatest comebacks in cricket. Can be a batting all rounder as well. Only 28 as well so there’s still time.

Cummins did it so hopefully Pattinson can too. In his County stint in 2017 he averaged 12 or 15, it was one of them, with the ball and 49 with the bat. Only upside of being injured often, you get to really hone your batting.

 

[Sproj]

If fit, this is definitely an Ashes capable winning side, thanks to this SL series, the stats all potentially look good too haha:

1. Warner (lhb) (average 48)
2. Burns (rhb) (average 40ish)
3. Patterson (lhb) (average 100+)
4. Smith (rhb) (average 60+)
5. Head (lhb) (average 45ish)
6. Stoinis (on debut and yes this will cop flak, fairly too to be honest)
7. Paine (average 35ish)
8. Pattinson (express, controlled and the enforcer)
9. Cummins (the guy with the ability to create something from nothing)
10. Richardson (the guy who is the key to the attack - smart, multifaceted and mature beyond his experience)
11. Lyon (genuine trump card between the two attacks)

Plus the 8-10 are genuinely good bowling all rounders and Lyon at 11 is no mug either.

 

[The Convert]

Whoever was talking before about Starc emulating Johnson is spot on.. needs to forget trying to swing it and just bowl aggressive fast and straight. His shocking line comes from him allowing for the ball to swing and he majority of the time it never does..

Spot on. Ball has done nothing

 

[Len Nicodemo]

Cummins did it so hopefully Pattinson can too. In his County stint in 2017 he averaged 12 or 15, it was one of them, with the ball and 49 with the bat. Only upside of being injured often, you get to really hone your batting.

A fit Pattinson walks into our test team right now. I’d honestly been dropping Starc if Pattinson is fit and keeping Richardson in over Hazelwood. There’s something about Hazelwood I am not eating right now, he just doesn’t seem to be getting anything happening and once that ball wears down he is bowling at average levels.

There are however serious question marks over Pattinson and his body, his recent county stint however was electric. He is an absolute match winner.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

If fit, this is definitely an Ashes capable winning side, thanks to this SL series, the stats all potentially look good too haha:

1. Warner (lhb) (average 48)
2. Burns (rhb) (average 40ish)
3. Patterson (lhb) (average 100+)
4. Smith (rhb) (average 60+)
5. Head (lhb) (average 45ish)
6. Stoinis (on debut and yes this will cop flak, fairly too to be honest)
7. Paine (average 35ish)
8. Pattinson (express, controlled and the enforcer)
9. Cummins (the guy with the ability to create something from nothing)
10. Richardson (the guy who is the key to the attack - smart, multifaceted and mature beyond his experience)
11. Lyon (genuine trump card between the two attacks)

Plus the 8-10 are genuinely good bowling all rounders and Lyon at 11 is no mug either.

We absolutely can’t take an all rounder over there. We need all the runs we can get from our top 6. This fascination with an all rounder is mind boggling. You don’t pick them unless they are really really good. I am talking Kallis, Flintoff, Cairns, Stokes good.

If you’re putting Stoinis in then there is 3 blokes that should come before him;
Wade
Maxwell
Pucovski

 

[Len Nicodemo]

Whoever was talking before about Starc emulating Johnson is spot on.. needs to forget trying to swing it and just bowl aggressive fast and straight. His shocking line comes from him allowing for the ball to swing and he majority of the time it never does..

Great call mate. The one thing he isn’t using right now is his most obvious weapon, an ability to bowl 150. Time to bowl fast, short, Yorkers and body line

 

[to1994]

If fit, this is definitely an Ashes capable winning side, thanks to this SL series, the stats all potentially look good too haha:

1. Warner (lhb) (average 48)
2. Burns (rhb) (average 40ish)
3. Patterson (lhb) (average 100+)
4. Smith (rhb) (average 60+)
5. Head (lhb) (average 45ish)
6. Stoinis (on debut and yes this will cop flak, fairly too to be honest)
7. Paine (average 35ish)
8. Pattinson (express, controlled and the enforcer)
9. Cummins (the guy with the ability to create something from nothing)
10. Richardson (the guy who is the key to the attack - smart, multifaceted and mature beyond his experience)
11. Lyon (genuine trump card between the two attacks)

Plus the 8-10 are genuinely good bowling all rounders and Lyon at 11 is no mug either.

A top 6 with Burns opening and Stoinis is not a side that will win away from home anywhere, let alone England.

You're just looking at stats, anyone who has actually watched Burns and watched how England succeed IN England know he's not up to it. Don't you find it odd that he's scored Shield runs etc. and yet was ignored for both the UAE and India? It's because the selectors saw enough of him and knew he wasn't going to be up to it against good bowling.

It might have looked harsh when he was first dropped as an average in the high 30s might look solid enough to work with, but they looked beyond that and saw a player who is not going to succeed except on roads or against poor bowling. Nothing has changed.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

Starc cashing in with late junktime wickets again.

They are 3 down....

 

[Len Nicodemo]

A top 6 with Burns opening and Stoinis is not a side that will win away from home anywhere, let alone England.

You're just looking at stats, anyone who has actually watched Burns and watched how England succeed IN England know he's not up to it. Don't you find it odd that he's scored Shield runs etc. and yet was ignored for both the UAE and India? It's because the selectors saw enough of him and knew he wasn't going to be up to it against good bowling.

It might have looked harsh when he was first dropped as an average in the high 30s might look solid enough to work with, but they looked beyond that and saw a player who is not going to succeed except on roads or against poor bowling. Nothing has changed.

Do we consider Renshaw?

 

[The Convert]

Do we consider Renshaw?

He needs runs in shield

 

[Jimthegreat]

We absolutely can’t take an all rounder over there. We need all the runs we can get from our top 6. This fascination with an all rounder is mind boggling. You don’t pick them unless they are really really good. I am talking Kallis, Flintoff, Cairns, Stokes good.

If you’re putting Stoinis in then there is 3 blokes that should come before him;
Wade
Maxwell
Pucovski

Stoinis will tour, make no mistake about that. Actually playing might be a different matter though. Only a suggestion if Pattinson plays as cover for his brittle body. Don't want to be down to 3 bowlers, especially as a number of Tests are back to back.

If you play Pattinson you'd probably have to back his fitness though. I'd prefer the 6 batsmen myself.

 

[PT Bar None]

Y'all know at least one of Stoinis and Mitch Marsh will be in the Ashes squad, yeah? Junkies gotta junkie

 

[The Convert]

Y'all know at least one of Stoinis and Mitch Marsh will be in the Ashes squad, yeah? Junkies gotta junkie

Stoinis please

 

[Jimthegreat]

Y'all know at least one of Stoinis and Mitch Marsh will be in the Ashes squad, yeah? Junkies gotta junkie

We'll take one all rounder on Tour, no doubt. Probably Stoinis. That's fair enough. You have to have your options. Actually playing though might be an entirely different matter.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

Pattinson will never be fit for long enough. What a waste.

 

[Wedge McManus]

Whatever happened to big billy stanlake? A couple of years ago he was god's gift to bowling. Insanely tall, super fast, devastating Yorker. Great bouncer. Now he looks cooked. Wtf happened??? Did David Saker ruin him??

 

[Park cricketer]

Whatever happened to big billy stanlake? A couple of years ago he was god's gift to bowling. Insanely tall, super fast, devastating Yorker. Great bouncer. Now he looks cooked. Wtf happened??? Did David Saker ruin him??

Big Billy never had the fitness for test cricket. Would also be a liability in the field.

A bit like that 7 foot giant from Pakistan, M. Irfan.

 

[The Convert]

Whatever happened to big billy stanlake? A couple of years ago he was god's gift to bowling. Insanely tall, super fast, devastating Yorker. Great bouncer. Now he looks cooked. Wtf happened??? Did David Saker ruin him??

T20 took another life