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

[to1994]

I never understand this desire amongst so many supporters to bring down their own players.

Burns - 100 and over 40 average despite being in and out more times than John Farnham farewell tours - nah fails away from home, dodgy technique, Renshaw/Harris/Bancroft/carbon rod all better (let’s just forget his work in NZ and Joberg).

Khawaja - The most elegant bat Australia has and one of three world class players who finally gets the monkey off his back with a ton - nah should have failed so he could be dropped (let’s forget the important innings he has played over his career and said elegance).

Labowlingshayne - rubbish, is a better bowler than batter, nowhere near ready - has a noice technique, needs a run to show what’s he’s got (so forget performance, he should do well in the Ashes)

Head - (and I’m guilty here too) a knack for getting out after starts, very promising but not there yet - play Wade or Maxwell instead (forget the fact that after playing Pakistan in the UAE, India and SL now averages 50 going into an Ashes series)

Starc - blows tails away, picks up wickets even out of form - nah bowls pies, only picks up ‘junk time’ wickets, will be no good in England (forget that England’s strength is actually their lower order batting and the fact Starc has the ability to take wickets in clumps)

Seems supporters don’t like to see their team, you know, do well.

Or maybe the supporters are interested in seeing the TEAM perform well rather then barrack for individual players. The Ashes is a far different animal to a home summer against Sri Lanka, given we haven't won a series there since 2001 you don't think perhaps a different method of thinking is necessary?

 

[Sproj]

Or maybe the supporters are interested in seeing the TEAM perform well rather then barrack for individual players. The Ashes is a far different animal to a home summer against Sri Lanka, given we haven't won a series there since 2001 you don't think perhaps a different method of thinking is necessary?

Yes, one where the actual players who have performed get given a chance before being written off for pereceived weakness.

There is way too much focus on a beautiful technique between CA selectors and fans alike.

Give me a side with Burns in it over a side with Harris/Labalababala anyday. Proven runs and centuries mean more to me than a pretty technique but nothing of substance.

 

[to1994]

Yes, one where the actual players who have performed get given a chance before being written off for pereceived weakness.

There is way too much focus on a beautiful technique between CA selectors and fans alike.

Give me a side with Burns in it over a side with Harris/Labalababala anyday. Proven runs and centuries mean more to me than a pretty technique but nothing of substance.

I'm really confused. One minute you're angry people are bringing down their own players, next minute you're mocking Labuschagne and don't want him near the side? I guess what you mean is there's certain players you want in and you're annoyed that a lot of fans don't agree?

My issues with Burns stem from the fact we've seen him open the batting in different conditions and I don't think he's suited for it at international level. On a road or against weak bowling, sure it's not going to be a big deal but in a high pressure setting against the best operators in the world I either don't want him there, or at least down the order. Can we stop pretending he dismantled Boult and Southee on a green seamer? He scored runs against them on one of the flattest wickets I've seen New Zealand produce.

Now that being said, I agree he's been good in the Shield and the cupboard is bare. All I want to see is for the selectors make a tough decision instead of doing what they ALWAYS do and follow their "don't change a winning team" mantra which has cost us big time since at least 2013. I think most of us can agree that when Matt Renshaw was in form he looked the part and like someone who could have success in most conditions, if he can put it together in the remaining Shield games or even Bancroft, I think they'd be far better suited in England then Burns at the top of the order. Not opposed to Burns, but let's not do what we did to Aaron Finch and throw him in as opener to set him up to fail, he'll have better success over there at 5/6. That to me is the best option if he continues to get runs in the Shield.

 

[Skeppersap]

Did I touch a nerve?

Bloke is meant to be our batting anchor in Smith and Warner's absence - does nothing. At all. In the tests that matter.

Then last innings of the summer, when we are 400 runs up, no pressure at all, he scores a century that's literally meaningless.

Bloke's shit when it counts. Do you think he'll be any use in England at all?

His "thanks to my wife for all the support" after a century against a complete minnow is embarrassing too. Don't make a big deal of it when you're minnow-bashing, just do the deed and move on and save yourself for England.

Did you miss his 100 against Pakistan that saved a test in asia where Australians struggle? It really want that long ago....

Was that minnow bashing?

 

[Topkent]

Here's my problem with this match, instead of heading to England in crisis and forcing our out of form players to play shield cricket we are now gonna head there thinking we are in great form looking at averages and the fact that our blokes scored 100s just before we left.
Khawaja and Starc will head off to play one dayers despite playing one good inning each in 12 this summer

I don't think this test match should count for anything when it comes to selecting the ashes squad but no doubt it will.

 

[Steinfreo]

Thank God Kawaja made some runs. Looked totally cooked the whole summer. Hes still a massive worry, hopefully he builds. Still only 31.

 

[frankrizzo]

Here's my problem with this match, instead of heading to England in crisis and forcing our out of form players to play shield cricket we are now gonna head there thinking we are in great form looking at averages and the fact that our blokes scored 100s just before we left.
Khawaja and Starc will head off to play one dayers despite playing one good inning each in 12 this summer

I don't think this test match should count for anything when it comes to selecting the ashes squad but no doubt it will.

What do shield runs tell us anyway?

Burns has been a consistent shield performer he came in scored a test ton and now people are panicking about him making the ashes side so they clearly feel shield runs mean very little when it comes to games in england.

Some people jusy seem upset that we aren't getting smashed again but how would getting beaten by sl help us figure out who can make runs in england?

Ussie fails here and goes and makes shield runs people would just say yeah but he failed in the test summer so who cares.

Just enjoy these games because no matter who we pick we do not have the batting to compete in england vs those bowlers.

 

[Topkent]

What do shield runs tell us anyway?

Burns has been a consistent shield performer he came in scored a test ton and now people are panicking about him making the ashes side.

Some people jusy seem upset that we aren't getting smashed again but how would getting beaten by sl help us figure out who can make runs in england?

Just enjoy these games because no matter who we pick we do not have the batting to handle English conditions, this could be our only joy till the next home summer so stop getting upset that the players didn't fail for once and just take a rare series win and enjoy it while it lasts.

Oh dear...
Shield runs are the basis of everyone's careers, they are extremely important

You completely ignored the main point of my post.
Burns, Harris, Labush, Head, Patterson will all play FC cricket anyway but if they fail in the back half of the shield then these 100s shouldn't mean shit

What I'm more concerned about is selectors thinking Khawaja and Starc are now in form and sending them on the ODI tour missing first class cricket they desperately need

 

[frankrizzo]

Starc has been rested from a fair few odi games lately though, khawaja is a tough one as the world cup is so close and he is nowhere near a sure thing for the wc squad.

Would you leave him out of any odi games and still pick him for the wc?

He is probably on the outside looking in with the world cup squad so if they leave him out of our next odi series they are really dumping him for the wc squad as well, I would rather he played shield but it's a tough sell to deny a senior player the chance to earn a wc spot.

 

[frankrizzo]

Oh dear...
Shield runs are the basis of everyone's careers, they are extremely important

Of course, I figured my follow up point about people disrespecting a consistent domestic performer in burns would show I was being sarcastic.

If the ashes squad is based on shield runs nobody should have any issue with burns in the side.

 

[Topkent]

Of course, I figured my follow up point about people disrespecting a consistent domestic performer in burns would show I was being sarcastic.

If the ashes squad is based on shield runs nobody should have any issue with burns in the side.

I agree with that, he's been the most consistent opener in Australian cricket in the last 12 months and no one else is really close.

I think we should play a top 3 of Warner Burns and Renshaw

 

[frankrizzo]

I would have liked to have seen renshaw in england but it's tough to see how he even makes the squad now, you would think they will just go with harris burns warner as the potential openers, I think there are three rounds of shield left i guess renshaw would have to score a couple of tons to squeeze into the squad but if harris has a solid three rounds himself that would squeeze renshaw out anyway.

 

[Topkent]

I would have liked to have seen renshaw in england but it's tough to see how he even makes the squad now, you would think they will just go with harris burns warner as the potential openers, I think there are three rounds of shield left i guess renshaw would have to score a couple of tons to squeeze into the squad but if harris has a solid three rounds himself that would squeeze renshaw out anyway.

Is Renshaw playing county cricket again? He might have ~10 games to show something. In form he's no where near it but he averaged over 50 in his county stint last time. We just have to find a way to get him into form.
You need a dour opener in England who can leave the ball and protect the middle order.
If Harris wants to tour he needs to play the last 4 shield games without playing wide outside off. I'd want to see that he can be disciplined enough or the English will eat him alive in the gully point region

 

[frankrizzo]

Must admit i forgot how late the ashes are starting because of the WC, guess any aussie playing county will get a decent chance to prove their case.

Not sure if the ECB will be trying to discourage counties from signing aussie test prospects for that summer.

 

[Topkent]

Must admit i forgot how late the ashes are starting because of the WC, guess any aussie playing county will get a decent chance to prove their case.

Not sure if the ECB will be trying to discourage counties from signing aussie test prospects for that summer.

Don't think they've ever done that before? Think Rogers played county before an ashes series. Remember reading there's only 5 or so open spots for internationals anyway.

 

[frankrizzo]

Apparently bancroft has signed with Durham so i guess if he had a good finish to the shield season and then made county runs that would be another opener in the mix.

Going to be intresting if they all find form as warner would really have to show his form through world cup games and not first class matches.

 

[Kappa]

Apparently bancroft has signed with Durham so i guess if he had a good finish to the shield season and then made county runs that would be another opener in the mix.

Going to be intresting if they all find form as warner would really have to show his form through world cup games and not first class matches.

After all the shit Bancroft has talked publicly I really don't see how he could open with Warner, and Warner is definitely our best opener.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

After all the shit Bancroft has talked publicly I really don't see how he could open with Warner, and Warner is definitely our best opener.

On the other hand, if Bancroft does well at Chester Le Street, it means he's really got a handle on English conditions. Not that I'd expect that he will, bowlers love it up there.

 

[Topkent]

All 3 should be entitled to fresh starts but Bancroft an Smith have been pretty pathetic in the media.
Smith doing that ad was a joke, he should have shut his mouth and concentrated on earning respect back not asking for it in a commercial

 

[Blue1980]

Don't think they've ever done that before? Think Rogers played county before an ashes series. Remember reading there's only 5 or so open spots for internationals anyway.

We have an Australia a tour going on concurrently to the World Cup. Then we have the Australia v Australia A 5 day game in Southampton before the first test.

So even if guys aren’t playing county cricket they still have the A team tour.

As for the squad, I think we will just pick a mix of certainties and whoever is in form come the first test.

 

[Topkent]

We have an Australia a tour going on concurrently to the World Cup. Then we have the Australia v Australia A 5 day game in Southampton before the first test.

So even if guys aren’t playing county cricket they still have the A team tour.

As for the squad, I think we will just pick a mix of certainties and whoever is in form come the first test.

Not my certainties necessarily but who I think is certain to be picked in the 18 man squad are
Warner
Burns
Khawaja
Smith
Head
Patterson

Stoinis

Paine

Lyon
Starc
Cummins
Hazlewood
Richardson

So that's 13 certainties. Then IMO they pick another 2 batters, 1 allrounder 1 keeper and 1 bowler (spin)

I'd think Labush probably makes it as an 'allrounder' an then I have no idea.

Exciting if we pick Pope as the back up spinner knowing he probably doesn't play and Pucovski as a spare bat as the same thing

 

[Moonwatcher]

All 3 should be entitled to fresh starts but Bancroft and Smith have been pretty pathetic in the media.
Smith doing that ad was a joke, he should have shut his mouth and concentrated on earning respect back not asking for it in a commercial

I'd imagine that the suspension gave his sponsors significant leverage on him, particularly in regards to existing contracts.

 

[Skeppersap]

All 3 should be entitled to fresh starts but Bancroft an Smith have been pretty pathetic in the media.
Smith doing that ad was a joke, he should have shut his mouth and concentrated on earning respect back not asking for it in a commercial

And Warner wasn't pathetic for walking off in a club match, then his wife coming out on tv and lying about how the sledging had been personal?

Warner is a disgrace to the country!

 

[PhatBoy]

As meaningless as it was in the context of the match and series, I can see Kjawaja’s innings doing him the world of good as he obviously played a whole heap of nice shots and found some form.

But I don’t personally think anything has really changed for Starc. He’ll be more confident maybe (mind you he’s probably got his iPod stacked with grabs of Alyssa Healy telling him how well he’s bowling) but I didn’t really see a lot that was especially impressive by comparison to some of his past efforts.

 

[Sproj]

I'm really confused. One minute you're angry people are bringing down their own players, next minute you're mocking Labuschagne and don't want him near the side? I guess what you mean is there's certain players you want in and you're annoyed that a lot of fans don't agree?

My issues with Burns stem from the fact we've seen him open the batting in different conditions and I don't think he's suited for it at international level. On a road or against weak bowling, sure it's not going to be a big deal but in a high pressure setting against the best operators in the world I either don't want him there, or at least down the order. Can we stop pretending he dismantled Boult and Southee on a green seamer? He scored runs against them on one of the flattest wickets I've seen New Zealand produce.

Now that being said, I agree he's been good in the Shield and the cupboard is bare. All I want to see is for the selectors make a tough decision instead of doing what they ALWAYS do and follow their "don't change a winning team" mantra which has cost us big time since at least 2013. I think most of us can agree that when Matt Renshaw was in form he looked the part and like someone who could have success in most conditions, if he can put it together in the remaining Shield games or even Bancroft, I think they'd be far better suited in England then Burns at the top of the order. Not opposed to Burns, but let's not do what we did to Aaron Finch and throw him in as opener to set him up to fail, he'll have better success over there at 5/6. That to me is the best option if he continues to get runs in the Shield.

To be honest, I actually don’t think we are that far apart in our thinking, just wording things quite strongly.

I just think Burns has earned a right to be given a Harris/Bancroft style run. He has a big technical flaw outsid off stump but he scores runs and he gets them regularly. He also has 4 test centuries. This means he can get runs at the highest level. It doesn’t mean he will do well in England I agree.

Harris has a beautiful technique and looks a million dollars until he plays a lose shot and gets caught, which he does every single innings, usually for not that much. To me, this is a bigger problem than Burns because Harris really hasn’t shown anywhere near as much in terms of performance.

Labingle shouldn’t have been picked in the first place and hasn’t shown anything in terms of performance since to justify the gamble. He is clearly being picked on his bowling, like M.Marsh before him.

I also agree if in form, Renshaw is the best option. Unfortunately, he has been stunted by the selectors. Time will tell if he recovers from that but we all hope he does.

Bancroft is meh. If he wasn’t involved in the SA fiasco, he would have been lucky not to have been dropped for the UAE anyway.

So in short, I’m just saying Burns has earned his chance to prove himself or not. He doesn’t deserved to be shafted simply because of a black and white perception.