Top End Series v Bangladesh and beyond

[cricketnut14]

With only 1 round remaining in the Sheffield Shield (and the final), the selectors will be able to deliberate on how the test side will look, moving forward.

Plenty of franchise stuff on now, over the next few months.

A big 12 months coming up with 20-21 tests:

2 v Bangladesh (H)
3 v South Africa (A)
4 v New Zealand (H)
5 v India (A)
1 v England (H)
1 WTC Final (A) - if we qualify
5 v England (H)

The below players will be aiming to win an ashes series in England before signing off:
Lyon 39y8m
Boland 38y4m
Smith 38y2m
Starc 37y7m
Neser 37y5m
Hazlewood 36y7m
Carey 36y0m
*Cummins will be next oldest at 34y3m

I'm sure some of the above will find it a bridge too far and let's hope the selectors have had hard conversations with them all, as they will need to be phased out spasmodically.

This may mean some of the above have 1 more home summer left in them.

For the upcoming series against Bangladesh, the bowling will be fine, whichever way we structure up (there were rumours that Cummins was sitting this series out) and I can only see 3 of the top 7 batting spots secure - Smith, Head & Carey (currently has a mortgage on his spot).

Green, Webster, Labuschagne & Weatherald may be the incumbents, however the Bangladesh series may give the selectors a chance to perhaps look at someone else.

Green, Webster, Labuschagne & Weatherald - time to make a statement in the final shield game to help solidify this team moving forward.

How will the next test team line up?
For me, I'm not a Weatherald fan and think Head may be opening - given he's opening in the shield. I'm not opposed to having Hazlewood back in, as long as he is genuinely fit and think Green & Webster can fit in the same XI, as long as Green batting can hold up. Carey at 7 is just a better look as well imo.

Is it as simple as:

Head
Weatherald
Labuschagne
Smith
Green
Webster
Carey
Neser
Starc
Lyon
Boland
*Hazlewood

 

[Run n Spread]

That is a hell of a schedule for an old side.
I'd be resting them for Bangladesh. And possibly the dead rubber NZ tests

 

[icyflakes]

Without intending to be rude, I think your post really sums up where Australia has been at for a couple years- a bunch of postulating about last chances and players on the cusp, but picking the same squad we always do in the end.

Bangladesh is genuinely our best chance to experiment at an International test level in recent years - it's basically guaranteed wins for WTC points even if we put our Shield XI up against them. Let's get real weird with it.

I want to see Green in, given how he dominates Shield, a nice cruisey affair against the Bangbros would be good for his spirits. Same with Marnus and Weatherald. A big knock from Weathers is the best thing we could do for him right now - I think all 3 of those players live and die on the vibes - they succeed when the going is good. A confident knock from any of them could be exactly what they need right now to help fix our batting woes.

Heady will be in for the marketing value, I don't know if they bother waking Smudger out of his NYC cryofreeze.

I don't want to see the cartel in - not needed, they'll just injure themselves before important matches. We need to see something for the future state of our Test bowling as the cartel will all retire within 2 years of each other. Our backup bowlers are Boland and Neser - both over 35 People harp on about bowlers not needing to warm up to Test cricket but I think we'll be horrified in a few years when it turns out, they do.

To your comment about the retirement village wanting to secure an away Ashes win - not a chance we win over there. We will already be cooked from the packed schedule, and we should have been dominated in our home Ashes, we were just lucky that the Kiwis are in charge at ECB and have turned a world class squad into morons. I would much rather we start blooding the replacement side now, get pumped over there and then have a match fit squad for the next home Ashes to embarrass them again.

 

[PhatBoy]

Without intending to be rude, I think your post really sums up where Australia has been at for a couple years- a bunch of postulating about last chances and players on the cusp, but picking the same squad we always do in the end.

Bangladesh is genuinely our best chance to experiment at an International test level in recent years - it's basically guaranteed wins for WTC points even if we put our Shield XI up against them. Let's get real weird with it.

I want to see Green in, given how he dominates Shield, a nice cruisey affair against the Bangbros would be good for his spirits. Same with Marnus and Weatherald. A big knock from Weathers is the best thing we could do for him right now - I think all 3 of those players live and die on the vibes - they succeed when the going is good. A confident knock from any of them could be exactly what they need right now to help fix our batting woes.

Heady will be in for the marketing value, I don't know if they bother waking Smudger out of his NYC cryofreeze.

I don't want to see the cartel in - not needed, they'll just injure themselves before important matches. We need to see something for the future state of our Test bowling as the cartel will all retire within 2 years of each other. Our backup bowlers are Boland and Neser - both over 35 People harp on about bowlers not needing to warm up to Test cricket but I think we'll be horrified in a few years when it turns out, they do.

To your comment about the retirement village wanting to secure an away Ashes win - not a chance we win over there. We will already be cooked from the packed schedule, and we should have been dominated in our home Ashes, we were just lucky that the Kiwis are in charge at ECB and have turned a world class squad into morons. I would much rather we start blooding the replacement side now, get pumped over there and then have a match fit squad for the next home Ashes to embarrass them again.

If the heads of both England and Australian cricket have that attitude, and SA don’t make a hash of the position they’ve gotten themselves into, they will both fall a mile behind the Proteas regardless of who is doing what to whom in the Ashes within the next 3 years.

 

[icyflakes]

If the heads of both England and Australian cricket have that attitude, and SA don’t make a hash of the position they’ve gotten themselves into, they will both fall a mile behind the Proteas regardless of who is doing what to whom in the Ashes within the next 3 years.

I don't mean it in the sense of, every thing we do is based on winning the Ashes.

I meant it more that we face the Saffas a couple months after this series - let's be realistic, Australia are winning the Bang tour no matter who they select, instead of winning in 2.5 days with a full squad that risks old man injury, let's blood new players that are performing well in Shield along with the players struggling already at an International level. The retirement village cant keep up with this schedule.

I'd also argue that if anyone knows about sending your B-team to a series, its SA - the NZ series.

 

[corbies]

Just pick the best XI for every Test match.

 

[yabsy]

Just pick the best XI for every Test match.

Exactly...And especially with it being 7.5 months after the last test series.

 

[Cleavy]

Just pick the best XI for every Test match.

that's so crazy, it just might work!

 

[Cleavy]

Schedule revealed for 2026-27 Aussie Summer of Cricket | cricket.com.au

England, New Zealand and Bangladesh all visiting during action-packed extended international summer...

www.cricket.com.au

just released the schedule for 2026/27

 

[cats_09]

Schedule revealed for 2026-27 Aussie Summer of Cricket | cricket.com.au

England, New Zealand and Bangladesh all visiting during action-packed extended international summer...

www.cricket.com.au

just released the schedule for 2026/27

First summer for a few years with no womens test match - it's a little disappointing

 

[RedOrWhite]

That is a hell of a schedule for an old side.
I'd be resting them for Bangladesh. And possibly the dead rubber NZ tests

I get what you mean. I'd at least rotate a bit. Especially the quicks. I'd extend that to India away when we'll likely play 2 or even 3 spinners anyway.

 

[cricketnut14]

That is a hell of a schedule for an old side.
I'd be resting them for Bangladesh. And possibly the dead rubber NZ tests

hows about resting them from next years IPL instead as this could be the only time to rest prior to a possible WTC final and the ashes series.

they will already miss the BBL , as they'll be in India.

 

[eltrain]

A huge summer - the highlight of which won't even take place in Australia.

 

[ExchangeStatMan]

A huge summer - the highlight of which won't even take place in Australia.

Im missing your point, where would the highlight be?




Id like to see the WACA pinch one of those August fixtures. Cricket in August can work in Western Australia. Looking at the fixtures, 14 venues are being used in the upcoming home fixtures.

 

[cricketnut14]

Im missing your point, where would the highlight be?

probably the 5 test series in india, directy after the new zealand series

 

[ExchangeStatMan]

probably the 5 test series in india, directy after the new zealand series

Given that Cricket Australia have mentioned India v Australia 5 test match series is from Jan to March 2027, Ill be interested in how that impacts upon the Big Bash as there will be an overlap between the test cricketers in India and the BBL players. Am assuming there will be at least 16 of the best players domestically gone and unlikely to be playing any part of the BBL.

Most test matches involving Australia around that period of time has seen Australia playing on Australian shores in the past .

 

[cricketnut14]

Given that Cricket Australia have mentioned India v Australia 5 test match series is from Jan to March 2027, Ill be interested in how that impacts upon the Big Bash as there will be an overlap between the test cricketers in India and the BBL players. Am assuming there will be at least 16 of the best players domestically gone and unlikely to be playing any part of the BBL.

Most test matches involving Australia around that period of time has seen Australia playing on Australian shores in the past .

can't see the test players playing any part of it, even if they have a week or so to kill before flying out to india.

they will have already completed 9 tests and a few white ball internationals in a short period of time.

 

[PhatBoy]

probably the 5 test series in india, directy after the new zealand series

This is why I f**king hate cricket at the moment. Absolutely f**king hate it

India’s biggest achievement as a test nation in two years is drawing a bat-a-thon series 2-2 in England. You couldn’t even point to their 1-1 draw in SA with any real conviction because the test they won was on one of the worst pitches produced for a test match in the last quarter of a century, and they managed to lose 6-0 in it. They’ve been belted by NZ at home, had to flatten the pitches against the WI - when I say ‘had to’ I mean I’m sure they would have beaten us anyway but it almost looked like a ‘let’s make sure we can’t trip over our own feet here’ sort of scenario, then were too smart for their own good against SA and got out spun and out paced. In between all that they started with a bang in Australia and then hardly raised a whimper over the next four tests.


Meanwhile SA have lost one test in their last 16, have a win record pretty much the same as Australia’s over the last 40 or so matches and somehow I feel like it’s not the main course it should be.

 

[RedOrWhite]

hows about resting them from next years IPL instead as this could be the only time to rest prior to a possible WTC final and the ashes series.

they will already miss the BBL , as they'll be in India.

Ideally they would, but I see most of them not resting for the IPL

 

[Westend]

Im missing your point, where would the highlight be?




Id like to see the WACA pinch one of those August fixtures. Cricket in August can work in Western Australia. Looking at the fixtures, 14 venues are being used in the upcoming home fixtures.

Huge 18 months coming up

 

[ExchangeStatMan]

I went to the games in Mackay and Cairns last year involving Australia and South Africa. Mackay and Cairns top quality venues. Cairns can feel a little hard done by not getting an international fixture of some sort this season.

Left field, suggestion Hands Oval in Bunbury as well? Last year, the South African lads were good , staying back to get signatures and selfies in particular: Markram, Brevis, and their bowlers. Id say they are alot more approachable and willing to meet and greet compared to the Aussie players. Of all the teams that are likeable around the world - they are one of the teams for me.

Im no North Queensland expert, but the temperature in August-September in QLD were pretty warm from memory. A little downside of Mackay? Aside from a decent cricket oval, there isn't much around the town to do. I guess thats the limitation of a regional town. Had to find and keep myself occupied to kill time.

 

[Kapow!!!]

This is why I f**king hate cricket at the moment. Absolutely f**king hate it

India’s biggest achievement as a test nation in two years is drawing a bat-a-thon series 2-2 in England. You couldn’t even point to their 1-1 draw in SA with any real conviction because the test they won was on one of the worst pitches produced for a test match in the last quarter of a century, and they managed to lose 6-0 in it. They’ve been belted by NZ at home, had to flatten the pitches against the WI - when I say ‘had to’ I mean I’m sure they would have beaten us anyway but it almost looked like a ‘let’s make sure we can’t trip over our own feet here’ sort of scenario, then were too smart for their own good against SA and got out spun and out paced. In between all that they started with a bang in Australia and then hardly raised a whimper over the next four tests.


Meanwhile SA have lost one test in their last 16, have a win record pretty much the same as Australia’s over the last 40 or so matches and somehow I feel like it’s not the main course it should be.

I might have to ask you to cry me a river on that one Phat. Historically Australia never do well in India and this is probably Australia's last chance to get a series win there before what will essentially be a rebuild. Won once in nearly 60 years

Whereas historically Australia has beaten South Africa in South Africa. A lot. Hell we drew 1-1 (probably even should've won that 2-0 save for the dumbest hour of cricket Australian batting has seen in decades) when we were at the lowest we've been since the 80s and South Africa were, as you like to pontificate often, at a legendary era owning high. Like it or not, Australian fans kinda have more of a final frontier interest in the India series hence the interest

 

[Westend]

With the perth test at optus starting on a wed against the Kiwis...no way its going to get a big crowd

any chance it can be moved to the WACA ??... and why not the WACA is redeveloped .

 

[ExchangeStatMan]

With the perth test at optus starting on a wed against the Kiwis...no way its going to get a big crowd

any chance it can be moved to the WACA ??... and why not the WACA is redeveloped .

I take your word for it but if its a Wednesday start, good luck getting 15k on Day 1.

 

[Westend]

I take your word for it but if its a Wednesday start, good luck getting 15k on Day 1.

Its a wed start and we will be lucky to get 15k for the entire match

Rather 5k on day one at the WACA than 5k in an empty 60k plus Optus

and going forward yes have the bigger nations england/india at Optus.....but seriously we should consider the smaller pulling nations at the WACA.....its redeveloped and is a great cricket wicket