2019 2nd Ashes Test - Lords 14-18 August 2019

[luthor]

He will be a walking wicket all series. I'm no fan of Labuschagne or M Marsh but even they would do more with the bat than Bancroft.

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Still trying to get my head around Bancroft walking straight back into the side.

He might be a fabulous short leg fieldsman but his performance in test cricket as a batsman is pretty awful

Averages 27.80 in test cricket, and under 40 (39.49) in first class cricket.

Them there are bog ordinary stats .

I don't buy this "never change a winning side" mantra.

Marcus Harris is an obvious upgrade on Bancroft and should be selected for the Lords Test

 

[toml]

Marcus Harris is an obvious upgrade on Bancroft and should be selected for the Lords Test

He really isn't.

 

[luthor]

He really isn't.

Yes he is.

I can play this game too

 

[DKS17]

Still trying to get my head around Bancroft walking straight back into the side.

He might be a fabulous short leg fieldsman but his performance in test cricket as a batsman is pretty awful

Averages 27.80 in test cricket, and under 40 (39.49) in first class cricket.

Them there are bog ordinary stats .

I don't buy this "never change a winning side" mantra.

Marcus Harris is an obvious upgrade on Bancroft and should be selected for the Lords Test

At the moment he’s not demonstrating that. He certainly didn’t help his cause getting out again for not much in the tour game which is currently underway. Particularly as Bancroft at least managed a few run.

Unless he outperforms Bancroft in the second innings he isn’t getting picked in the next test and rightfully so


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[luthor]

At the moment he’s not demonstrating that. He certainly didn’t help his cause getting out again for not much in the tour game which is currently underway. Particularly as Bancroft at least managed a few run.

Unless he outperforms Bancroft in the second innings he isn’t getting picked in the next test and rightfully so


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Joe Burns has a better Test and First Class average than both of them but can't even make the squad.

180 in his last Test not good enough......apparently

There are so many anomolies in the selection of the Australian Cricket side

 

[Blue1980]

Joe Burns has a better Test and First Class average than both of them but can't even make the squad.

180 in his last Test not good enough......apparently

There are so many anomolies in the selection of the Australian Cricket side

Not really, Burns has known issues outside off and would be at least as problematic as people see Bancroft being.

Form against a terrible Sri Lanka 6 months ago didn’t factor much into selection for the 1st test and rightfully so.

Recent form in lead up games and England played more of a part.

Bancroft has his issues, but can’t see the alternatives providing any more really.

Marcus Harris has a test batting average of 32 and a first class average of 38, so he’s hardly a superior option based on that, and he’s in worse recent form than Bancroft.

 

[Kappa]

Marnus and Harris both failing in the 1st innings of the tour match makes it super hard for them to force their way into the team.

 

[Tugga27]

Joe Burns has a better Test and First Class average than both of them but can't even make the squad.

180 in his last Test not good enough......apparently

There are so many anomolies in the selection of the Australian Cricket side

You can't just go on stats/averages.
Adam Voges is a prime example of that.

You have to place your faith in the selectors.
In the warm up game, Burns got a golden duck and
Bancroft got 90 not out.

Burns is very ordinary I reckon.
Not that Bancroft and Harris seem to be much better.

 

[Kappa]

Head gets a 100 in the tour game

Khawaja 50

Harris Bancroft Marsh Labuschagne all failing with the bat

 

[DaRick]

I'm surprised that Patterson didn't get a trial.

 

[VirgilHilts]

Olly Stone has been ruled out for two weeks with a back injury. Archer a shoo in now, if he wasn't already.

 

[DaRick]

Joe Burns has a better Test and First Class average than both of them but can't even make the squad.

180 in his last Test not good enough......apparently

There are so many anomolies in the selection of the Australian Cricket side

Burns will score plenty on flat decks, especially against poor bowling, but I'd be surprised if his technique stood up to English conditions on the whole.

 

[swansfan51]

Surely Josh Hazlewood is perfect for Lord's? A few batsmen like Bancroft shouldn't be in the side but I'm not seeing much in the squad to replace them with.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Harris bowled for 14, Bancroft bowled for 33. Lovely...

Count the balls not the runs for our openers I reckon

Our biggest failure is losing a pile of wickets in the first session

We used to mock the "Cowan" - now I reckon it is exactly what we need - 25-30 off 100 balls to see of the initial swinging onslaught would be welcome.

 

[Johnny Karate]

Bancroft has his issues but it’s not as though there are any obviously better options. Harris scored stylish 20s & 30s in home conditions, Finch was tried and failed, Burns scored runs at home against Sri Lanka but a combination of chronic fatigue and recent first class form cost him a spot in the squad, I like Renshaw but he hasn’t scored a run in two years and Weatherald and Dan Hughes don’t seem to be on the radar.

Bancroft does seem a bit of a favourite with the admin but it’s not like we’ve got the likes of Hayden, Jaques, Rogers, Slater, Blewett, Elliot, Langer or M Hussey scoring piles of runs and demanding a spot in the background.

 

[Tugga27]

I'm surprised that Patterson didn't get a trial.

I'm not.

Doesn't seem to be any middle order spots up for grabs.
Obviously not being considered at the moment.

 

[SherbertLemon]

Did anyone catch Starc’s Economy rate in the tour match last night?

6.75 - 4 overs.

That scares me.

 

[Pykie]

Did anyone catch Starc’s Economy rate in the tour match last night?

6.75 - 4 overs.

That scares me.

I’m sure the selectors caught it.

 

[melanChronic]

Fingers crossed that the contrast between Hazlewood and Starc last night convinces the selectors that Starc is too much of a liability.

For me, Starc's value in test cricket is on dead/dry tracks (i.e. usually in Asia or Australia) where his sheer pace and late movement can nip out wickets early and the angle + reverse swing he can get might be invaluable later on in removing set batsmen. Also on those sorts of decks you don't want the tail hanging around piling on more pain, so having him there to clean them up is handy. Your trundling seam bowler a la Siddle will struggle to have much impact in those conditions anyway so you can cop the dross that he delivers in between wicket balls. To be honest though, that Edgbaston pitch was probably one that fits the bill for Starc but even in those conditions Siddle showed the value of containment over hoping for a glory ball.

However, the idea that Starc should come in on a green top is absolute madness. He simply wastes too many balls, which is the last thing you want when the ball is talking off the pitch. Generally his dismissals rely little on seam movement anyway. Sure he might hoop it in overcast conditions, but in that scenario he often will struggle to control it; if it's bowling friendly conditions then you don't want to give the batsmen an inch, and every ball should be a threat and build the pressure.

If they do dish up a juicy wicket, it would be mighty tempting to play four quicks and give Hazlewood a go. You feel he is made to bowl at Lords. I remember that ODI at Adelaide 2018 where we had the rare combination of Hazelwood and Cummins opening together. They carved up the English top order and it was like they were feeding off each other, building pressure and bowling jaffers on a spicy pitch. To me they are the dream opening pair in friendly conditions. Having Patto and Siddle to come in and exploit seam movement and attack the top of off would give us a relentless barrage of canny quicks who give away nothing but are also threatening.

Would be incredibly tough and probably foolish to leave Lyon out after his first test though, as Lords usually becomes batting friendly as the match progresses so you'd want the spin option. I'm kind of hoping that in one match we go all in on the pace quartet though.

 

[frankrizzo]

Did anyone catch Starc’s Economy rate in the tour match last night?

6.75 - 4 overs.

That scares me.

Yeah I noticed a news headline about Starc and hazlewood making their case for ashes recall so I'm thinking they must have rolled them and then I see Starc has one wicket at nearly seven an over.

Depressing that the only likely change is patto out for Starc, hazlewood seems to have fallen behind the rest for some reason but should be the replacement if they do rest patto.

 

[frankrizzo]

Burns will score plenty on flat decks, especially against poor bowling, but I'd be surprised if his technique stood up to English conditions on the whole.

He still managed a ton in nz vs boult and southee which is far more impressive than anything Bancroft or harris have done at test level.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Was interesting to hear Langer say it was between Siddle and Starc and got decided on the morning of day one. The media got that one wrong.

 

[Bradesmaen]

He still managed a ton in nz vs boult and southee which is far more impressive than anything Bancroft or harris have done at test level.

I was at that game in Christchurch. The pitch was flat and lifeless.

 

[smasha]

Saw Starc’s figures on cricinfo,not good but not writing off Starc to have a say in the series.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Saw Starc’s figures on cricinfo,not good but not writing off Starc to have a say in the series.

I'm sure he'll have a say like he did last time in England - where he lost us matches with his inept bowling once again. Minnow basher in Test cricket.