Ashes 25/26

[LukeParkerno1]

It is now official, our skipper Pat Cummins will miss the First Test in Perth due to his back stress injury.

So the Poms plan on unleashing their two quickest bowlers, Archer and Wood against us on a lively Perth pitch and in retaliation have we picked an express paceman, no, as our best express man Lance Morris is also nursing an injury, so Cummins replacement will again be the ever reliable but hardly express pace, Scott Boland.

Still time for Wood and Archer to break down as per usual. Look Cummins is a loss but Doggett has been great in Shield last few years, you couldn't go wrong with Neser and he'd be a like for like with the batting. Boland will do his job fine, it's the batting depth I have concerns on, Lyon at 9 scares me when we have a brittle top order. I just wonder if Neser plays the next Shield game we really consider him.

The biggest issue I have is Haze is hardly someone we can rely on getting through a series when has the last time been? 3-4 years ago or something? So whoever we pick as the spare we need to assume they are playing 1-2 tests, so who is the most ready? Is it Neser?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Green will play whether he is bowling or not. Tuff luck for Webster but Green is seen as a genuine all rounder something Slug will never achieve as he is no more than handy, a cricketer who has finally and deservedy been given a crack at the big time after a long and successful shield career. He was always warming the seat for Green.

Play both, I don't see why we don't play both. Green will not be test match bowling loads for a month at least. Webster's package is worth playing regardless. Handy with the ball, and elite in the slips. Having a cordon of Smith, Webster and Green you aint dropping many mate.

Forget his other things, but has the 2nd best (or is it 3rd) average of all our bats in the last 12 months.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Haze has managed fine last 12 months. Bowling better than ever. Like to see him relinquish white ball as several of those injuries that kept him out of cricket for two yrs were likely caused from having to constantly play meaningless white ball games.

He still hasn't completed a summer or a 5 test series in 3 years. He's hardly Mr Reliable.

My point is we need to assume whoever is the backup is playing a test or two and thats why I wouldn't rule them out going Neser, been there before also a like for like with batting depth for Cummins and is the most ready now replacement. The issue is he hasn't played this summer so there is that, not sure the other alternatives are really ready now, tehre's a few that are highly regarded though Buckingham etc

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Webster has taken his chance with both hands. Be good if we could play both but where does he fit in. Our top six is set in stone and he cant be one of the bowlers.



I'll go with him, even over Boland despite his terrific home record. Neese adds hunger and is a touch quicker too. Need another as unlikely even the fit bowlers will play all five. Barrell or Doggett as he is a specialist seamer same as Haze and is prob in career best form.

Easy he bats 6. Not that hard. Green at 3. I would actually keep Green at 3. The only position is that second opener and honestly all options have their issues. I would open with Lab personally if you asked me right now what I’d do.

Bartlett would be my second option behind Neser but I’m fine with Doggett if they go that way. O’Neil is too slow to work in Australia for me.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Bartlett has had injuries too, missed quite a bit of cricket. He is my next cab off the rank after the Big 3 finally call it quits.

Two openers, either Weatherald, Renshaw or Marnus,#3 prefer Marnus,#4 Smith, prefer Green, Head #5, #6 prob Green. Carey #7. Where does Webster fit in?

Green 3, Marnus opening. That’s the way I’d be going. If you are at 3 you can open. Webster would stay at no6. For me Green would not bowl much this series let’s not break the bloke down again please. Let him focus on actually having a great series with the bat if he’s test match bowling post December great if not Webster is there.

The bowlers are harder they all have issues and queries. If Bartlett is fit I’d be half punting on him but would prefer Neser being there first, Bartlett can bat a bit too

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Ok then yes there is room for him at #6. Personally I want Green further down the order as he will be back bowling shortly, so will be too much pressure to expect him to bat #3 and bowl as well. I see him best suited at either #5 or #6 over his career.

See I wouldn’t be asking him to bowl much at 3, the odd spell here and there. I’d be playing him as a bat. I see him shifting to 4 when Smith goes but he’s a top order bat.

For this series the openers are much as, I’m taking Lab to at worst blunt the new ball. That’s all I expect if we get more great.

There’s a difference between a few overs here and there and what I call a “test match load” bowling. He’s not going to be near the latter till at best Christmas.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

It is now official, our skipper will miss the First Test in Perth due to his back stress injury.

So the Poms plan on unleashing their two quickest bowlers, Archer and Wood against us on a lively Perth pitch and in retaliation have we picked an express pace man, no, as our best express man Lance Morris is recovering from another injury. So Pats replacement will again be the ever reliable but hardly express pace,Barrell.

What's Boland's record like over in Perth in the shield? I can't find those sort of stats on Cricinfo anymore.

 

[010203]

Australia will miss Cummins' bowling obviously but with Smith filling in as captain, the on field leadership void won't be massive.

 

[TasSixer]

I think we'll miss Pat's lower order batting more than his bowling. He's played plenty of good innings when the batters have failed us. Great bowler obviously, but I think Boland helps cover that a lot.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I think we'll miss Pat's lower order batting more than his bowling. He's played plenty of good innings when the batters have failed us. Great bowler obviously, but I think Boland helps cover that a lot.

We miss his bowling as Root is a bunny with him bowling lol

 

[74561347]

What's Boland's record like over in Perth in the shield? I can't find those sort of stats on Cricinfo anymore.

33 shield wickets in Perth at 20.3

These all at the WACA

 

[cricketnut14]

Boland will do his job fine, it's the batting depth I have concerns on, Lyon at 9 scares me when we have a brittle top order. I just wonder if Neser plays the next Shield game we really consider him.

The biggest issue I have is Haze is hardly someone we can rely on getting through a series when has the last time been? 3-4 years ago or something? So whoever we pick as the spare we need to assume they are playing 1-2 tests, so who is the most ready? Is it Neser?

Neser being rested as is Boland for the next round of shield matches.

Do we read anymore into this ?

End of the day from our last test Lyon comes in for Cummins (call it Boland for Cummins if ya like) and the selectors basically show their hand who may feature later in the series with an extended squad named.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Neser being rested as is Boland for the next round of shield matches.

Do we read anymore into this ?

End of the day from our last test Lyon comes in for Cummins (call it Boland for Cummins if ya like) and the selectors basically show their hand who may feature later in the series with an extended squad named.

Think there’s a bit into that actually and it makes sense. Boland obviously first choice but I think Neser is the smartest “reserve” pick to do. If they need two it becomes trickier all the other opinions have queries

Jhye and Morris- unfit
Bartlett- is he test match fit yet? Who on earth knows there.
Doggett- great Shoeld year but is he test quality and is he fit?

 

[crows dude]

Weatherald has to play
Renshaw - Sorry Uzz but its time. Ashes are not the time for a farewell series when you havent scored in a long time consistently.
Lab - In form. Back in at 3
Smith picks himself
Head picks himself
Webster/Green - Only pick one
Carey
Neser - Can bat, Bowl, Field. Tail too long otherwise
Starc
Lyon
Hazelwood/Boland - One misses as they both cant bat. Neser in.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

33 shield wickets in Perth at 20.3

These all at the WACA

Thanks for that. It's a pretty fantastic record, even if the pitch isn't quite the same at Optus. I'd be backing him in.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Weatherald has to play
Renshaw - Sorry Uzz but its time. Ashes are not the time for a farewell series when you havent scored in a long time consistently.
Lab - In form. Back in at 3
Smith picks himself
Head picks himself
Webster/Green - Only pick one
Carey
Neser - Can bat, Bowl, Field. Tail too long otherwise
Starc
Lyon
Hazelwood/Boland - One misses as they both cant bat. Neser in.

Weatherald hardly “has” to play, he’s had one good season that’s pretty much it. No chance we are going two new openers and Khawaja has got runs in the Shield games. Renshaw fine with but honestly doubt he plays.

No reason we can’t pick both Green and Webster.

No chance on earth are we leaving Haze out biggest moral in the whole bowling attack.

 

[Borisdog]

Weatherald has to play
Renshaw - Sorry Uzz but its time. Ashes are not the time for a farewell series when you havent scored in a long time consistently.
Lab - In form. Back in at 3
Smith picks himself
Head picks himself
Webster/Green - Only pick one
Carey
Neser - Can bat, Bowl, Field. Tail too long otherwise
Starc
Lyon
Hazelwood/Boland - One misses as they both cant bat. Neser in.

Just the lazy 6 changes for the first test of an Ashes series after a good tour of the WI.

Right.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Just the lazy 6 changes for the first test of an Ashes series after a good tour of the WI.

Right.

Yep I mean obviously Cummins is forced and one spinner goes out. How many others do we need? I can accept going Lab for Konstas but also fine not. Green worked into that series at number 3.

 

[Borisdog]

Weatherald
Khawaja
Labs
Smith
Head
Green or Webster
Carey
Starc
Lyon
Boland
Hazelwood.

It's conceivable that if they want both Green and Webster to bolster the batting then it's Lyon out, although Lyon's record at Optus is outstanding.

I don't want Labs opening. However I can see the selectors choosing Labs to open, Green and Slug both play and no new opener.

 

[PhatBoy]

He still hasn't completed a summer or a 5 test series in 3 years. He's hardly Mr Reliable.

My point is we need to assume whoever is the backup is playing a test or two and thats why I wouldn't rule them out going Neser, been there before also a like for like with batting depth for Cummins and is the most ready now replacement. The issue is he hasn't played this summer so there is that, not sure the other alternatives are really ready now, tehre's a few that are highly regarded though Buckingham etc

Yes you have to go all the way back to 2023-24 to see him playing 7/7 tests against Pakistan, West Indies and NZ

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yes you have to go all the way back to 2023-24 to see him playing 7/7 tests against Pakistan, West Indies and NZ

Yep fair while ago. Not exactly durable. I’d be wanting the backup to not be a “just in case” but a “he can play right now”. To me that screams Neser

 

[t_94]

I think we'll miss Pat's lower order batting more than his bowling. He's played plenty of good innings when the batters have failed us. Great bowler obviously, but I think Boland helps cover that a lot.

Nah, he’s an all time great and considerably better than Boland

 

[sydney_gws]

Nah, he’s an all time great and considerably better than Boland

I think in other countries and against some top class batsman this is true, but Boland looks like he's bowling hand grenades at times on our quick pitches with the other quality bowlers around him.

 

[Silver Tongue]

Nah, he’s an all time great and considerably better than Boland

Batters do the batting and bowlers take the wickets. Pick the best! If that is Starc, Hazlewood, Boland and Lyon so be it.

Picking bowlers who can bat in preference to a pure bowler sounds like an English way of going about it. Find better batters.

The bowling quartet are called the 'attack' for a reason ...

Some of our best Test bowlers were not exactly demons with the bat ... Lillee, Thomson, Hogg, McGrath, Harris, McGill, Alderman et.al If they were not selected it wasn't because of perceived failings with the bat.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Batters do the batting and bowlers take the wickets. Pick the best! If that is Starc, Hazlewood, Boland and Lyon so be it.

Picking bowlers who can bat in preference to a pure bowler sounds like an English way of going about it. Find better batters.

The bowling quartet are called the 'attack' for a reason ...

Some of our best Test bowlers were not exactly demons with the bat ... Lillee, Thomson, Hogg, McGrath, Harris, McGill, Alderman et.al If they were not selected it wasn't because of perceived failings with the bat.

Lillee and Harris could bat, didn't see the best of Harris but he had a decent FC record made quite a few 50s, Lillee could also bat but threw his wicket away alot. We can't have 2 bunnies in the same lineup there needs to be some starch to the lower order at least.