Australia A tour matches

[eth-dog]

Whatever happened to these? Instead of these rubbish CA XI's full of state rejects, why don't we give genuine contenders or stars of the future a chance to play an international side (even if they're not at full strength) to see how they handle it? It's beneficial to both the touring team and the Australians.

This year in particular would have been a good time to have one, with 2 top order spots open and 4 contenders to battle it out for those spots. Of course Khawaja and Burns got those spots and have done well with them, but an Australia A XI of something like:

Bancroft
Burns
Khawaja
S Marsh
Maddinson
Henriques
Wade (c, +)
Zampa
Siddle
Behrendorff
Bird

Would have been fantastic. Bancroft, Burns, Khawaja and Marsh battle for the openers and #3 spot, Maddinson faces an international quality attack as a test, Henriques is the second best AR in the country, Wade was the second keeper in line before injury, Siddle 4th quick in line, and we get to see how Zampa and Behrendorff go against quality opposition as well.

 

[Mego Red]

I'd have Maxwell at 6.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I thought Burns, Bancroft, Marsh and Khawaja all played a game against the Kiwis this summer in a Australia A type match?

 

[eth-dog]

I thought Burns, Bancroft, Marsh and Khawaja all played a game against the Kiwis this summer in a Australia A type match?

Did they? I was unaware of it.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Did they? I was unaware of it.

Burns and Khawaja both got centuries.

They also played a day night 50 over game with the pink ball and made bugger all.

 

[The_Reaper]

What happened was that the BBL compressed the Shield and One Day competitions so now we don't have a time when the players are available.

Plus for some reason giving opposition teams shit preparation is the rage now.

 

[bird_man]

Whatever happened to these? Instead of these rubbish CA XI's full of state rejects, why don't we give genuine contenders or stars of the future a chance to play an international side (even if they're not at full strength) to see how they handle it? It's beneficial to both the touring team and the Australians.

This year in particular would have been a good time to have one, with 2 top order spots open and 4 contenders to battle it out for those spots. Of course Khawaja and Burns got those spots and have done well with them, but an Australia A XI of something like:

Bancroft
Burns
Khawaja
S Marsh
Maddinson
Henriques
Wade (c, +)
Zampa
Siddle
Behrendorff
Bird

Would have been fantastic. Bancroft, Burns, Khawaja and Marsh battle for the openers and #3 spot, Maddinson faces an international quality attack as a test, Henriques is the second best AR in the country, Wade was the second keeper in line before injury, Siddle 4th quick in line, and we get to see how Zampa and Behrendorff go against quality opposition as well.

What's Handscomb got to do to get a game? Henriques was ordinary last year and has been average again so far this year.

With an eye for the future my side would look a bit like this.

Bancroft
Dean
Ferguson
Handscomb
Maddinson
Maxwell
Whiteman
Agar
Pattinson
Behrendorff
Steketee

Bird 12th

 

[hawkman]

Because we give the touring teams the weakest possible teams we can get with

 

[Resistor]

They still have the Aus A games (India 2015 where Fekete got selected for Bang, 2014 in Darwin/top end with South Africa and India). Not sure on the difference between CA XI and Aus A.

 

[eth-dog]

What's Handscomb got to do to get a game? Henriques was ordinary last year and has been average again so far this year.

With an eye for the future my side would look a bit like this.

Bancroft
Dean
Ferguson
Handscomb
Maddinson
Maxwell
Whiteman
Agar
Pattinson
Behrendorff
Steketee

Bird 12th

Eh, I didn't really care which of Hank and Maddo got a game so I went the NSW option they'd normally take.

 

[JackOutback]

What happened was that the BBL compressed the Shield and One Day competitions so now we don't have a time when the players are available.

Plus for some reason giving opposition teams shit preparation is the rage now.

Yep, we have shit preparation in England, then get surprised when we lose. But we make up for it by returning the favour to teams touring here

I used to love the Australia A concept; hell, I remember cheering for them when they took part in the limited overs competition against Australia.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

I used to love the Australia A concept; hell, I remember cheering for them when they took part in the limited overs competition against Australia.

Apparently that was why it never happened again. Australia players didn't like the crowds not cheering for them.

 

[JackOutback]

Yeah, it was at a time when a lot of West Australians were on the fringe of the international side but couldn't break in. The A team had Martyn, Langer, Moody and Angel so as a West Aussie, I was going for these guys.

 

[Cleavy]

Apparently that was why it never happened again. Australia players didn't like the crowds not cheering for them.

yep, remember that game where Brad Young slid into the fence/concrete and stuffed his ankle in the one-off game? They buried the concept, never to return, after that.

 

[Sammo360]

Apparently that was why it never happened again. Australia players didn't like the crowds not cheering for them.

They played each other again in 1997. I reckon the low crowd at the SCG (11,000) finally ended it.

http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1997-98/AUS_LOCAL/OTHER/AUS_AUS-A_OD_14DEC1997.html

 

[Cleavy]

I vaguely recall that Ponting was plumb lbw and given not out, and the crowd was behind the 'A' team.

 

[Van_Dyke]

Last Aua A game- in Aus, in the summer I can recall was 2010 v England.