Test AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA Second Test. Dec 26-30, MCG, Melbourne. 10.30am AEDT.

[BGman]

After the controversial two day Test at Brisbane the tour moves to the traditional home of the Boxing Day Test, the famed MCG, the Melbourne Colosseum which has seen warriors battling it out for sporting supremacy since the first ever Test match in 1877 between Australia and England. The great arena has covered everything from the triumph and despair of the spectacular 1956 Olympics thru to many of the finest Test cricket matches ever played.

 

[Cleavy]

if Boland is dropped, we riot!

 

[BGman]

if Boland is dropped, we riot.

So Hazlewood should be dropped because he has had an annoying run of minor injuries. He was part of our top Test trio before the injuries so should retain his place ahead of Barrell. George Bailey said Hazlewood would play as CA selectors "do not drop our best three bowlers if they are fit to play". Barrell is deserving of an MCG repeat, but an unfair call on Haze too. If it is a grassy seaming deck I'd be picking both of them and resting Starc. But he is never rested for some baffling reason.

 

[philreich]

Boland has to play IMHO, after what he did in the corresponding game last year. No guarantees that he'll do it again, but if I was a South African batsman, I'd be more concerned about facing Boland on a 4th day MCG pitch, than Hazlewood. But yeah - it's a bloody tough call: it's nice to be spoilt for choice.

 

[eltrain]

Will be interesting to see what sort of crowds we get. Day 1 with the Warnie tribute and cracking weather should get 65-70k, Day 2 and 3 probably 40-odd.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Day 2 May struggle a bit with the weather forecast.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

So Hazlewood should be dropped because he has had an annoying run of minor injuries. He was part of our top Test trio before the injuries so should retain his place ahead of Barrel. George Bailey said Hazlewood would play as CA selectors "do not drop our best three bowlers if they are fit to play". Barrell is deserving of an MCG repeat, but an unfair call on Haze too. If it is a grassy seaming deck I'd be picking both of them and resting Starc. But he is never rested for some baffling reason.

Hazlewood wouldn’t be dropped, as he hasn’t played the last 2.

He wouldn’t be selected because;

- he is coming back from a side strain so soon.

- he’s been injury prone lately which has caused him to play hardly any red ball cricket in quite a while

It’s highly likely he will at the very least be very underdone, at worst likely to pick up another soft tissue injury, which at his age is not good.

EDIT: Haze also averages 36 at the MCG.

 

[philreich]

Day 2 May struggle a bit with the weather forecast.

Stinking hot in Adelaide early next week, so I assume that'll hit Melbourne midweek.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Stinking hot in Adelaide early next week, so I assume that'll hit Melbourne midweek.

38 on Tuesday currently the forecast, higher humidity than normal here at the moment too.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

Boland will play

They'll say Hazlewood isn't quite right

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Good points. CA has been giving him extensive five over sets for the past week to ensure he is 100% fit. He himself wont risk hurting the team if he is not that. Ok Haze averages #36 on dead MCG tracks, what if a seaming deck is prepared like the last Ashes. He certainly has been our best Test seamer since his debut in 2015 with many still regarding him as the best in the country.

Scott Boland averages 24.5 on flat as a tack MCG wickets and took 6/7 when it seamed.

Overall, Hazlewood is the better bowler, but he’s injured/lacking preparation and will he coming to bowl on one his worst grounds statistically. The selectors would be mad to select him.

 

[RAPPA]

Drop Warner and let Bolland open. Problem solved.

 

[sherb]

Good points. CA has been giving him extensive five over sets for the past week to ensure he is 100% fit. He himself wont risk hurting the team if he is not that. Ok Haze averages #36 on dead MCG tracks, what if a seaming deck is prepared like the last Ashes. He certainly has been our best Test seamer since his debut in 2015 with many regarding him as still the best in the country.

Zero chance of that occurring.

There's match revenue and batters' egos to protect.

 

[big_e]

Scott Boland averages 24.5 on flat as a tack MCG wickets and took 6/7 when it seamed.

Overall, Hazlewood is the better bowler, but he’s injured/lacking preparation and will he coming to bowl on one his worst grounds statistically. The selectors would be mad to select him.

Hazelwood can come back in Sydney, replacing Starc.

FYI - Starc averages 46 in Sydney.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Hazelwood can come back in Sydney, replacing Starc.

FYI - Starc averages 46 in Sydney.

If we have the series wrapped up by then, Morris?

 

[crows dude]

Khawaja
Head
Labs
Smith
Carey
Green
Cummins
Starc
Boland
Lyon
Hazelwood

Controversial I know

 

[BGman]

Khawaja
Head
Labs
Smith
Carey
Green
Cummins
Starc
Boland
Lyon
Hazelwood

Controversial I know

Putting Head in Warner's place has merit as they both have a similar attacking game, but only after the older little slugger has given it away. You can not deny him the honor of 100 Tests as he fully deserves to celebrate the milestone given his 7922 runs at @45.5 and a decade of service to the iconic Baggy Green cap. Still he can always get the 100th in Sydney, a fitting farewell it being his home ground.

 

[Millky95]

Khawaja
Head
Labs
Smith
Carey
Green
Cummins
Starc
Boland
Lyon
Hazelwood

Controversial I know

No need to play 5 bowlers with Green in the side. SA are a better bowling unit so we need another batsman than a bowler.

Swap Hazelwood for another bat not named Warner and I'm all in

 

[Gough]

Now with added poll for Christmas.

 

[eddiesmith]

Hazelwood can come back in Sydney, replacing Starc.

FYI - Starc averages 46 in Sydney.

But Starc won’t allow himself to be rested.

 

[frankrizzo]

If we have the series wrapped up by then, Morris?

Doubt it no such thing as dead rubbers with test championship now, we need the sweep unless we want to be relying on our results in india to make the final.

 

[dogs105]

Current test batting rankings have 3 Aussie batsmen in top 5.

1 Labuschagne
3 Smith
=4 Head

 

[dogs105]

Current test batting rankings have 3 Aussie batsmen in top 5.

1 Labuschagne
3 Smith
=4 Head

Babar 2, and Root =4.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

But Starc won’t allow himself to be rested.

It’s not really up to him, at least it shouldn’t be

 

[eddiesmith]

It’s not really up to him, at least it shouldn’t be

Yet as we’ve seen over the last 4-5 years, the NSW bowling cartel runs the show.