Test Australian squad for The Subcontinent

[The Falcon Strike]

I always find it curious that as soon as we discuss spinning pitches - we have no issues (quite rightly) gutting the bowling line up for bowlers that suit the conditions

Yet when we pick batters - we don’t do the same thing

Now from a bowling perspective it’s easier - add spinners

But surely the top 6 need to be able to play spin.

I have t watched enough to know who other than smith can manage it - but it’s an interesting quirk of cricket that we can pull a 3rd spinner out of nowhere and not bat an eyelid - but bring in a spin focussed batter(s) - just never thought of

 

[cricketnut14]

I always find it curious that as soon as we discuss spinning pitches - we have no issues (quite rightly) gutting the bowling line up for bowlers that suit the conditions

Yet when we pick batters - we don’t do the same thing

Now from a bowling perspective it’s easier - add spinners

But surely the top 6 need to be able to play spin.

I have t watched enough to know who other than smith can manage it - but it’s an interesting quirk of cricket that we can pull a 3rd spinner out of nowhere and not bat an eyelid - but bring in a spin focussed batter(s) - just never thought of

i think the top 6 pick themselves.

it'll be a case of how many reserve batsmen they take with them.

it's not as if any of the following are screaming selection:
(pucovski)
harris
street
hunt
renshaw
maddinson
handscomb
m.marsh
maxwell
inglis (reserve wk)

 

[hugecannon]

I wonder if they’d look at promoting Laubaushane to open in India, especially given the record of Warner and Kwahja is poor there? Then that would allow them to bring in someone like Maxwell to the middle order.

Warner
Laubaushane
Smith
Green
Head
Maxwell
Carey
Cummins
Lyon
Hazlewood
Swepson

Just for the Indian series - not suggesting Labs becomes an opening option full time.

We pick bowlers specifically for the conditions we should start to think of doing similar with the batting.

 

[Freezin]

Be interested to see if Maxi gets a Vic Shield gig first.....

 

[Voice of the G]

Be interested to see if Maxi gets a Vic Shield gig first.....

Will he make himself available,I thought he might have played premier cricket on the week end but I suppose he needed a break.

 

[Gethelred]

I am concerned that we're going into Sri Lanka and India with essentially the same batting lineups, and with the same bowling plans. In our last tour of Sri Lanka - in which they won all three tests - they were playing a single quick in some games in Angelo Matthews, and the surfaces didn't just take turn on the first day, they were spitting. Our top wicket taker for the series was Starc, with Lyon only taking 16 for a three test series. The last India series had us preparing for spinning decks, to the point where we won the first test on a raging turner that spun so far it disadvantaged their spinners more than our bats, and it took them realizing that we had two spinners in O'Keefe and Lyon to match them on a turning surface that they turned out a seaming deck in Dharamasala.

Pace is only a weapon if a) you're bowling full to a new bat, and b) you're getting movement, off the deck or in the air. Starc took wickets with the new ball in Sri Lanka, and that's about it. I see no point playing Hazelwood in India or Sri Lanka, even if he plays well in Pakistan; the dude averages 32+ in both countries. What this lets us do is play Cam Green deeper in the batting order if we wish or to fit in another bat as suits, or to play another bowler (ie, a ******* spinner!).

We need to rethink how we tour these two countries, and we could probably add Bangladesh to that group too. They turn out dustbowls, and instead of complaining about pitch tampering we need to put in some genuine thought and effort into winning on those dustbowls. We should not be losing to Sri Lanka, at home or away. For context, we've lost two series against Sri Lanka in history and the first one was due to two rained out tests, and featured until 2016 the only test Sri Lanka had ever won against us. The 2016 series loss was a whitewash, in which they embarrassed us with our inability to play spin.

We cannot continue doing the same thing in the hopes that things might change. We need to pick a batting order to bat on those decks, and we need to pick a bowling lineup that won't be toothless on them.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

100% yes. How many can we say are competent spin players. Steve Smith is one. Head and Green probably next then Labuchagne. To be brutally blunt other than Smith none inspire a great deal of confidence against the turning ball.

Calls for the inclusion of Glenn Maxwell after his insane 150 in the BBL match. CA need to look on this as a horses for courses selection as Maxie is a good player of spin and boasts a successful series in India in 2017/18?. His funky, unpredictable white ball batting is perfect for sub cont decks. So Maxie is my smokie.

Head? Weirdly Khawaja is one of the better ones. I’m honestly only confident on Smith and Lab being decent players of spin. The rest have a LOT to prove

 

[bh90210fan]

If we consider Cam Green to be a genuine front line bowler who’s capable of bowling 5/6 overs a session, then we can afford to play an extra batsman on those dustbowls over there in the subcontinent. Having a Maxwell / Maddison coming in at 7 is a luxury we should be taking advantage of. Alternatively we could play an extra spinner and go with Lyon, Swepson plus one of Kuhnemann / Agar / Holland.

 

[BGman]

We cannot continue doing the same thing in the hopes that things might change. We need to pick a batting order to bat on those decks, and we need to pick a bowling lineup that won't be toothless on them.

Not only Hazlewood but most of our quicks have failed on Sri Lankan and Indian decks. Cummins also averages about @30 tho has yet to play in Sri Lanka. The slower, clever bowlers like Watson and Copeland have thrived on sub cont decks. Our best genuine quicks in past decade have been Harris and Starc. On our last tour of Sri Lanka our batting rather than bowling let us down with Ragana Herath murdering us. Only Steve Smith was able to combat him.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

If we consider Cam Green to be a genuine front line bowler who’s capable of bowling 5/6 overs a session, then we can afford to play an extra batsman on those dustbowls over there in the subcontinent. Having a Maxwell / Maddison coming in at 7 is a luxury we should be taking advantage of. Alternatively we could play an extra spinner and go with Lyon, Swepson plus one of Kuhnemann / Agar / Holland.

Or we can just play another spinner not a batsman who bowls pies or Agar who is terrible. Holland…no no and no!

 

[Gethelred]

Not only Hazlewood but most of our quicks have failed on Sri Lankan and Indian decks. Cummins also averages about @30 tho has yet to play in Sri Lanka. The slower, clever bowlers like Watson and Copeland have thrived on sub cont decks. Our best genuine quicks in past decade have been Harris and Starc. On our last tour of Sri Lanka our batting rather than bowling let us down with Ragana Herath murdering us. Only Steve Smith was able to combat him.

Realistically, the only reason we won the tour before that despite the decks was because Clarke/Hussey/S.Marsh were the best bat on the day between both sides and the decks were poor enough that one player could be the difference. God, but that was a thing to watch; Clarke's ton in the second dig at Colombo was, in my opinion, the best knock he ever played. The deck was subsequently determined unsafe by the ICC, despite the fact that it saw 4 centuries between both sides, such was the variable bounce and turn on display.

Phil Hughes made a ton in the same innings.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

If he can do something similar to what he did with Leach. Yes I know Ashwin and Jadeja and probably most Lankan spinners are streets ahead of Leach on their tracks. But aggression is the best way to counter quality sub cont spinners.. and Head showed some exceptional footwork and hitting in his two Ashes tons. You over estimate the Labuchagne spin play. He is too inclined to stay crease bound. That will be an open ticket to a clever Indian/Lankan spinner.

You do realise Leech doesn’t turn it correct? I just don’t rate him yet against quality spin. It might change who knows. Think Lab will be fine

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Went fine in his only two Tests against Bangladesh. Has also performed in A tours over in those parts. Can think of worse spinners to take.

We’ve tried this before it’s never working. You want another spinner play one but don’t play a sort of spinner that’s all Agar is

 

[Marcel Proust]

Be interested to see if Maxi gets a Vic Shield gig first.....

Hasn't played for 2.5 year apparently.

Yet Pucovski needs form to get a gig ?

 

[bh90210fan]

Or we can just play another spinner not a batsman who bowls pies or Agar who is terrible. Holland…no no and no!

Joe Root 5/8 in India, averaging 25 with the ball. Clarke 6/9. Part timers do alright over there.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Joe Root 5/8 in India, averaging 25 with the ball. Clarke 6/9. Part timers do alright over there.

We have Head and Lab for that. Agar is terrible. He’s looked better with the bat in test level and that’s not saying much

 

[LukeParkerno1]

You mean only a white ball specialist spinner. The bloke has never had a chance in red ball cricket having to ply his trade on the spin benign WACA. He also offers a batting option. Have we forgotten his test debut knock. You dont lose that natural talent ever.

How is his spin play. Not seem much of that. He returned to Premier Cricket on Jan 8.. one year and one day since his last Test. Could've played in the later Ashes matches had he been match fit.

Yep white ball containment spinner. Don’t like them at all in test cricket. Doesn’t work

 

[bh90210fan]

We have Head and Lab for that. Agar is terrible. He’s looked better with the bat in test level and that’s not saying much

What would be your 11 then?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

What would be your 11 then?

Depends what sub continent you are talking. A side in Pakistan wouldn’t be the same side I’d play in India

 

[Marcel Proust]

You mean only a white ball specialist spinner. The bloke has never had a chance in red ball cricket having to ply his trade on the spin benign WACA. He also offers a batting option. Have we forgotten his test debut knock. You dont lose that natural talent ever.

How is his spin play. Not seem much of that. He returned to Premier Cricket on Jan 8.. one year and one day since his last Test. Could've played in the later Ashes matches had he been match fit.

Dunno but less chance of getting hit in the head

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Dunno but less chance of getting hit in the head

Are you sure on that? At his rate you never know unfortunately

 

[bh90210fan]

Depends what sub continent you are talking. A side in Pakistan wouldn’t be the same side I’d play in India

A raging turner in India. If you had followed the conversation instead of ripping into everyone’s suggestions you might’ve realised what we’re on about

 

[LukeParkerno1]

A raging turner in India. If you had followed the conversation instead of ripping into everyone’s suggestions you might’ve realised what we’re on about

Easy

Khawaja
Warner
Lab
Smith
Head
Green
Carey (I would rather Inglis but they won’t)
Cummins
Lyon
Swepson
Kudelmann or Tanveer Sangha (last one is tricky but I know I want a genuine spinner not some sort of spinner)

It has to be a raging Turner though to go 3 spinners, and I wouldn’t be against playing another seamer

 

[Voice of the G]

Easy

Khawaja
Warner
Lab
Smith
Head
Green
Carey (I would rather Inglis but they won’t)
Cummins
Lyon
Swepson
Kudelmann or Tanveer Sangha (last one is tricky but I know I want a genuine spinner not some sort of spinner)

It has to be a raging Turner though to go 3 spinners, and I wouldn’t be against playing another seamer

Easy,lol.Your opening batsman worry me.Khawaja is No.4 or 5,his opening days perhaps in the past.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Easy,lol.Your opening batsman worry me.Khawaja is No.4 or 5,his opening days perhaps in the past.

I'm realistic he's the only option. It comes back from wasting the entire summer with Harris who was never ever good enough. Renshaw would be in the squad.