Australian Touring Squad for India

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Howard Littlejohn

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Thats the thing, he doesn't really have runs on the board. 95% of his deliveries will be played against spin. He was struggling against Shah who was pretty much bowling a defensive line against him on a road where it barely spun. Complete blowout with him against Sri Lanka.

If l was selectors, l would be saying "Loook, sorry but we now you have a big weakness against spin bowling is poor, so we will not be putting you in the lineup"

I would put S.Marsh in his spot at no.3. You know, he was in the form of his life last season as well before performing badly in SL, not gonna be any different
Start Khawaja at 3, where he will be a bit more likely to face some pace and the harder ball first up. S Marsh at 6 - no no-rouder bullshit.
When he fails, take him out for the remainde rof the series. Assuming nobody else is failing worse - which is a big assumption. Apart from Smith and maybe Handscomb its hard to see anyone averaging much over 25 with the bat.
 

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Start Khawaja at 3, where he will be a bit more likely to face some pace and the harder ball first up. S Marsh at 6 - no no-rouder bullshit.
When he fails, take him out for the remainde rof the series. Assuming nobody else is failing worse - which is a big assumption. Apart from Smith and maybe Handscomb its hard to see anyone averaging much over 25 with the bat.
Whats the point in him even starting tho if even you said "When he fails..." It's almost like just giving him a spot in the X1 so we don't look like bad guys for dropping him as he has had a good summer. Anyway, l have had my piece.
My X1 would be : Warner, Renshaw, S.Marsh, Smith, Handscome, Maxwell/M.Marsh, Hartley (wishful thinking), O'Keefe, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood.
 

Howard Littlejohn

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Whats the point in him even starting tho if even you said "When he fails..." It's almost like just giving him a spot in the X1 so we don't look like bad guys for dropping him as he has had a good summer. Anyway, l have had my piece.
My X1 would be : Warner, Renshaw, S.Marsh, Smith, Handscome, Maxwell/M.Marsh, Hartley (wishful thinking), O'Keefe, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood.
I have little confidence, but with the squad that was chosen I'd play him to begin with. We lack batsmen likely to do anything over there. Odds are he'll fail, but so will anybody and everybody else. On form, he gets first crack due to a lack of options.
 

bird_man

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Just over two weeks until the first test. I think 10 of the 11 are almost locks at the moment, number 6 being the only one up in the air. The fact that I think both Lyon and O'Keefe will play though probably means the selectors will be leaning towards Mitch Marsh unfortunately. Unless someone else does something special in the tour match I think this will probably be the side....

Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
Wade
M Marsh
Starc
O'Keefe
Lyon
Hazlewood
 

The_Reaper

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Thread starter #1,531
Just over two weeks until the first test. I think 10 of the 11 are almost locks at the moment, number 6 being the only one up in the air. The fact that I think both Lyon and O'Keefe will play though probably means the selectors will be leaning towards Mitch Marsh unfortunately. Unless someone else does something special in the tour match I think this will probably be the side....

Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
Wade
M Marsh
Starc
O'Keefe
Lyon
Hazlewood
I'd have SOS in for his brother and O'Keefe up at 8 (he's a really reliable batsman) but in terms of what will play you are absolutely correct.

Only way I can see it changing is Khawaja failing completely in the tour game and SOS hitting a century.
 

JackOutback

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I'd have SOS in for his brother and O'Keefe up at 8 (he's a really reliable batsman) but in terms of what will play you are absolutely correct.

Only way I can see it changing is Khawaja failing completely in the tour game and SOS hitting a century.
One can hope, otherwise we'll pay for it later.
 

frankrizzo

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I would go with

renshaw
warner
khawaja
smith
handscomb
s marsh
wade
o keefe
starc
hazlewood
lyon

You can't hide from the reality of playing in india by playing a 3rd pace bowler at 6 not when he he bats like a number 8 and rarely gets used by the skipper anyway, our only slim chance is giving lyon and o keefe a mountain of runs to play with and we won't do that if our selectors continue this delusional thinking that our batting lineup is so strong we can play people for their bowling at 6.

The older marsh is much more likely to play a key innings in these conditions and the runs he could provide will cover for whatever overs his brother gives us with the ball and could give our spinners something they rarely get overseas and that is a few runs to play with.

p.s. We did win with pace in 04 but outside of hazlewood our quicks simply can't and won't bowl the way our lot did in 04 and a key in that series was still the huge scores our strong top 7 put up, whatever tactics you try and use to take those 20 wickets with in india you still need huge scores most likely in both innings and you don't get that with low quality all rounders.
 

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Shaun Marsh has to play either way, he's one of the best batsman we've got in those conditions.
Would be completly unfair to have Renshaw's spot as he just got a 182 for the last match and for a 20 yo to do that is remarkable.
Not sure where you would put him. Smith, Warner and Handscome aren't going anywhere. You could have him at number 6 but l fear for the quicks (Hazlewood, Starc) bowling without any help for 4 test matches in those conditions. Personally, l would rather Khawaja makes way.

Where would you put him?
 

JG22

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Would be completly unfair to have Renshaw's spot as he just got a 182 for the last match and for a 20 yo to do that is remarkable.
Not sure where you would put him. Smith, Warner and Handscome aren't going anywhere. You could have him at number 6 but l fear for the quicks (Hazlewood, Starc) bowling without any help for 4 test matches in those conditions. Personally, l would rather Khawaja makes way.

Where would you put him?
Most likely at 6 but don't mind him at number 2 or 3.

Don't think Renshaw was 'remarkable' against a battered and hopeless away from home Pakistan side. But he does deserve the initial chance.

The batting lineup will probably get shaken up after getting smashed in the first two tests. Could see a side with Marsh opening and Maxwell at 6
 

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Sketi

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Don't mind Chappelli's writing for cricinfo at times, don't have the article handy but he gives a pretty grim prediction of our chances against spin in India.

Said the training simulations in Dubai etc are well intended but that it's basically like cramming last minute for an important exam, using your feet against spin is something you need to start doing as a kid.

I do think the experience could be valuable for someone like Renshaw for instance who is still developing however. You get the feeling Khawaja is going to be a walking wicket.
 

a mayes ing

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Don't mind Chappelli's writing for cricinfo at times, don't have the article handy but he gives a pretty grim prediction of our chances against spin in India.

Said the training simulations in Dubai etc are well intended but that it's basically like cramming last minute for an important exam, using your feet against spin is something you need to start doing as a kid.

I do think the experience could be valuable for someone like Renshaw for instance who is still developing however. You get the feeling Khawaja is going to be a walking wicket.
I don't think you necessarily have to learn it as a kid to succeed. Hayden wasn't that great at playing spin but then he had that famous practice session on turning wickets made up for him.
 

JG22

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Don't mind Chappelli's writing for cricinfo at times, don't have the article handy but he gives a pretty grim prediction of our chances against spin in India.

Said the training simulations in Dubai etc are well intended but that it's basically like cramming last minute for an important exam, using your feet against spin is something you need to start doing as a kid.

I do think the experience could be valuable for someone like Renshaw for instance who is still developing however. You get the feeling Khawaja is going to be a walking wicket.
I don't think our players should think they need to be running down the wicket at all.

They just need to learn how to play back to the spin, not plant their front foot straight out.
 
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Don't mind Chappelli's writing for cricinfo at times, don't have the article handy but he gives a pretty grim prediction of our chances against spin in India.

Said the training simulations in Dubai etc are well intended but that it's basically like cramming last minute for an important exam, using your feet against spin is something you need to start doing as a kid.

I do think the experience could be valuable for someone like Renshaw for instance who is still developing however. You get the feeling Khawaja is going to be a walking wicket.
Pretty sure none of the current players were playing reverse sweeps as a kid, but they somehow managed to learn that

If you practice something of course you are going to get better at it. It's just the aussie cricket set up doesn't allow any practice against spin.

They need to employ something along the lines of the Duke experiment in the shield for improvement against spin or nothings gonna change
 

LukeParkerno1

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Not going to happen until someone gets the photos back that the Marsh brothers have of the selectors.
Shaun is one of our best players of spin, he was always going to be picked. Mitch is lucky but meh he's not competing with Head- he was competing with Cartwright/Henriques as the Fast bowling AR. Head was competing with Maxwell. Much the same really, I rate Maxwell against spin a bit more though
 

JG22

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1. Warner
2. Marsh
3. Smith
4. Handscomb
5. Maxwell
6. Wade
7. Marsh
8. O'Keefe
9. Starc
10. Hazlewood
11. Lyon

More of a flexible side without those who are supposed walking wickets against spin but obviously lacks quality batting.
 

LukeParkerno1

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1. Warner
2. Marsh
3. Smith
4. Handscomb
5. Maxwell
6. Wade
7. Marsh
8. O'Keefe
9. Starc
10. Hazlewood
11. Lyon

More of a flexible side without those who are supposed walking wickets against spin but obviously lacks quality batting.
No thanks.

Renshaw is opening thank you very much. At least he puts a value on his wicket. Love to know why Mitch Marsh is in the side again...is it to get his usual stuff all with the bat?

SMarsh at 6, Renshaw opening. Simple. Smith can bowl if need be, think SMarsh bowls some part time spinners as well, Khawaja can too.

We have a thin enough batting side, why are you wanting to thin it even more by having Maxwell at 5, Wade at 6, and MMarsh at 7!
 

JG22

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No thanks.

Renshaw is opening thank you very much. At least he puts a value on his wicket. Love to know why Mitch Marsh is in the side again...is it to get his usual stuff all with the bat?

SMarsh at 6, Renshaw opening. Simple. Smith can bowl if need be, think SMarsh bowls some part time spinners as well, Khawaja can too.

We have a thin enough batting side, why are you wanting to thin it even more by having Maxwell at 5, Wade at 6, and MMarsh at 7!
Just an alternative side.

Obviously we give our best bats the initial shot.

Marshs name is floated around just because he can bowl which is handy
 

LukeParkerno1

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Just an alternative side.

Obviously we give our best bats the initial shot.

Marshs name is floated around just because he can bowl which is handy
Again you are picking a so called number 6/7 just because they bowl. If we want an AR type, pick Maxwell, at least his spinners could be handy and he's a much better bat at least potentially. MMarsh is BARELY a number 8, let alone a 6 or 7 at test level. 2 Marsh's in a test side makes me want to puke, we've seen how well it's worked in the past (i.e. not good at all).

We don't need to change much from our last test side, except Smarsh comes in at 6, simple.
 

LukeParkerno1

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Wow. Would prefer Smith and Marsh's part time poo over part time spin of Agar or Maxwell. Lel.
I go with the philosophy that Smith barely knows how to use 4 bowlers, let alone 5-6. I actually don't mind Maxwell in the side. It is either him OR Smarsh at 6. Not fussed either way.

Agar isn't in contention, he isn't a test number 6, and his bowling isn' better than SOK. SOK will be playing as our 2nd spinner.
 

Howard Littlejohn

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I don't think our players should think they need to be running down the wicket at all.

They just need to learn how to play back to the spin, not plant their front foot straight out.
Yeah, that's key. If youi aren't cpomfprtable (and at good at) coming out of your crease, don't. But make both the front and back foot moves decent strides, without overbalancing. A good stride forward in the direction of the ball, and using the depth going back, leaves a spinner very little leeway in length. Advancing is just an option, not a necessity.

From the squad that its obvious two spinners (a mistake) and a so-called all-rounder (a mistake) will be chosen for the first couple of Tests at least. I think that will be O'Keefe and M Marsh.
But would not be at all surprised if it was O'Keefe and Maxwell. The balance of the squad with two spin no-rounders suggests that may be their thinking - I'd rate it a 45% chance.
 
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