Big Cricket Thread

[The Passenger]

It's a shame Marsh has never been able to put it together in the longer format. He is a very talented cricketer, you can't deny that. Hard to believe he has just turned 30.

You don't get guys who can hit the ball as cleanly as he does and bowl at 135-140 clicks so it's easy to see why he was given as many chances as he has in test cricket, and given Cam Green is still not past the injury danger zone, he'll likely get a few more cracks in the test arena.... But gee there would have been a few cricketers running around the domestic Australian scene who would have liked to have the run he has been given.

Just on Green, I do really hope he can get that breakthrough test performance out of the way soon otherwise the court of public opinion will start turning on him and the pressure-gauge will go through the roof. Our young talent in the Australian batting ranks is not very strong at the moment and Green is right at the top of the tree there. It's looking increasingly like we're going to have a miss on one huge talent in Jason Sangha who may only be 22 but needs a big turnaround in fortunes, whilst who knows if Pucovski is going to get through his concussions issues. We really need to Green's talent to be fully realised - at least his batting talent. Anything with the ball is a bonus.

 

[THE A5]

It's a shame Marsh has never been able to put it together in the longer format. He is a very talented cricketer, you can't deny that. Hard to believe he has just turned 30.

You don't get guys who can hit the ball as cleanly as he does and bowl at 135-140 clicks so it's easy to see why he was given as many chances as he has in test cricket, and given Cam Green is still not past the injury danger zone, he'll likely get a few more cracks in the test arena.... But gee there would have been a few cricketers running around the domestic Australian scene who would have liked to have the run he has been given.

Just on Green, I do really hope he can get that breakthrough test performance out of the way soon otherwise the court of public opinion will start turning on him and the pressure-gauge will go through the roof. Our young talent in the Australian batting ranks is not very strong at the moment and Green is right at the top of the tree there. It's looking increasingly like we're going to have a miss on one huge talent in Jason Sangha who may only be 22 but needs a big turnaround in fortunes, whilst who knows if Pucovski is going to get through his concussions issues. We really need to Green's talent to be fully realised - at least his batting talent. Anything with the ball is a bonus.

I know it's 4 runs but I kinda feel had he got that 100 v Saffa's in 2018 in durban things might have been a different for him as a Test player. That would have been his 3rd test century in 4 test matches. The bloke is very much a confidence player and had he got that I feel he would have started to believe that he belongs at that level. After the sandpaper gate hit and he was in an out of the side through injuries and what not.

I don't want him an Ashes squad just yet tho.

 

[The Passenger]

I know it's 4 runs but I kinda feel had he got that 100 v Saffa's in 2018 in durban things might have been a different for him as a Test player. That would have been his 3rd test century in 4 test matches. The bloke is very much a confidence player and had he got that I feel he would have started to believe that he belongs at that level. After the sandpaper gate hit and he was in an out of the side through injuries and what not.

I don't want him an Ashes squad just yet tho.

Yeah, I genuinely believe cricket can be a real sliding doors sport.

There's four main things which make that the case.

First is because performances are measured in specific numbers so there is nowhere to hide if you aren't scoring runs or taking wickets. You can look amazing, but if you keep hitting it to straight to cover in your 20's then it's not that much use to the team. Seen plenty of them in lower grade cricket.

Second is if you don't make it one role it's pretty rare to migrate to another - certainly at international level it's rare. So opportunities are limited, especially for spinners. Keepers too but they do often have batting as a fallback.

The third reason is because cricket (especially batting) is an incredibly mental sport and if you lose it between the ears, often it doesn't come back - not fully anyway. For example, If Steve Smith doesn't get that hundred at the oval in 2013, he almost certainly doesn't play the first test in 13/14. Is that a temporary blip in his career or a complete confidence killer?

Compared to say Aussie Rules, were performance measurements are far more subjective, albeit statistical measurement has significantly advanced over the last decade. And if a player's isn't making in one role, migrating to another is very much a feasible option (obviously within reason).

And fourth and final reason is there's about four times as many professional AFL players in Australia compared to cricketers.

Essentially footballers can be persisted with for a lot longer than cricketers can be.

 

[Eastcoasteagle]

I feel obliged to point out that this hasn't stopped a significant number of batters, particularly recently, being Australian Test mainstays.

Yeah, Warner is a prime candidate.

 

[Truckosaurus]

Get Jhye Richardson the hell in the Ashes first XI

Well he's in the squad at least.

 

[Ochre]

Why pick a small squad when you still have warm up games to come? What if Usman and Head fail and someone in the A side goes big

 

[KBLT]

Didn't Paine just have neck surgery? Who captains if he doesn't get up? Cummins is listed as vc, but for some reason the selectors don't seem to want to have a bowler captain.

 

[Doashuey]

1. Warner
2. Harris
3. Labuschagne
4. Smith
5. Kwahaja
6 Green
7 Paine (Carey if Pain doesnt get up)
8 Cummins
9 Richardson
10 Lyon
11 Hazelwood

Thats what i think the 1st test team will look like although Starc is more likely at this stage than Richardson, I reckon Richo will show him up in the Possible/probables match and force the selectors hand.
Id actually like to see Uzzy open and Head at 5 but Harris has the inside running and to be honest, Id like to see him get another crack at it. Blokes that know more about cricket than me have been saying he has ironed out his technique a lot.

 

[WCE_phil]

1. Warner
2. Harris
3. Labuschagne
4. Smith
5. Kwahaja
6 Green
7 Paine (Carey if Pain doesnt get up)
8 Cummins
9 Richardson
10 Lyon
11 Hazelwood

Thats what i think the 1st test team will look like although Starc is more likely at this stage than Richardson, I reckon Richo will show him up in the Possible/probables match and force the selectors hand.
Id actually like to see Uzzy open and Head at 5 but Harris has the inside running and to be honest, Id like to see him get another crack at it. Blokes that know more about cricket than me have been saying he has ironed out his technique a lot.

I know Paine is the captain but if he's not right I'd really put Wade in there. Also will be very interesting to see if they go Marsh or Green.

 

[Dazzler9]

Thats what i think the 1st test team will look like although Starc is more likely at this stage than Richardson, I reckon Richo will show him up in the Possible/probables match and force the selectors hand.
Id actually like to see Uzzy open and Head at 5 but Harris has the inside running and to be honest, Id like to see him get another crack at it. Blokes that know more about cricket than me have been saying he has ironed out his technique a lot.

I can't see Starc being left out, regardless what might happen.

I also would like Uzzy opening up. He'd give me tons more confidence against Broad and Anderson than Marcus Harris would.

 

[Dazzler9]

I know Paine is the captain but if he's not right I'd really put Wade in there. Also will be very interesting to see if they go Marsh or Green.

They'll stick with Green for at least a couple of Tests. Marsh wasn't named in the squad.

 

[The Passenger]

Pretty predictable 15 man squad.

The only two battles are Head v Khawaja and Richardson v Starc.

I'd pick Richardson but I'm almost certain they'll stick with Starc.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Green is a lock all summer.

 

[THE A5]

1. Warner
2. Harris
3. Labuschagne
4. Smith
5. Kwahaja
6 Green
7 Paine (Carey if Pain doesnt get up)
8 Cummins
9 Richardson
10 Lyon
11 Hazelwood

Thats what i think the 1st test team will look like although Starc is more likely at this stage than Richardson, I reckon Richo will show him up in the Possible/probables match and force the selectors hand.
Id actually like to see Uzzy open and Head at 5 but Harris has the inside running and to be honest, Id like to see him get another crack at it. Blokes that know more about cricket than me have been saying he has ironed out his technique a lot.

Not big on either Uzzie or Trav but I can see Uzzie thriving at 5. Think at 5 he will have much less pressure on him than when he was batting at 3/4 in the past.

 

[Doashuey]

I know Paine is the captain but if he's not right I'd really put Wade in there. Also will be very interesting to see if they go Marsh or Green.

Wade? I take it you didnt see him keep in the T20? He will cost us 10 wickets in a 5 match series minimum. His glove work is shit. Id have Carey Inglis and Neville ahead of him after Pain. There is a reason he was a specialist bat last year.
Also Green is set for 5 matches. Marsh a chance at 5 later in the series if Uzzy or Head dont work but Green is the future and will be treated as such.

 

[THE A5]

Wade? I take it you didnt see him keep in the T20? He will cost us 10 wickets in a 5 match series minimum. His glove work is sh*t. Id have Carey Inglis and Neville ahead of him after Pain. There is a reason he was a specialist bat last year.
Also Green is set for 5 matches. Marsh a chance at 5 later in the series if Uzzy or Head dont work but Green is the future and will be treated as such.

Wade no longer keeps for Tassie either. He is nowhere good with bat to get away with making him a keeper

 

[Doashuey]

Wade no longer keeps for Tassie either. He is nowhere good with bat to get away with making him a keeper

A steve smith/Kholi/Bradman clone is not good enough to make him keeper with his glove work. He is a f7cking liability with mits.

 

[PintSzedSlasher]

Wouldn't be suprised if Khawaja replaced Harris if he has a couple of bad tests. Don't think its just Heads spot hes there to be in contention for.

 

[Dazzler9]

Also Green is set for 5 matches. Marsh a chance at 5 later in the series if Uzzy or Head dont work but Green is the future and will be treated as such.

I don't like picking players in the Test side based on potential, or "the future". It's the Test side, it's meant to be the best available in the entire country.

It's different in footy for example, where you need to keep an eye to the future. Premiership window, rebuilds, etc. But in cricket, there's the Sheffield Shield where players get developed. By the time they get to Test cricket, they've already been forged in the heat of first class battle.

Having said all that, I'm picking Cameron Green.

 

[Agent93]

By the time they get to Test cricket, they've already been forged in the heat of first class battle.

See also: Mike Hussey.

 

[Dazzler9]

See also: Mike Hussey.

My greatest claim to fame is that I got to play with (and against) the Hussey bros., and they attended my 21st.

#notsohumblebrag

Yeah, our careers took very different paths.

 

[Agent93]

My greatest claim to fame is that I got to play with (and against) the Hussey bros., and they attended my 21st.

I got into a fight with Shaun Marsh at his grandparents' house.

 

[The Passenger]

See also: Mike Hussey.

The only problem here is the gulf in standard Mike Hussey came up against in the Shield environment compared to modern day players.

 

[Truckosaurus]

Do we put that down to junior development/identification or the standard of pitches played on? Because it often seems like it's either a road or a minefield with nothing in between.

 

[Keys]

Do we put that down to junior development/identification or the standard of pitches played on? Because it often seems like it's either a road or a minefield with nothing in between.

Go back 20 years or so ago and it was normal for test players to play in the first 3-4 games of the shield season. Go back a little further and it wasn’t unusual for some test players to play shield games in between tests

So players coming through were playing games with and against test players. The shield competition was taken seriously and the standard was the best domestic competition in the world. It produced the team that dominated world cricket from the early ‘90’s to the mid 2000’s

Have a look at the caliber of player that missed selection through that period and the depth was unbelievable

ACA had already dropped the ball on the shield comp prior to the big bash but once that started it the shield was reduced to an after thought. No surprise the quality has dropped