Changes for the 5th Test SCG

[Big Bryza]

How is Mitch Marsh travelling? Haven't been following but the next test seems perfect to give someone like him a taste and see how he handles it. I'm firmly in the boat of trialling young players rather than these gap fillers that aren't exactly setting the world on fire.

Rogers (don't rate him at all and I don't think he should be in the team but he is making runs so can't drop him)
Warner
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Marsh
Agar
Johnson
NCN
Lyon

Harris and Siddle get a rest. Extra spinner (depending on how Agar is playing and the pitch) and NCN to make his debut.

2 pace bowlers, 2 medium pacers and 2 spinners and a deep batting lineup.

Winning 5-0 would be nice but an eye should be on the future.

Siddle doesn't play any short form cricket at international level. He doesn't need a rest!

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Would think George is batting for a tour of SA, and would keep in. Still plenty of Shield games for any number of players to put up a mountain of runs.

Maybe rest one of the quicks. Not sure who, but we have a gazillion replacement quicks, ready to step up.

 

[Big Bryza]

After today's performance I will predict no change.

The only remaining question mark is on Bailey, but given he DNB today, I suspect he will be given a reprieve and will be batting for his test career in Sydney. Plus, there's no need to change a winning formula.

Harris sounded pretty confident that he would play. How is Pattinson's recovery coming along?

Patto is playing BBL tomorrow night.

 

[Amazing Racer]

Bailey should be dropped but won't be.

Faulkner for Harris would be the only change if Harris is to be rested

 

[eth-dog]

On Sayers, he's Hastings minus the batting ability.

 

[Underarm]

rest harris, or no change. Imagine 5 unchanged tests. They all deserve to be playing in Sydney.

 

[The_Reaper]

Would think George is batting for a tour of SA, and would keep in. Still plenty of Shield games for any number of players to put up a mountain of runs.

Maybe rest one of the quicks. Not sure who, but we have a gazillion replacement quicks, ready to step up.

We tour South Africa in just over four weeks. We might have one round of shield matches before the squad is selected.

 

[eth-dog]

And we better hope that White gets 2 centuries to slot into 6 for the tour

 

[Russian]

We tour South Africa in just over four weeks. We might have one round of shield matches before the squad is selected.

Next round of Shield games starts the same day as the first test

Location: Adelaide. Hmm. No way would they replace Harris with someone out of the extended squad.

I know they won't pick him but not sure why - they had him in the 8 at the start of the summer, he's taken as many wickets as the other 4 in that group combined, and he's the leading wicket taker of all quicks in the Shield. I wouldn't mind Coulter-Nile taking Johnson's spot if he was injured but he doesn't build pressure when he's not taking wickets. Bollinger's better and I'd be happy with him if Watson can bowl, but if he can't I want a quick who can bowl long spells with Siddle, which Bollinger can't.

And would Hughes for Watson be purely based on Watto missing with injury?

Yes, if everyone's fit the selection meeting should only take a couple of nanoseconds.

 

[Ashton Agar]

No change... Seriously guys, these are the blokes that won the Ashes so comprehensively, these guys deserve to hold up the urn at the end of the test. We are winning anyway, so we can probably carry guys like Bailey once more.

 

[bird_man]

You can always look at improving your side, even when you are winning. Bailey doesn't have the defence for test match cricket and should not be in the squad for South Africa so why give him one more shot? Yeah he might make a 50 or so at the SCG which might be good enough to keep his spot for SA, then we have to look at dropping him during the SA tour which will destabilise the side. Best replacing him now in my opinion. He's not a test match player.

 

[Docker82]

How is Mitch Marsh travelling? Haven't been following but the next test seems perfect to give someone like him a taste and see how he handles it. I'm firmly in the boat of trialling young players rather than these gap fillers that aren't exactly setting the world on fire.

Rogers (don't rate him at all and I don't think he should be in the team but he is making runs so can't drop him)
Warner
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Marsh
Agar
Johnson
NCN
Lyon

Harris and Siddle get a rest. Extra spinner (depending on how Agar is playing and the pitch) and NCN to make his debut.

2 pace bowlers, 2 medium pacers and 2 spinners and a deep batting lineup.

Winning 5-0 would be nice but an eye should be on the future.

Marsh still averages under 30 with the bat in shield cricket, while Agar averages almost 50 with the ball this year. May I ask why either deserve selection.

I'm from wa as well but personally I think Agar is lucky to be in our shield side ATM, Marsh as it stands is nothing more than a giant waste of talent in the longer form of the game. A few fifties this year doesn't change the fact he's done very little to impress over many years.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

That's harsh about Mitch Marsh but true. He's lucky he's playing for WA, would have been dropped in a more populous state.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Harris will desperately want to be on the field in Sydney. It may be his last chance to play in an Ashes test.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Mitch Marsh has been dropped in the past but absolutely dominates Grade cricket when he is. What is there to be gained by doing it again? He's coming on well this season with sustained selection.

And the alternatives aren't great anyway.

 

[Hellgood]

That's harsh about Mitch Marsh but true. He's lucky he's playing for WA, would have been dropped in a more populous state.

I know you absolutely hate the Marsh brothers given your posting history, but I don't see the issue with Mitchell's form this year? Not really enough to earn him a baggy green, but definitely been a strong performer in state cricket with both bat and ball.

 

[jackess]

O'Keefe a chance?

 

[Carbine Chaos]

O'Keefe a chance?

Why? We aren't playing 2 spinners.

 

[jackess]

Why? We aren't playing 2 spinners.

I know we aren't but that's not to say we won't.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I know we aren't but that's not to say we won't.

We won't. Why would we?

 

[jackess]

We won't. Why would we?

Might suit the wicket.

 

[Black Diamond]

Last time we played two spinners because of the wicket it ended terribly.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Might suit the wicket.

Our whole plan for the English has been to intimidate them with fast bowling. It even worked on the MCG wicket, which was pretty flat, as today showed. We won't be letting them off the hook with two spinners, especially seeing as how Watson is proppy and probably won't bowl much if he plays.

 

[jackess]

Our whole plan for the English has been to intimidate them with fast bowling. It even worked on the MCG wicket, which was pretty flat, as today showed. We won't be letting them off the hook with two spinners, especially seeing as how Watson is proppy and probably won't bowl much if he plays.

I think Johnson was the only one intimidating the batsmen. Harris and Siddle were just bowling in consistently good areas. So if Harris was to miss there aren't really any intimidating bowlers who can come in.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I think Johnson was the only one intimidating the batsmen. Harris and Siddle were just bowling in consistently good areas. So if Harris was to miss there aren't really any intimidating bowlers who can come in.

If Harris misses I would expect NCN to come in because he is quick and to some extent can 'maintain the rage' from Johnson. Maybe I worded it poorly. Johnson has been intimidating, Harris always menacing, Siddle and Watson have kept it tight while Lyon has done his thing too. The balance at the mo is perfect and they would be silly to change that.