Changes for the Melbourne Test.

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Said it after the last Test - I think we've actually got a moneyball style all-rounder spread across our top 6. No need to force in a 'spare parts' allrounder or extra bowler, pushing Paine up to 6. He's not in good enough form for the additional pressure or expectation.

Or is this because they're expecting another slow, boring MCG pitch? In which case, bleah
 

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How many times will Danny Morrison's ******* lbw be replayed during the test?

It was missing by miles, get over it

Not according to Mike Whitney who was down the other end.


“Well, of course, I’m at the nonstriker’s end,” Whitney recalls, “and he bowls that delivery, it hits Craig halfway up the shin and I’m backing up and I go in my head, ‘far out man, that’s close’. I turn around to walk back in my ground and I’m looking at Dick French – NSW umpire and I knew Dick really well – and his eyes flashed to my face for a second and then he went ‘not out’ and I went ‘Yeah, that’s my man Dick’.

“His call was not out. If the DRS was around, they would have referred it for sure,” Whitney quips, gleefully bursting out in laughter.

“The only way that was missing was if it went under the stumps.”

Same old Aussies, always cheating.
 
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Paine looks like he has really sore hands. I'm sure he'll never tell though
 

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Carey had a poor World Cup. Two years ago broke the record fir most dismissals in the shield season. He’s passing Paine quickly and is a miles better batsman

We are in no rush to drop our captain mate
 
We are in no rush to drop our captain mate
Thats the only reason hes there. He wasnt even near the side three years ago. Wade was keeping and not scoring runs and Paine was the One Day and 20/20 keeper. Wade got dropped and Smith got suspended. Paine then got brought in as they saw him as the best keeper at that time and they wanted one keeper for all three formats (Chappeli mentioned this on radio here) and he brought a bit of experience so could take the captaincy. Paine wasnt even Tasmanias preferred keeper when Wade moved there. Carey then had a superb season and was fast tracked into the one-day side and 20-20 side. So there went the idea of one keeper. Smith is back now and although not captaining he can be a sounding board for whoever is captain and both Wade and Head captain their state teams so could fill in for 6 months until Smiths leadership ban is over.
 

Umm considering playing the extra bowler ..I understand the reasoning I just don't think Paine is up to it batting at number six
I think if you need five bowlers, you're giving up enough runs to need six batsmen.
Use the part-timers more if you really need to. Or back "probably the best bowling attack in the world" to do the job, albeit missing one of those bowlers.
 

Umm considering playing the extra bowler ..I understand the reasoning I just don't think Paine is up to it batting at number six

I don't hate it if the pitch is a road. I agree with Langer/the article that between Neser, Pattinson, Cummins and Starc there's enough batting in the tail to make up for it.

Still, if the MCG serves up a pitch that justifies 5 specialist bowlers and 1-2 part-timers, I don't think issues with our bowling is likely to be the narrative coming out of the test...
 
Thats the only reason hes there. He wasnt even near the side three years ago. Wade was keeping and not scoring runs and Paine was the One Day and 20/20 keeper. Wade got dropped and Smith got suspended. Paine then got brought in as they saw him as the best keeper at that time and they wanted one keeper for all three formats (Chappeli mentioned this on radio here) and he brought a bit of experience so could take the captaincy. Paine wasnt even Tasmanias preferred keeper when Wade moved there. Carey then had a superb season and was fast tracked into the one-day side and 20-20 side. So there went the idea of one keeper. Smith is back now and although not captaining he can be a sounding board for whoever is captain and both Wade and Head captain their state teams so could fill in for 6 months until Smiths leadership ban is over.
Neither Head or Wade could fill in. Head is struggling to keep his place in the side. Wade is not fully established either. It would be a bizarre choice to make either of them captain. Paine has been fantastic in my opinion. Carey will get his chance but it is not now.
 
Neither Head or Wade could fill in. Head is struggling to keep his place in the side. Wade is not fully established either. It would be a bizarre choice to make either of them captain. Paine has been fantastic in my opinion. Carey will get his chance but it is not now.

This. There’s zero rush. Get Carey to smash the door down this Shield season too.
 
Thats the only reason hes there. He wasnt even near the side three years ago. Wade was keeping and not scoring runs and Paine was the One Day and 20/20 keeper. Wade got dropped and Smith got suspended. Paine then got brought in as they saw him as the best keeper at that time and they wanted one keeper for all three formats (Chappeli mentioned this on radio here) and he brought a bit of experience so could take the captaincy. Paine wasnt even Tasmanias preferred keeper when Wade moved there. Carey then had a superb season and was fast tracked into the one-day side and 20-20 side. So there went the idea of one keeper. Smith is back now and although not captaining he can be a sounding board for whoever is captain and both Wade and Head captain their state teams so could fill in for 6 months until Smiths leadership ban is over.

The same Head that was dropped for Mitch Marsh a few tests ago? The same Wade that wasn’t in the side two series ago...

Paine is going fine. Good glovework and he averages 30 with the bat. That’s more than acceptable as a keeper. You are wanting change for the sake of it. A shiny new toy is no certainty to be better mate and Carey’s Shield record says that. Let him develop there’s no rush.
 
Neither Head or Wade could fill in. Head is struggling to keep his place in the side. Wade is not fully established either. It would be a bizarre choice to make either of them captain. Paine has been fantastic in my opinion. Carey will get his chance but it is not now.
Paine wasn’t established in the team at the time either and was demoted by Tassie by Wade
 

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