Cricket Thread: Ashes 2025-26 Pink Test

[Vader]

Khawaja has already been guaranteed selection for the SCG Test. Grrrr! I would have made his selection dependent upon him announcing his retirement, effective at the end of the game. No announcement, no selection.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...d-for-scg-future-unclear-after-that/106184310

Interestingly, Green has NOT been guaranteed selection. Neither has Richardson, but we all know that he's going to be replaced by Murphy, so that's hardly surprising at all.

 

[Mostyn]

They'll change Richardson for Murphy, based on the pitch (four seamers is very unusual).

The rest of the team has just won the Ashes, so they won't be changing them.

That will happen during preparation for the next series.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Webster rolling out for the Hurricanes tonight. I assume that means he's not in the XI for Sydney

The Green Show rolls on

Carn Cam... please give us something

 

[StonesThrow]

Mcg pitch given a demerit.

At what point is the batting so bad that the curator doesn't get the blame?

 

[Vader]

Webster rolling out for the Hurricanes tonight. I assume that means he's not in the XI for Sydney

The Green Show rolls on

Carn Cam... please give us something

He was released back to the BBL as soon as the Melbourne Test ended, but remains in the squad for Sydney. I suspect they wanted him to get some cricket under his belt, given that he's been on National duty (and not actually playing) for most of the season.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Mcg pitch given a demerit.

At what point is the batting so bad that the curator doesn't get the blame?

Even top level, genuine test match batsmen who play orthodox cricket - Smith, Root, Stokes, Khawaja - were made to look stupid at times on that pitch.

It's worth noting that both sides are fielding injury-plagued, mostly back up attacks too.

The curator simply got this one wrong.

There's a tendency to blame all of cricket's ills plus climate change, interest rates, deforestisation, falling literary standards in schools etc on Twenty20 cricket

 

[spenze]

View attachment 2502946

Even top level, genuine test match batsmen who play orthodox cricket - Smith, Root, Stokes, Khawaja - were made to look stupid at times on that pitch.

It's worth noting that both sides are fielding injury-plagued, mostly back up attacks too.

The curator simply got this one wrong.

There's a tendency to blame all of cricket's ills plus climate change, interest rates, deforestisation, falling literary standards in schools etc on Twenty20 cricket

Heavy metal music too, just exposes our batsmen to the devil

 

[adelaidecrows]

They will probably hand out quite a few mulligans due to the pitch (eg Khawaja, Weatherald)

If the pitch looks like an absolute road, the last thing we need is to have a guy that has performed badly all year to score a pointless hundred (eg Labuschagne) to retain his spot going forward.

So if it's a normal or bowler friendly pitch, keep the current batting line-up and see what they've got. If it's a road, drop Labuschagne, Khawaja and Weatherald to pick some newer players to give them a taste of Test cricket

I dont think it is going to matter. We are not scheduled to play another test by my research until Bangladesh in August. They will probably use Bangladesh as an audition for South Africa and New Zealand. Being thats 7 months away any outlier 100 to form will be considered meaningless really.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

 

[adelaidecrows]

View attachment 2502946

Even top level, genuine test match batsmen who play orthodox cricket - Smith, Root, Stokes, Khawaja - were made to look stupid at times on that pitch.

It's worth noting that both sides are fielding injury-plagued, mostly back up attacks too.

The curator simply got this one wrong.

There's a tendency to blame all of cricket's ills plus climate change, interest rates, deforestisation, falling literary standards in schools etc on Twenty20 cricket

I agree. I dont think everyones blaming t20. But the argument from many including myself is the batsman after the first innings should have parked the bus and waited for the pitch to settle. This is what they would have done 20 years ago. If a team chooses not to play at the ball or seeks to block at all times it becomes very very hard no matter the pitch to get them out. Bowling teams need batting teams to play for runs to get a better chance at getting wickets. Australia kept gifting England this mindset. Its arrogant dont you think to walk into a test arena expecting to play at your pleasure with out adjusting anything for the wicket then to blame the wicket for your dismissals. It could explain our consistent lack of success in the sub continant too. We just refuse to change anything.

You could see by Englands innings in the 4th when they chased us down that it was getting easier to play on. I think we played right into Englands hands here. I suspect they wanted us back in on the first day or the very least early on the 2nd day so we had to start our 2nd innings on that pitch. They would have known full well they if they get their timing right they will come in as the pitch begins to settle down later on the 2nd day or the very least they will have good batting conditions on the 3rd to chase any target down. They played it well.

So here we are complaining about a pitch we chose not to change our game for while England possibly couldnt believe their luck that we got out so quickly in both innings refusing to learn from our mistakes and this is even after watching them get folded.

If I was to use a footy analogy here.

It would be like a top 4 team walking onto the ground in torrential rain playing the same cutesy brand of possession football they play every week in the dry while the other team just bombs it long for territory and wins. Do we blame the conditions or do we blame the game plan?

Basically there is every bit of evidence to suggest that as bad as the pitch was we did ourselves no favours by refusing to change. Thats a genuine lack of leadership and direction in the changeroom and the players should be held to account for the way they batted in the second innings as i dont think the pitch can be used as an excuse.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I agree. I dont think everyones blaming t20. But the argument from many including myself is the batsman after the first innings should have parked the bus and waited for the pitch to settle. This is what they would have done 20 years ago. If a team chooses not to play at the ball or seeks to block at all times it becomes very very hard no matter the pitch to get them out. Bowling teams need batting teams to play for runs to get a better chance at getting wickets. Australia kept gifting England this mindset. Its arrogant dont you think to walk into a test arena expecting to play at your pleasure with out adjusting anything for the wicket then to blame the wicket for your dismissals. It could explain our consistent lack of success in the sub continant too. We just refuse to change anything.

You could see by Englands innings in the 4th when they chased us down that it was getting easier to play on. I think we played right into Englands hands here. I suspect they wanted us back in on the first day or the very least early on the 2nd day so we had to start our 2nd innings on that pitch. They would have known full well they if they get their timing right they will come in as the pitch begins to settle down later on the 2nd day or the very least they will have good batting conditions on the 3rd to chase any target down. They played it well.

So here we are complaining about a pitch we chose not to change our game for while England possibly couldnt believe their luck that we got out so quickly in both innings refusing to learn from our mistakes and this is even after watching them get folded.

If I was to use a footy analogy here.

It would be like a top 4 team walking onto the ground in torrential rain playing the same cutesy brand of possession football they play every week in the dry while the other team just bombs it long for territory and wins. Do we blame the conditions or do we blame the game plan?

Basically there is every bit of evidence to suggest that as bad as the pitch was we did ourselves no favours by refusing to change. Thats a genuine lack of leadership and direction in the changeroom and the players should be held to account for the way they batted in the second innings as i dont think the pitch can be used as an excuse.

The team that won the test did adjust their game, by slogging extra ridiculously in the 2nd innings

Was pointless to try to bat "properly"

They showed that it was the only way to have any success on that pitch and won as a result

In hindsight we should have picked Tim David, Mitch Owens, Matt Short and Craig Simmons

 

[adelaidecrows]

The team that won the test did adjust their game, by slogging extra ridiculously in the 2nd innings

Was pointless to try to bat "properly"

They showed that it was the only way to have any success on that pitch and won as a result

In hindsight we should have picked Tim David, Mitch Owens, Matt Short and Craig Simmons

well whats done is done. Hopefully the curator doesnt over estimate the modern bastmans skill ever again.

 

[StonesThrow]

View attachment 2502946

Even top level, genuine test match batsmen who play orthodox cricket - Smith, Root, Stokes, Khawaja - were made to look stupid at times on that pitch.

It's worth noting that both sides are fielding injury-plagued, mostly back up attacks too.

The curator simply got this one wrong.

There's a tendency to blame all of cricket's ills plus climate change, interest rates, deforestisation, falling literary standards in schools etc on Twenty20 cricket

I don't mean to say that it's purely on the batters and not the pitch. But I wonder if we'd even be talking about this if England managed to bat 1st innings into day 2 and the test went to day 3? There was some pretty poor shots from both teams and also some horribly out of form batters that would have exacerbated the difficulty of the pitch.

I think it raises the question in the future of where's the line between poor batting and difficulty of the pitch (especially with current day England).

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I don't mean to say that it's purely on the batters and not the pitch. But I wonder if we'd even be talking about this if England managed to bat 1st innings into day 2 and the test went to day 3? There was some pretty poor shots from both teams and also some horribly out of form batters that would have exacerbated the difficulty of the pitch.

I think it raises the question in the future of where's the line between poor batting and difficulty of the pitch (especially with current day England).

For the Melbourne Test, it was a case of high movement (for some balls) & poor batting.

Both were factors in it being a 2 day test.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Doesn't sound good at all sadly

Former Test cricket star Damien Martyn has been rushed to hospital after falling ill on Boxing Day.

Martyn, 54, who played 67 Tests, became ill after going to lie down and was rushed to hospital in Brisbane where he remains in a serious condition.

Former Brownlow Medallist Brad Hardie sent “thoughts and prayers’’ to Martyn and his family on his 6PR radio show last night for the challenging road ahead.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

2025 International Test Team...

1 Gill Ind 983 runs @ 70
2 Conway NZ 697 @ 87
3 Mulder SA 669 @ 70; 9 @ 32
4 Root Eng 805 @ 50
5 Head Aus 817 @ 41
6 Carey Aus 667 @ 48
7 Jadeja Ind 744 @ 64; 25 @ 38
8 Stokes Eng 496 @ 31; 33 @ 23
9 Starc Aus 284 @ 24; 55 @ 17
10 Harmer SA 30 @ 14
11 Boland Aus 32 @ 15
12 Bumrah Ind 31 @ 22

 

[Gtowncrow]

2025 International Test Team...

1 Gill Ind 983 runs @ 70
2 Conway NZ 697 @ 87
3 Mulder SA 669 @ 70; 9 @ 32
4 Root Eng 805 @ 50
5 Head Aus 817 @ 41
6 Carey Aus 667 @ 48
7 Jadeja Ind 744 @ 64; 25 @ 38
8 Stokes Eng 496 @ 31; 33 @ 23
9 Starc Aus 284 @ 24; 55 @ 17
10 Harmer SA 30 @ 14
11 Boland Aus 32 @ 15
12 Bumrah Ind 31 @ 22

Starc 55@17 ...impressive.

Australia...33% of the team... impressive

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Starc 55@17 ...impressive.

Australia...33% of the team... impressive

BTW, it's my team not the official one.

It's also a sign Australia has been carried by a few players, which is becoming problematic.

 

[Doctor B]

Ex-Australian cricketer Damien Martyn seriously ill in induced coma

Former Australian Test and limited overs batsman Damien Martyn is in hospital in Queensland in an induced coma after falling ill this week.

www.abc.net.au

Former Australian Test and limited overs batsman Damien Martyn is in hospital in Brisbane in an induced coma after falling ill with meningitis.

Adam Gilchrist confirmed his former Test and Western Australia teammate's hospitalisation in a statement on behalf of the Martyn family.

"He is getting the best of treatment and [Martyn's partner] Amanda and his family know that a lot of people are sending their prayers and best wishes," Gilchrist said.

Chief executive Todd Greenberg wished Martyn a quick recovery on behalf of Cricket Australia.

"I'm saddened to hear of Damien's illness. The best wishes of everyone at CA and in the wider cricket community are with him at this time," Greenberg said.

Meningitis is an infection and swelling, or inflammation, of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord.

Former Australian teammate and cricket coach Darren Lehmann tweeted his support for Martyn on Wednesday morning.

 

[spenze]

Doesn't sound good at all sadly

His wife thought there was something wrong when she woke up and realised Marto hadn't cracked one through the covers

 

[spenze]

Starc 55@17 ...impressive.

Australia...33% of the team... impressive

Bumrah 12th man, impressive

Could argue that one of Jadeja or Harmer is enough for spin but they have numbers stacked up

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

 

[Cromulant]

Makes perfect sense.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Oldies haaaaaaaaaate Twenty20 cricket. Ex-players and commentators queuing up currently

It will ruin test cricket, just like Kerry Packer's pajama cricket did.

Anytime there's an opportunity to throw shade at T20 they'll go hard. A low scoring test means they can roll out all of their long-held criticisms.

They'll see tens of thousands of people attend a domestic cricket match at the same time when previously a domestic fixture would attract 12 people, but there's no thought that this is a positive. In fact it's a negative, as a new generation of cricket fans are learning to love the game the wrong way.

The fact is that T20 cricket destroyed all of these player's batting techniques sometime between the Adelaide and Melbourne tests. That's why one test went five days and the other one for two days - nothing to do with the pitch.

The biggest threat to test cricket got mentioned barely in passing recently - that last summer's Australia vs India test series lost money for CA. That's unheard of. That's the series that typically bankrolls the rest of the four year calendar. If that series in Australia where test cricket support is strong can't make money...?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

No real surprises in the squad.

Who keeps if Inglis gets injured?

Aussie spin surprise, gamble in World Cup squad as ‘confident’ call made on injured trio

BREAKING: Spin surprise and big gamble in Aussie WC squad as call made on injured trio

www.foxsports.com.au

Injury-hit trio named in Australia's squad for T20 World Cup

Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are all included in Australia's 15-player squad for next month's men's Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India.

www.abc.net.au