It's time Usman

[cricketnut14]

time to make an announcement in the coming days (or during the sydney test) and call time on a wonderful test career, and play your final test on your terms.

my gut feel is, otherwise he'll be tapped on the shoulder and won't be there in august v Bangladesh.

88 tests @ 43-44 is a job well done.

this doesn't necessarily solve our batting concerns with:

• weatherald not cashing in and making the openers position his own (same as konstas, mcsweeney)
• marnus seemingly has been unable to transition his great shield form into the test arena
• green not producing anything near what everyone is hoping for
• inglis not able to make it as a pure batsman alone in the test arena

the remaining 4 shield rounds may end up helping shape our next test XI if some of the above can't produce in Sydney.

 

[Cainozz]

time to make an announcement in the coming days (or during the sydney test) and call time on a wonderful test career, and play your final test on your terms.

my gut feel is, otherwise he'll be tapped on the shoulder and won't be there in august v Bangladesh.

88 tests @ 43-44 is a job well done.

this doesn't necessarily solve our batting concerns with:

• weatherald not cashing in and making the openers position his own (same as konstas, mcsweeney)
• marnus seemingly has been unable to transition his great shield form into the test arena
• green not producing anything near what everyone is hoping for
• inglis not able to make it as a pure batsman alone in the test arena

the remaining 4 shield rounds may end up helping shape our next test XI if some of the above can't produce in Sydney.

Funny to think that Ussie made his test debut almost exactly 15 years ago, against England a few days after they won at the MCG and before today, their last win in Australia. A full circle moment for him.

It’s been a wonderful career and personally feel he probably should’ve played 100 tests due to selection issues between his 2 large stints in the side.

 

[Broar]

Why? It's up to others to demand selection. I'd still back in Usman to outscore all of Labuschagne, Inglis, Weatherald, Konsas and Green at the moment.

His day of opening are probably over, but who cares about his age if he's still out scoring that lot. Not sure why you'd make the team weaker because of age when the only thing that matters is runs.

 

[Cleavy]

it's the usual Australian cricket approach: drive the car until the wheels fall off.

 

[010203]

He'll be picked for Sydney but is likely to be a walking wicket in South Africa.

 

[cricketnut14]

He'll be picked for Sydney but is likely to be a walking wicket in South Africa.

he won't be in south africa.

 

[PhatBoy]

He'll be picked for Sydney but is likely to be a walking wicket in South Africa.

This isn’t a facetious question - I understand why it would be taken as one given my… leanings….

But what does everyone think the likely outcome will be in SA?

Two years ago I would have looked at that series and thought Australia would romp it in with MAYBE the outside chance of Rabada leading them to an upset win in one match with the help of 1-2 other bowlers.

Now it’s a year away or near enough. SA are world champions albeit they’re ranked 2. They’ve won in India and drew on some tough pitches in Pakistan. They’re still a bit dicey with the bat but Australia have all sorts of problems with the bat themselves apart from Head, Carey, and Smith who is good but now mortal.

Lyon you would assume won’t be a HUGE factor so one of the 5 ‘top liners’ is negated somewhat (though Maharaj has a good record there so who knows).
Hazlewood can’t string regular games together.
Starc and Boland are obviously pretty reliable body wise.

Rabada and Jansen are deadly over there and they seem to always have a revolving door of quicks ready to go.

It really does look basically like a shootout of who can scrape up enough runs to let their attack win them the game.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

This isn’t a facetious question - I understand why it would be taken as one given my… leanings….

But what does everyone think the likely outcome will be in SA?

Two years ago I would have looked at that series and thought Australia would romp it in with MAYBE the outside chance of Rabada leading them to an upset win in one match with the help of 1-2 other bowlers.

Now it’s a year away or near enough. SA are world champions albeit they’re ranked 2. They’ve won in India and drew on some tough pitches in Pakistan. They’re still a bit dicey with the bat but Australia have all sorts of problems with the bat themselves apart from Head, Carey, and Smith who is good but now mortal.

Lyon you would assume won’t be a HUGE factor so one of the 5 ‘top liners’ is negated somewhat (though Maharaj has a good record there so who knows).
Hazlewood can’t string regular games together.
Starc and Boland are obviously pretty reliable body wise.

Rabada and Jansen are deadly over there and they seem to always have a revolving door of quicks ready to go.

It really does look basically like a shootout of who can scrape up enough runs to let their attack win them the game.

Their batting is vulnerable at times.
But their bowling attack will get us less than 200 regularly on moving pitches. Starc and Cummins will need to be outstanding for us to have any chance

 

[010203]

This isn’t a facetious question - I understand why it would be taken as one given my… leanings….

But what does everyone think the likely outcome will be in SA?

Two years ago I would have looked at that series and thought Australia would romp it in with MAYBE the outside chance of Rabada leading them to an upset win in one match with the help of 1-2 other bowlers.

Now it’s a year away or near enough. SA are world champions albeit they’re ranked 2. They’ve won in India and drew on some tough pitches in Pakistan. They’re still a bit dicey with the bat but Australia have all sorts of problems with the bat themselves apart from Head, Carey, and Smith who is good but now mortal.

Lyon you would assume won’t be a HUGE factor so one of the 5 ‘top liners’ is negated somewhat (though Maharaj has a good record there so who knows).
Hazlewood can’t string regular games together.
Starc and Boland are obviously pretty reliable body wise.

Rabada and Jansen are deadly over there and they seem to always have a revolving door of quicks ready to go.

It really does look basically like a shootout of who can scrape up enough runs to let their attack win them the game.

2-1 either way, with the series deadlocked at 1-1 after the 2nd Test. Cricket in the best traditions between the 2 countries with neither side giving an inch across 3 hard fought Tests is what I'd like to see. A bit of spice but no spite would be nice.

The last Test series between Australia and South Africa was a bit flat but South African cricket is in a much better spot now than it was this time 3 years ago.

We could, unfortunately see some Tests finish inside 3 days based on how vulnerable both batting line-ups could potentially be against the quality bowling attacks possessed by both teams.

 

[Cainozz]

Looking back at the last handful of Ashes series we’ve played in England, there’s usually a turnover of 5-6 different players from each XI between the 4 year gap of overseas Ashes.

With that in mind, I’d say it would look something like this:

1) Head
2) Renshaw
3) Labuschagne
4) Smith
5) McSweeney
6) Green
7) Carey (wk)
8) Cummins (c)
9) Murphy
10) Richardson
11) O’Neill

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Why? It's up to others to demand selection. I'd still back in Usman to outscore all of Labuschagne, Inglis, Weatherald, Konsas and Green at the moment.

His day of opening are probably over, but who cares about his age if he's still out scoring that lot. Not sure why you'd make the team weaker because of age when the only thing that matters is runs.

I think we always have to aim to have the most settled test lineup possible for our grand finals - England and India.

We’ve got India in Jan-Feb 2027 and then the 150th year test vs England after that. We need to be ready for that and Usman isn’t going to be there on age or form.

 

[Daka]

I just don't understand how he hasn't announced his retirement.

Maybe he will in the next couple of days, but the SCG seems the perfect way to go out.
He is 39 years old and form has dropped the last 2 years this isn't a funk are athletes honest with themselves, I feel like not.

I know he is picked for the SCG but there is no chance he will ever be picked again after this series.

 

[brutus76]

needs the tap on the shoulder or the pink slip warning

 

[Bedi]

This isn’t a facetious question - I understand why it would be taken as one given my… leanings….

But what does everyone think the likely outcome will be in SA?

Two years ago I would have looked at that series and thought Australia would romp it in with MAYBE the outside chance of Rabada leading them to an upset win in one match with the help of 1-2 other bowlers.

Now it’s a year away or near enough. SA are world champions albeit they’re ranked 2. They’ve won in India and drew on some tough pitches in Pakistan. They’re still a bit dicey with the bat but Australia have all sorts of problems with the bat themselves apart from Head, Carey, and Smith who is good but now mortal.

Lyon you would assume won’t be a HUGE factor so one of the 5 ‘top liners’ is negated somewhat (though Maharaj has a good record there so who knows).
Hazlewood can’t string regular games together.
Starc and Boland are obviously pretty reliable body wise.

Rabada and Jansen are deadly over there and they seem to always have a revolving door of quicks ready to go.

It really does look basically like a shootout of who can scrape up enough runs to let their attack win them the game.

i was about to post that it's time, but you're right – we may well need someone of his experience for that series.

 

[Jack Mundy]

Funny to think that Ussie made his test debut almost exactly 15 years ago, against England a few days after they won at the MCG and before today, their last win in Australia. A full circle moment for him.

It’s been a wonderful career and personally feel he probably should’ve played 100 tests due to selection issues between his 2 large stints in the side.

Given the schedule there's a good chance he plays 100 tests if he continues for a little while longer.