Ongoing Test match XI speculation thread.

[BronCrow]

In danger of doing a Martin Love. Hundred in his last test knock and never playing again.

Is this a serious post?

 

[Kyptastic]

Is this a serious post?

There’s a long way to go in his career, but Patterson is a fair way back in the queue at this stage. There’s a possibility he never plays another test

 

[BronCrow]

There’s a long way to go in his career, but Patterson is a fair way back in the queue at this stage. There’s a possibility he never plays another test

That wasn't my point. You are quite possibly right about that, and I don't disagree you.

I don't think Martin Love was a particular good comparison, that is why I queried the seriousness of your post. Love was at a much later point of his career when picked for the test team, and was considered to be unfairly dumped. As for his Shield record, it was pretty enviable prior to national selection, similar to Mike Hussey in that regard.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

I would love them to pick both Pucovski and Green in the first Test. We need to be daring.

Burns and Wade are plodders. Burns was never an opener. His technique is too loose and Wade's batting against NZ was just plain weird.

Get some youth into side and let's be excited about Australian cricket again.

 

[BronCrow]

I would love them to pick both Pucovski and Green in the first Test. We need to be daring.

Burns and Wade are plodders. Burns was never an opener. His technique is too loose and Wade's batting against NZ was just plain weird.

Get some youth into side and let's be excited about Australian cricket again.

Absolutely agree with you on Pucovski. He has demanded selection, and with form and age, it is hard to make a strong argument for Burns retaining his spot. He has never been an absolute lock in the side throughout his whole career.

Not as strongly in agreement about Green over Wade. Would love to see Green in the team, but I think you are forgetting Wade's Ashes series last year, where he was our second best batsman after Smith. Wade also has a bit of mongrel in him, which is something the best Australian teams always had.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

Absolutely agree with you on Pucovski. He has demanded selection, and with form and age, it is hard to make a strong argument for Burns retaining his spot. He has never been an absolute lock in the side throughout his whole career.

Not as strongly in agreement about Green over Wade. Would love to see Green in the team, but I think you are forgetting Wade's Ashes series last year, where he was our second best batsman after Smith. Wade also has a bit of mongrel in him, which is something the best Australian teams always had.

I understand your point but Wade averages 31 at Test level after 32 Tests and is never going to get any better.


Green has been one of the best batsmen in Shield cricket for a season and a half and can bowl.

It is time for a generational change.

 

[BronCrow]

I understand your point but Wade averages 31 at Test level after 32 Tests and is never going to get any better.


Green has been one of the best batsmen in Shield cricket for a season and a half and can bowl.

It is time for a generational change.

I can't disagree with any of that either.

My worry is about rushing Cameron in more than anything. Similar things were said about Mitch Marsh at a similar age, and I think it really affected him.

 

[Westend]

I understand your point but Wade averages 31 at Test level after 32 Tests and is never going to get any better.


Green has been one of the best batsmen in Shield cricket for a season and a half and can bowl.

It is time for a generational change.

I would love to see both Will and Cam in the first test....but I believe at this stage Will has a better chance for the first test due to Burns recent struggles.

But saying that I still think we would be stronger with Green in over Wade. His batting IMO is better than Wade and if you ask the Indians who they would rather in. I reckon they wouldn't want a number six capable of bowling 140 plus at them late in the day...even if it is just 4 overs....Just ask Silk how is hand is going when Greenie got him out with a snorter. Greens ability to get bounce from a length will trouble the Indians

But I think they will go on the side of caution as they believe the Day night conditions in the first test will suit the bowlers of Starc and Co and they will not need the extra bowler

Greens chance will come in Melbourne if is flat...which it has been in recent times....and in Sydney when Swepson comes into the team.

Will has a great chance atm.....and lets hope he can score again against the Indians in the A matches.....if he does I reckon he has got a spot...which will be fantastic for the Aussie team going forward

Its going to be great watching these two young guns both in the team together....exciting times

 

[Kram]

Has everyone jumped off Wade now after screaming for him for a couple of years.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I understand your point but Wade averages 31 at Test level after 32 Tests and is never going to get any better.


Green has been one of the best batsmen in Shield cricket for a season and a half and can bowl.

It is time for a generational change.

To be fair I believe his average was down around 28 before his recall. So he has bumped it up.

Over his 10 tests in the past 12 points doesn't he have one of the highest averages (around 36 I think) for an Australian number 6 in a long time? Not sure where to look up the specifics of that stat but I believe it's on the money.

Wade plays the first test for mine for the same reason Richie Vandenberg captained Hawthorn. Sometimes in sport it's more important to have a player in your side who will die for his teammates and do whatever it takes to be the team man. The ultimate mate in the trenches. In a test series against India after almost a full year without international cricket i'd be picking Wade before Green for that reason.

If he is plodding along with 20's and 30's and we are winning the series i'd be all for Green replacing him though.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I would love them to pick both Pucovski and Green in the first Test. We need to be daring.

Burns and Wade are plodders. Burns was never an opener. His technique is too loose and Wade's batting against NZ was just plain weird.

Get some youth into side and let's be excited about Australian cricket again.

I agree. I'd have Pucovski in for Burns. I have nothing against Burns, it's just that he's not in great form, plus how can you ignore someone with 2 double centuries, 495 runs in two completed innings, whilst Burns can't make a run at the moment. I would think the selectors are aching to pick Pucovski.

Once again, nothing against Wade, he's in reasonable form, but I think we need to get Green into the team and blood him into Test cricket.

I'd also think the selectors would be looking at Swepson, it will be interesting to see if he gets a chance this summer.

However, I'm one of these people who are happy with whatever team is selected. It's just good to know the selectors have options and not searching for talent.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

Has everyone jumped off Wade now after screaming for him for a couple of years.

I wasn’t calling for him to be selected. He did deserve to get picked but his weird batting against NZ has convinced me it is time to move on from him.

 

[BronCrow]

I wasn’t calling for him to be selected. He did deserve to get picked but his weird batting against NZ has convinced me it is time to move on from him.

From my recollection, only Ricky Ponting was screaming for Wade to be selected. Not many others on here or in the media were.

 

[DaRick]

I have no huge problem in principle with Green's selection and I would demand that both Pucovski/Green be selected if we were dealing with PAK/SL, but against IND I would expect the selectors to be more circumspect, given the higher stakes and their higher quality.

 

[Docker82]

I have no huge problem in principle with Green's selection and I would demand that both Pucovski/Green be selected if we were dealing with PAK/SL, but against IND I would expect the selectors to be more circumspect, given the higher stakes and their higher quality.

I think they’ll leave Green out as well tbh.

I also think that whoever they select out of Pucovski or Burns will struggle. Let’s face it it’s a very good India attack which is just so much better than anything you’d ever face in the shield, barring a full strength NSW attack (basically Australia’s attack).

 

[HODGEYROAD]

So frustrating that we have to wait until mid December for the first test of the summer.

 

[corbies]

I would love them to pick both Pucovski and Green in the first Test. We need to be daring.

Burns and Wade are plodders. Burns was never an opener. His technique is too loose and Wade's batting against NZ was just plain weird.

Get some youth into side and let's be excited about Australian cricket again.

I mean we don't really. Australia just needs to play solid cricket and the core of the side will win the series. As always all the talk is about the fringe members of the squad but the series is usually always won by the respective sides best players. The fringe players just need to be solid.

From my recollection, only Ricky Ponting was screaming for Wade to be selected. Not many others on here or in the media were.

Nah there were constant calls for Wade to be given a go with the bat during the 18/19 summer and pre-Ashes. Not that it wasn't warranted.

 

[Pippen94]

To be fair I believe his average was down around 28 before his recall. So he has bumped it up.

Over his 10 tests in the past 12 points doesn't he have one of the highest averages (around 36 I think) for an Australian number 6 in a long time? Not sure where to look up the specifics of that stat but I believe it's on the money.

Wade plays the first test for mine for the same reason Richie Vandenberg captained Hawthorn. Sometimes in sport it's more important to have a player in your side who will die for his teammates and do whatever it takes to be the team man. The ultimate mate in the trenches. In a test series against India after almost a full year without international cricket i'd be picking Wade before Green for that reason.

If he is plodding along with 20's and 30's and we are winning the series i'd be all for Green replacing him though.

You support team by scoring runs & taking wickets - Wade's record in tests is average

 

[cricketnut14]

Out of that list Rogers was the best of that lot

for sure, although I had high hope with Hughes and thought he may have been able to be something special.

shame warner didn't get to forge a real partnership with someone in his career.

we have been lucky to have had taylor/slater and then a brief combo's of hayden/slater/blewett/elliott before hayden/langer.

 

[cricketnut14]

There’s a long way to go in his career, but Patterson is a fair way back in the queue at this stage. There’s a possibility he never plays another test

better then bradman

 

[Lynchy04]

Warner
Puckovski
Marnus
Smith
Wade
Green
Paine
Cummins
Pattinson
Lyon
Hazelwood/ Starc

12th Starc/Hazelwood

 

[big_e]

Warner
Puckovski
Marnus
Smith
Wade
Green
Paine
Cummins
Pattinson
Lyon
Hazelwood/ Starc

12th Starc/Hazelwood

Highest run scorers in test cricket last year:



Highest run scorers in shield cricket this season:



But Travis Head doesn't make your top six?

 

[BronCrow]

I mean we don't really. Australia just needs to play solid cricket and the core of the side will win the series. As always all the talk is about the fringe members of the squad but the series is usually always won by the respective sides best players. The fringe players just need to be solid.

Nah there were constant calls for Wade to be given a go with the bat during the 18/19 summer and pre-Ashes. Not that it wasn't warranted.

Maybe in the media, certainly not from the greater general public.

 

[DaRick]

People keep saying this but for every Joe Burns that’s kept in the side there seems to be just as many of the Cam Bancroft or Marcus Harris type who were average shield players who were picked because they were in form at shield level.

Ultimately form is temporary and (lack of) class is permanent and the less talented ‘in form’ player is dropped 2 to 3 games later. It was always strikingly obvious Harris and Bancroft weren’t up to it. Burns can be similar but at least he has actually performed at test level in the past.

I think Pucovski is different but calling for him based off him being ‘in form’ is silly imo. Him being in form is a bonus - nothing more than that. We should pick the best option for the test side long term as ultimately form is temporary.

No one was calling for Marnus Labuschagne at all but the selectors picked him based off potential and nailed it. It’s why they’re paid for doing what they do rather than reading shield scores and assuming that it translates to test level. It often doesn’t.

I tend towards selecting players based on SS form, particularly for batsmen (Labu was in good FC form prior to cementing his place) - someone who looks useless at FC level is highly unlikely to be better in Tests - but it's a complex issue.

There are some players whom you knew would most likely not make it at Test level. People like Sayers, McKay and Hastings were good Shield bowlers but you could tell upon watching them that they were lacking that something that would make them truly worthy Test players (invariably bounce and pace). Then there are other players, like Trent Copeland, who appeared to have what it took to succeed at the highest level and accordingly deserved a go, but then you actually play them and discover that they have a serious weakness (in Copeland's case, he wasn't quick enough). Other players, like Peter Handscomb, start well but are eventually worked out.

The smokies who do work out, or at least provide good initial performances, are usually 1) young (i.e. - <25) and 2) bowlers. Cummins, Pattinson, Lyon and Starc are good examples. Even the smokies who are neither, like Tim Paine, invariably have prior Test experience.

 

[eth-dog]

I find it funny that last season when people wanted Burns in the side they used the fact that Warner likes batting with him as part of the argument and now that they don't want him there they're whinging about said fact.