Ongoing Test match XI speculation thread.

[deanc]

1.Warner
2.Pucovski
3.Labuschagne
4.Smith
5.Green
6.Head
7.Carey
8.Cummins
9.Starc
10.Pattinson
11.Hazlewood

So out of the team is; Burns, Wade, Paine and Lyon - Boy oh boy Wowee...! What are you smoking and where do I get some...?

 

[Lynchy04]

Green has to play.

Out Head

 

[t_94]

Green has to play.

Out Head

Why out Head he’s averaging 42 in test cricket and is 26. Great shield form.

Wade has averaged 38 in his second coming as a test batsman at 32 years old. He isn’t getting any better

 

[Numero Uno]

1.Warner
2.Pucovski
3.Labuschagne
4.Smith
5.Green
6.Head
7.Carey
8.Cummins
9.Starc
10.Pattinson
11.Hazlewood

No spinner and you sacked the captain

 

[Lynchy04]

Why out Head he’s averaging 42 in test cricket and is 26. Great shield form.

Wade has averaged 38 in his second coming as a test batsman at 32 years old. He isn’t getting any better

I’m no Wade fan but got more faith in wade than head. Head plays dumb cricket and gets out to some stupid shots for test cricket standards.

Don’t care about his average , plenty of better players over time not play as much as him averaging more.

Hopefully soon it’s Head and Wade both out but for now Head out Green in

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Head is staying in the side long term.

I wonder if they could get Katich to do some work with him? If he adopted similar methods in trying to get across the stumps more to take out his slashes outside off then he could get rid of some of his sillier dismissals.

 

[JackOutback]

Head is staying in the side long term.

I wonder if they could get Katich to do some with with him? If he adopted similar methods in trying to get across the stumps more to take out his slashes outside off then he could get rid of some of his sillier dismissals.

He stays for now but I’m not convinced he’s a long term solution. Could be another Khawaja or SMarsh.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I suppose it’s dangerous to mess with spots that work but really, under no circumstance should Burns be in the team ahead of Green. Burns was mediocre against two terrible teams on Aus soil and has been diabolical this season. The spot is not his by right, a good team can always get better and Burns should be absolutely nowhere near it.

If that means Lasagna opens for a test then so be it. Green looks like the real deal

 

[corbies]

Head is staying in the side long term.

I wonder if they could get Katich to do some work with him? If he adopted similar methods in trying to get across the stumps more to take out his slashes outside off then he could get rid of some of his sillier dismissals.

The issue is his slashes outside off are also his highest scoring shot. Most of his runs come from the gully-point region.

 

[Kapow!!!]

The other option is slot Green in at 6 and move everyone up a spot

Labs started his career as an opener alongside Burns, Smith has an exceptional record at 3.

Labuschange should never open in my opinion. There's a reason he started there and moved down the order. Plus he's a quality number 3 bat, better at it than Smith. Smith is far more suited to 4. Honestly one of the worst suggestions going around

Bring Pucovski and Green in but FFS don't mess with a winning order.

 

[Kapow!!!]

I suppose it’s dangerous to mess with spots that work but really, under no circumstance should Burns be in the team ahead of Green. Burns was mediocre against two terrible teams on Aus soil and has been diabolical this season. The spot is not his by right, a good team can always get better and Burns should be absolutely nowhere near it.

If that means Lasagna opens for a test then so be it. Green looks like the real deal

Read above: Couldn't disagree more vociferously. If Green comes in it should be to displace a Wade or a Head. Would much rather Harris and Pucovski come in for Burns and Warner.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Labuschange should never open in my opinion. There's a reason he started there and moved down the order. Plus he's a quality number 3 bat, better at it than Smith. Smith is far more suited to 4. Honestly one of the worst suggestions going around

Bring Pucovski and Green in but FFS don't mess with a winning order.

Why?

He has a perfectly good record at 3 - IMO it is where he should be batting and Marnus at 4.

He has the best ability to control a game at 3 than any other batsman - whether it be hunkering down or pressing the game on.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Why?

He has a perfectly good record at 3 - IMO it is where he should be batting and Marnus at 4.

He has the best ability to control a game at 3 than any other batsman - whether it be hunkering down or pressing the game on.

Difference in cricketting philosophy here. I'm more of the philosophy that you don't reveal your trump card when the ball is still handgrenade early in the innings. Plus I honestly think Marnus is better at controlling the pace of the game than Smith is. Smith's far better at his own pace. Why wouldn't you give your best cricketer the license to play with the freedom of a ball and pace attack at 2-40 off 15 than 2-3 off 2?

Also I think Smith is a far better weapon against spin. Something he's more likely to come in and face at 4 rather than 3.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Difference in cricketting philosophy here. I'm more of the philosophy that you don't reveal your trump card when the ball is still handgrenade early in the innings. Plus I honestly think Marnus is better at controlling the pace of the game than Smith is. Smith's far better at his own pace. Why wouldn't you give your best cricketer the license to play with the freedom of a ball and pace attack at 2-40 off 15 than 2-3 off 2?

Also I think Smith is a far better weapon against spin. Something he's more likely to come in and face at 4 rather than 3.

Didn't seem to worry ponting, bradman, richards, lara et al

 

[Kapow!!!]

Didn't seem to worry ponting, bradman, richards, lara et al

You could make the same case about Tendulkar, Clarke, Border et al. It worked better for some than others.

I mean we only need to look at our very opposition for this: I'm sure Kohli would also be a very handy 3, but Pujara is better at it and frees him up to take the game on at 4.

 

[Badesumofu]

Cameron Green and 10 other blokes.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Read above: Couldn't disagree more vociferously. If Green comes in it should be to displace a Wade or a Head. Would much rather Harris and Pucovski come in for Burns and Warner.

I can understand that, I'd be content with Harris opening. Basically, Burns is so far off it that he just cant be in that side, regardless of "messing with the team too much." You can almost lock it in that he wont score more than 10 in both innings of the first test.

I dont think its as ludicrous as your making out since its for likely for one test, I'd argue a top 6 of

Labuschagne
Pucovski
Smith
Head
Wade
Green

Is stronger, or as good as;

Pucovski
Harris
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Wade

The first one also gives you 8 very good overs of pace a day

 

[Doashuey]

Opening with Lab or having Lab at first drop with Burns opening is basically the same thing, either way Lab will be taking guard in the first 3 overs.

 

[Kapow!!!]

I can understand that, I'd be content with Harris opening. Basically, Burns is so far off it that he just cant be in that side, regardless of "messing with the team too much." You can almost lock it in that he wont score more than 10 in both innings of the first test.

I dont think its as ludicrous as your making outsince its for likely for one test, I'd argue a top 6 of

Labuschagne
Pucovski
Smith
Head
Wade
Green

Is stronger, or as good as;

Pucovski
Harris
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Wade

The first one also gives you 8 very good overs of pace a day

Quite frankly I disagree: It's pretty bloody stupid. It's nerfing one of our best batsmen in order to create a spot for the new kid. In any sporting culture that's not the mark of a successful side.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Quite frankly I disagree: It's pretty bloody stupid. It's nerfing one of our best batsmen in order to create a spot for the new kid. In any sporting culture that's not the mark of a successful side.

Happy to disagree, but I'm not trying to create a spot for a new kid, I'm trying to put the best team on the park. If Warner was available, I'd personally drop Wade. Since he's likley not available, I'd rather not have three changes to the batting line-up (Warner, Burns, Wade), and Burns needs to go. Lab has opened several times at Shield and Smith can bat at 3 as he's proven. If we really want to protect our best bats, open with Wade and Pucovski, at least you'll get a left/right combo going and Wade would do a better job at it than Burns (though not better than Lab IMO)

 

[Kapow!!!]

Happy to disagree, but I'm not trying to create a spot for a new kid, I'm trying to put the best team on the park. If Warner was available, I'd personally drop Wade. Since he's likley not available, I'd rather not have three changes to the batting line-up (Warner, Burns, Wade), and Burns needs to go. Lab has opened several times at Shield and Smith can bat at 3 as he's proven. If we really want to protect our best bats, open with Wade and Pucovski, at least you'll get a left/right combo going and Wade would do a better job at it than Burns (though not better than Lab IMO)

Personally I'd agree far more with Wade going to the top of the order than Marnus but even then, again, I disagree. Would rather Green in for Wade, Pucovski in for Burns, Harris in for Warner. But if we're putting a line through Harris then Burns deserves one last crack as the incumbent in an action-potential "all or nothing" innings for his career.

I think it's the height of naivety/outright stupidity to move Marnus and Smith, our two best bats, away from the positions they've been scoring bulk runs at Test level.

 

[big_e]

Green just has to play now.

Put him in at 5 - will likely come in with either Marnus or Smith at the crease (ie our two best batters), with the captain and both vice-captains the next three in the order.

 

[anchor man]

1.Warner
2.Pucovski
3.Labuschagne
4.Smith
5.Green
6.Head
7.Carey
8.Cummins
9.Starc
10.Pattinson
11.Hazlewood

You cannot be serious about dropping Paine.He is still by far the best keeper in the country.By far.
His captaincy has been good, very sound.He has helped rebuild the side from the South Farican disaster.
I am gob smacked that people think he is not world class or the best man for the job for Australia.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

This Green fella has bolted into serious contention.

 

[eddiesmith]

Personally I'd agree far more with Wade going to the top of the order than Marnus but even then, again, I disagree. Would rather Green in for Wade, Pucovski in for Burns, Harris in for Warner. But if we're putting a line through Harris then Burns deserves one last crack as the incumbent in an action-potential "all or nothing" innings for his career.

I think it's the height of naivety/outright stupidity to move Marnus and Smith, our two best bats, away from the positions they've been scoring bulk runs at Test level.

Yeah cos Smith only averages 67 batting at 3, would kill the side to bat him there...