Ongoing Test match XI speculation thread.

[LukeParkerno1]

Is Warner even likely to be fit for Boxing Day?

Apparently would have been fit had the first test started on the weekend, well that's what everyone has been saying. So second test should be more than sweet.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Or 50 since moving to no5 during the Ashes

Small sample size - not a great deal of difference between 5 and 6.

Wade is a nuggety fighter, getting the best out of himself and I think that will endear him to Langer and the rest of the team - but he's not a "must have talent".

There will likely be a spot in the batting lineup all summer - he gets the opportunity to keep his as opposed to losing it to a guy who is looking like "must have" talent.

If it's a choice Wade v Green at 6 only - i'm choosing Green. However I'm all for trialling Wade as an opener - if he can handle green tassie decks batting 4 - he can open IMO.

 

[big_e]

Well Wade does only average 32 it’s not as if we are leaving out a bloke averaging 50.

Wade averages 50 batting at number 5, which is where he's been lately.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Wade averages 50 batting at number 5, which is where he's been lately.

In a very small sample size. They aren't getting rid of Head, and Green has to play. Plus frankly for the excitement of fans can we not just pick the same old, when we have seen what Wade is through his career. He's nuggety and he fights hard but if he's a long term top 6 bat we have issues going forward. He can open.

 

[cricketnut14]

i think moving forward if we all think green & pukovski has got the goods that we wanna see smith, warner, labuschagne, pukovki & green all feature in the top 6.

it's just a case of who the other one is .

 

[LukeParkerno1]

i think moving forward if we all think green & pukovski has got the goods that we wanna see smith, warner, labuschagne, pukovki & green all feature in the top 6.

it's just a case of who the other one is .

Pretty much and in the end getting towards that top 7 is a good thing. Think Head is there too as much as I don't rate his technique or stupidity when facing last overs before breaks.

 

[Pykie]

Head is the weakest link in the middle order.

I'm not sure why we just don't try opening with him. We are then only weaking the weakest part of our batting lineup.

Wade "has" played #3 at FC level and has opened in the short formal, that doesn't mean he's any good at it.

I'd rather leave him where he is and he's had better form than Head recently.

 

[FRUMPY]

Either way, both green and pukovski will be dropped pretty early in their careers. Happens to everyone. Stop talking as if they will play 100 tests consecutive from debut.

I don't think green will make it through all 4 tests without breaking down at some point and we know about pukovski

Sent from my CPH1879 using Tapatalk

 

[FRUMPY]

Wade opening is a Finch move, throw him to the wolves as they know they he be in the test side much longer

Sent from my CPH1879 using Tapatalk

 

[Redline]

Outside the openers the team basically picks itself.

For me Labashagne at three, Smith at Four, Head at five and Green at six are all virtually locked in for series injury permitting. Possibly for the next three years.

Wade would normally drop out of the eleven but with the vacant opening spots I think he can open.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Head is the weakest link in the middle order.

I'm not sure why we just don't try opening with him. We are then only weaking the weakest part of our batting lineup.

Wade "has" played #3 at FC level and has opened in the short formal, that doesn't mean he's any good at it.

I'd rather leave him where he is and he's had better form than Head recently.

I am far from Head’s biggest fan but one averages 41 and one averages 32...and the worse one is not Head!

 

[eddiesmith]

Small sample size - not a great deal of difference between 5 and 6.

Wade is a nuggety fighter, getting the best out of himself and I think that will endear him to Langer and the rest of the team - but he's not a "must have talent".

There will likely be a spot in the batting lineup all summer - he gets the opportunity to keep his as opposed to losing it to a guy who is looking like "must have" talent.

If it's a choice Wade v Green at 6 only - i'm choosing Green. However I'm all for trialling Wade as an opener - if he can handle green tassie decks batting 4 - he can open IMO.

But it’s the most recent and current form and it’s better than Heads. Everyone keeps saying Head is a lock at 5, the position he was dropped from during the Ashes?

Australia has struggled for so long outside their home roads and yet people quickly forget the nuggets performances overseas that helped retain the Ashes because it wasn’t pretty.

Fact is Wade has done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve getting dropped yet the answer to Australia’s selection dilemma is put him in a position he’s never batted before, a position that will t be available on the 2nd test effectively ending his career. Yet promoting the no3 to open, a position he has batted at before is not even an option.

It defies all logic.

 

[hawkman]

I am far from Head’s biggest fan but one averages 41 and one averages 32...and the worse one is not Head!

Averages don't always tell the story.
Handscomb averages 39 from a similar number of innings and belongs nowhere the test team

His average is massively assisted by dining out of the Sri Lanka popgun attack. The hundred against New Zealand at the MCG does buy him time though

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Averages don't always tell the story.
Handscomb averages 39 from a similar number of innings and belongs nowhere the test team

His average is massively assisted by dining out of the Sri Lanka popgun attack. The hundred against New Zealand at the MCG does buy him time though

The same token not as if Wade hasn’t had plenty of chances to dine out on average attacks too. As I said not Head’s biggest fan but he’s a certain selection

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

Can’t we go ONE summer without Marsh playing...he’s ordinary at absolute best. Wade is at least in the setup and unlike Marsh won’t injure himself getting out of bed leaving us a man down!

Get over your hatred of the Marsh brothers. It is very immature. Shaun has six Test hundreds and has been the standout player in Shield cricket for the past two summers.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Get over your hatred of the Marsh brothers. It is very immature. Shaun has six Test hundreds and has been the standout player in Shield cricket for the past two summers.

I’m just over them at test level over an over we’ve gone there and low and behold Shaun is one of the biggest teases...and Langer loves the bloke so he continues to pick him. I’ve never doubted his ability at Shield level but he’ll join a queue of players that are too good for Shield cricket but not consistently good enough at test level! Plus he’s 37 years old!

 

[big_e]

His average is massively assisted by dining out of the Sri Lanka popgun attack.

Oh goody, we're playing the "if you take out their best performances" card.....

 

[The Falcon Strike]

But it’s the most recent and current form and it’s better than Heads. Everyone keeps saying Head is a lock at 5, the position he was dropped from during the Ashes?

Australia has struggled for so long outside their home roads and yet people quickly forget the nuggets performances overseas that helped retain the Ashes because it wasn’t pretty.

Fact is Wade has done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve getting dropped yet the answer to Australia’s selection dilemma is put him in a position he’s never batted before, a position that will t be available on the 2nd test effectively ending his career. Yet promoting the no3 to open, a position he has batted at before is not even an option.

It defies all logic.

Averaging in the 30s is a reason to get dropped. If your argument is Head deserves to be dropped as well - then that wouldn't be irrational either.

As Langer said - runs are your best currency - neither are making them in quantities that says lock them in.

Head at least has in his favour the likelihood that he'll get better.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

I’m just over them at test level over an over we’ve gone there and low and behold Shaun is one of the biggest teases...and Langer loves the bloke so he continues to pick him. I’ve never doubted his ability at Shield level but he’ll join a queue of players that are too good for Shield cricket but not consistently good enough at test level! Plus he’s 37 years old!

Who cares about someone's age. David Mundy

16

David Mundy

Age

40

Ht

192cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.1

5star

K

11.2

4star

HB

11.8

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.3

5star

CL

5.1

5star

D

15.7

4star

K

6.7

3star

HB

9.0

4star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.7

4star

CL

3.7

5star

D

27.8

5star

K

15.4

5star

HB

12.4

5star

M

5.8

5star

T

6.2

5star

CL

7.2

5star

is turning 36 and Shaun Burgoyne

9

Shaun Burgoyne

Age

43

Ht

186cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.0

4star

K

9.9

4star

HB

8.1

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.8

5star

MG

162.7

3star

D

10.0

3star

K

5.6

2star

HB

4.4

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

162.7

3star

D

6.2

2star

K

3.2

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.2

2star

T

1.6

4star

are 38 and they are playing a top level body contact sport. Age is irrelevant if you are still performing and Shaun Marsh still is. He has hit six hundreds in his first 28 Tests, which is impressive and has a very good one-day international batting average.

He is more talented than Burns and Wade put together and I would pick him ahead of both, especially given in his form this year of hitting three centuries and an 88 in four Shield matches.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Oh goody, we're playing the "if you take out their best performances" card.....

It's not taking out their best performance - it's adding context.

A hard fought 65 on a 5th day pitch against bowling is worth more than 150 on a road against a pop gun attack.

Statistics will show differently

The best players get rated on what they do in WCs and against the best opposition. It's what makes Smith's record so phenomenal - he's done it against India and England.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Who cares about someone's age. David Mundy

16

David Mundy

Age

40

Ht

192cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.1

5star

K

11.2

4star

HB

11.8

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.3

5star

CL

5.1

5star

D

15.7

4star

K

6.7

3star

HB

9.0

4star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.7

4star

CL

3.7

5star

D

27.8

5star

K

15.4

5star

HB

12.4

5star

M

5.8

5star

T

6.2

5star

CL

7.2

5star

is turning 36 and Shaun Burgoyne

9

Shaun Burgoyne

Age

43

Ht

186cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.0

4star

K

9.9

4star

HB

8.1

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.8

5star

MG

162.7

3star

D

10.0

3star

K

5.6

2star

HB

4.4

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

162.7

3star

D

6.2

2star

K

3.2

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.2

2star

T

1.6

4star

are 38 and they are playing a top level body contact sport. Age is irrelevant if you are still performing and Shaun Marsh still is. He has hit six hundreds in his first 28 Tests, which is impressive and has a very good one-day international batting average.

He is more talented than Burns and Wade put together and I would pick him ahead of both, especially given in his form this year of hitting three centuries and an 88 in four Shield matches.

We need to move on from 37 year olds not even averaging 35...all the time he teases. There are plenty of these players who are not worth persisting with at test level, once every 10 innings they do something to tease you...then it’s back to usual. Plus with Marsh he’s injury prone.

Is Wade or Burns the answer not sure but anything is better than going back to a 37 year old. If we are going there pick Khawaja who averages 40+....and I’m not calling for Khawaja to be picked

 

[Redline]

It's not taking out their best performance - it's adding context.

A hard fought 65 on a 5th day pitch against bowling is worth more than 150 on a road against a pop gun attack.

Statistics will show differently

The best players get rated on what they do in WCs and against the best opposition. It's what makes Smith's record so phenomenal - he's done it against India and England.

Drop Wade in that case, Head played some huge innings in England and hung around with Smith when the going was tough.

 

[Scratchy05]

Okay, after some thought here is the lineup I'd go with for the first test

1. Joe Burns
2. Matthew Wade
3. Marnus Labuschagne
4. Steve Smith
5. Travis Head
6. Cameron Green
7. Tim Paine
8. Pat Cummins
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Nathan Lyon
11. Josh Hazlewood
12th. James Pattinson

I was honestly wanting to select Shaun Marsh as an opener but if Cameron Green is fit, I'd rather us back in Joe Burns to open and roll the dice with Wade (mainly as the selecting of Marsh is unrealistic at this stage which is why I gave the nod to Burns. If he was currently in the squad, I'd pick Marsh ahead of him). Harris' poor performances in list A have me putting Burns in ahead of him purely as while both are failing, Burns was our previous opener so just essentially gets the spot as he was in the side. I personally think he is a better batsmen as well (subjective). If Cameron Green is deemed unfit, I don't care if he isn't in the Squad but bring in Shaun Marsh to open until David Warner comes back and no longer, regardless of what he scores. Will probably do a serviceable job and is as usual, posting domestic scores. The other player I have on notice is Mitch Starc. I have selected him to bounce back as it is a pink ball test and he is generally sensational under lights but if he fails in his bread and butter, I'd have 0 hesitation to drop him and play James Pattinson in his home state on boxing day as he has been bowling well as of late.

 

[BronCrow]

Drop Wade in that case, Head played some huge innings in England and hung around with Smith when the going was tough.

Wade was the only other Australian player to score a ton in the series apart from Smith. As for huge innings, if Wade doesn't make the first of those ton's in the second innings of the first test, we most likely don't win that test.

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[Scratchy05]

We need to move on from 37 year olds not even averaging 35...all the time he teases. There are plenty of these players who are not worth persisting with at test level, once every 10 innings they do something to tease you...then it’s back to usual. Plus with Marsh he’s injury prone.

Is Wade or Burns the answer not sure but anything is better than going back to a 37 year old. If we are going there pick Khawaja who averages 40+....and I’m not calling for Khawaja to be picked

Marsh isn't a long-term selection, purely a one-test stop gap until Warner gets back as he would be a better option that Khawaja, Burns & Harris in my eyes.