Ongoing Test match XI speculation thread.

[Scratchy05]

If India win this how many test careers could be ended today? Wade? Paine? Starc? Lyon on shaky ground?

Wade and Starc would be the first 2 out. The others stay on notice. Paine might need to lose captaincy however.

 

[LawrenceJameson]

There was a time when the Cricket Academy at Adelaide was the envy of every nation.


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[Santana]

Paine just has to go. No more excuses. Inexcusable leadership & his gloves work isn't that good anymore. Just put Inglis in if you're that worried about Carey's keeping.

Time to fully move on from Wade. Doesn't mean swap him with Head straight away. Head needs to earn his spot back. Give some else a chance.

Drop Starc and make him earn his spot back into the team if he can.

Put Lyon on full notice. Same goes for the coach.

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Out: Harris, Wade, Starc
In: Pucovski, ????, Pattinson (Jhye Richardson the longer-term replacement.)

Lyon has the runs on the board to account for one worse than expected series.

If they're going to move on Paine, they need a clear answer to the captaincy question. You can't feasibly give it back to Smith, so they really need to get over their hang-ups about bowling captains and give it to Cummins.

Middle order is the more interesting question. Khawaja, Maxwell, Harris and Bancroft don't really offer anything more than Wade or Head. Looking at the Shield top 10, Pucovski and Green are in there already, Marsh has had his cards marked, Whiteman is an opener, Inglis is a keeper and someone like McDermott is a dice roll.

It's almost like forcing the Sheffield Shield to the fringes of the season and not giving players the opportunity to establish and build form is a terrible idea that Cricket Australia should be ashamed of.

 

[Santana]

And the selectors, not sure how I forgot them. There needs to be a shake up there.

 

[eddiesmith]

Unlike Headingley where they had the Smith excuse and Australia still drew the series, the selectors usually wield the axe after bad losses like this.

However it’s also feasible they’ll blame it all on Wade and Harris and no changes to the overrated and pathetic NSW bowling attack.

 

[fargothegreat]

I'd like to see Alex Carey come in and bat number 5. I think Travis Head still has a future, but Wade as a test batsman is done.

Need to start giving some of the guys below Starch a go too.

 

[TommyD13]

Usman Khawaja to come in and bat 5 for the SA and home Ashes on the flat pitches anyone? Experienced player, cashes in on roads and also still averages 40 in Tests.

 

[magpiemaniac44]

South African series

Warner
Pucovski
Marnus
Smith (c)
Green
Head/Mcderrmott
Paine (keep him until the end of the ashes)
Cummins
Pattinson/Richardson
Lyon (keep him until the end of the ashes)
Hazelwood

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Usman Khawaja to come in and bat 5 for the SA and home Ashes on the flat pitches anyone? Experienced player, cashes in on roads and also still averages 40 in Tests.

Would rather avoid blokes who spend more energy complaining about selection and public criticism than they do addressing clear issues with their technique and other facets of their game. Stick Handscomb in the same file.

 

[ozaddy]

Usman Khawaja to come in and bat 5 for the SA and home Ashes on the flat pitches anyone? Experienced player, cashes in on roads and also still averages 40 in Tests.

So he averages same as Travis Head?

 

[The hands of stone]

The reaction is to make mass changes but who actually comes in ? We have zero batting depth which means Wade/Head most likely stay in the squad and get a game for now .

Time to tap a few 'favs' on the shoulder.
It wont happen but I would tell Starc to concerntrate on T20 and 1 dayers . We have pace bowling depth and can replace with someone more reliable.
Lyon - no longer a 'walk up start' and phase out . Give Swepson some opportunity and fast track some of the youngies which we have a few.

India still have a battery of young talent to come in, the gap is going to get wider and quickly.

 

[TommyD13]

Leaving on the 24th to SOuth Africa according to Ryan Harris. That's the last day of two shield games. Means Head and maybe a couple others don't have an opportunity to make a score

 

[TommyD13]

So he averages same as Travis Head?

Correct. Good observation

 

[ozaddy]

Correct. Good observation

I guess its better than replacing Travis Head with someone "Wade" who averages less.

 

[Phone]

there's plenty of batting depth, if you want to be brave. The fact of the matter is Matt Wade and Marcus Harris are not better batsmen than Head, Usman & Maxwell. Anyone who believes that they are have got rocks in their head. You're really only looking to fill one position, assuming Will Pucovski's fitness. Pick whichever one you think is the best batsman and off you go. Oh and uh over which player has the slightly better Sheffield shield performances over an 3 match period, and you'll end up with a dud.

 

[MALTSY]

Surely Carey will be given a chance sooner than later?

 

[GCS in 11]

1. Warner
2. Pucovski
3. Labuschagne (VC)
4. Smith
5. McDermott (let Head play shield and work on his technique)
6. Green
7. Carey
8. Cummins (C)
9. Neser/Richardson
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood

I thought McDermott would be dumb when he first got floated for #5 but at this point sure why not for SA.

Squad: Whiteman, Khawaja, Wade (I think he just makes it as a backup batsmen/keeper), Starc, Pattinson, Swepson

 

[Joose]

South African series

Warner
Pucovski
Marnus
Smith (c)
Green
Head/Mcderrmott
Paine (keep him until the end of the ashes)
Cummins
Pattinson/Richardson
Lyon (keep him until the end of the ashes)
Hazelwood

Openers: Warner, Pucovski
Bats: Labushagne, Smith(c), Head, Wade
Allrounder: Green
Keeper: Inglis
Quicks: Hazelwood, Cummins, Pattinson, Richardson
Spin: Lyon, Swepson

 

[ozaddy]

1. Warner
2. Pucovski
3. Labuschagne (VC)
4. Smith
5. McDermott (let Head play shield and work on his technique)
6. Green
7. Carey
8. Cummins (C)
9. Neser/Richardson
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood

I thought McDermott would be dumb when he first got floated for #5 but at this point sure why not for SA.

Squad: Whiteman, Khawaja, Wade (I think he just makes it as a backup batsmen/keeper), Starc, Pattinson, Swepson

McDermott in long format averages a average 34. Also Head bowls and was described better than a part timer by Ponting

 

[Voice of the G]

Surely Carey will be given a chance sooner than later?

Surely Maxwell should be brought back but 3 years to late and all the ACB are worried is the money they generate from him playing the shorter version of the game.

 

[Jimthegreat]

Fill the hole at 5 with Pucovski. Maybe for SA use Warner and Ussie to open as we have to win to get into the WTC at Lords. Carey in for Paine, who must announce his resignation. Richardson (or Pattinson) in for Starc, maybe Swepson for Lyon, still thinking about that one. We can't win a series with just 2 performing bowlers and a shocker of a leader at the top to make it even worse. Trying to find a captain is the challenge. Just can't be Paine.

 

[magpiemaniac44]

McDermott in long format averages a average 34

He’s been in good form in the Shield and made a ton against india

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Warner
Pucovoski
Labs
Smith
Maxwell
Green
Carey
Pattinson
Cummins
Hazlewood
Swepson

 

[99 Problems]

Easy to get caught up in the moment after a bad series loss like this, but just because we lose doesn’t make the players not picked suddenly better.

Pucovski looked set to get a good go at opener before injury so I assume he comes straight back in. Warner has credits in the bank, Smith and Marnus obviously stay. Green showed enough, Paine was disappointing with the gloves but very good with the bat, Cummins man of the series and Hazlewood averaged 20 mixing some good and poor innings.

Moving forward we need to accept that 3 quicks isn’t enough for a tough 4 or 5 test series. Starc needs a period out of the team to try and find some confidence. Lyon was very average but short term is a winner of there being no viable alternative. Hopefully someone like Swepson has a good back half of the shield season to at least provide an option. Number 5 is the biggest issue that needs to be fixed by next summer. I’ve got no idea who the answer is there but we need to try something.