Ongoing Test match XI speculation thread.

[OffTheBit]

Watching Pucovski, I have a few concerns.

1) Yeah, I know he scored a billion runs vs SA opening, but so did Harris, and that doesn't mean that we should select him.

2) I have real doubts about his ability to handle the psychological challenges thrown up by Test cricket. He's had difficulties with Shield cricket, and we all know that Test cricket is a whole 'nother ballgame, especially facing up against Bumrah first up.

3) I don't have any particular concern with his technique, but his offside play seems somewhat limited. Yeah, he looks great off the back foot and his legside play appears to be very good, and he appears to be able to pick off balls that aren't even that short, but I notice that he doesn't seem to score much off fuller balls pitched outside off. That can be spun two ways: 1) he is patient or 2) his offside play is limited enough that you can block his scoring opportunities.

RE Green, I did have him tentatively pencilled in, but really as a batsman. Saying that he can offer 10-15 quality overs with the ball right now is a stretch since he didn't bowl many over 10 for WA in the last Shield match, and has only recently returned to bowling. Wade has scored enough in the Shield that I wouldn't be bothered if the selectors opted for caution, especially against India.

Any new concerns today?

 

[Heisenberg_]

Not even close imo.

Players that are truly test standard will go back to the shield and make decent runs regardless of their form in the test arena. They may struggle for a bit but eventually class will shine through.

Pucovski has just played his first shield game of 2020. Green is only 21. There’s no rush with either of them.

Age is irrelevant, question is are they better then the players they are up against.
Pukovski is clearly better then Burns, Harris and Bancroft.
This isn’t a flash in the pan, the selectors will talk to him and see where his head is at, if he feels not ready mentally for it he won’t play, if he is he is an absolute lock.

 

[eddiesmith]

Well given the entire NSW team only made 64 today, surely the selectors won’t find another NSW prodigy to suddenly jump him at the last minute when he is all but assured of a test debut?

 

[saint_]

Ricky Ponting started his test career at 21. Pucovski is playing well and should be selected if he feels right to play.

 

[Docker82]

Age is irrelevant, question is are they better then the players they are up against.
Pukovski is clearly better then Burns, Harris and Bancroft.
This isn’t a flash in the pan, the selectors will talk to him and see where his head is at, if he feels not ready mentally for it he won’t play, if he is he is an absolute lock.

My biggest concern with Pucovski was that his first match for 2020 was only last week so he’d had one good innings for 2020. He’s obviously a very good young player and his longer term record stacks up but I still feel selecting him off one or two games in 2020 isn’t enough of a precedent.

The test matches aren’t for a little while, so let’s hope he keeps it up.

I’d really like to see him perform on a more difficult pitch but it isn’t his fault if he’s played on two roads (and he performs) so it’d be more ideal rather than a deal breaker.

 

[eddiesmith]

My biggest concern with Pucovski is that his first match for 2020 only last week. He’s obviously a very good young player and his longer term record stacks up but I still feel selecting him off one or two games in the last 11 months of shield cricket isn’t much of a precedent to be selecting off.

The test matches aren’t for a little while, so let’s hope he keeps it up.

I’d really like to see him perform on a more difficult pitch but it isn’t his fault if he plays mostly on roads (and he performs) so it’d be more ideal rather than a deal breaker.

Here’s the problem, this is his last shield match, maybe innings until February and this pitch is so flat, WA put them in!

But you can either pick a bloke in rare form as they did with KP 2 years ago at Pucks expense, or you stick with a player who last summer was mostly average and in shield cricket has been appalling this summer.

 

[smasha]

lol,Vics have to make 500s to get into the test team fmd.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Here’s the problem, this is his last shield match, maybe innings until February and this pitch is so flat, WA put them in!

But you can either pick a bloke in rare form as they did with KP 2 years ago at Pucks expense, or you stick with a player who last summer was mostly average and in shield cricket has been appalling this summer.

I’d say he’ll almost certainly play at least one of the Australia A matches barring injury

 

[Docker82]

Here’s the problem, this is his last shield match, maybe innings until February and this pitch is so flat, WA put them in!

But you can either pick a bloke in rare form as they did with KP 2 years ago at Pucks expense, or you stick with a player who last summer was mostly average and in shield cricket has been appalling this summer.

Pretty average WA attack to be fair. Captains have got it horribly wrong before. At 1 for 300 it’s probably a batting wicket. I think it’s pretty obvious from my previous posts that I only rate Marcus Harris as an about average shield player yet he’s scored runs on both wickets. I’m not having it both ways just because I rate Pucovski higher.

My previous post which was replied to was from a week or two ago when Pucovski had played one shield innings this calendar year. I stated I was concerned by lack of recent matches - I didn’t say today not to pick him. It still might be premature but given his past performances he probably won’t be required to have as many good performances to get in the test team. He’s had some issues though and we probably need more time to gauge whether he has been coping well enough.

A lot of ‘in form’ players have been picked the last 3-4 years. Most do alright for 2-3 games and then return to the form they were in before that, which is the true reflection of that players ability. KP, Harris and Bancroft are all examples of this. They are poor examples of why we should pick a player and tbh I feel putting Pucovski in this bracket is unfair.

 

[Docker82]

I’d say he’ll almost certainly play at least one of the Australia A matches barring injury

Almost has to be done now imo.

Pick him in both Australia A and an extended test squad (I assume they’ll probably be picked at similar times) and if he performs for Australia A he’s in.

Picking him after two shield games in 2020 is a risk. It might still be the right decision but it’s a risk.

 

[Braidz]

Really Pucovski has just picked himself. Burns has been woeful, a decent innings and I can see Green batting 6.

Warner
Pucovski
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Green
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood
Lyon
Not sure where Hazlewood is? Injured? Didn’t think he was playing IPL

 

[JackOutback]

I’ve made the case for waiting on both Pucovski and Green, but I don’t think you can ignore the form Pucovski’s in. The only concern remains his resilience but if they are confident they can manage it, the time to pull the trigger is now.

 

[marcus1232]

Pucovski is capable of batting 1-6 which allows are multitude of options aswell.

I actually think Rogers has deliberately opened him with the weakness at national level with the number 2 opener spot

 

[Santana]

I would pull the trigger on Pucovski, but not on Green yet. I want to see how his body holds up bowling a full season of shield.

 

[eth-dog]

Let's get down to it, Green needed either Wade or Head to not make runs, whilst Puck needed Burns not to make runs. Only one of the three have failed to do so.

 

[gordo2016]

Really Pucovski has just picked himself. Burns has been woeful, a decent innings and I can see Green batting 6.

Warner
Pucovski
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Green
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood
Lyon
Not sure where Hazlewood is? Injured? Didn’t think he was playing IPL

Hazelwood has been playing in the IPL.

 

[DaRick]

Any new concerns today?

No.

Don't get me wrong; I am, and was, personally thrilled for Pucovski regarding his good form and given Burns' failure today, I would actually pencil him in for a start in the 1st XI. That said, does his good form invalidate my concerns? I honestly hope that it does, but you never really know, especially regarding younger players who haven't developed physically or mentally.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

I was originally for Puc having a whole season in the shield but these scores might just start to be too damning, seriously have to think about him for the 1st test.

 

[t_94]

Think Burns is absolutely cooked it now. Spot is Pucovski’s to lose I reckon.

Whiteman/Harris providing good competition but I think they’ll lean towards the talent of Pucovski. As memey as it is for Street to blunt 10 off 100, he needs to get that strike rate up to 30ish at least for those first 100 balls since he puts to much pressure on the other batters

Whiteman and Harris seem more like good domestic players in a rich vein of form (know Harris has had prolific shield seasons but exposed at test level). Pucovski is a generational talent.

Street would be a fair way from the test team right now.

 

[Braidz]

Hazelwood has been playing in the IPL.

Ok thanks. I don’t follow IPL

 

[ashley12]

I'm more curious about the makeup of the Australia A side

Assuming the top 9 players following rest from IPL duties/locked in for 1st test. Burns/Wade to play, I believe Head is a lock so won't.

Leaves us

Burns
Pucovski
Whiteman
Random older captain choice (Maybe S.Marsh?) Unless Carey captains. Cant really think of a decent option here. Maybe McDermott?
Wade
Green
Carey
Neser
Abbott
Pattinson/Ellis
Swepson

 

[eth-dog]

I'm more curious about the makeup of the Australia A side

Assuming the top 9 players following rest from IPL duties/locked in for 1st test. Burns/Wade to play, I believe Head is a lock so won't.

Leaves us

Burns
Pucovski
Whiteman
Random older captain choice (Maybe S.Marsh?) Unless Carey captains. Cant really think of a decent option here. Maybe McDermott?
Wade
Green
Carey
Neser
Abbott
Pattinson/Ellis
Swepson

There's already an Australia A thread up

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Whiteman and Harris seem more like good domestic players in a rich vein of form (know Harris has had prolific shield seasons but exposed at test level). Pucovski is a generational talent.

Street would be a fair way from the test team right now.

I think Whiteman and Harris can be handy test players if they got it all right but your right, they don’t have the potential/talent of Pucovski.

Pucovski has to play, Burns was really just holding on anyway and you couldn’t justify picking him. It’s not like Pucovski has only just started performing, he’s been excellent for years and only his own health issues have held him back. If he’s on top of everything, he plays.

Green will be in the squad but likely need Wade to fail in a test or two. Won’t be the worst thing for him so he gets experience around the squad and can continue to build on his new action.

Both are scary talents who could set us up for a generation with Labuschagne if they get on top of their injuries/health issues.

 

[rippersnipper]

Head should be a lock at 5: he's the second highest run scorer in the shield so far. Even if he bats poorly he's normally good value for 30 or 40 at test level. Puc is more than knocking the door down at this point but I'm hesitant to put him into the test team as an opener. The problem is that I think 6 is too low for him and 3, 4, and 5 are locks. I think he deserves his place though, wherever he ends up batting. Green at 6 would be interesting for sure, but will the selectors want two kids making their debuts in the same match against India when other decent options are available?

 

[magpiemaniac44]

I think it will be Pucovski and Wade in the XI with Green in the squad. It will be very interesting to see how the A games play out, because for some this Shield round is there last chance to put their name forward.