Ongoing Test match XI speculation thread.

[Usayed Givashe]

An XI without Lyon is just daft. Not even worth suggesting. A balanced XI is the best XI, not simply a list of who you consider the best players.

Superstars don’t average 33 at FC level. The fact that his record is slightly better than Paine’s doesn’t make him a superstar, nor a must have to replace the captain.

Next.

I want him out of the side as he is a DRS liability.

It's already cost us an Ashes Victory.

He's the keeper, he shouldn't be guessing.

 

[theyellowsash]

Finch is at best fringe best 11 in Victoria's Shield side. He isn't anywhere near the Aussie side.

dont particularly disagree. just saying that he wasnt exactly given a good go, and that burns shouldn be equally far from the test team.

 

[eth-dog]

dont particularly disagree. just saying that he wasnt exactly given a good go, and that burns shouldn be equally far from the test team.

Yes, Joe Burns with his far superior test and domestic record in comparison to Finch whilst also being clearly in his states best side should be as far away from the test team as Aaron Finch

 

[theyellowsash]

I want him out of the side as he is a DRS liability.

It's already cost us an Ashes Victory.

He's the keeper, he shouldn't be guessing.

well if the bowlers would bowl at the stumps to batsman 11 instead of wide and short, he wouldnt have to guess. he was probably just so amazed that it got near the stumps that he temporarily lost his mind.

 

[Gough]

Warner's out.

 

[11kgm]

Warner's out.

Wade to open?

 

[Voice of the G]

Yes, Joe Burns with his far superior test and domestic record in comparison to Finch whilst also being clearly in his states best side should be as far away from the test team as Aaron Finch

Finch similar to Maxwell given limited chances to push their test claims in shield cricket because of to much limited over cricket on during the shield season.

 

[Lemma]

With Warner out, gonna be an interesting 1st test team. Might be a good thing long-term, our top order is very reliant on Warner
I'd open with Marnus and Khawaja and move Wade to 3 to try to keep the middle order stable.
Would've loved Pucovski to debut but not the right time, out of form and concussed. If only the Tests started end of Nov like they normally do hey...

1 Marnus
2 Khawaja
3 Wade
4 Smith
5 Head
6 Maxwell? Cam Green?
7 Paine
8-11 Cummins, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood

EDIT: Marcus Harris next in line for opener spot

 

[The Passenger]

Lol Finch. He's only ever briefly cemented himself in the Victorian shield team and as of today his selection in a full strength Victorian team is 50/50 at best.

His FC performances have been substandard and he has had plenty of opportunities to amend that.

 

[theyellowsash]

Yes, Joe Burns with his far superior test and domestic record in comparison to Finch whilst also being clearly in his states best side should be as far away from the test team as Aaron Finch

his last 5 matches he has averaged 32, but if you take out the 97 scored against srilanka on manukas postage stamp, he averages 22 from 7 innings. basically identical to finch, against far inferior opposition. neither are good, but burns has had 21 matches to get to that point. maybe if finch had 21 matches he would be better.

but neither should be there.

 

[eth-dog]

his last 5 matches he has averaged 32, but if you take out the 97 scored against srilanka on manukas postage stamp, he averages 22 from 7 innings. basically identical to finch, against far inferior opposition. neither are good, but burns has had 21 matches to get to that point. maybe if finch had 21 matches he would be better.

but neither should be there.

Most people that are here think he should be dropped due to being in poor form.

He's still a significantly better FC/Test player than Aaron Finch

 

[Tippett2Goal]

With Warner out, gonna be an interesting 1st test team. Might be a good thing long-term, our top order is very reliant on Warner
I'd open with Marnus and Khawaja and move Wade to 3 to try to keep the middle order stable.
Would've loved Pucovski to debut but not the right time, out of form and concussed. If only the Tests started end of Nov like they normally do hey...

1 Marnus
2 Khawaja
3 Wade
4 Smith
5 Head
6 Maxwell? Cam Green?
7 Paine
8-11 Cummins, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood

EDIT: Marcus Harris next in line for opener spot

Khawaja is in shit form too definitely not in discussion.

Make it easy
Pucovski concussion issues rules him out, Burns being in terrible form rules him out.

So we open with Harris and Wade, the rest of the batting lineup is unchanged and Green comes in where Wade was.
The bowling lineup is selected as per normal out of Lyon and 3 of Pattinson, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc

 

[theyellowsash]

Most people that are here think he should be dropped due to being in poor form.

He's still a significantly better FC/Test player than Aaron Finch

marginally better, but hes a more known quantity than finch at test level. but steve waughs average didnt permanently jump into the 30s until his 23rd test match either, and was much worse than what finch did for most of the time. sometimes players need that 10-20 games to settle and get comfortable. burns has had that and is still meh, finch hasnt so who knows. thats the only reason id go finch over burns.

 

[Phone]

i meant innings not tests. my bad.
finch first 10 innings: 62, 49, 39, 31, 0, 11, 50, 25, 8, 3
2 50s and a 49 at an average of 27 in the first series after the ball tampering against india. and that average was heavily skewed by the single bad match at the end. This was also while opening, probably the hardest batting position.

smith first 10 innings he averaged 28 (with the same 2 scores over 50), and that only got up to 31 his 20th. He was also protected being able to bat down the order.

smith was given some time to settle into test cricket (4 test series), which im not saying is wrong. its exactly what should be done. finch in comparison was treated like sh*t being given only 1 series to perform, and did not perform nearly as badly as people make out. he might (probably) wouldnt have made it, but we'll never know because he wasnt given a fair go.

what on earth are you talking about it. smith got picked for his first series as a bowler (4 innings), dropped, returned halfway through the 2010-11 Ashes (6 innings), got dropped and didn't return for 2 years.

 

[Lemma]

Khawaja is in sh*t form too definitely not in discussion.

Make it easy
Pucovski concussion issues rules him out, Burns being in terrible form rules him out.

So we open with Harris and Wade, the rest of the batting lineup is unchanged and Green comes in where Wade was.
The bowling lineup is selected as per normal out of Lyon and 3 of Pattinson, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc

Yeh I'd be ok with Harris. Haven't really followed Khawaja's form, but he usually plays well on the home decks.

They were saying on the coverage last night, Wade has never opened for Vic/Tas in Sheff Shield, but has batted 3 several times for a few 50s

 

[eth-dog]

marginally better, but hes a more known quantity than finch at test level. but steve waughs average didnt permanently jump into the 30s until his 23rd test match either, and was much worse than what finch did for most of the time. sometimes players need that 10-20 games to settle and get comfortable. burns has had that and is still meh, finch hasnt so who knows. thats the only reason id go finch over burns.

It isn't marginal. Burns is significantly better.

 

[Golumless]

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

There is a good argument to be made about not ****ing with your 3 and 4 positions if they're working, and since the 2019 Ashes, they're working. Team stability means something after all, and really, that's where you want your two best bats.

You'd be better going for the 2nd option, and just replace Wade with Green.

 

[big_e]

I want him out of the side as he is a DRS liability.

It's already cost us an Ashes Victory.

He's the keeper, he shouldn't be guessing.

You really know how to hold a grudge.

 

[JackOutback]

Khawaja is in sh*t form too definitely not in discussion.

If we're going to go back to the well for a stop-gap measure, SMarsh is a better choice than Khawaja right now.

Plus, the melts would be delicious.

 

[Tippett2Goal]

If we're going to go back to the well for a stop-gap measure, SMarsh is a better choice than Khawaja right now.

Plus, the melts would be delicious.

I wouldn't be surprised if they went that way, and I'd genuinely think its a better option than playing Burns...

 

[Phone]

'form' is usually an one way road to bad selection, but Usman did make 170 runs in his last match...

he should have been the open from the fourth test of the Ashes onwards, so it'd be funny if 16 months later they finally make the right decision

 

[Voice of the G]

If we're going to go back to the well for a stop-gap measure, SMarsh is a better choice than Khawaja right now.

Plus, the melts would be delicious.

Surely with Warner out,most likely Pucovic with injury and Burns out of form Harris is surely 1st pick as opener.Burns only needs 50 plus in the next 3 day game v India and he would be the other opener but does he deserve a spot on 1 innings.

 

[big_e]

Khawaja is in sh*t form too definitely not in discussion.

Make it easy
Pucovski concussion issues rules him out, Burns being in terrible form rules him out.

So we open with Harris and Wade, the rest of the batting lineup is unchanged and Green comes in where Wade was.
The bowling lineup is selected as per normal out of Lyon and 3 of Pattinson, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc

Khawaja made a hundred in his last FC innings, and averages 90 as an opener at test level.

But yeah, not in discussion....

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Burns' form is so horrendous you absolutely couldnt pick him, think it essentially has to be some combination of Pucovski/Labuschagne/Wade/Harris.

I'd even rather play Whiteman, Bancroft or Marsh ahead of Burns, he is absolutely cooked

 

[eth-dog]

Nic Maddinson would be more worthy of that opening spot than Khawaja