Ongoing Test match XI speculation thread.

[Kram]

I’d back Burns at test level

Mate doesn't the poor bloke have enough worries without you giving him the kiss of death?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

You'd pick the Burns because he made 180 against Sri Lanka in Feb 2019?

Why not just pick JL at that stage? His 250 in 02 is about as relevant.

I’d rather bank on a bloke averaging 38 rather than a guy averaging 27. Sorry but I will rather that.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Mate doesn't the poor bloke have enough worries without you giving him the kiss of death?

He’ll be fine. He’ll get 10+ tonight

 

[cricketnut14]

Smith and Kohli too nice to each other, where if the biff, the naked aggression? The hate.

This series has already been too nice.

problem is with all this franchise cricket, everyone has played with everyone at some point in some league.

 

[cricketnut14]

Pick your 6 best bats. Green isnt in it.

i've always said pick your best 6 bats and hopefully one of them can bowl (its a bonus if they can).

1. Smith
2. Warner
Labuschagne, Puckovski, Green are clearly our best 5 bats (even though Pucovski & Green have batted at test level yet)
plus another bat that can average 40+ and we are set.

great bowling attack and more than adequate wicket keeper.

 

[eddiesmith]

He’ll be fine. He’ll get 10+ tonight

I know you think India are rubbish, but even they won’t drop 10 catches in the first 10 overs!

 

[Heisenberg_]

Pick your 6 best bats. Green isnt in it.

He is actually, Travis Head isn’t though.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

He is actually, Travis Head isn’t though.

Head has a test average of 40+

 

[King Elvis]

I’m a fan of both Burns and Wade - but we can’t persist with them.

Harris should’ve come in, probably for Wade; but the terrible performance of the openers today has both exposed the top order - and piled the pressure on everybody.


Disappointing, as I like both - but can’t have them there.

 

[Bungeye]

Don't worry, Australia are still guaranteed a win at the Gabba to earn some respectability from a series lost!

 

[Redline]

I think we need to back the batsman in a bit. After one failure everyone wants a player dropped. I get Burns has been in poor form but unless Warner is fit I'd stick with the same six for one more test.

 

[Broar]

I’d rather bank on a bloke averaging 38 rather than a guy averaging 27. Sorry but I will rather that.

On the money here, a few eggs on some faces!

 

[eddiesmith]

On the money here, a few eggs on some faces!

lol, yeah that’s the toughest innings he’ll ever have, chasing 90 to win a test match...

 

[LukeParkerno1]

lol, yeah that’s the toughest innings he’ll ever have, chasing 90 to win a test match...

So either way he can’t win? It was a good knock.

 

[frankrizzo]

The chase looked easy thanks to wade and burns doing their jobs, if people wont even give him credit for that under pressure knock then they are just trolling at this point.

 

[Kram]

Langer = Genius.

 

[eddiesmith]

So either way he can’t win? It was a good knock.

Or you can judge him in how he performed under pressure in the first innings...

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Or you can judge him in how he performed under pressure in the first innings...

He was getting better until he got a harsh decision (yes it was technically out but personally they shouldn’t be given- I would say the same if it was Kholi given)

 

[The Passenger]

It will be very interesting to see what they do if both Warner and Pucovski are fit.

Burns has probably saved his skin for now but his career is still on life support. Pucovski to bide his time again even if he has recovered from his concussion.

If Warner is fit Wade will probably be on the outer and he could rightly feel a bit aggrieved. He hasn't set the world on fire since returning to the team, but I feel like he had done enough to get a chance to defend his middle order position.

But circumstances were against him and sometimes thems the breaks as I think Green will hold his spot at six - can't see them dropping a bloke of his talent after a single test, and likely he'll get to play all four unless say next outing he gets a couple of single figure scores and can't bag a wicket.

Might not be completely over for Wade - he will be first in line if there is an injury. I'm not sure where our next series is but if it's more bowler friendly wickets where an all rounder is less desirable and Green hasn't got a score to solidify his position then there could be an opening again for Wade to get back in.

Edit: looks like Warner is unavailable, and Pucovski might not play again this summer. So will continue to be a "bat-off" between the openers to remain as Warner's partner once he returns.

 

[Hamingja]

Head is like the middle order version of Burns. His overall record is pretty decent but is far from convincing. I think that is the only way that Wade stays. They will keep Burns as opener for the left / right and in this test Wade has shown he only has one way to score his runs and that way is too similiar to Warner to be an effective partnership at the top.

 

[eddiesmith]

Davey may not be available due to the Sydney cluster anyway, he was in Sydney and is not allowed in Victoria without doing 14 days quarantine

 

[corbies]

Davey may not be available due to the Sydney cluster anyway, he was in Sydney and is not allowed in Victoria without doing 14 days quarantine

Isn't he already in Victoria? He and Abbott flew in on Saturday.

 

[eddiesmith]

Isn't he already in Victoria? He and Abbott flew in on Saturday.

Yeah but with the new rules in effect covering all of Sydney, wouldn't they have to quarantine for 14 days which goes past the Boxing day test? When they came in on Saturday it was only Northern Beaches but they seemed to be backdating everything to December 11.

 

[eddiesmith]

So as expected whilst Davey isn’t fit anyway, he and Abbott are not allowed into the hub for the Boxing Day test

 

[Scratchy05]

If Warner is fit, drop Burns, if Pucovski is also deemed fit (a risk playing him), move Wade to 6 and drop Green. I like the glimpses that I have seen and the experience should help but Wade is a better player.

Edit: I for one want to see the combination of Warner & Wade. I get they are similar but both of them have the ability to put the pressure back on the bowlers and really put them under the pump early if they are going well. Might not work so well under swinging conditions.