Peter "Butters" Handscomb

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Mkcaptain said:
I thought he did okay in Asia. From what I remember he seemed to get himself out after making an okay start more than bowlers exploiting a technical deficiency. That could be wrong though.
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The innings with S.Marsh in India was excellent, but did nothing apart from that. A lot of the small starts were simply thrown away with really poor shots, and at the time attracted zero criticism at the time on here which I thought was quite funny.

Actually he had another good innings in Bangladesh iirc.
Topkent said:
I reckon the English would feel most comfortable bowling to him because he allows you to pitch it up without any threat of punishment
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Reckon he would be lucky to average double figures over in England atm.
 
eth-dog said:
Needs to come back to Shield Cricket, but alas, this is the last round before the T20 break
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He wasn't in great form in the first 3 shield matches this season only averaging 26 per innings. I found it amazing when people were talking about Renshaw's lack of runs that Handscomb's equally bad run was allowed to pass through to the keeper.

There's nothing wrong with adopting a back foot technique, some of the greatest players of all time played off the back foot. However, when the ball is up, you need to get forward to the ball and drive. I would have hated to see Handscomb try to survive against Wasim Akram's inswinging yorker.
 
I love Pete Handscomb and have so since he debuted so I'm probably more lenient than others. I thought his Indian series wasn't as diabolical as made out. Average was poor (not so much in comparison to everyone not named Steve Smith) but I think he threw his wicket away on a few occasions after some really solid starts, and also played a gritty match-saving knock in Ranchi.

Like I said about Renshaw pre-series, we called upon this bloke to help save the Australian test team this time last year and he responded magnificently, so I believe he is owed a good crack at it, especially considering out of his 12 career tests so far half have been in the subcontinent. He has an unusual technique but it has proven to work for him before, and as others have said, plenty of players have carved out successful careers with unusual techniques - our lord and saviour Steve Smith being one of them. I think if the teams winning I'm willing to persist a little longer to see if he can turn it around.

His first innings in Adelaide was certainly uncomfortable to watch, but I think that period was just about the best the English have bowled this test, or series even. When Steve Smith never looks set across a period of 30+ overs you can safely say the batting conditions aren't favourable and the bowling is pretty good.

In my opinion I'd play him in Perth and if he fails again then it would be time to consider Maxwell for Boxing Day.
 

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workhorse said:
In my opinion I'd play him in Perth and if he fails again then it would be time to consider Maxwell for Boxing Day.
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I think this will be the approach too.

Luckily for Pete he may only have had to play one innings in each of the first 2 tests (unless the Poms lift in Adelaide), otherwise we may have seen a change for Perth.
 
Topkent said:
He needs to change his whole technique or he will never make it at test level. Doesn't come forward at the ball which works when the opposition don't bowl at your pads. Kids got serious technical issues that need to be retrained by a batting coach
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People said similar things about Smith. Smith still has the same basic technique, but has put in work to tighten it up a bit. Suspect Handscomb will need to do something similar, but his unique technique is potentially as much a strength as a weakness.
 
BarneyBent said:
People said similar things about Smith. Smith still has the same basic technique, but has put in work to tighten it up a bit. Suspect Handscomb will need to do something similar, but his unique technique is potentially as much a strength as a weakness.
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Disagree. Smith had a weird technique but he doesn't get caught back on the left crease consistently. In fact when Smith hit that 50 in the 10' series batting with the tail you could see he would be something special. As someone said above he will be lucky to average double figures in England the way he bats
 
Topkent said:
Disagree. Smith had a weird technique but he doesn't get caught back on the left crease consistently. In fact when Smith hit that 50 in the 10' series batting with the tail you could see he would be something special. As someone said above he will be lucky to average double figures in England the way he bats
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Agreed, for some reason he has stopped coming forward at all this series.

Usually he hangs back then occasionally surprises the bowler with a front foot drive. Probably good for Aussie pitches, unlikely to work in England. How did he go in the county season?
 
workhorse said:
I love Pete Handscomb and have so since he debuted so I'm probably more lenient than others. I thought his Indian series wasn't as diabolical as made out. Average was poor (not so much in comparison to everyone not named Steve Smith) but I think he threw his wicket away on a few occasions after some really solid starts, and also played a gritty match-saving knock in Ranchi.

Like I said about Renshaw pre-series, we called upon this bloke to help save the Australian test team this time last year and he responded magnificently, so I believe he is owed a good crack at it, especially considering out of his 12 career tests so far half have been in the subcontinent. He has an unusual technique but it has proven to work for him before, and as others have said, plenty of players have carved out successful careers with unusual techniques - our lord and saviour Steve Smith being one of them. I think if the teams winning I'm willing to persist a little longer to see if he can turn it around.

His first innings in Adelaide was certainly uncomfortable to watch, but I think that period was just about the best the English have bowled this test, or series even. When Steve Smith never looks set across a period of 30+ overs you can safely say the batting conditions aren't favourable and the bowling is pretty good.

In my opinion I'd play him in Perth and if he fails again then it would be time to consider Maxwell for Boxing Day.
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If Akram didn't get him Waqar would've.
 
Adelaide Hawk said:
He wasn't in great form in the first 3 shield matches this season only averaging 26 per innings. I found it amazing when people were talking about Renshaw's lack of runs that Handscomb's equally bad run was allowed to pass through to the keeper.

There's nothing wrong with adopting a back foot technique, some of the greatest players of all time played off the back foot. However, when the ball is up, you need to get forward to the ball and drive. I would have hated to see Handscomb try to survive against Wasim Akram's inswinging yorker.
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Equally as bad? He was literally twice as good as Renshaw.

Honestly, if this is his "lean" patch, where he's basically made a start in most innings' he's doing well.
 

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Handscomb has taken batting behind the crease to the next level from where S Waugh and Smith have had it.

If test cricket gives him roads to bat on and a ball that doesn't move sideways. He may just turn out ok...
 
Kram said:
Almost half of his runs have come from against Pakistan on flat wickets at home.
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Yes. He's also played in 4 series. It's not a disaster like many in here are suggesting.
 
Clearly out of form. Drop him for Maxwell and move Marsh to number 5 before his confidence gets shot completely. Should work at getting his technique right and regain confidence in said technique before playing big bash cricket too.
 
I believe he’s done alright at county cricket but like most domestic comps, it’s a level or two below Test standard.
 
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