Sam Konstas: Are you on board with him?

[jb04]

It helps that it was out of the country without the same level of focus as an Aussie test.

Very true, a bunch of punters who will be turning up to watch the Ashes later this year are still in “footy mode”, and the only memory of Sam is his MCG innings from last year.

It would help even more if these lessons were being learned while playing Shield or County games where the stakes aren’t as cutthroat.

 

[Soggy2112]

Foxsports now getting into the act



If that wasnt enough!!

It does raise an interesting question though, as moving forward, who can field in the slips will have to be a question the selectors ask themselves if Smith doesn’t trust his finger/hand there atm (I assume that’s why he wasn’t in the grippers).

Head clearly has no interest/ability there as he fielded in the ring even when he was SA captain, which means whoever opens will probably have to be in the slips by default.

 

[sr36]

It does raise an interesting question though, as moving forward, who can field in the slips will have to be a question the selectors ask themselves if Smith doesn’t trust his finger/hand there atm (I assume that’s why he wasn’t in the grippers).

Head clearly has no interest/ability there as he fielded in the ring even when he was SA captain, which means whoever opens will probably have to be in the slips by default.

I always find it interesting when someone like Head doesn't field in the slips. His hands are as brilliant as it comes when holding a cricket bat. Is it concentration?

I wonder who will be first slip after Khawaja?

However, the two giants with buckets should keep our catching in pretty good stead if they can bat well enough to stay in the team.

 

[CD Xbow]

It makes the first 4 Shield games very interesting. The battle of the openers. More than any other position in cricket openers seem to be about getting the right pair. I don't know how much of it is getting complimentary skills, contrasting styles or simply personalities that perform well together but it does often seem to be the case. Are there any likely pairs in the current crop of Shield openers?.

 

[cricketnut14]

I always find it interesting when someone like Head doesn't field in the slips. His hands are as brilliant as it comes when holding a cricket bat. Is it concentration?

I wonder who will be first slip after Khawaja?

However, the two giants with buckets should keep our catching in pretty good stead if they can bat well enough to stay in the team.

i wouldn't be surprised if webster was at 1st and smith 2nd.

and smith at slip when the spinner is on.

 

[Gough]

i wouldn't be surprised if webster was at 1st and smith 2nd.

and smith at slip when the spinner is on.

Renshaw would strengthen our slips cordon.

 

[cricketnut14]

Renshaw would strengthen our slips cordon.

yeah good option if he can find himself back in the XI.
he fielded there in his first stint in the side after the watson era and before warner became our 1st slipper.

 

[sr36]

i wouldn't be surprised if webster was at 1st and smith 2nd.

and smith at slip when the spinner is on.

Probably right. Webster looks the safest hands around, but if someone else is close to being as safe, it's got to be tempting to employ Webster in a spot where he can use his stretch to cover maximum ground in the cordon. The reach of he and Green together virtually give you the equivalent of an extra bloke in slips. I suspect Webster will be our second slipper post Smithy for that reason - if he holds his place in the team for that long.

 

[Gough]

I look at Beau Webster's hands and have to assume Slug is an ironic nickname.

 

[Soggy2112]

i wouldn't be surprised if webster was at 1st and smith 2nd.

and smith at slip when the spinner is on.

Smith wasn’t fielding in slips at times in the Windies. I’m assuming it’s to protect his hand/finger after the WTC. What if he doesn’t want to or can’t field there in the Ashes?

When you’re splitting hairs over who will open, I think having a reliable slip cordon is something that needs to be considered.

 

[sherb]

Renshaw would strengthen our slips cordon.

As would Bancroft. He's one of the best slippers in the country.

 

[TheGoatBaron]

I was initially. But he needs a season back in the Sheffield Shield to work on his defence

 

[cricketnut14]

Smith wasn’t fielding in slips at times in the Windies. I’m assuming it’s to protect his hand/finger after the WTC. What if he doesn’t want to or can’t field there in the Ashes?

When you’re splitting hairs over who will open, I think having a reliable slip cordon is something that needs to be considered.

4 and a bit months is more than enough time for the finger to be right.

the bloke has 201 test catches.

you'll see smith in the slips for the remainder of his career.

 

[sr36]

I was initially. But he needs a season back in the Sheffield Shield to work on his defence

I just hope that he doesn't get pushed too hard into short form too early where he'll work on moving his front leg in the opposite direction to what he needs to be working on.

 

[Rabish Binney]

I assume you only mean the batters.

It’s ridiculous to suggest the bowlers should be expected to play 4 shield games before a 5 match test series, particularly when there’s a T20 series against India in the lead up. Given there’s a World Cup in February I’d expect they’ll want the quicks to play some of those games.

1 shield game would be plenty.

Really?

Our batting is our problem is it not?

So our bats need to play against the best bowlers - and that means Cummins; Starc; Haze and Boland playing.

It's no use someone like Usman getting runs against a 2nd XI NSW shield attack is it when in a months time he'll come up against Jofra etc?

 

[peternorth]

It does raise an interesting question though, as moving forward, who can field in the slips will have to be a question the selectors ask themselves if Smith doesn’t trust his finger/hand there atm (I assume that’s why he wasn’t in the grippers).

Head clearly has no interest/ability there as he fielded in the ring even when he was SA captain, which means whoever opens will probably have to be in the slips by default.

I always find it interesting when someone like Head doesn't field in the slips. His hands are as brilliant as it comes when holding a cricket bat. Is it concentration?

I wonder who will be first slip after Khawaja?

However, the two giants with buckets should keep our catching in pretty good stead if they can bat well enough to stay in the team.

Was there or not an unwritten rule that newbies non bowlers field at short leg should the need arise? So take say 4 bowlers out of the equation, and the keeper, that's 6 remaining players who can field there.

 

[Soggy2112]

Really?

Our batting is our problem is it not?

So our bats need to play against the best bowlers - and that means Cummins; Starc; Haze and Boland playing.

It's no use someone like Usman getting runs against a 2nd XI NSW shield attack is it when in a months time he'll come up against Jofra etc?

If the bowlers have to play four shield games they will either need a rest in the Ashes, break down, or not be at their best come the fourth and fifth tests.

I think you are massively overrating the benefit our batters would get from playing one shield game against NSW, and massively underrating the impact that having our bowlers play four shield games will have on their ability to operate at their peak in the Ashes.

 

[Soggy2112]

Was there or not an unwritten rule that newbies non bowlers field at short leg should the need arise? So take say 4 bowlers out of the equation, and the keeper, that's 6 remaining players who can field there.

There was, but I think they’re moving away from that. Which makes sense, as particularly for a spinner, your bat-pad fielder is hugely important, if the newbie bat is a dud in there it would be foolish to force him to do it for what is essentially a hazing exercise.

 

[peternorth]

There was, but I think they’re moving away from that. Which makes sense, as particularly for a spinner, your bat-pad fielder is hugely important, if the newbie bat is a dud in there it would be foolish to force him to do it for what is essentially a hazing exercise.

yes. it was some form of tradition if you will. lilke wearing the baggy green in the first session.

i think its alleged michael clarke said he was not going to field there signalling the end

 

[sr36]

Was there or not an unwritten rule that newbies non bowlers field at short leg should the need arise? So take say 4 bowlers out of the equation, and the keeper, that's 6 remaining players who can field there.

It's changed at the higher levels. It's become an old pros position. Boon, Langer, Katich, Head. You don't want to take a good catch at short leg or you get stuck there for the rest of your career. And the slips mafia are in control of the slips from the moment you get anointed a slipper at first class level - or probably before.

 

[Black Diamond]

Plenty of decent catchers in front or square of the wicket simply have hands too hard to be in the cordon. Head is probably like this. Labuschagne too.

 

[Soggy2112]

It's changed at the higher levels. It's become an old pros position. Boon, Langer, Katich, Head. You don't want to take a good catch at short leg or you get stuck there for the rest of your career. And the slips mafia are in control of the slips from the moment you get anointed a slipper at first class level - or probably before.

In terms of slip fielders, I know that in many of the pathways Head was not the standout guy in his state teams through the junior ranks. A lot of the time the best bats end up being the ones put in the slips, so whether Trav just never ended up there and so was never given the chance to develop, I’m not sure.

Obviously a guy like Smith is just a gun fielder all round, however, if you were to compare Khawaja and Head, you would say Khawaja has a better pair of hands and moves better, so it doesn’t really make sense why Usman fields slips and Trav doesn’t.

 

[SC_Power]

A reminder to Cricinfo writers, use your own magnificent Statsguru database to realise that Sam Konstas has only reached the magic 100 run mark in only ONE first class match.

 

[Soggy2112]

A reminder to Cricinfo writers, use your own magnificent Statsguru database to realise that Sam Konstas has only reached the magic 100 run mark in only ONE first class match.

View attachment 2369667

Was the PM’s XI game not considered FC?

 

[SC_Power]

Was the PM’s XI game not considered FC?

No it wasn’t, ending up a 15 v 18 (11 batters, 11 fielders) one-day game