Test The Ashes Fourth Test December 26-30 1000hrs @ The MCG

[Maddo11]

4 quicks and Green at 7

Could be a ****in slaughter tomorrow

 

[TasSixer]

Hope we bowl first, it's more exciting to watch

 

[grumbleguts]

Not really. Would he be picked on one or the other? There are very few AR’s ones that genuinely can be picked on their bowling or their batting regardless of the other area Stokes would be one

Stokes wouldn't be picked on either if he didn't have both. Only three or four players in history would.

You're not picking a guy with a 35 long term batting average as a pure bat, and you're not picking a guy with a 30+ bowling average as a pure bowler (unless you're New Zealand.)

Imran Khan was picked when he couldn't bowl
Keith Miller
Jaques Kallis
Garfield Sobers

That's pretty much it.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Wonder if old grumble guts Ian still thinks Head is a potato.

Wonder what he thinks of BazRubbish lol

 

[grumbleguts]

A mate of mine just gave his daughter her Christmas present. She felt it and said, "Ooh - it feels soft." He grinned and said, "Yeah - it contains England's top order."

I can tell what's inside a wrapped present without even opening it. It's a gift.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Stokes wouldn't be picked on either if he didn't have both. Only three or four players in history would.

You're not picking a guy with a 35 long term batting average as a pure bat, and you're not picking a guy with a 30+ bowling average as a pure bowler (unless you're New Zealand.)

Imran Khan was picked when he couldn't bowl
Keith Miller
Jaques Kallis
Garfield Sobers

That's pretty much it.

That’s exactly what I said these “all rounders” are so rare there’s less than a dozen ever forget about the last 10 years. Who was the last one probably Kallis? Jadeja weirdly would have the best chance to be called one nowadays though that’s a push. Stokes probably would though it’s not that consistent as it is. Stokes would get picked if he couldn’t bowl for England easily.

Really your Neser types are good no 8-9’s who can bat they are not all rounders, similarly Cummins isn’t an all rounder.

 

[Sphynx]

The fact we have picked 4 pacemen it baffles me no end that we have picked Green ahead of Webster. Webster would have at least been a spin option. Green is out of form, looking crap and we don't need a 5th fast bowler.

If we are picking 4 front line quicks, Green needs to be dropped for a batsman that can tweak them.

Connolly or anyone.

Greens runs aren’t hard to replace and we don’t need his bowling.

That or another front line batsman.

A out of form batsman who bowls 5 overs of pace when we have picked 4 quicks is literally the worst option

 

[grumbleguts]

That’s exactly what I said these “all rounders” are so rare there’s less than a dozen ever forget about the last 10 years. Who was the last one probably Kallis? Jadeja weirdly would have the best chance to be called one nowadays though that’s a push. Stokes probably would though it’s not that consistent as it is. Stokes would get picked if he couldn’t bowl for England easily.

Really your Neser types are good no 8-9’s who can bat they are not all rounders, similarly Cummins isn’t an all rounder.

Yes, but that isn't the definition of an all rounder. An all rounder (there have been hundreds of them) is someone that bats a bit and bowls a bit. Not someone that would make the team on either skill alone.

Most test level allrounders would be the best at either skill in any club.

 

[grumbleguts]

How damned good was Gilly?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yes, but that isn't the definition of an all rounder. An all rounder (there have been hundreds of them) is someone that bats a bit and bowls a bit. Not someone that would make the team on either skill alone.

Most test level allrounders would be the best at either skill in any club.

Not for me there hasn’t been that many. There have only been a handful of true all rounders and we all know them from Sobers, Kallis, Imran Khan etc. These other “all rounders” are either batsmen who can bowl or bowlers who can bat. It’s why teams are striving for that true all rounder they are ridiculously rare.

 

[010203]

I feel like residual angst from the last series plus a desire to quash Bazball once and for all is going to drive this Aussie side to a 5-0 whitewash.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

England in Aus from after Packer's WSC revolution where they beat the B team 5-1.

LLLDLLWDWDDLWDLLDDLLLDWLDLLWLLLLLWLLLLLDWLWWLLLLLLLLDLLLLDLLLL

 

[grumbleguts]

Not for me there hasn’t been that many. There have only been a handful of true all rounders and we all know them from Sobers, Kallis, Imran Khan etc. These other “all rounders” are either batsmen who can bowl or bowlers who can bat. It’s why teams are striving for that true all rounder they are ridiculously rare.

Your definition needs readjusting. What the commentators and the entire cricketing fraternity call an all-rounder is not as you describe them. Which is why there have been a lot more than you think there have been.

 

[grumbleguts]

England in Aus from the start of Packer's WSC revolution where they beat the B team 5-1.

LLLDLLWDWDDLWDLLDDLLLDWLDLLWLLLLLWLLLLLDWLWWLLLLLLLLDLLLLDLLLL

They'd have a pretty similar form line in the Americas cup. (just without the W's and the D's)

 

[010203]

England in Aus from the start of Packer's WSC revolution where they beat the B team 5-1.

LLLDLLWDWDDLWDLLDDLLLDWLDLLWLLLLLWLLLLLDWLWWLLLLLLLLDLLLLDLLLL

That reads like a Welsh city.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

I think they have made the decision they have because

• They don't trust Murphy (or any other spinner) and know England would target whoever was picked
• They don't want to pick a 4 man pace attack containing Boland, Neser and Doggett with a red ball as too samey
• Richardson breaks up the sameness but they don't trust he can get through a test so can't pick him AND a spinner who might get got

Becomes 4 quicks by default with the only decision on whether they pick Neser or Doggett

The first point is nonsense, why bring him in if you don’t trust him. You can have 4 seam options and Richo by dropping Green.

They’ve seen the pitch and reckon it is a seam bowlers paradise. That may be true, but they still should pick a front line spinner. It’s a mistake, but one they’ll most likely get away with.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Yeah, JO is a very flat deck. MCG is very random. Its more on the PS/Gabba end on the bounce scale than AO/SCG.

JO hasn’t been that flat recently

 

[Cactus_]

Probably grooming Green as future captain so going to keep picking him until he comes good

Getting to be a while since he made a significant score at test level

Nothing wrong with dropping him to the seconds and having him earn his spot back

 

[Cactus_]

Also, hard for Webster to push his case for selection when he is carrying drinks

 

[big_e]

What’s the old saying Chappell used to say

“You bat 9 times out of 10, and the 20th time you think of bowling first and still bat”

What Ian Chappell actually did: bowl first almost 24% of the times he won the toss.

 

[Bucking Beads]

It doesn't feel like cricket down here because it's too ****en cold. I'm used to sweat dripping down my crack and wilting in the hot hot sun at the Gabba.

 

[Mick F]

It doesn't feel like cricket down here because it's too ****en cold. I'm used to sweat dripping down my crack and wilting in the hot hot sun at the Gabba.

Monday 35, Wednesday 17

 

[Pure_Ownage]

If we are picking 4 front line quicks, Green needs to be dropped for a batsman that can tweak them.

Connolly or anyone.

Greens runs aren’t hard to replace and we don’t need his bowling.

That or another front line batsman.

A out of form batsman who bowls 5 overs of pace when we have picked 4 quicks is literally the worst option

If we are picking 4 front line quicks, Green needs to be dropped for a batsman that can tweak them.

Connolly or anyone.

Greens runs aren’t hard to replace and we don’t need his bowling.

That or another front line batsman.

A out of form batsman who bowls 5 overs of pace when we have picked 4 quicks is literally the worst option

Plus green shouldn't bat 7 because he has no smart change in gears and cant effectively bat with the tail. He needs to bat up the order or be out of the team. Stupid selection.

 

[Pistol Night]

Merry Boxing Day all

 

[Pistol Night]

Win the toss tomorrow. What do you all do?

Bat