Third Test Australia v Pakistan Jan 3-7 1000hrs @ the SCG

[Gough]

Australia from, Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, David Warner
Pakistan from, Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Happy New Year Gough, and to all the other Cricket traffics om this board

 

[Cuzz09]

Weather forecast seems to be looking slightly better??

Fingers Crossed Davey can make some runs in his last match.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Crankyhawk]

Should have a poll for how many overs are lost to rain.

 

[big_e]

This is your annual reminder of Mitchell Starc's poor record at the SCG.

He averages 46, never taken more than 3 in an innings. In recent years, he's had one good game (also NZ, 2020), but otherwise has match figures of 1/124, 1/127 and 1/123.

 

[danstar]

In before we lose an entire days play due to rain

 

[Cmarsh]

This is your annual reminder of Mitchell Starc's poor record at the SCG.

He averages 46, never taken more than 3 in an innings. In recent years, he's had one good game (also NZ, 2020), but otherwise has match figures of 1/124, 1/127 and 1/123.

Drop him for Boland then?

 

[StillAtLarge]

Would we entertain playing two spinners? Is Murphy in the squad?
Edit: No he's not. Great start to 2024 from me

 

[Cleavy]

In before we lose an entire days play due to rain

I wonder if that is why they scheduled a BBL double header for that night.

 

[candyapple]

Drop him for Boland then?

Boland in the never again pile

 

[rdhopkins2]

Forecast looks pretty good.
So guaranteed to get isolated storm cells over the SCG.

 

[Cmarsh]

Boland in the never again pile

Harsh

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Warner retiring from ODI’s too now

 

[hawkman]

Warner retiring from ODI’s too now

But willing to put his hand up for the Champions Trophy next year if they need him.
That worked so well for Stokes and England at the World Cup

 

[Cleavy]

Warner retiring from ODI’s too now

not a surprise

1. go out on the major high of winning the World Cup
2. no more ODIs to interfere with his T20 life

 

[Gavin Excell]

At what point are selectors duty bound to start thinking to the future and blooding 1 or 2 younger players. This is a dead rubber after all

 

[Voice of the G]

Boland in the never again pile

If Boland not in the playing 11 drop him and let him play some sort of cricket instead of being the drink boy yet again.Bring Morris in and even if drink boy will be with the main squad and getting some experience.

 

[eddiesmith]

Australia to bat for all 5 days, making 5/547 with Davey finishing 336*

 

[troybe]

Davy to go out with double blobs. Seeya Daddles

 

[NYRB]

Forecast looks pretty good.
So guaranteed to get isolated storm cells over the SCG.

View attachment 1880271

Timeanddate with a much grimmer forecast:

 

[hawkman]

Timeanddate with a much grimmer forecast:

View attachment 1880333

You don't even need to check the forecast. You just know it is going to rain at least 4 of the days from Wednesday to Sunday

 

[the_interloper]

Davy to go out with double blobs. Seeya Daddles

I hope so, this test will be very hard to watch because of him and his dickhead missus being all over the coverage

 

[TommyD13]

More I think about it, the more I am keen for Head to open post-Warner. Makes sense in two ways, both retaining a dashing left handed opener (albeit Warner eased off in this recently) and also allows Green, who is most definitely the best batter not in the team, to slot in at five.

There are a couple of issues which I understand. Bancroft has been banging the door down and is a specialist opener. I would be very keen to include Bancroft in the squad as the reserve batter, with an eye to taking over from Usman when that time comes. I just think for the time being, Green is a much superior batter, and with the addition of his bowling, will be much more valuable to the XI than Bancroft would be.

I would also be hesitant to move Head, as it has taken time to finally get him settled into the team and find some real form. He has opened in white ball and also in India however, so I don’t view it as much of a drastic step as some others might do. With a new ball coming onto the bat, he could be a real weapon at the top of the order.

Leaves us with the following for West Indies and then New Zealand tour, plus a home series against India, after which I feel we may see some further retirements.

Khawaja
Head
Labuschagne
Smith
Green
Marsh
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Lyon
Hazlewood

Bancroft
Boland
+ Morris, Neser, Murphy, Inglis as required

 

[LukeParkerno1]

You don't even need to check the forecast. You just know it is going to rain at least 4 of the days from Wednesday to Sunday

Day 2 is the one looking the worst, but it won't be that major. Least it might go 5 days lol

 

[LukeParkerno1]

More I think about it, the more I am keen for Head to open post-Warner. Makes sense in two ways, both retaining a dashing left handed opener (albeit Warner eased off in this recently) and also allows Green, who is most definitely the best batter not in the team, to slot in at five.

There are a couple of issues which I understand. Bancroft has been banging the door down and is a specialist opener. I would be very keen to include Bancroft in the squad as the reserve batter, with an eye to taking over from Usman when that time comes. I just think for the time being, Green is a much superior batter, and with the addition of his bowling, will be much more valuable to the XI than Bancroft would be.

I would also be hesitant to move Head, as it has taken time to finally get him settled into the team and find some real form. He has opened in white ball and also in India however, so I don’t view it as much of a drastic step as some others might do. With a new ball coming onto the bat, he could be a real weapon at the top of the order.

Leaves us with the following for West Indies and then New Zealand tour, plus a home series against India, after which I feel we may see some further retirements.

Khawaja
Head
Labuschagne
Smith
Green
Marsh
Carey
Starc
Cummins
Lyon
Hazlewood

Bancroft
Boland
+ Morris, Neser, Murphy, Inglis as required

Not horrible but they won't do it. You aren't moving your most in form bat in Head, just open with Green.

I have a HUGE problem if Bancroft is the one post Khawja, he is okay but he's only ever going to be Harris with the bat who can actually field that's it. He's a 30 average opener at the next level.

I'd be hoping Pucovski plays a year or two unaffected and then bring him back in, he's just one too, Ward from Tassie, Hunt from SA. Both for me have a higher ceiling at least, both need a stack more runs but there's time. Teague Wilie is the wildcard might be a bit early, but he should be in the mix.

Why are we taking Boland to the Windies anyway, and we sure as anything don't need Neser there. You do need that spinner agree. Feel they take a bat who can bat in the middle order as the spare not an opener.