Australian International Summer 2023/24

[dedja]

… I also spend far more time defending players, than not. And I certainly don't zero in on one individual and rip in to them for every foible just because their personality irks me …

Faark that, gotta call it out, Warner’s a dickhead.

Thanks for removing all doubt.

Piss-o-meter busted ?

[Dinglinga75]

Love the sportspeople should stay out of politics
But need them as role models

[The Dark Knight]

All class by the Paki’s today in regards to all things Warner. They’re a likeable bunch, you could see throughout the series with the bits of harmless banter

Would love to see them stick together and get there best team on the park. Reckon there is a ton of potential there. Disappointingly I doubt we will get to see it

They were great value and will most likely end up the cricketing highlight of the summer.

I still think they have a pretty solid top 6 of Shafique, Imam (when in form), Masood, Babar, Shakeel and Rizwan but like you said we might not see there full potential, maybe when they play at home we will. Same with the fast bowlers as they have a large group when all fit- Afridi, Jamal, Hasan, Hamza Naseem, Shahzad, Wasim plus the spinners/allrounders- Salman, Sajid, Abrar (the leggie who was initially selected in their squad but got injured) so they have the depth and quality to be a good test team, would help if they hold their catches too!

[The Dark Knight]

Right he has gone, can we all move on been over 20 Fox Threads on Facebook over him today, have to put up with him making millions as a commentator now, guy played great cricket, made a mistake, did his time, came back just as good for most of it has his shoes tied by his big mouth wife, tries a sneaky thing with a baggy green and it goes viral but he has now retired from 2 formats, lets move on

Just for you @locky801
https://youtu.be/rZM3rWfwuzw?si=O7N2SuDRJf-WjqMs

[mal]

I know it was only 4 overs bowled in a BBL game
Scott Boland looked impressive, took a couple of wickets and unlucky on a few other occasions

The forgotten man
Don't forget he is a star bowler in Australia

So looking like this order of preference for the fast bowlers
CUMMINS
STARc
HAZELWOOD
BOLAND
LANSIRLOT MORRIS

And add GOAT as well
WI surely cant win a test v OZ

[Aerie]

Wow... sweating a bit in the witness box here... guilty, for having an opinion.

Bit quick on the forward defensive stroke there mate - just asking why you've formed your view (in response to your post on an internet forum about it).

Uzzie has had several interviews expressing his views, and how he can circumnavigate the system to have his views made on the field.
He has also been robust in his feelings about pink ball tests.
This has coincided with his worst series since his return.

Gawd, I forgot the cardinal rules for this group:
Go hard and smash away at anything Smith, Labuschange and Warner do, but don't dare speak evil of Carey, Head or Uzzie.

I mean I'm way quicker to defend Smith and Warner than most on here. Definitely happy to criticise Uzzie where due as well. I just find it really hard to buy that doing a couple of interviews about international affairs would have an impact on Uzzie protecting his wicket when he arrives at the crease. As if, as the bowler's running in to bowl against him during a test match, he could be thinking of nothing so much as current political issues in the Middle East.

An average of 37 for the series is not a bad return by the way. (Did Trav express support for Uzzie? That may explain Trav's crap form??)

I would've thought that people would be a bit more circumspect with the whole 'not focusing on cricket' nonsense after the Captain Woke winning the World Cup episode, but alas.

I also spend far more time defending players, than not. And I certainly don't zero in on one individual and rip in to them for every foible just because their personality irks me.
And I am an Uzzie fan. However I thought the to-ing and fro-ing over how he was going to get his message across in the first Test was OTT. During a test, anything that is not focused on the job at hand is potentially detrimental.

His summation on the Pakistani lineup just now on Fox was outstanding.

Khawaja has come out and said he was lacking motivation prior to the series and sought professional help to deal with his feelings (political) and how to cope with that. He was also emotional with Warner's final game. I think it is fair to say he hasn't had his mind 100% on the job and that it has effected his performance.

I am a big fan of Khawaja. I think he was pretty harshly dealt with by selectors over the years. He's always pretty forthright in his views and that may not have mixed particularly well in the Lehmann and Langer era. In the right setting, he could've been a very good captain.

[Aerie]

Righto he’s gone.
So who opens in Adelaide?
Surely not Green or even Smith as has been discussed recently.
Bancroft for me deserves another chance and ironic he replaces Warner.

I think the biggest issue here is that Green has to be selected. He is too good to not be in the XI and can't be left waiting for Marsh to be moved on as that might be a while!
So I think it boils down to him opening or for another to move up. I would opt for the latter and Smith indicating he will do it suggests the chat has been had.

It does seem that way. I was surprised to read that about Smith. I think it might be a challenge for him and reinvigorate him somewhat. I am of the opinion that Green is in the best 6 batsman in the country. He is also a fine bowler. Smith to open and Green at 4 seems likely and I'm happy with that.

If I was Cummins/chair of selectors, I'd be encouraging Head to open. Marsh to 5. Green at 6. I think that gives the team the best balance.

It is interesting hearing Khawaja's views - he thinks Warner should be replaced by one of Harris/Bancroft/Renshaw and that Green and Marsh are playing for the same position in the team.

[locky801]

i remember the days when batters got knocked over by unplayable balls and all you heard was that was a pearler or a peach, and no other analysis was done

Travis Heads ball which bowled Babar in the last test sums everything up

Travis Head's ball to Babar was 108 kph, it spun 9.72 degrees in the air and then pitched on rough and then again spun 8.31 degrees after pitching. The total reaction time to from release to interception was 0.0023 seconds.
No human being in history can play that. It's literally unplayable

FFS do we really need all this analysis

[Booney]

Got a good one.

That's sufficient.

[MW]

Someone on the commentary (probably punter...) said it right. Pick the opener based on who you want for the next series in India and the Ashes. Green is not your opener then, neither is Smith. Needs to be a Harris, Renshaw or Bancroft.

Green can just wait like every other cricketer had too until Marsh shits the bed and he eventually comes in.

[mal]

David Warner is not irreplaceable if OZ open with Travis Head
I would leave The Trav in the middle order though

[Armchair expert]

David Warner is not irreplaceable if OZ open with Travis Head
I would leave The Trav in the middle order though

Head doesn't want to do it

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/trav ... er-1412233

[The Dark Knight]

I listened to Mohammed Hafeez's press conference last night, according to him Shaeen Shah Afridi was sore and that's why he didn't play in the third test.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/paki ... st-1415797

[dedja]

David Warner is not irreplaceable if OZ open with Travis Head
I would leave The Trav in the middle order though

Head doesn't want to do it

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/trav ... er-1412233

No Head job then?

[Booney]

Bancroft
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Head
Smith

Break up the two right handers who are both currently paddling.

[Lightning McQueen]

Bancroft
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Head
Smith

Break up the two right handers who are both currently paddling.

Why swap Smith and Head? It is the most obvious top 5 but they want to fit Green in, sacrificing Carey seems the only logical option for me, while he’s serviceable we can’t really pin our hopes on him being a match winner too often and having Green coming in at 7 is a huge luxury to compliment our extra bowling depth too.

Carey looks more at ease against the quicks, he’s opened for the test team before and it means he’ll be in for longer before he will start trying to reverse sweep the spinners. I wouldn’t risk any of the other top order batsmen, they bat in their current position because they’ve earnt it and are the best in the country at that position.

[Booney]

Bancroft
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Head
Smith

Break up the two right handers who are both currently paddling.

Why swap Smith and Head?

Smith and Labuschagne have both struggled with scoring rates from the start of the Ashes, they've both been worked out. With Smith turning 35 in 2024 the ability to bring in Green or someone else at 5 is a "softer" start than coming in as the new #4.

One, break up the two slower scoring right handers, two, an eye to the future, 3, give Head some more responsibility.

[am Bays]

Why swap Smith and Head?

Smith and Labuschagne have both struggled with scoring rates from the start of the Ashes, they've both been worked out. With Smith turning 35 in 2024 the ability to bring in Green or someone else at 5 is a "softer" start than coming in as the new #4.

One, break up the two slower scoring right handers, two, an eye to the future, 3, give Head some more responsibility.

I think that is one of the reason why they'll push Smith to open so they can bring Green in

Smith has the ability to play in his bubble and bat time/blunt the new ball, RH LH combination.

Smith
Khawaja
Labaschagne
Head/Green
Green/Head
Marsh

IMO

[Booney]

Why swap Smith and Head?

Smith and Labuschagne have both struggled with scoring rates from the start of the Ashes, they've both been worked out. With Smith turning 35 in 2024 the ability to bring in Green or someone else at 5 is a "softer" start than coming in as the new #4.

One, break up the two slower scoring right handers, two, an eye to the future, 3, give Head some more responsibility.

I think that is one of the reason why they'll push Smith to open so they can bring Green in

Smith has the ability to play in his bubble and bat time/blunt the new ball, RH LH combination.

Smith
Khawaja
Labaschagne
Head/Green
Green/Head
Marsh

IMO

I think they want one opener who gets the game moving and both Smith and Khwaja play the anchor role so I don't think they do that.

[amber_fluid]

I don’t get the love for Green.
Sure he’s gonna be a good player but why shouldn’t he be made to wait like good players in the past.

I’m bringing in Bancroft to open and making Green score runs at State level first.