Zimbabwe 'A' v Australia 'A' v South Africa 'A'

[Spark]

Krezja's RR predictably above 4

 

[Noble One]

Looks a much tougher game, Zimbabwe have selected some real quality players.

Mitch Marsh looks to be bowling well. A real coming of age tour this is turning out. Keep fit for the full summer and it will be interesting to see his progress.

 

[SamSawnoff]

Looks a much tougher game, Zimbabwe have selected some real quality players.

Mitch Marsh looks to be bowling well. A real coming of age tour this is turning out. Keep fit for the full summer and it will be interesting to see his progress.

It's interesting isn't it? I would not have had him anywhere near the four-day team but he's proving more than useful with the ball in both formats.

 

[adub]

Good to see Finch, Starc and Butts get a go, but yes Copes should have the new pill.

Hughes must have done enough to confirm his test spot.

Maybe Hilf and Beer have too

 

[adub]

It's interesting isn't it? I would not have had him anywhere near the four-day team but he's proving more than useful with the ball in both formats.

Looks a much tougher game, Zimbabwe have selected some real quality players.

Mitch Marsh looks to be bowling well. A real coming of age tour this is turning out. Keep fit for the full summer and it will be interesting to see his progress.

Marsh has surprised me as well. Chipped in with some very handy wickets. My problem with him is I'm not sure he is (or will ever be) a good enough bat to play 6, nor is he a good enough bowler (yet) to play 8 in the test team. He has plenty of time on his side though so if he can continue to progress then great. Certainly would be happy to see him playing a few ODIs to see how he goes in the next year or so.

 

[TT Boy]

Good to see Finch, Starc and Butts get a go, but yes Copes should have the new pill.

Hughes must have done enough to confirm his test spot.

Maybe Hilf and Beer have too

Think it’s the end of the road for House. Guy just can’t take wickets anymore, bowled 44 overs in the last game, took just the one wicket and the FC average is now the wrong side of 30. Beer took 4 for 120 odd which is pretty good going for an Aussie spinner, even if it was against a Zim second XI.

Nice to see Zim take this game a bit more seriously.

 

[Spark]

Marsh has surprised me as well. Chipped in with some very handy wickets. My problem with him is I'm not sure he is (or will ever be) a good enough bat to play 6, nor is he a good enough bowler (yet) to play 8 in the test team. He has plenty of time on his side though so if he can continue to progress then great. Certainly would be happy to see him playing a few ODIs to see how he goes in the next year or so.

I think we're a long, long, long way off talking international duty (the odd T20I aside, perhaps) for him tbh.

 

[adub]

I think we're a long, long, long way off talking international duty (the odd T20I aside, perhaps) for him tbh.

I'm thinking more in terms of dead rubbers or in case of bad injuries, rather than a genuine top 11. I've always wondered what the hype was about, but he has been consistent on this tour with the ball at least. If he continues to improve he could be handy in a Hasting like role.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Obviously being an outsider I haven't seen the other glovemen but it isn't as if Paine is a world class keeper who is just a lesser bat than Haddin i'd say there is very little to choose between them as keepers so I am surprised at the Aussie selectors obsession with Paine. It isn't like we had in England where Jack Russell or Chris Read had their fans as they were better keepers than Alec Stewart and Geraint Jones but didn't get chosen on the grounds their batting wasn't good enough.

The stats seem to show that there a couple of keeper/batsman with better records anyway so it makes you wonder if Paine has incriminating photos of someone or something.

The way he is being hyped up and with quite a few older players in the side I can see Haddin being dumped for Paine soon so the selectors can say they are being proactive in getting the age of the side down even if it would be a ridiculous decision.

 

[Spark]

I think it's just one of those intuitive feelings I guess. He certainly has looked the part in the international cricket he's played, impressing in two Test tours that must rank as amongst the most challenging (apart from their brevity) one can be thrown into first up. My guess is that the selectors have the same kind of "good feeling" about him having the "knack" for international cricket that they had with Clarke and others whose numbers weren't brilliant but who seemed to take to international cricket like a duck to water.

The difference, however, is that with Clarke etc. the rest of the team was extremely strong and performing at an exceptionally high level, so a punt on a promising but largely unproven talent was fine. We don't have that luxury any more so IMO it should be quite simple - make runs in Shield cricket, starting with a second FC ton at a bare minimum, then we'll talk about "replacing Haddin", let alone future captain.

 

[Spikey]

btw even with Paine's test debut...he made it about two months after Hartley got named Shield player of the season. I don't understand the rush at all. He hasn't proved anything other than being good at getting out in the 30's.

we all know Haddin's the next in line to go, so let's just hope he can hang onto the summer and either Paine has made runs, or they move onto the next "wonder-kid" keeper.

 

[Noble One]

Paine was unlucky to be restricted to only two first class games last summer. Given a full season after his performance for Australia over winter, he would surely have come close to a century or two.

 

[vcs]

Paine looks quite promising from his Test outings so far. Needs to be allowed to develop some consistency in FC cricket. Australia do need a new ODI keeper-batsman though, IMHO. Haddin is an infinitely better Test batsman than he is an ODI batsman, though his ODI batting stats are surprisingly respectable. Maybe I just haven't been watching the matches in which he succeeded.

 

[adub]

Typical Siddle. No top order wickets but he cleans up the tail to get the figures.

 

[SamSawnoff]

Marsh has surprised me as well. Chipped in with some very handy wickets. My problem with him is I'm not sure he is (or will ever be) a good enough bat to play 6, nor is he a good enough bowler (yet) to play 8 in the test team. He has plenty of time on his side though so if he can continue to progress then great. Certainly would be happy to see him playing a few ODIs to see how he goes in the next year or so.

He's not even 20 yet, he's got time and enough to develop with batting and bowling.

 

[Spark]

Paine looks quite promising from his Test outings so far. Needs to be allowed to develop some consistency in FC cricket. Australia do need a new ODI keeper-batsman though, IMHO. Haddin is an infinitely better Test batsman than he is an ODI batsman, though his ODI batting stats are surprisingly respectable. Maybe I just haven't been watching the matches in which he succeeded.

Haddin is a decent ODI batsman (opener, not 100% convinced) who often decides to leave his brain at home. Forgets that you are actually allowed to score runs on the legside.

 

[NUFAN]

So nice to see an Australian team at 100/0.

Aaron Finch is a very impressive cricketer, I would love to see him have an 800+ season for Victoria this summer, providing he plays enough matches. Personally he would make my Australian T20 and ODI teams for sure.

 

[benchmark00]

Warner hasn't put a foot wrong this tour. Wonder what it will take for people to change their perceptions of him.

 

[adub]

Warner hasn't put a foot wrong this tour. Wonder what it will take for people to change their perceptions of him.

He struggled with the one dayers until the final, but since then he's done brilliantly. You have to respect that he didn't take the soft option and move interstate, but he's fought to prove he deserves an opening spot for NSW. No arguments now I'd say.

 

[aussie tragic]

So nice to see an Australian team at 100/0.

Now 0-207 and Warner has a 50.15 FC average