FaaipDeOiad
Hall of Fame Member
Am I missing something? Wouldn't Starc be in the team anyway? I'd consider Pattinson, Siddle, Starc, Lyon to be the incumbent lineup. If we went with option 2, what would the team be?
Especially now that I've said it...You never know...
Harris.Am I missing something? Wouldn't Starc be in the team anyway? I'd consider Pattinson, Siddle, Starc, Lyon to be the incumbent lineup. If we went with option 2, what would the team be?
Ah right, forgot about him. I could see him not being in the first test team too though, if Starc bowled well again in the next game.Harris.
I would think that both Harris and perhaps Bird are above Starc in the pecking order.Am I missing something? Wouldn't Starc be in the team anyway? I'd consider Pattinson, Siddle, Starc, Lyon to be the incumbent lineup. If we went with option 2, what would the team be?
I agree completely. All the radio commentators for the Somerset game are in unanimous agreement that Starc hasn't been that brilliant in the match and has certainly been out bowled by Pattinson. Yeah, he ran through a weak Somerset middle and lower order with a new cherry, but if Harris can't do that either, then really he's not worth persisting with because of his injuries. I've just never been that convinced about Starc.Has Starc bowled well?
Again in this game he took until the 81st over to take his first wicket in the first dig after opening the bowling. In the second dig he took until the 50th over to bag a pole although at least then he was first change. He took 6 wickets in the game but only once got a top 5 bat. Patto took 7 wickets and 5 of those were top 5 bats.
That's my beef with Starc. He doesn't ever seem to trouble good bats early in an innings and probably explains why his average is way above the guys he's competing for spots with. No one would say Pattinson or Harris or Bird or Siddle or Lyon can't take tail end wickets so there's no need for a specialist tail destroyer. So long as he is incapable of regularly getting early wickets he has no place in the test side for mine. Hope he comes good, because he could be a real weapon, but it'll take more than hope to knock over Cook, Trott, KP et al.
It's not a specialist position but there are certain types of players who do better there than others IMO (I've harped on about this for ages though)Yeah I don't really think #6 is a specialist position, realistically anyone should be able to bat there, but Faulkner there or at 7 would a big surprise. The batting is definitely tough to pick since there's quite a few guys who you wouldn't say are locked into a position, basically just Rogers, Clarke and Watson who are 100% to play in the first test, fitness permitting. But I think the most likely option is that some combination of Hughes, Cowan, Khawaja and Warner fills the rest of the top 6, with the three that haven't punched anyone in the face lately being the easy picks. The fact that everyone made some runs against Somerset just makes it more likely they'll stick with that group.
Nah, no way is Bird above Starc. Bird's latest injury was ill-timed but it's reality that the selectors clearly put Starc ahead at the moment. They certainly have been giving him a ton of chances in all forms.I would think that both Harris and perhaps Bird are above Starc in the pecking order.
Faulkner wouldn't bat 6, it'd be Haddin, and my god it would be stupid as ****Is it just me or does there not appear a real chance that Faulkner will play as an all rounder in the first test anyway?
I realise this game atm is just a tour game and they're giving plenty of blokes a hit out but there aren't really any logical choices for the #6 position (barring Smith who isn't playing and was only a late addition to the squad).
I don't really agree with such a bowling heavy side at all but it does seem a chance of happening and would make this thread a tad irrelevant.