***Official*** Australia in England 2018

[theegyptian]

Test Match Special
‏Verified account @bbctms
2m2 minutes ago

England are giving an ODI debut to @craigoverton12 today.

England also confirm that @JakeBall & @_TC59 are injured. Ball lower back problem, Curran side strain.



Lol neither Ball nor Curran even played this series and they are injured.

 

[Starfighter]

Can your batsmen get injured instead?

 

[Prince EWS]

I always cringe when official accounts like that actually tag the players' twitter names, especially when it's not immediately obvious who they are.

 

[Starfighter]

I'm not sure whether it's good or bad that Australia are batting. I think the difference between these sides is so big it doesn't make a difference. Of course Morgan would have bowled first, England just seem more comfortable chasing despite the big scores they've set first up this series. Does mean I won't get to see Neser though.

That's a really odd batting lineup from Australia, though at least Finch is opening (watch him get ten). Stoinis is one if not two positions too high, Paine is wasting space and Agar is not good enough for seven.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Oh ffs they've gone back to being a batsman or 2 short. Paine at 6 and Agar at 7. What a joke.

 

[morgieb]

Carey as a specialist batsman? Paine at 6 and 5 bowlers again? FMD, this is gonna be ugly.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Carey as a specialist batsman? Paine at 6 and 5 bowlers again? FMD, this is gonna be ugly.

Really shows what a farce the selection has been on this "tour". You've got guys like Renshaw, Ferguson, Khawaja etc. in England right now absolutely dominating domestic cricket and the Australian National team is fielding Alex Carey as a specialist batsman and Tim Paine at no. 6. With 5 specialist bowlers.

It's mind blowing

 

[91Jmay]

Carey looks a prospect and Lyon should be in Aus 50 over side but yeah puzzling balance.

Mitch Marsh injured is a bigger miss than Smith imo - he would solve a few issues at 5/6.

 

[Prince EWS]

Carey as a specialist batsman? Paine at 6 and 5 bowlers again? FMD, this is gonna be ugly.

Haha Carey as a specialist bat and five bowlers just had to happen in the same game, didn't it?

It's the sort of hilariously bad team that will often fluke a ridiculous win to make the completely justified ranting criticism look stupid, but boy is that ever a bad side.

 

[Starfighter]

Really shows what a farce the selection has been on this "tour". You've got guys like Renshaw, Ferguson, Khawaja etc. in England right now absolutely dominating domestic cricket and the Australian National team is fielding Alex Carey as a specialist batsman and Tim Paine at no. 6. With 5 specialist bowlers.

It's mind blowing

The selectors field of view is just stupidly narrow.

Also, I know people don't like split captaincy, though it's working for England, but Paine is just not good enough.

 

[Gnske]

You know, I'm as happy as the next guy to see Alex Carey get a gig.

But good god can't we have broken the legs of our entire top order to get some reinforcements?

 

[Dan]

Haha Carey as a specialist bat and five bowlers just had to happen in the same game, didn't it?

It's the sort of hilariously bad team that will often fluke a ridiculous win to make the completely justified ranting criticism look stupid, but boy is that ever a bad side.

Here I was thinking that the Langer appointment would result in ridiculous WA bias, but it looks like the national side has gone peak NSW instead.

 

[harsh.ag]

Why is Khwaja not in the side again?

 

[Starfighter]

The ball moved more in that over than it has collectively for all the Australian bowlers through the whole series. I do wonder if this is a bowl first pitch, England seem most uncomfortable when setting a target with par under 300, but I think it would need to be a bit damp or something. There's a little grass but it still looks flat and dryish.

 

[Dan]

1. Khawaja
2. Hain
3. Klinger
4. Cosgrove
5. Ferguson
6. Renshaw
7. Christian
8. Green
9. Siddle
10. Mennie
11. Hogan

12. Magoffin


Aside from the glaring problem of not having a gloveman, would this really be much worse than today's XI?

 

[Starfighter]

Well, Hales would have to be close to the worst catcher in this team, so not the worst to aim for.

 

[Prince EWS]

The ball moved more in that over than it has collectively for all the Australian bowlers through the whole series. I do wonder if this is a bowl first pitch, England seem most uncomfortable when setting a target with par under 300, but I think it would need to be a bit damp or something. There's a little grass but it still looks flat and dryish.

Haha you might be right but there's just no way that after sending a team in and chasing leather for a world record total that any captain would do it again a couple of days later.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Any world records today?

 

[Starfighter]

I know, but whatever life is in the pitch may be gone by the time Australia come to bowl. It's a lose-lose. I think this Australia side is too weak to compete anyway.

 

[Starfighter]

Hoping the camera will point out S.Kennedy in the crowd.