***Official*** Australia in England 2018

[BSM]

In all honesty, I would still pick Root before Roy and Hales in T20I for England. He's not an explosive player, but he gets the job done in this format, more often than a few of the players who are likely to be picked above him. It's frustrating how much he is overlooked in the format because he doesn't hit the ball as far as others.
The 2016 World Cup is a prime example of his importance to the team. It was his 80 against South Africa that allowed England to chase down 230 and stay in the tournament... And then in the final when virtually every other batsman bottled it, he scored a fifty and then took two wickets at the start of the second innings which put us in such a good position. Easily the best English player of the tournament.
My fear is that by the next world cup, he will be out of the squad, simply because of a lack of opportunity. Then when we are chasing a small score on a wicket that isn't a road most of our players will just end up underperforming on the day.

 

[wpdavid]

Be nice for England to win and make it feel like a 6-0 though.

It would be, but keeping Ali on after his last over went for 19 didn't feel like the smartest piece of captaincy. And sure enough his next over disappears for 22.

Spectacular from Finch, but even so.

 

[marc71178]

It would be, but keeping Ali on after his last over went for 19 didn't feel like the smartest piece of captaincy. And sure enough his next over disappears for 22.

Spectacular from Finch, but even so.

What alternative was there though? Stokes is such a massive cog in our white ball teams.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

England need a re think concerning Root. He should not be in before Bairstow. Laughable decision. Root shouldn’t be in england’s t20 cricket at all in my view

Bairstow would he looking to go at a 200+ SR from ball one is he came in. Disappointing from England to waste Bairstow tbh.

You're probably right in this past match context.

But I rate Root as a T20 player. Saw him do some damage in the last WT20, he's better than a lot around.

I'd definitely keep him on.

 

[stephen]

Wow lots of comments about the t20 last night.

Another win to the bad guys. Another courageous defeat in the face of huge adversity by the good guys.

Next up is some confidence building cricket against Zimbabwe.

 

[jimmy101]

The Aussies did well on this tour considering their lack of star power and lack of a settled lineup, but we really gotta take our hats off to England who "kept their foot on the throat" the whole time.

 

[TheJediBrah]

The Aussies did well on this tour considering their lack of star power and lack of a settled lineup, but we really gotta take our hats off to England who "kept their foot on the throat" the whole time.

Yeah I feel the same way. They performed pretty decently for the level of players they were, and their experience.

 

[stephen]

Yeah it's going to be a difficult 9 months.

 

[jimmy101]

Bring on Travis Dean!!

 

[TheJediBrah]

Bring on Travis Dean!!

Have him open with Finch in the Test side

White, Maxwell at 3 and 4.

 

[jimmy101]

How Finchy hasn't played a Test yet is beyond me.

 

[Starfighter]

How Finchy hasn't played a Test yet is beyond me.

FC average of only 36 might have something to do with it. And I can remember when even that seemed far off for him.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

FC average of only 36 might have something to do with it. And I can remember when even that seemed far off for him.

I wonder though, and I have had this thought and it is shared by many in NZ re: Guptill - if these guys just looked to "whack it" like they do in white ball - whether they wouldn't be more successful with the red ball.

But Guptill - even when given a chance to do this again, was still on the "go slow" and would get himself out before making enough runs to keep his place. Finch may have the "inner-Sehwag like confidence" to give it a try if he was conditional selection.

It isn't like Bancroft was tearing his way into being a Wisden award winning cricketer any time soon.

 

[TheJediBrah]

FC average of only 36 might have something to do with it. And I can remember when even that seemed far off for him.

IIRC last 2 seasons he's averaged 50 in the shield. He should absolutely be seriously considered for a Test berth, especially given we already know he can score big runs against international attacks.

 

[Starfighter]

I wonder though, and I have had this thought and it is shared by many in NZ re: Guptill - if these guys just looked to "whack it" like they do in white ball - whether they wouldn't be more successful with the red ball.
But Guptill - even when given a chance to do this again, was still on the "go slow" and would get himself out before making enough runs to keep his place. Finch may have the "inner-Sehwag like confidence" to give it a try if he was conditional selection.

The problem with guys like Guptill though isn't just confidence. In tests you can set fields that will much more easily exploit a batsmen's weaknesses and restrict their scoring. You can't flail away outside off in tests when there's three slips, a gully and point. You don't get that in ODIs. The reason why they hit out less in tests is because they can't do it as effectively.

It isn't like Bancroft was tearing his way into being a Wisden award winning cricketer any time soon.

Neither is Finch.

IIRC last 2 seasons he's averaged 50 in the shield. He should absolutely be seriously considered for a Test berth, especially given we already know he can score big runs against international attacks.

17/18: 35.28 16/17: 52.81 16/15: 33.83. So one good year in three. Big runs against international attacks in ODIs aren't all that indicative IMO.

Aren't there quite a few Sheffield Shield rounds before the tests this year? See how he goes, but frankly I'm preferring Renshaw + Khawaja opening atm.

 

[stephen]

The problem with guys like Guptill though isn't just confidence. In tests you can set fields that will much more easily exploit a batsmen's weaknesses and restrict their scoring. You can't flail away outside off in tests when there's three slips, a gully and point. You don't get that in ODIs. The reason why they hit out less in tests is because they can't do it as effectively.


Neither is Finch.


17/18: 35.28 16/17: 52.81 16/15: 33.83. So one good year in three. Big runs against international attacks in ODIs aren't all that indicative IMO.

Aren't there quite a few Sheffield Shield rounds before the tests this year? See how he goes, but frankly I'm preferring Renshaw + Khawaja opening atm.

I've always wondered why more captains don't set test match fields to batsmen like Guptill. Like what is stopping them from instructing bowlers to bowl outside off and setting 3 slips and a gully?

If he pastes you to the boundary a couple of times but gets out for 20, you have won as the bowling side.

It's a different story for batsmen who are limited by their ability to play the short ball because your leg side/outfield is limited but for guys who nick off a lot teams could exploit that weakness.

 

[stephen]

I want Renshaw/Burns opening. Or at least Renshaw opening and Burns in the middle order. Burns has earned a place on his performance since he was dropped.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

The problem with guys like Guptill though isn't just confidence. In tests you can set fields that will much more easily exploit a batsmen's weaknesses and restrict their scoring. You can't flail away outside off in tests when there's three slips, a gully and point. You don't get that in ODIs. The reason why they hit out less in tests is because they can't do it as effectively.


Neither is Finch.


17/18: 35.28 16/17: 52.81 16/15: 33.83. So one good year in three. Big runs against international attacks in ODIs aren't all that indicative IMO.

Aren't there quite a few Sheffield Shield rounds before the tests this year? See how he goes, but frankly I'm preferring Renshaw + Khawaja opening atm.

Guptill's "weakness" is in tests when he is circumspect, he plays around his pad and gets lbw or bowled, but if it was a white ball game, he is playing it straight for 4 or 6. Every non gifted batsman has a time limit till a jafa gets them (this law applies to gifted batsmen as well according to Hadlee), Guptil isn't Bradman-like in skill, but in white ball his SR means his average is good when he gets out, in red ball - he's been going so slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww he doesn't have enough runs to command keeping a place in the team.

Sehwag caught on this and field placements early, Guptill - not so much.

 

[Starfighter]

Guptill's "weakness" is in tests when he is circumspect, he plays around his pad and gets lbw or bowled, but if it was a white ball game, he is playing it straight for 4 or 6. Every non gifted batsman has a time limit till a jafa gets them (this law applies to gifted batsmen as well according to Hadlee), Guptil isn't Bradman-like in skill, but in white ball his SR means his average is godd when he gets out, in red ball - he's been going so slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww he doesn't have enough runs to command keeping a place in the team.

The reason why Guptill is circumspect in tests is because his attacking options can be nullified more easily. He isn't playing it down the ground for four or six because he can't​.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

The reason why Guptill is circumspect in tests is because his attacking options can be nullified more easily. He isn't playing it down the ground for four or six because he can't​.

Of course he can. He's afraid to least he gets out. And that is his problem.

Guptill is like Ponting but taller. If its full - he can smash it straight (even from a length - he opens his hip if he needs too) - if its back of a length or short - he can pull it. Difference is, Punter did this in tests and was a huuuuuuuuuge success. He made bowlers scared about their length not being exactly right. Guptill lets them bowl full to him - stupid! (I'm not saying Guppie is as good as Punter - but I am saying they share a philosophy of making life difficult for bowlers with their styles).

Whereas Guptill has done this (full straight short pull) soooo many times in ODI cricket against top bowlers - most of us know it to be true. But in tests, he is like a possum in the headlights. He doesn't play his natural game, and gets absolutely roasted by bowlers.

I think there is room in tests for Guptills' and Finchs' BUT they have to play aggressively like Sehwag (or McCullum did). They have to play their natural game or they look foolish and totally out of their depth.