Australian test selection 2018/19

[Spikey]

at least we won't have to listen to anyone say he should be captain after today's little fiasco with the new ball

 

[stephen]

My first test team:

Renshaw
Khawaja
Head
Finch
S Marsh
Labaschagne
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazlewood

I think Shaun Marsh did well enough at 5 last summer to continue keeping a place in the side, unless he really starts to look shot. But I think he should drop back down the order. Labaschagne did better than M Marsh though and probably deserves the place over him. I'd like to drop Finch down the order, since he's going to play further down when Smith and Warner return anyway and I don't really like him opening in Australia. Khawaja can open fine. Head at 3 is a stopgap until the return of Smith/Warner.

If the bans get repealed:

Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Finch
Labaschagne
...

 

[Gnske]

I'd like to see this so very dearly if Khawaja is out

Harris
Finch
Marsh
Head
Cooper
Stoinis
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood
Lyon

 

[stephen]

I'd like to see this so very dearly if Khawaja is out

Harris
Finch
Marsh
Head
Cooper
Stoinis
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Hazlewood
Lyon

If Khawaja is out we might as well not bother to field a side TBH.

 

[stephen]

So what excuse will Langer use to keep Renshaw out of the test side for the next test so that Bancroft can make a seamless return to the side?

Not enough elite hundreds?
Not enough ellite 30s?
Not elite left handed enough?
Not elite honest enough?
Not elite West Australian enough?

 

[Second Spitter]

So what excuse will Langer use to keep Renshaw out of the test side for the next test so that Bancroft can make a seamless return to the side?

Not enough elite hundreds?
Not enough ellite 30s?
Not elite left handed enough?
Not elite honest enough?
Not elite West Australian enough?

I'm gonna with "enough credits", stephen.

 

[Second Spitter]

Let's compile a list of selection catchphrase over the years:

-- "give everybody a go"/"rotation policy"
-- "natural match-winner" / "swashbuckling"
-- "winning captain"
-- "one for the future"/ "Future Australian captain"
-- "horses for courses"
-- "bolter"
-- "enough credits"
-- "on the radar"/"Player of National Interest" ("PONI")
-- "not enough time in the middle"
-- "pedigree"
-- "a real talent"

What am I missing?

 

[stephen]

PONI
A real talent

 

[aussie tragic]

So the 'Marsh brothers' are averaging 109.66 in the shield....I guess that's them in for the summer

 

[Second Spitter]

What is PONI?

 

[stephen]

What is PONI?

A guy who isn't good enough to be near the Australian side but is related to our has performed ***ual favours for someone high up in the selection process which ensures that they get picked for their shield team and for A tours while better players are left out.

 

[Second Spitter]

Gotcha. For some reason I couldn't make the association with the acronym. I guess, that is a similar category to "on the radar".'

List updated.

 

[Prince EWS]

What is PONI?

Player of national interest

 

[stephen]

And for today's slice of absurdity - Josh Hazlewood is ranked higher as an all rounder than Mitchell Marsh, according to the ICC rankings.

 

[Starfighter]

I think that's perfectly reasonable.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I think that's perfectly reasonable.

Was about to say this. Hazlewood is about as valuable a batter as Marsh is a bowler, and is better at bowling than Marsh is at batting. No brainer IMO.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Marsh was a decent bowler a couple of years back, looked pretty crap for a good 12 months though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Marsh was a decent bowler a couple of years back, looked pretty crap for a good 12 months though.

Yeah he had that injury lay off where he couldn't bowl for a while, and his bowling has never really come back from that even post-injury.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Yeah he had that injury lay off where he couldn't bowl for a while, and his bowling has never really come back from that even post-injury.

And he gets a wicket in the Shield game right as we were saying this. Typical.

 

[stephen]

I'm actually beginning to wonder if Renshaw is being found out a little bit by the ball that comes back into him. He got out both innings to it in the recent shield match. Watch this space.