Australian test selection 2018/19

[aussie tragic]

I just realised that even though Siddle is in the Test squad he didn't get a game for Victoria. Is he the Test 12th man or did he get dropped by the Vics?

 

[Justo]

Before the series I would have gone with the below.

Renshaw
Harris
Khawaja
Burns
Maxwell
Patterson

IMO Finch isn't a test cricketer, S Marsh has had plenty of chances and done nothing, Handscomb needs more time out of the side and I wouldn't have selected Head in the first place. IMO the above players have probably been the most consistent in the shield for the last 3 years and Maxwell offers a bit of bowling, fielding and has proven himself against spin bowling. I don't expect all of them to succeed but I'd expect at least 2 of the non Khawaja players to do well enough to warrant selection in the long run. Once Smith is back and if Warner comes back we could possibly have 5 decent enough bats in the line up going forward (Smith, Warner, Khawaja + 2).

Where we are at now I'd probably keep Head instead of Patterson since he's been OK but still run with the above otherwise.

 

[Ahmad Zahir]

Need to bring back Labuschagne

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I just realised that even though Siddle is in the Test squad he didn't get a game for Victoria. Is he the Test 12th man or did he get dropped by the Vics?

Yeah he has been running drinks in Adelaide

 

[stephen]

Are Queensland on track to get heartbreakingly close as well?

 

[Starfighter]

I can't wait for the excuse they find to recall MMarsh.

 

[aussie tragic]

I can't wait for the excuse they find to recall MMarsh.

I don't think they will. Stoinis has outplayed Mmarsh in the shield so far so I think they'll keep the same team for Perth and bring Stoinis into the squad for Melbourne.

Stoinis 298 runs @ 42 57 10 wkts @ 25.20
Marsh 264 runs @ 37.71 6 wkts @ 62.16

 

[Red]

Burns
Harris
Khawaja
S.Marsh
Head
Stoinis
Paine +

 

[Burgey]

Before the series I would have gone with the below.

Renshaw
Harris
Khawaja
Burns
Maxwell
Patterson

IMO Finch isn't a test cricketer, S Marsh has had plenty of chances and done nothing, Handscomb needs more time out of the side and I wouldn't have selected Head in the first place. IMO the above players have probably been the most consistent in the shield for the last 3 years and Maxwell offers a bit of bowling, fielding and has proven himself against spin bowling. I don't expect all of them to succeed but I'd expect at least 2 of the non Khawaja players to do well enough to warrant selection in the long run. Once Smith is back and if Warner comes back we could possibly have 5 decent enough bats in the line up going forward (Smith, Warner, Khawaja + 2).

Where we are at now I'd probably keep Head instead of Patterson since he's been OK but still run with the above otherwise.

I love it when Justo posts, if for no other reason we get to see Harris Troll Face. not that there's anything wrong with the posts themselves, mind.

 

[aussie tragic]

Warne calling for Stoinis to replace Handscomb in Perth. Why does such a high profile "cricket expert" not know the squad is already named?

 

[TimAngas]

Sticking within the constraints of the named squad, I think there would be a lot of merit in sending Khawaja to open then dropping Finch to five. Outside of the squad Joe Burns is the obvious inclusion and should be selected, should Finch fail again.

In terms of allrounders I have my doubts about Stoinis' bowling in FC cricket. His glut of wickets in the ODIs were more to do with South Africa thinking they could go after him than him threatening players with solid defence. Annoyingly, Moises seems to have basically given up bowling just as he is hitting form with the bat. Neser batting well but can't pick a guy averaging less than 30.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

For a long while Neser was more or less just a bowler who batted a bit, seems to have really upped his output with the willow as of late. Whoever compared him to Noffers Noffke in terms to team role a little while back was on to something

 

[the big bambino]

well if we can all offer up our picks outside of the squad (Burns for Marsh S for mine) then I guess warney can too. Ideally you'd like a better 5th bowling option than Travis so i get the Stoinis inclusion. Trouble is the batting is so weak you have to give it priority. Personally I think we need a 5th bowler given our bowler's fitness record and the short turn around for the 2nd test. Also we have 2 "heat" bowlers in Starc and Cummins who are best used in short spells and a 5th option would take some pressure off Lyon bowling long dry spells. And should Starc's radar go it'd be good to distribute the overs more evenly when he has an off day.

 

[Gnske]

Sticking within the constraints of the named squad, I think there would be a lot of merit in sending Khawaja to open then dropping Finch to five. Outside of the squad Joe Burns is the obvious inclusion and should be selected, should Finch fail again.

In terms of allrounders I have my doubts about Stoinis' bowling in FC cricket. His glut of wickets in the ODIs were more to do with South Africa thinking they could go after him than him threatening players with solid defence. Annoyingly, Moises seems to have basically given up bowling just as he is hitting form with the bat. Neser batting well but can't pick a guy averaging less than 30.

All Neser has to do is average 25 and our quota is met

 

[stephen]

well if we can all offer up our picks outside of the squad (Burns for Marsh S for mine) then I guess warney can too. Ideally you'd like a better 5th bowling option than Travis so i get the Stoinis inclusion. Trouble is the batting is so weak you have to give it priority. Personally I think we need a 5th bowler given our bowler's fitness record and the short turn around for the 2nd test. Also we have 2 "heat" bowlers in Starc and Cummins who are best used in short spells and a 5th option would take some pressure off Lyon bowling long dry spells. And should Starc's radar go it'd be good to distribute the overs more evenly when he has an off day.

Nah we have 4 bowlers who don't need a huge amount of support. Head is good enough to give us 5 overs a day. With Lyon giving us 30-35 overs that leaves 50-55 to split between the quickies. 18 overs each isn't excessive IMO.

Perth will probably favour the quick bowlers anyway so I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to roll India before the second new ball in one or both innings'.

Strengthen the batting, not the bowling.

If we're going to make any change it should be Handscomb for Burns/Maxwell/Wade.

Actually Wade would give us some mediums to complement our other bowlers.

 

[Burgey]

I'd like another right hander if Handscomb were to be left out.

 

[Starfighter]

Warne calling for Stoinis to replace Handscomb in Perth. Why does such a high profile "cricket expert" not know the squad is already named?

Perhaps he thinks the idea of keeping an extended named squad in a home series is silly (which it is).

 

[aussie tragic]

Perhaps he thinks the idea of keeping an extended named squad in a home series is silly (which it is).

I agree, as is not having any shield games before the last 2 Tests. Waiting for players to be picked on BBL form

 

[Second Spitter]

Warne calling for Stoinis to replace Handscomb in Perth. Why does such a high profile "cricket expert" not know the squad is already named?

Because even somebody of Warne’s limited common sense can tell that a home country limiting selection to a squad is plainly dumb, especially when four domestic FC matches were just completed.

I agree, as is not having any shield games before the last 2 Tests. Waiting for players to be picked on BBL form

I can predict the logic right now “30’s in T20 are like 100’s in Tests”

 

[NUFAN]

The one player who might be reasonably close to the team at the moment at the expense of Handscomb is Alex Carey. I know Paine wouldnt like it, but he has a nice technique and shown some fight and skill in his ODI performances. Fresh off a ton in the Shield too. Can he field ok in the slips?