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*Official* India Tour of Australia 2018/19

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, I too blame Greg Chappell for a lot of it.

Like, everyone's getting pathway'd now. Guys who averaged 12 with the bat in First Grade just need to average 40 for a couple of seasons against guys who averaged 38 with the ball in their State's First Grade to get in the conversation. We've produced a generation of players who've never been anything other than the best player in their team, and have never scored runs against attacks that are made up of players who are both better and more experienced than them.

Plus there's the massive, massive impact of knowledge loss from not playing Grade/Second XI with experienced guys, because everyone over 25 has given it away because they know they'll never get a Shield call-up over the next shiny 19 year old no matter what they do.
 

Arachnodouche

International Captain
Yeah let's not pretend Smith alone wouldn't make a world of difference here. There is a problem with the batsmen but suggesting Smith's presence would be inconsequential is farcical.
No, what is farcical is assuming that one batsman can carry on in a superlative vein series after series when there are plenty of precedents of previous batting greats reaching stratospheric heights before settling down into a relative mean for the rest of their careers.
 

trundler

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Australia didn't lose to India even with WSC and Rebel Tours. Losing to India now would be utterly disgraceful and very entertaining.
 

Burgey

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Yeah let's not pretend Smith alone wouldn't make a world of difference here. There is a problem with the batsmen but suggesting Smith's presence would be inconsequential is farcical.
Smith would be like Border in the 80s line up, only not as good obviously. If he was playing and scoring as he usually does then it would probably paper over a lot of cracks.

I don’t understand how, for example, how a bloke can get to test level with a technique that has him falling over to cover every second ball a la Finch. Let alone contemplating how Handscomb goes about things.

No coincidence they’re both Victorians, of course. If the team wants to resurrect itself, it needs to bin Finch and Harris and bring in Maxwell plus a non-Victorian. It’s always been the case that if there’s > one Victorian stinking up the test side, we do poorly.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Serious question here. Can Oz consider playing Behrendorff for Starc or Hazlewood next test?
No, he's crocked. Gave away FC for the first half of the season to try to get himself right, so is back on a diet of T20 only at the moment. Hopefully he gets through the back-half of the red ball summer unscathed and presses his case for a winter tour (see also: Pattinson, J.).
 

trundler

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No, what is farcical is assuming that one batsman can carry on in a superlative vein series after series when there are plenty of precedents of previous batting greats reaching stratospheric heights before settling down into a relative mean for the rest of their careers.
Yeah but it's not just the 40 or 50 runs he'd add. He'd lift the team around him and the team suddenly starts looking completely different.
 

Burgey

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No, what is farcical is assuming that one batsman can carry on in a superlative vein series after series when there are plenty of precedents of previous batting greats reaching stratospheric heights before settling down into a relative mean for the rest of their careers.
Yeah, but why would he have done it now, agains tthis outfit, at home? He’s not yet 30 ffs. Of course he would have scored runs. Players as good as Smith (and Kohli for that matter) will always have a say in a series at some point.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
No, what is farcical is assuming that one batsman can carry on in a superlative vein series after series when there are plenty of precedents of previous batting greats reaching stratospheric heights before settling down into a relative mean for the rest of their careers.
I mean even if Smith "only" averages 50, you compare that to the current lot...
 

ankitj

Hall of Fame Member
Clarke reminding in post match show that even with Smith and Warner, Aus were ranked #5. Good point.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Yeah but it's not just the 40 or 50 runs he'd add. He'd lift the team around him and the team suddenly starts looking completely different.
I don't think he'd even 'lift' the team, as such. It just become significantly easier to bat when a wicket isn't falling every 6 overs because, seemingly, nobody can face more than 35 balls these days.
 

TheJediBrah

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No, what is farcical is assuming that one batsman can carry on in a superlative vein series after series when there are plenty of precedents of previous batting greats reaching stratospheric heights before settling down into a relative mean for the rest of their careers.
Yeah, no, what trundler said is what is farcical. Not this.

What's dumber, thinking that Smith wouldn't make a difference, or thinking that Smith would have a good (or even average) series?
 
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aussie tragic

International Captain
I'm still blaming Langer.

Harris under Langer in WA was scoring good 20's until he moved to Vic under McDonald and came good. Now back under Langer, same result of good 20's.

Finch under McDonald was moved to middle order and did well. Langer moves him to opener because he knows better

Guess only, but I'm sure the Maxwell constant omission is also a Langer thing
 

trundler

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I don't think he'd even 'lift' the team, as such. It just become significantly easier to bat when a wicket isn't falling every 6 overs because, seemingly, nobody can face more than 35 balls these days.
That's what I meant by lifting the team though. You've got someone who'd be feared by bowlers and take charge of partnerships, etc.
 

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I'm still blaming Langer.

Harris under Langer in WA was scoring good 20's until he moved to Vic under McDonald and came good. Now back under Langer, same result of good 20's.

Finch under McDonald was moved to middle order and did well. Langer moves him to opener because he knows better

Guess only, but I'm sure the Maxwell constant omission is also a Langer thing
Lehmann hardly gave Maxi a fair shake either. But I can't see Langer even giving Maxwell a test. Probably has a secret grudge against successful white ball batsmen
 

trundler

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Lehmann hardly gave Maxi a fair shake either. But I can't see Langer even giving Maxwell a test. Probably has a secret grudge against successful white ball batsmen
But still has Finch opening. He's a very confused man it seems.
 

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