****Official Australia in England 2020 (Non-Ashes)*****

[Nintendo]

Staggering that people still don’t rate Malan. What does he have to do? He’s been unbelievable so far.

Only people that don't rate Malan are the people who are constantly screaming for root to be in the t20 team. It's bias more than anything.

 

[Prince EWS]

Australia and India LO batting side suffers from the same problems, don't they? Insanely strong top 3 who take up most of the balls everytime they play and a chicken and egg situation that it causes with the middle order not getting enough opportunities and time to show how good they are/can get to be.

I think a lot of teams are having this issue more in T20 cricket, because:
1. 4-6 (particularly #5 and #6) are really hard places to bat in T20 cricket in the first place - often no time to get set at all, no field restrictions, coming in towards the end of close chases etc
2. Because batting top 3 gives you a lot more ability to influence the game, most talented batsmen end up batting there domestically for the good of their teams, and as such don't develop the skills unique to middle order T20 batting
3. Given #1, most the good domestic T20 middle order bats end up with less impressive records even when they're contributing well, and given #2 these players tend not to be highly rated in the first place - so they don't end up selected

As such, you end up with a whole bunch of players trying to learn the role on the job in international cricket after opening or batting three at lower levels. And as with #1, even if they do a good job at it they'll be under pressure because they won't have great looking numbers.

You're right that India and Australia seem to have this problem even in ODIs, but I think part of that is balance issues trying to also five bowlers and a keeper in there.

 

[aussie tragic]

Khawaja just scored 124* in grade, would much rather he was batting 3 for Aus with Smith and Maxwell a place lower at 4-5

 

[stephen]

I just had a chance to watch the highlights.

If Smith is going to bat like that he shouldn't be batting at number 3. Australia would be much better off sending in Stoinis at 3 and batting Smith at 5. Stoinis likes to get himself set while Smith seems ready to go from ball one.

That was a horrible choke from Australia after pulling England back so well in the first innings. However that definitely seemed like a wicket that favoured early runs and started holding up as the ball got a bit softer.

 

[Shady Slim]

Crazy how Jonathan wells had the bbl season he had last year and the selectors haven't even had in any of the squads. Are 5 bowlers+maxwell not enough as bowling options?

too short, doesn't meet the prereq of either being a BIG UNIT or having LONG LEVERS

 

[TheJediBrah]

Khawaja just scored 124* in grade, would much rather he was batting 3 for Aus with Smith and Maxwell a place lower at 4-5

nah

agree with whoever said that Stoin should be at 3 if you want to move those 2 lower

too short, doesn't meet the prereq of either being a BIG UNIT or having LONG LEVERS

Actually might be something to this. Not as marketable. Be nice if Mitch Marsh was putting up half the numbers that Wells did.

 

[aussie tragic]

nah

agree with whoever said that Stoin should be at 3 if you want to move those 2 lower

Stoinis was so painful to watch I hope he never plays for Australia again. Might as well go:

1. Warner
2. Finch
3. Labuschagne
4. Smith
5. Maxwell
6. Carey
7. Agar/Marsh

Besides, we need a Qlder in the side

 

[TheJediBrah]

Surely Stoin has Marsh covered

 

[aussie tragic]

Surely Stoin has Marsh covered

Not if he plays like last game. At least Marsh would hit more than 1 boundary off 18 balls and he's a much better bowler than Stoinis.

 

[Shady Slim]

nah

agree with whoever said that Stoin should be at 3 if you want to move those 2 lower

Actually might be something to this. Not as marketable. Be nice if Mitch Marsh was putting up half the numbers that Wells did.

yeah no i'm only being half ironic i reckon rig based selection has genuinely penetrated the australian psyche for limited overs cricket - don't think that people would be satisfied if we had a team who put up 180 game in and game out if every over went 2-2-2-1-1-1

obviously that's an exaggeration but yeah

 

[GoodAreasShane]

yeah no i'm only being half ironic i reckon rig based selection has genuinely penetrated the australian psyche for limited overs cricket - don't think that people would be satisfied if we had a team who put up 180 game in and game out if every over went 2-2-2-1-1-1

obviously that's an exaggeration but yeah

Inherently possible imo.

Being a bit older and not ever really being in the pathways system probably doesn't help either. Even if GChappell is no longer running the show, his ideology wrt player development still seems to be very much around.

Shame really, Wells is one of very few in this country to show reliable performance in what is quite a specialised role

 

[grecian]

Genuine problem for both sides is that all the bats are best in the top three really, except maybe Morgan. Knight was banging on how great Moeen can be for Worcestershire, playing some worldy innings, but they all came as opener, and he's not going to play that for us, obviously the same with Banton, or Hales or Root, or practically all our prospective bats. Hey even david Willey bats brilliantly as opener in County t20.

 

[stephen]

If we're going to play Stoinis, promote him to 3 and bat Smith at 5. Smith is so much better at going from ball one than Stoinis.

 

[Preed]

Can’t under stand why Root is not in the Squad for Ali.Better batsman by far and Ali usually bowls one ineffective over which root could do Just as easily

 

[Magrat Garlick]

cricket on BBC One, wonders never cease

 

[BoyBrumby]

Sides both unchanged; Oz win toss and bat.

Morgan said he'd've bowled, so everyone's happy, I guess.

Finch was a wee bit short with Nasser in the interview, which is unlike him. Fell back on the slightly hoary old "we played well for the vast majority of the game" defence when Hussain asked if the batting order was a wee bit top heavy.

What Finch said is undeniably true, but a slightly jesuitical take given the choke and how it came.

 

[aussie tragic]

Australia's denial that Stoinis is **** will cost them the series. Labuschagne should be batting 3

 

[theegyptian]

I think Moeen makes more sense in T20 cricket than ODI stuff right not even if his form is inconsistent. You are looking at the number 6 or 7 to just throw the bat in t20. It's not going to matter much if he's inconsistent as long as he does contribute sometimes.

With the next world t20s being in India you are going to need spin bowling options. Moeen also can be destructive batting against spin and they might utilise him as a bit of a floater in the order to take down spin if and when required.

Root I think does come into consideration because England don't have batsman who bowl which leaves them with limited options in terms of balance. Stokes, Ali and Root are the only three guys capable of really balancing the side. T Curran or Willey batting 7 are one place too high ideally.

The team I'd be looking at for the world t20s has 2 out of Root, Stokes and Ali batting in the top 7. That gives them a strong top 7 and 6 bowling options.

 

[Burgey]

Same line up. Expect the same result

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Watching on BBC to avoid the terrible commentators on Sky. We have Phil Tufnell and Alison Mitchell with uncle Jimmy.