3rd Test at Melbourne - December 26 - 30

[Spark]

Yeah I hope this is simply rotation and being extra cautious around long-term injuries, otherwise this is totally ridiculous

 

[Prince EWS]

Well this is seriously grim news. Seems like the last test of the last Ashes over there all over again, Langer and co trying to get too clever and shooting themselves in the foot in the process. This horses for courses stuff doesn't hold any weight for me, should always pick the best bowlers available and Boland simply isn't that


Helps stop the Vics whining for a little while though so I guess that is a good thing

I don't mind horses for courses when you can actually pinpoint why the horse is good for the course. "He has a good record there" is almost more like voodoo to me though.

I can definitely accept that Richardson and Hazlewood are probably injured to at least some degree, and I do genuinely believe Boland is better than Steketee... but I reckon Neser's just been axed here, and that's pretty dire given who it's for.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I don't mind horses for courses when you can actually pinpoint why the horse is good for the course. "He has a good record there" is almost more like voodoo to me though.

I can definitely accept that Richardson and Hazlewood are probably injured to at least some degree, and I do genuinely believe Boland is better than Steketee... but I reckon Neser's just been axed here, and that's pretty dire given who it's for.

Just to clarify the horses for courses comment was about here in Australia, I honestly don't believe there is nearly enough variance in pitch conditions to make that sort of thing a relevant consideration, it is different with picking a second spinner in the subcontinent for example, but in Australian conditions I just see it as overthinking things


I don't hate Boland as a bowler, agree on him being better than Steketee, but really he seems to fall well into that category of solid domestic performer but too limited to be a good Test cricketer

 

[morgieb]

unless Richardson isn't hundred percent,

According to media reports, he isn’t.

But they’d still play him if he was Cummins or Hazlewood.

 

[morgieb]

I can see why you’d pick Boland over Neser but yeah it does reek of getting too cute.

 

[mr_mister]

Why are people talking about Steketee

 

[social]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1474530140596150275

 

[mr_mister]

YTB will ton up. God bless that ranga

 

[social]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1474535875874721797

 

[Gnske]

JM Bairstow b. Boland 0 (3)
JM Bairstow lbw. Boland 14 (10)

 

[Shady Slim]

real cool to have another indigenous australian don the national team's whites as well just as an aside, we love to see that

 

[Spark]

my "not a dictatorship" shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by my shirt

 

[mr_mister]

Can Boland even hit 130

 

[mr_mister]

my "not a dictatorship" shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by my shirt

Lol don't think anyone thought root was a dictator. He seems like Steve Smith, too scared to enforce any kind of boundaries or instructions

 

[Spikey]

Xmas is ruined

 

[Spark]

Meanwhile it continues to perplex me that England are so convinced that, somehow, Anderson is a better fit than Broad for Australian conditions.

 

[Gob]

According to media reports, he isn’t.

But they’d still play him if he was Cummins or Hazlewood.

Yeah the recent ones. Not the ones up to Friday

 

[Spark]

Tbf as irritating and frustrating as it may be, I think the evidence is pretty clear by now that rotating young bowlers is a good idea. We don't want a return to the early 2010s when all these gun young bowlers could barely get through a match without copping a season-ending injury of some kind.

But yeah, the "MCG specialist" thing is very... overthought. And it's tough to get overly excited over a 32-year old debuting.

real cool to have another indigenous australian don the national team's whites as well just as an aside, we love to see that

First in the men's Test side (otherwise, Ash Gardner) since Gillespie, right?

 

[Nintendo]

So where resting Richardson after 1 test but starc is playing his 3rd test straight despite having a massive scare last test and being notorious for going to **** the later in a series he gets? There's a d/n test at Hobart coming up and starc is the best pink ball bowler in the world

 

[Spark]

So where resting Richardson after 1 test but starc is playing his 3rd test straight despite having a massive scare last test and being notorious for going to **** the later in a series he gets? There's a d/n test at Hobart coming up and starc is the best pink ball bowler in the world

To be fair you're much more happy to trust a highly experienced 30-ish year old with a lot of international cricket under his belt to get through a string of matches than a guy who's just come back from a long-term injury and apparently has a leg issue.