*Official* First Test (Edgbaston, Birmingham) 16–20 June

[Nintendo]

Congratulations to Usman and what a journey his career has been. Can be included in the company of of our best openers now. I think criticisms of Usman have been a little unfair over the years but possibly based in the belief that he should've been the batsman he has now become. The same can be said about his frequent omissions from the test team. Sometimes too harsh and too long if initially deserved.

I can only hope that he can keep playing at this level for another 2 or 3 years and give time as well as inspiration to the likes of Renshaw and Harris (whom I know isn't rated but remains there because of a lack of candidates) or until someone new comes along. The advance of Usman and Travis Head has in some way covered for Smith and Labuschagne stepping down from their respective God modes.

Stuart Broad is an arsehole.

Our lack of backup batting options is a real concern. Right now its basically the current lineup then zilch. Ide say open with head but our middle order options to replace him aren't great either.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Our lack of backup batting options is a real concern. Right now its basically the current lineup then zilch. Ide say open with head but our middle order options to replace him aren't great either.

It's looking like Australia will have to recall back guys like Renshaw

 

[TheJediBrah]

Our lack of backup batting options is a real concern. Right now its basically the current lineup then zilch. Ide say open with head but our middle order options to replace him aren't great either.

Opening with Head isn't a realistic option at the moment I don't think. Just because he's too valuable in the middle-order. They need to just throw in a Street/Jewell/Ward/Renshaw type and see how they go, worst case scenario to bide time until someone really jumps out in the Shield

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

The second most correct person ever (behind Mark Waugh)

(after the end of the fourth test of the 2019 Ashes)

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(on why dropping Bancroft for Harris after the second test was dumb)

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(the same subject but post made at the start of the third test)

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(after the start of the fifth test, which saw Harris/Warner retained after Aus won the fourth test despite more dire performances from Harris, and Head dropped for MMarsh as an all-rounder was deemed necessary)

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(also look at me and Former Mod Dan)

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I also refer to my post made earlier this year on the subject (with some typos fixed up): http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/threads/usman-khawaja.89589/#post-4934876



tl;dr Dropping Usman in 2019 was not made for any particularly good reason other than he had the least compelling narrative of the 6 batters in the team and because Australia had created a selection logjam of their own making and because Australia lacked the guts to drop Harris after one test (but a lack of courage that was perfectly obvious). Usman's form both over the last 10 tests and over the previous 3 tests was clearly not worse than players who got selected for the fourth test (of course those names being Harris & Warner, and within touching distance of Wade) and his career to that point obviously suggested he was better than Harris and Wade. It was poor selection at the time. It was obviously poor selection at the time. It has turned out to be poor selection.

The Uzi call more than cancelled out by the dropping Lyon call though. Keep trying though.

 

[social]

Warner’s announcement that he would be retiring from tests at the end of next summer left a bad taste in my mouth as it gave off the impression that he expected his selection to be a given until then

As it stands, he should have retired after the SA series as his failures in India were predictable as have been his performances here

He might do a Lazarus but I would drop him if things don’t improve by the end of the 2nd test and there wouldn’t be any chance of a recall

 

[honestbharani]

Langer (technically), Katich, Watson, Warner, Usman, Joe Burns, probably a bunch more too.

J'approve

 

[trundler]

also the idea that Usman could have not been considered to open in the 2019 Ashes is obviously insane. He had did it before, for 2 tons in 5 tests iirc, and the ****ing coach and selector at the time was Justin bloody Langer, who had his career saved by replacing Slater in 2001 despite being generally considered a #3 at that point.

He did it in UAE though and looked clueless in England. There's no reason he'd have done better opening in England than he did at 3. And he had his cards marked because he was the most experienced batsman in the sandpaper ban years. Sure, congratulations on the call but I don't think it would've worked when he was, y'know, worse.

 

[honestbharani]

Warner’s announcement that he would be retiring from tests at the end of next summer left a bad taste in my mouth as it gave off the impression that he expected his selection to be a given until then

TBF, he literally said if he was selected.

 

[Nintendo]

really interesting video about warner's struggles in the past 2 ashes in england and the growing amount of right arm seamers going around the wicket to lefties in general.

 

[social]

TBF, he literally said if he was selected.

His wife is on radio in Sydney and basically said that he deserves respect and that there’s nobody good enough to replace him anyway

Think that’s closer to Warner’s view

 

[honestbharani]

His wife is on radio in Sydney and basically said that he deserves respect and that there’s nobody good enough to replace him anyway

Think that’s closer to Warner’s view

I am not into the mind reading business and I think its unfair to push assumptions when the reality is he stated clearly it was his desire provided he was still selected.

 

[Spikey]

He did it in UAE though and looked clueless in England. There's no reason he'd have done better opening in England than he did at 3. And he had his cards marked because he was the most experienced batsman in the sandpaper ban years. Sure, congratulations on the call but I don't think it would've worked when he was, y'know, worse.

did Usman spend the time between 2019 and 2021 training in Victory Road, levelling up against wild Graveler and Golbats

He was a better batter than Wade and Harris and Bancroft in 2019 and that's hardly an outrageous call. He was no more clueless in the 3 tests in 2019 than Warner, Harris and Bancroft and arguably Wade who didn't pass 10 runs 60% of the time up to that point of the series (but made a 100 one of the two times he did pass 10, such is cricket). it was a dud call made for dud reasons and it puzzles me why anyone defended the selectors then and why anyone would back in that call from today's vantage point (if "he was the most experienced batsman in the sandpaper ban years" was used as a reason, I have no problems calling that an emotional and dumb reason to make a decision)

The Uzi call more than cancelled out by the dropping Lyon call though. Keep trying though.

wash your mouth out, Somers Somerville would never fumbled a run-out to lose Aus the game. Somers forever!

 

[trundler]

did Usman spend the time between 2019 and 2021 training in Victory Road, levelling up against wild Graveler and Golbats

Did Hayden or Steve Waugh do that? Batsman getting better after getting dropped isn't unheard of.

He was a better batter than Wade and Harris and Bancroft in 2019 and that's hardly an outrageous call. He was no more clueless in the 3 tests in 2019 than Warner, Harris and Bancroft and arguably Wade who didn't pass 10 runs 60% of the time up to that point of the series (but made a 100 one of the two times he did pass 10, such is cricket). it was a dud call made for dud reasons and it puzzles me why anyone defended the selectors then and why anyone would back in that call from today's vantage point (if "he was the most experienced batsman in the sandpaper ban years" was used as a reason, I have no problems calling that an emotional and dumb reason to make a decision)

All of those guys earned their call ups after strong domestic work. The new guys coming in are always to go have more leeway than the bloke that was just dropped because they're an investment. Selectors universally try out multiple players before going back to proven disappointments. Really don't see the part where Khawaja was wronged.

 

[the big bambino]

Just a little unusual after seeing 5 green pitches in the last Australian ashes we had to wait until we got to Birmingham before we finally got a brownish pitch.

 

[G. S. Kohli]

Rodney Marsh. Was he a ghost ?

Petersen says on his commentary

I just check on cricinfo
On march 4th 2022 R. Marsh Died
Sorry to read that.

 

[social]

really interesting video about warner's struggles in the past 2 ashes in england and the growing amount of right arm seamers going around the wicket to lefties in general.

It virtually never used to happen as conventional thinking was to angle across & get them nicking off

Did Hayden or Steve Waugh do that? Batsman getting better after getting dropped isn't unheard of.
All of those guys earned their call ups after strong domestic work. The new guys coming in are always to go have more leeway than the bloke that was just dropped because they're an investment. Selectors universally try out multiple players before going back to proven disappointments. Really don't see the part where Khawaja was wronged.

Uzi always had the talent

Big part of it is that he’s matured and knows his game really well

The only area where his game has noticeably changed is against spin where he used to be a sitting duck as his default position was a half forward prod

Long time ago but can’t recall Hayden changing much

Simply more confident (and bowling was worse)

Steve Waugh completely overhauled his game

 

[G. S. Kohli]

Just a little unusual after seeing 5 green pitches in the last Australian ashes we had to wait until we got to Birmingham before we finally got a brownish pitch.

They have one additional pitch handy for on going test because Someone Threatened to Dig Test wicket middle of night.

 

[G. S. Kohli]

Nintindo

I never seen english Wicket keeper this much Sloppy in Ashes never never before.... Ben Foakes should back & Johnny need to play only as specialist batsman.

ABD Villers denied to keep wicket later part of his test career, when you get old or returns After sometime you not concentrate much.

 

[mustardcharlie]

Just a little unusual after seeing 5 green pitches in the last Australian ashes we had to wait until we got to Birmingham before we finally got a brownish pitch.

Please explain what you consider to be "usual" weather in England and I will tell you about usual pitches. Being a groundsman in Australia is a doddle.

 

[Spikey]

Did Hayden or Steve Waugh do that? Batsman getting better after getting dropped isn't unheard of.
All of those guys earned their call ups after strong domestic work. The new guys coming in are always to go have more leeway than the bloke that was just dropped because they're an investment. Selectors universally try out multiple players before going back to proven disappointments. Really don't see the part where Khawaja was wronged.

in case you missed it it's the part where he got dropped for marcus harris and/or matthew wade (and arguably david warner, who did not have strong domestic work to call upon due to being suspended for 12 months for ball tampering)