*Official* Fourth Test (Old Trafford, Manchester) 19-23 July

[Cubiscus]

1) Crawley (in the absence of better options)
2) Duckett
3) Ali (keeps everyone in their preferred position, they won't do OT without a spinner and we don't seem to trust anyone else)
4) Root
5) Brook
6) Stokes
7) Foakes (hopefully common sense prevails)
8) Woakes
9) Wood
10) Broad
11) Anderson (I don't see him not playing at OT)

 

[Anthony Clayden]

1) Warner
2) Uzzy
3) Marnus
4) Smith
5) Head
6) Marsh
7) Green
8) Carey
9) Neser
10) Starc
11) Cummins

Go nuts then and stack the batting, it won England the last test...

 

[Midwinter]

Will Oz rest Cummins ?

 

[Qlder]

Will Oz rest Cummins ?

Definitely not as there's 9 days break before this test

 

[Croadymeister]

1) Crawley (in the absence of better options)
2) Duckett
3) Ali (keeps everyone in their preferred position, they won't do OT without a spinner and we don't seem to trust anyone else)
4) Root
5) Brook
6) Stokes
7) Foakes (hopefully common sense prevails)
8) Woakes
9) Wood
10) Broad
11) Anderson (I don't see him not playing at OT)

Foakes still won't get in and concerned without Tongue we lack that 85-90mph bowler giving us something different to Wood

 

[Kirkut]

The key difference in the third test was the spin - Moeen got Smith and Labuschagne while Murphy was comparatively just a passenger.

Like fast bowlers, good spinners are equally important to balance the workload of a bowling attack and taking key wickets.

 

[GotSpin]

The key difference in the third test was the spin - Moeen got Smith and Labuschagne while Murphy was comparatively just a passenger.

Like fast bowlers, good spinners are equally important to balance the workload of a bowling attack and taking key wickets.

He was only a passenger in the second innings because Cummins didn’t bring him on

 

[GotSpin]

1) Warner
2) Uzzy
3) Marnus
4) Smith
5) Head
6) Marsh
7) Green
8) Carey
9) Neser
10) Starc
11) Cummins

Go nuts then and stack the batting, it won England the last test...

I rate it

 

[Qlder]

Just a reminder that Australia has played 4 Tests this tour with the WTC Final. Averages of the 7 who played all 4 tests

Head - 447 @ 55.87
Khawaja - 369 @ 46.12
Smith - 345 @ 43.12
Carey - 256 @ 36.57
Labuschagne - 211 @ 26.37
Warner - 185 @ 23.12
Cummins - 130 @ 21.66

Then you have Marsh with 146 @ 73.00 and 2 wkts @ 16.00 in 1 test and Green 115 @ 19.16 and 5 wkts @ 45.60 in 3 tests

No way should Green be replacing Marsh in this test and I can't see how Green can replace Warner as an opener in England when he can't score runs at 6 (and don't move best bat Head out of position for Green)

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Trying Green as an opener is a batshit insane idea imo, wouldn't even remotely contemplate it if I was a selector

Which probably means it will actually happen

 

[halba]

IMHO Aus in big trouble. Eng have all the momentum and they've got better squad depth with the all rounders-, even wood can bat, and wood , tongue great depth in fast bowling. Eng spinner Moeen is also much better than Murphy

Warner is simply terrible and out of form, the bad rot starts at #1 is the main problem

 

[Line and Length]

Australia's selectors should include Green and Neser at the expense of Boland and Murphy. This strengthens the tail with Smith and Labuschagne providing spin. Warner is retained as the alternatives don't offer much confidence.
England will probably replace Robinson with Tongue or Anderson if Robinson doesn't recover. They should replace Bairstow with Foakes but they won't.

 

[Starfighter]

Neser has been released to play the next CC match for Glamorgan.

Absolutely insane hubristic selection policy. Means our only alternative to Haze is someone who's been very ineffective, and no chance of stiffening a tail that added stuff all runs in the last test.

 

[Qlder]

Neser has been released to play the next CC match for Glamorgan.

Absolutely insane hubristic selection policy. Means our only alternative to Haze is someone who's been very ineffective, and no chance of stiffening a tail that added stuff all runs in the last test.

Neser will be back in the squad 5 days before the 4th test

 

[Burgey]

Neser has been released to play the next CC match for Glamorgan.

Absolutely insane hubristic selection policy. Means our only alternative to Haze is someone who's been very ineffective, and no chance of stiffening a tail that added stuff all runs in the last test.

He's been released to play one game so he has some miles in his legs. Otherwise he won't have bowled for over a month ahead of the 4th test.

 

[Aidan11]

Robinson won't play if he is still injured. Anderson will come in for him. I suspect Broad will be rested and tongue replacing him.

 

[Aidan11]

Also Bairstow will keep his place.

And Crawley.

 

[Spark]

The key difference in the third test was the spin - Moeen got Smith and Labuschagne while Murphy was comparatively just a passenger.

Like fast bowlers, good spinners are equally important to balance the workload of a bowling attack and taking key wickets.

Hardly Murphy's fault he was rendered a passenger. Difficult to take wickets if the captain never gives you a go

 

[ataraxia]

Disappointing Magrat was beaten to the creation this thread. I was really enjoying the en dashes.

 

[Kirkut]

Robinson won't play if he is still injured. Anderson will come in for him. I suspect Broad will be rested and tongue replacing him.

4th test will be Anderson, Broad, Woakes and Wood on a greentop. You can be assured of that.