***Official*** West Indies tour of Australia, Jan–Feb 2024

[Qlder]

This is the pair that should have opened, with Smith at 3

 

[Nintendo]

This is the pair that should have opened, with Smith at 3

Marnus didn't want to open, smith did.

 

[Starfighter]

'Good athlete' comments sure flowing now

 

[Nintendo]

Is marnus's leave movement less autistic now? Swear he use to swing the bat around more when he left.

 

[Bahseph]

This is the pair that should have opened, with Smith at 3

Mate, Smith is the best Test batter of his generation. I'd back him to do a job as opener more than Marnus.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Shamar Joseph the 23rd Test bowler to get a wicket off his first ball ..

The last West Indian to do so was Tyrell Johnson vs England at The Oval in 1939.

Amazing to think two of the 23 test players to do it in the 150+ years of Test cricket are playing this test match, Nathan Lyon (2011) , and Shamar Joseph (2024)

 

[Starfighter]

Not sure I agree with Copeland there. If Roach has to bowl into the wind, the ball might not even reach the other end.

 

[Gob]

Mate, Smith is the best Test batter of his generation. I'd back him to do a job as opener more than Marnus.

It's not about doing better than the alternatives though. If it limits his out put from batting at 4, its not a good move. I liked the middle order as it was but if it is to be changed, I'd rather open with your existing number 3 which is Marnus and move Smith to 3 so its less drastic

 

[thierry henry]

I know Roach has been a medium pacer for years now but this is definitely the slowest I’ve seen him look. The combination of his height and the speed he’s bowling almost gives the illusion that the ball is coming up out of his hand, like a spinner.

 

[Starfighter]

First mention of Roach's slowness courtesy of Mitchell.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

It's not about doing better than the alternatives though. If it limits his out put from batting at 4, its not a good move. I liked the middle order as it was but if it is to be changed, I'd rather open with your existing number 3 which is Marnus and move Smith to 3 so its less drastic

I think you have to listen to what the player wants, give Smith atleast 10 Tests as an opener and then make a call.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I remember when Roach used to bowl 150+

Which is incredible given he is 5 foot 8.

 

[Gob]

These are the kind of situations where you actually miss Warner. This is the kind of wicket he would race to 40 in no time

 

[Qlder]

I think you have to listen to what the player wants, give Smith atleast 10 Tests as an opener and then make a call.

This is why I miss the 80's. The Captain told the players where to bat and that was the end of it

 

[Qlder]

Shamar Joseph is my new favourite West Indian cricketer

 

[Starfighter]

That's not very good Marnus.

Looked bloody close to a no ball too.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Which is incredible given he is 5 foot 8.

Speed does not rely on size or height..
Look at what Shamar Joseph is bowling at and he's nowhere near Hazlewood's stature.

 

[Gob]

I think you have to listen to what the player wants, give Smith atleast 10 Tests as an opener and then make a call.

Well I didn't like the idea in the first place. Its more like trying to fix things that aren't broken etc

Australia don't play much test cricket this year. After New Zealand away, its India next season. He'll be a year older and the prospect of facing Bumrah and Shami is not massively encouraging prospect

But I agree now that he is given the chance, they need a longer run

 

[Bahseph]

Which is incredible given he is 5 foot 8.

I remember watching him in '09 and he was properly fast. Wasn't Tino Best around at that time as well? Also quite short but pretty quick.

 

[Starfighter]

Speed does not rely on size or height..

Well to an extent it does. I've even read a couple of papers that found a correlation between speed and height. Literally longer levers.

But at the pointy end some shorter people are better coordinated and can put together an overall more efficient action. You see a lot of the really quick bowlers being 5'10" to 6'1" or so.