**Official** Australia in Sri Lanka Jan - Feb 2025

[Prince EWS]

No sorry, not opening with Smith, I just added brackets to seperate I meant Smith and McDonald to decide if Head opens

Ah that makes more sense.

They still shouldn't have picked two specialist openers plus a utility bat whose only Test appearances have been opening if they were thinking about Head doing it too though.

Handscomb should sue.

 

[Kraken]

If they're considering Head opening with Smith they shouldn't have picked two other specialist openers ffs.

This is what makes me think they are going to bat Head at #5 - there's more upside to this and Konstas opening, as opposed to Head opening and whoever else bats 5

 

[the big bambino]

Apart from Neser for Abbott and Connolly for Handscomb its the side that should've been picked. From the all the talk about who will open and who'll bat at 5 it seems Konstas is going to miss out.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Head Selector Bailey had his say on the squad. Said they're discussing Head opening (with Smith and McDonald to decide once they get there). He said #5 would then be between McSweeney, Connolly or Inglis.

Should be McSweeney no doubt, if they want to get Inglis in have him replace Carey. As for Connolly, I'm very doubtful any middle order bat has ever debuted for Australia without a FC century? They can't be serious?

If that's the case it means Konstas is out of the XI

 

[honestbharani]

I am wondering if they will just push Konstas to 5 in that case? As his aggressive game might work there as well?

 

[Spark]

I am wondering if they will just push Konstas to 5 in that case? As his aggressive game might work there as well?

It'd be really weird if, having made McSweeney a makeshift opener, they then overlooked him as a middle order batsman.

 

[Prince EWS]

I am wondering if they will just push Konstas to 5 in that case? As his aggressive game might work there as well?

Nah they won't open with Head and bat Konstas at 5.

 

[the big bambino]

I am wondering if they will just push Konstas to 5 in that case? As his aggressive game might work there as well?

You'd get the SLA bowler onto him asap though that could happen even if he opened. All up I'd like him in the test team.

 

[honestbharani]

It'd be really weird if, having made McSweeney a makeshift opener, they then overlooked him as a middle order batsman.

Nah they won't open with Head and bat Konstas at 5.

Agree but these guys can be that stupid, I think.

Anyways, the simplest and wisest thing to do would be to play the same top 7, bring in Kuhnemann for Cummins and see how it goes. Every other move sounds either like experimentation or desperation at this point. You have a settled side, let it be so.

 

[Gnske]

Konstas should only go as a mere reserve if he spends every moment in the nets learning what the **** spin is and how you use your bat to score off it.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Depending on fast bowling available I can see us having batting down to 8 in the future when Cam Green returns. Going to be hard to leave out Beau. Obviously if all of ***/Haze/Boland are available we should be picking the best bowlers but if it comes to a point where our 4th bowler available is a half fit Neser/Richardson or someone not that good like Abbott or Doggett then good chance just picking 2 quicks + Green & Webster might be the way to go. With batting down to 8

 

[Burgey]

#batdeep

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

I think that guy plays for India.

 

[honestbharani]

Kuldeep
Akashdeep
Arshdeep
Sandeep


We are coming for you.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think that guy plays for India.

It would be so good if there was a guy named Batdeep Singh but he was a specialist bowler who averaged 5 with the bat.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

You'd pick him for the same reason you pick Joel Garner.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Kuldeep
Akashdeep
Arshdeep
Sandeep


We are coming for you.

Don't forget Deepti.

 

[Starfighter]

Depending on fast bowling available I can see us having batting down to 8 in the future when Cam Green returns. Going to be hard to leave out Beau. Obviously if all of ***/Haze/Boland are available we should be picking the best bowlers but if it comes to a point where our 4th bowler available is a half fit Neser/Richardson or someone not that good like Abbott or Doggett then good chance just picking 2 quicks + Green & Webster might be the way to go. With batting down to 8

Are you proposing this for series outside Asia? I don't see this at all. I don't think Webster's good enough to be third seamer and I doubt Green will ever bowl bulk overs. I don't think you can add two half bowlers to substitute for an actual one. They'll just drop Webster unless he puts up some exceptional performances.

 

[morgieb]

Are you proposing this for series outside Asia? I don't see this at all. I don't think Webster's good enough to be third seamer and I doubt Green will ever bowl bulk overs. I don't think you can add two half bowlers to substitute for an actual one. They'll just drop Webster unless he puts up some exceptional performances.

I could see a world where on a greentop they drop Lyon and bat down to 8 by picking Webster + Green. Don't think they'd do it on a normal wicket though.

 

[Prince EWS]

I could see a world where on a greentop they drop Lyon and bat down to 8 by picking Webster + Green. Don't think they'd do it on a normal wicket though.

Yeah I remember they did this with Symonds+Watson a couple of times at home with no spinner.

AUS vs NZ Cricket Scorecard, 1st Test at Brisbane, November 20 - 23, 2008

Get cricket scorecard of 1st Test, AUS vs NZ, New Zealand tour of Australia 2008/09 at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane dated November 20 - 23, 2008.

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