Australian Domestic Season 2017/18

[the big bambino]

Well I mean this is technically true, but there have only been two matches this season, so it sounds more impressive than it is (unless you're including the one day stuff?)

I am, though I agree with the unstated implication one day selection for keepers has a stronger weighting for batting and aren't necessarily a guide for fc and test selection. Still he held his spot all the way through so I'm guessing his keeping was tolerable at least. He replaced Inglis as wk for the NSW match and you'd think the WA selectors were trying to lengthen their batting for an away game against a great attack. So there's little doubt the WA selectors are exploiting his versatility in preference to playing a specialist keeper.

I wouldn't even be mildly curious about if Wade or Nevill were playing well. In comparison Bancroft has runs and hasn't disgraced himself behind the sticks. He's kept to bowling that has similarities with the test attack so that gives some confidence to believe he'd be able to take Starc and co. Anyway we'll see if WA will stick with him in their next shield match and I'm hoping they do. More runs and tolerable keeping, especially if Wade and Nevill continue to disappoint would have me thinking instead of musing about his possibilities.

 

[the big bambino]

Btw if they picked Bancroft I'd consider 5 bowlers. None of the sixes in contention (Lehmann, Kpat, Maxwell even Cartwright) seem capable of bowling the dry overs to give our fast men a break. Last home ashes we had to nurse Harris. This time all 3 need looking after.

 

[Prince EWS]

In normal circumstances you'd feel a bit ripped off to be dropped after taking a 6fer, but Copes really does have nothing to complain about being displaced by Haze.

If my missus wanted to replace me with Haze I'd be 'yeah good call'.

This is obviously true but I thought it was stiff that he was dropped from the squad entirely while Abbott was retained.

 

[Spikey]

what if we had needed an all-rounder

 

[Loose Cannon]

It would be so great if we had a batsmen who had the fourth highest shield average (45.34) in the country, who was also an impressive full-time 'keeper.

We could just pick him and be done with it.

Or we could look elsewhere, because he isn't enough of a dickhead.

 

[stephen]

It would be so great if we had a batsmen who had the fourth highest shield average (45.34) in the country, who was also an impressive full-time 'keeper.

We could just pick him and be done with it.

Or we could look elsewhere, because he isn't enough of a dickhead.

Who are you referring to?

 

[Loose Cannon]

Top Shield Averages (Current Players)

Smith 52.64
Khawaja 49.59
Cartwright 46.76
Nevill 45.34
Warner 43.72
[Klinger 43.19] - Retired from Shield now?
Lehmann 42.87
Lynn 42.43
Maxwell 42.00
Cowan 41.92
Wade 41.10
Patterson 40.98

 

[Tangles]

Nev is our best short term option IMO but I'm not expecting him to get the nod. His captain publicly called him out for being quiet. I don't think you get in Smiths team without his approval. It's Wade or something funky like Bancroft.

 

[NUFAN]

Top Shield Averages (Current Players)

Smith 52.64
Khawaja 49.59
Cartwright 46.76
Nevill 45.34
Warner 43.72
[Klinger 43.19] - Retired from Shield now?
Lehmann 42.87
Lynn 42.43
Maxwell 42.00
Cowan 41.92
Wade 41.10
Patterson 40.98

Cheers for posting this, I hadnt seen a career Shield average list for a while.

Just re: Bancroft and his keeping.. dont forget Whiteman is injured, thats the only reason he is WK. He has more chance of being an opening bat.

 

[stephen]

Why is Nevill's first class average (from Cricinfo) so much lower than his shield average?

 

[quincywagstaff]

Nev is our best short term option IMO but I'm not expecting him to get the nod. His captain publicly called him out for being quiet. I don't think you get in Smiths team without his approval.

Ironic that Smith gets stuck into a teammate's on-field style when his sulky dummy-spit demeanour is one of the worst I've seen by a Test captain - can understand why Steve Waugh stated he needed to improve on that recently. He seemed to improve his style on the India Test tour but he was creeping into some bad old habits in Bangladesh and in the recent ODIs.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Why is Nevill's first class average (from Cricinfo) so much lower than his shield average?

Test matches count as First Class matches

 

[adub]

It's a pretty big come down from the days when you had half a dozen blokes with plus 50 Shield averages and anything under 40 had you worrying about your Shield spot ain't it.

Say 03/04 when Bevan, Katich, Elliot, Law, Hodge, Watson, Love, Rogers, DHussey, MHussey, MWaugh, SWaugh, Jaques, Langer, Blewett, Cox, Lehmann all scored more than 350 runs in the shield season (as well as 18 other guys) and all bar Bevan and Lehmann (3 & 4) played 6 or more Shield matches.

Bevan, Katich, Lehmann, Langer, and Junior all averaged plus 50 in the Shield, Tugger averaged 49.69 and Ponting and Haydos were too busy with international duties to play Shield that season.

In all FC cricket Elliot averaged 47, Law 50.5, Hodge 48.8, Twatto 42.5, Love 49.9, Rogers 49.6, Dhussey 52.5, Mhussey 52.1, Jaques 48.3, Blewett 44.5, and Cox 42.7. Big step down. Every one of those guys who barely got a test or never did would be core Test players these days.

 

[S.Kennedy]

I read somewhere that outside India David Hussey has the highest first-class average from someone who never played test cricket - not just for Victoria but Notts also where he had nearly ten years.

 

[stephen]

I read somewhere that outside India David Hussey has the highest first-class average from someone who never played test cricket - not just for Victoria but Notts also where he had nearly ten years.

If Dussey were a 26 year old today he'd be a fixture in the test team.

Having said that I genuinely think that the bowling at shield level has been a lot better in recent years than it was in 03/04. And players are being picked younger because of our youth policies (could you ever have seen Cowan being dropped on 03/04 for a guy averaging 38?).

 

[GotSpin]

Bowling is better and tougher pitches perhaps as well?

The bowling stocks weren't exactly full then were they

 

[adub]

No doubt flat pitches and less bowling depth had an effect. But not to the extent where you go from having 15 or 16 guys with 50 averages (or near enough to make no diff) to having one. Most of those guys were also going to England and filling their boots every winter. They could bat.

 

[Spikey]

"All of a sudden we have got this bat-off situation where if you get a hundred, you are in the Test team. It’s crazy."

ed needs to board here already.

 

[adub]

are you certain he doesn't?

 

[adub]

Pretty sure Burgey isn't Ed though.