lmaoI'd like to see
Warner (c)
Burns
Khawaja
Smith
Voges
Ferguson
Paine
O'Keefe
Starc
Cummins
Pattinson
Hasnt played FC cricket in over 6 months, and the last match he played for Tas he opened the batting and didnt keep.Paine isn't even getting picked for Tasmania is he
Don't think Hazelwood will be dropped for any reason at all. Everyone would love to see Patto and Cummins with Starc but they arent ready. Would love to see Ferguson or another batsman at 6. O'Keefe or Lyon is 6 of one to me, but O'Keefe is a good batsman. If we did pick O'Keefe, maybe we could actually pick Bird (according to the selectors thinking re. Mennie/Bird). Voges is done.I'd like to see
Warner (c)
Burns
Khawaja
Smith
Voges
Ferguson
Paine
O'Keefe
Starc
Cummins
Pattinson
That's a perfect side I could get behind tbh.Paine averages <30 in FC cricket, still hasn't scored another hundred, isn't even picked for Tasmania these days, and really never recovered from breaking his finger in that exhibition T20.
No idea why you'd pick him ahead of Nevill, when Nevill is a better batsman, better wicketkeeper, and likely a better team man (no disrespect intended to Paine, but Nev is a ****ing awesome guy).
As a medium-term team, I'd be looking:
1. Warner
2. Marsh/Burns
3. Khawaja
4. Smith
5. Ferguson
6. Nevill +
7. Faulkner
8. O'Keefe
9. Starc
10. Hazlewood
11. Bird
No faith that Ussie would be there tbh, but uncertain of who to back as his replacement. And sorry Gaz, you're a hero and haven't done much wrong, but SoK gets a run in this hypothetical.
****, looks like I need to rethink.That's a perfect side I could get behind tbh.
Let me guess - three pretty obvious guys and Peter Siddle?In the year 2016 Australia have used 19 players, can you name the 4 who average 40 or above with the bat, this calendar year?
SIddle is one of the obvious ones.Let me guess - three pretty obvious guys and Peter Siddle?
S Marsh, Voges, Smith, Siddle?In the year 2016 Australia have used 19 players, can you name the 4 who average 40 or above with the bat, this calendar year?
I think a direction needs to be found on who you can build successful innings with around Smith/Warner in all conditions. I find it utterly bizarre that there is talk of picking an Indian tour squad for 'horse for courses'. Where is the long-term planning in that ? I find the decisions made by the hierarchy in Australian cricket to be again bizarre and they need to know this. Ryan Harris coming out after the last test trying to knock the cricket media for 6 that they don't know what they talking about with fast bowlers fitness. Well mate, it's not rocket science is it, over the history of cricket your body needs to have been made bowling fit in order to complete more overs when high intensity cricket comes.The worrying thing about where we stand is that I think this is close to our best XI. It's one thing to lose with some dodgy selections, quite another to lose when you're picking a side that is better. Who out there would make the side better? I suppose there's better bowlers out there than Mennie (seriously his selection seemed to be the selectors not willing to admit they made a mistake in picking the Perth side, though tbf if Bird was picked the score might have been even worse), and it's getting to the point where O'Keefe adds more to the side than Lyon, but there isn't much you can do about the Top 7. I suppose one could argue Wade's a better batsman than Nevill, but that's cancelled out by being the much worse keeper.
I think Marsh probably comes in for Burns when he's fit again (dunno if he'll be fit for Adelaide or has to wait until the Pakistan series), with Voges in danger if he fails again. I'd give Ferguson at least a couple of Tests to prove his worth, especially given I'm not sure you can judge his ability by the nature of his innings. For who to come in, probably Handscomb or Bancroft, though I'm not convinced they'll be much better.
Very worrying signs. The Pakistan series might give us a bit of respite, but if it doesn't, this could be the end of Australia as a top-tier side.
LOL. Two months later Ferguson debuts.For me.
No Tests for You
- Dean
- Dunk
- Cartwright
- Ferguson
I'm pretty confident about the first 3 not playing Test Cricket, not so much Ferguson. I looked at the 3 QLDers and doubt all 3 will play but have greater upside. Ferguson should be quite high on the current pecking order really, I just don't see him as a batsman who would become the ultimate pro in his later years like a Hussey, Rogers or Voges.
I have just bought some Webster stock at a bargin and i have an investment in Stoinis too, so naturally a little high on them.
Hmmm I am not so sure, we have:The worrying thing about where we stand is that I think this is close to our best XI.
Yeah that's blatantly being fed by Rod Marsh, I think the Ponting video that Burr linked has him saying that on one of the youth camps in the 90's Rod said something to the kids to the effect of "If you can't score 350 runs in a day, pack up your bags and leave"What I most dislike about the Australian way is that I feel like the team believes that being positive and losing is better than being dour and drawing. Drawing is a rubbish feeling when you're a great team and well on top, but there is nothing wrong with a draw when you are not a great team and you show fight.
So crazy. I would love it so much if we could go 3/240 at stumps on day 1 against a good attack who bowled well. Of course if we did that we'd have to not lose 7/60 the next morning too. I've never been a SOK fan but I am warming to the idea that he is the type of player we need.Yeah that's blatantly being fed by Rod Marsh, I think the Ponting video that Burr linked has him saying that on one of the youth camps in the 90's Rod said something to the kids to the effect of "If you can't score 350 runs in a day, pack up your bags and leave"