Australian Test Selection 2016/2017

[Starfighter]

What changes can you make to the shield though. I've heard stuff like five-day matches mooted, but the fact that the competition isn't strong enough might be simply due to the fact that the players simply aren't good enough any more.

 

[Red]

Here is a list of Shield cricketers who played 3 or more Shield games in 15/16 and averaged over 40.

Cam White (42)
Adam Voges (66)
Matt Renshaw (43)
Kurt Patterson (52)
Glenn Maxwell (56)
Jake Lehmann (44)
Michael Klinger (47)
Sean Heazlett (40)
Peter Handscomb (43)
Callum Ferguson (53)
Ben Dunk (46)
Travis Dean (44)
Hilton Cartright (68)
Cam Bancroft (45)
George Bailey (47)

 

[Red]

Think we need to have a look at guys who can bat for extended periods of time when it's tough.

 

[morgieb]

The Voges figures looks a bit alarming. He's been proven to be out of his depth at this level against strong opposition, yet he's been by far the best Shield batsman out of those that have played regularly over the last 3 years. I suppose he might have declined, could also be an FTB (although I don't think techincal flaws is the issue....)

 

[Tangles]

What changes can you make to the shield though. I've heard stuff like five-day matches mooted, but the fact that the competition isn't strong enough might be simply due to the fact that the players simply aren't good enough any more.

Read today that Rogers thought the Shield needed to be about winning 1st again. Felt it had all become about player development. Oh the irony.

 

[Red]

The Voges figures looks a bit alarming. He's been proven to be out of his depth at this level against strong opposition, yet he's been by far the best Shield batsman out of those that have played regularly over the last 3 years. I suppose he might have declined, could also be an FTB (although I don't think techincal flaws is the issue....)

Think Voges has been found out by SA pacers, but also that he's legit just declined. Guy is 37 and playing against the best pace attack around on sympathetic pitches.

 

[Midwinter]

What changes can you make to the shield though. I've heard stuff like five-day matches mooted, but the fact that the competition isn't strong enough might be simply due to the fact that the players simply aren't good enough any more.

Is part of the problem with the strength of the shield comp that the test and int rep players hardly play a game ?

 

[Crazy Sam]

If it's not a good breeding ground at the moment then surely that is more reason to give a few young promising guys a go in tests while we have the chance, where they will be forced to learn and grow up quickly? Lehmann and Patterson should be first cabs off the rank. Lehmann in particular has 5 x 100's from 30-odd innings, while everyone else worth mentioning is scoring hundreds at a rate of 1 per 10 innings.

 

[Red]

Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
Patterson
Cartwright
Nevill
O'Keefe
Starc
Hazelwood
Bird


Time to bring three kids in and guarantee them 15 tests to establish themselves. And bat them down the order.

O'Keefe comes in. Will give us as much as Lyon does with the ball and is a better bat. Bird in.

 

[honestbharani]

Do any of those youngsters bowl to a decent level or keep?

 

[Starfighter]

Is part of the problem with the strength of the shield comp that the test and int rep players hardly play a game ?

Probably. I've only been following the Shield a couple of years as this point so I couldn't say for certain but it can't help.
The flip side is that it doesn't give other players a go but I think that the more talented young batsmen will get better guidance and better competition from batting with the guys with international experience.

 

[Starfighter]

Do any of those youngsters bowl to a decent level or keep?

Cartwright bowls medium pace.

 

[honestbharani]

Thanks. If he can do it to a decent degree, it is one more advantage. I think these days between players of comparable ability, how relatively stronger their secondary skill is does become a factor. Even if he can bowl at a Ganguly level, it would help Australia so much, esp. when playing in India where they can straightaway bring in Lyon as the additional spinner. If everything I have read about SOK and his bowling style is true, he will be an absolute handful on any reasonably helpful surface for spinners when they come to India.

 

[Tangles]

Here is a list of Shield cricketers who played 3 or more Shield games in 15/16 and averaged over 40.

Cam White (42)
Adam Voges (66)
Matt Renshaw (43)
Kurt Patterson (52)
Glenn Maxwell (56)
Jake Lehmann (44)
Michael Klinger (47)
Sean Heazlett (40)
Peter Handscomb (43)
Callum Ferguson (53)
Ben Dunk (46)
Travis Dean (44)
Hilton Cartright (68)
Cam Bancroft (45)
George Bailey (47)

Much as I dislike Maxwell he does need to be considered going forward. Definitely should go to India.

 

[Starfighter]

O'Keefe should be pretty good in the subcontinent. He's a bit of a Herath type bowler, bowls a bit round-arm, doesn't spin it much, often gets wickets by sliding the ball into the batsmen.
He was OK in Sri Lanka although I don't think he was fully fit during the test.
I think he should be picked at home as his control is better than Lyon's and I think Smith will find it a bit easier, as he's been pretty poor setting fields to Lyon.

 

[morgieb]

Do any of those youngsters bowl to a decent level or keep?

Well Cartwright is a batting all-rounder. So is Stoinis....though he's a bit older. Plus Maxwell's played as an all-rounder, but you probably already know that. As for genuine bowlers, Starc, Hazlewood, Pattinson and Cummins are still young-ish so it shouldn't be an issue. Bowlers younger than them haven't really broken through yet.

Keepers? Whiteman has a lot of talent but hasn't really done anything with it. Bancroft and Handscomb can keep in theory, but in practice they're worse than Wade, they should only be considered as batsmen. There's also Jake Doran, who was supposed to be the next big thing but has stagnated a bit. He's been playing as a wicket-keeper recently, though I have NFI if he's actually good at it. I suspect not.

 

[Gnske]

Handscomb's next to have his career ruined now Voges is dead right?

 

[adub]

Do any of those youngsters bowl to a decent level or keep?

Handscomb or Bancroft putting the gloves on full time for their states would be an interesting experiment. Sadly Whiteman doesn't seem to have kicked on with the bat, playing as a batsman mightn't be the worst thing that could happen to Wade's ambitions.

But at the moment there's really no alternative to Nev unless you want to go for a pensioner from Qld or a poor set of hands from Vic.

 

[Starfighter]

Inb4 someone mentions Tim Paine

 

[Red]

Handscomb or Bancroft putting the gloves on full time for their states would be an interesting experiment. Sadly Whiteman doesn't seem to have kicked on with the bat, playing as a batsman mightn't be the worst thing that could happen to Wade's ambitions.

But at the moment there's really no alternative to Nev unless you want to go for a pensioner from Qld or a poor set of hands from Vic.

Bancrofts the next opener in waiting, so no point having him keep imo.

FWIW, Cartwright seems a decent sort of kid.

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