Australian test selection 2018/19

[Burgey]

I remember Steve Waugh arriving in England and announcing his first test side about three weeks ahead of the game.

 

[stephen]

I suspect the players know.

 

[Starfighter]

I'm hearing Harris.

 

[Burgey]

**** I wish Renshaw had made some Shield runs. A line up with he and Harris opening and Finch down at five looks a shitload better than what we're likely to get imo.

 

[Second Spitter]

Pity we won't get another "Score runs in one match, win a Test cap" Shield round.

 

[howardj]

I've had it whispered in my shell-like that Harris, Head, and Handscomb have beaten MMarsh to a spot

 

[the big bambino]

You know they could've picked Burns on the basis of shield runs and got that outcome anyway. They are just being wilful selecting Finch as opener and then the poor bugga who actually got Finch firing in fc cricket is getting heat from the likes of Warne for acting in the interests of his own state team for wanting to continue playing him in the middle order. Seems like he's being forced to play Finch out of position because the national selectors chose to.

fwiw I think they might open with Khawaja and pick Finch at 3 which would make sense of the compromise between Australia and Victoria that had Finch in that spot for the last shield game.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah Burns would have been a decent shout too.

I just see Finch opening, Head at five and MMarsh at six as a recipe for a shambles.

 

[Burgey]

As I exclusively posted in the tour thread, Austrlaia's team is in and there's no MMarsh:

Harris
Finch
Khawaja
Darsh
Handscomb
Head
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Haze

 

[Starfighter]

I can't wait for overs 65-80 to be filled with Head's dross going at four an over. If the Indian bowlers can get any reverse that middle order will fold in a hurry. TFW you want Darsh to pile on the runs.

 

[the big bambino]

Lyon's gonna have to bowl his and Marsh's overs now. Maybe get a few in from Head and Finch. Even 3 each would be helpful.

 

[Burgey]

He's been bowling bulk overs for ages now. Put in two x 25 over stints in the Shield match last week and bowled crazy long spells in the UAE too.

If I was India, I'd look to go after him pretty hard. If he gets knocked around, Paine's options are very limited. it's a risk, but one worth taking for them, otherwise he'll dry them up and mistakes will come.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I hope they try to go after Lyon and fail spectacularly in the process

 

[stephen]

He's been bowling bulk overs for ages now. Put in two x 25 over stints in the Shield match last week and bowled crazy long spells in the UAE too.

If I was India, I'd look to go after him pretty hard. If he gets knocked around, Paine's options are very limited. it's a risk, but one worth taking for them, otherwise he'll dry them up and mistakes will come.

Yeah he's the key man for mine. If India can get on top of him the series is theirs for the taking. If not they're in for a tough time.

 

[aussie tragic]

What to do with Australia top 6
Finch 0, 11
Harris 26, 26
Khawaja 28, 8
Marsh 2, 60
Handscomb 34, 14
Head 72, 14

I consider Khawaja, Smarsh and Head a lock for Perth and Harris played well enough on debut. Finch opening in Perth is something I don't want to see but would have him at 5 (why didn't Langer listen to Victoria and CW).

Unless selectors admit their failure and add Burns to the squad, this leaves last spot between Handscomb and Mmarsh again. I'd go:

Harris
Khawaja
Handscomb
Smarsh
Finch
Head

 

[stephen]

Finch is absolutely the wrong man to open, but I don't mind him in the middle order at all.

Whatever changes we make we've dramatically hurt our chances by only picking two top order batsmen in the squad (Khawaja and Harris). With the current squad we'll have a hole in the top 3.

I think they should reconsider and drop Handscomb for Burns, drop M Marsh from the squad for Wade and consider the following batting lineup:

Burns
Harris
Khawaja
S Marsh
Finch
Head
Paine

Wade would be a good option if we need to change the order again.

Handscomb needs to be sent back to domestic and told he's not going to be picked until he starts batting from the proper part of the crease.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I can't see them bringing anyone into the squad before the second test, that would somewhat impulsive from the selectors. I would keep the same personnel for Perth, just reshuffle the batting order as Finch did nothing to suggest he has the technique to open against the red ball.

 

[Prince EWS]

I can't see them bringing anyone into the squad before the second test, that would somewhat impulsive from the selectors. I would keep the same personnel for Perth, just reshuffle the batting order as Finch did nothing to suggest he has the technique to open against the red ball.

Yep. The only thing that makes me not love the reshuffle idea is that Khawaja is definitely the best batsman in the side and would have a lot on his mind already with his brother's issues, so making his move batting positions could be an unwanted distraction to mount on him, but I'd still do it.

Not many actual personnel changes can really be justified IMO. Picking/recalling someone for one Test and then dropping them (assuming they weren't in for injury/balance changes) would be ridiculous, so Harris and Handscomb aren't going anywhere (unless I suppose Handscomb was left out for Mitch Marsh; they could claim balance changes on that one); this was Finch's first **** Test of his career; Khawaja is the best batsman in the side; and Head/Marsh made Australia's only fifties in the Test.

It wouldn't have been my top seven but you don't start with a clean slate every Test.

 

[the big bambino]

Burns in Marsh out, Finch at 5, Handscomb at 4.

 

[aussie tragic]

Mmarsh has done nothing to earn a recall.
21, 11 and 1-82, 0-20

*******