Australian Test Selection Thread 2017 - 2018

[adub]

I really think we should be looking at three quicks for the next one unless it's a dustbowl. Cooler temps and a firmer deck supposedly.

Lyon's finger does seem to have impacted his bowling. Wish Patto was already on the plane because unleashing him on an unsuspecting Indian top order would be fun and he'd strengthen the tail, but Bird won't let us down.

 

[stephen]

I really think we should be looking at three quicks for the next one unless it's a dustbowl. Cooler temps and a firmer deck supposedly.

Lyon's finger does seem to have impacted his bowling. Wish Patto was already on the plane because unleashing him on an unsuspecting Indian top order would be fun and he'd strengthen the tail, but Bird won't let us down.

Honestly feel for Bird. He's a quality bowler who has done nothing wrong but by the time of the Ashes series he'll be 5th in the pecking order.

 

[stephen]

for the summer we should honestly take this side

renshaw
cowan
khawaja
smith
handscomb
maxwell
nevill
o'keefe
cummins
hazlewood
pattinson

FTFY. Although TBH that might be the most dour opening pair seen in world cricket for a long while.

 

[Tangles]

Bird for Lyon seems fine if the pitch is as expected. I'd also bring in Uzi for Warner. Guy needs to get a clue.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

No way I see Australia dropping Matt Renshaw. So young and plays with maturity of Ricky Ponting. He kinda reminds me of a hybrid of Alastair Cook/Adrian Griffith.

 

[TheJediBrah]

FTFY. Although TBH that might be the most dour opening pair seen in world cricket for a long while.

dude you're dropping Warner from the side when he'll probably be the most valuable player in Australian conditions

 

[stephen]

dude you're dropping Warner from the side when he'll probably be the most valuable player in Australian conditions

Nah not my team. I just dropped Wade and selected Nevill for gnske because Wade.

 

[Gnske]

Warner's stats are literally meaningless

 

[TheJediBrah]

Warner's stats are literally meaningless

Dropping Warner for the next home series after this would be like dropping Roger Federer from your local tennis team because you played a game of water polo the week before and he wasn't that good at it.

 

[Malleeboy]

OK so Renshaw, Warner, Smith, Handscomb or locked in, Wade will be preserved with, Khawaja will return once out of the subcontinent.
So three issues are:who gets 6, which spin option (Lyon more spin, O'keefe more control and handy bat) and if Starc returns from injury who do you pick from
Cummins ~Raw pace and can be devastating if fit
Starc -Lefty, pace, late swing
Hazelwood - Metronimc McGrath like
Pattinson - Raw pace but liable to breakdowns
Bird - Amazing FC record

Could play 4 pacemen in Perth, but elsewhere in OZ you generally need a spinner

Has O'keefe managed to sneak past the GOAT??

Has Maxwell century given him a few tests at 6?? Problem is Smith won't bowl him, so why not pick a pure batter at 6??


O'Keefe
Cummins
Starc
Pattinson

Is an awesomely strong tail wihout sacrificing too much in bowling strike power but probably need a 5th bowling option to allow short bursts of intense speed from the 3 express bowlers.
However Hazelwood has done nothing to be dropped and Bird could be awesome as well.

So
Ranshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith
Handscomb
Maxwell/SMarsh
Wade
O'Keefe
Cummins
Starc (if not fit Pattinson)
Hazelwood

 

[Gnske]

Wade not batting above Maxwell?

smh

 

[jimmy101]

They'll pick Marsh (either one) over Maxwell any day of the week. I'd love to be proven wrong here though, Maxwell has shown Test-match like patience in the past.

 

[stephen]

Come next summer I think we'll see:

Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith*
Handscomb
Maxwell
Wade+
Starc
Pattinson
Lyon
Hazlewood

I really think Pattinson is 4th in line now. Starc gets a pass because he gives left-handed variety and footmarks for Lyon. Lyon uses bounce so he'll get the home tests. Pattinson is a case of "if he's fit, he plays". And Hazlewood is undroppable (he's ranked 3rd in the world FFS).

Pattinson being 4th in line is a pretty scary prospect for England.

Marsh hasn't done enough to retain his spot over Khawaja at home IMO. He's had a couple of good innings in India but I think Khawaja is better at home. Poor Khawaja was so good over the summer and really shouldn't have been dropped (if it was anywhere but India he'd be playing IMO).

They should pick Nevill over Wade, but the selectors are terrible at picking wicketkeepers right now.

 

[TheJediBrah]

They'll pick Marsh (either one) over Maxwell any day of the week. I'd love to be proven wrong here though, Maxwell has shown Test-match like patience in the past.

No chance Maxwell is dropped unless he really stinks up in the next Test

I really hope they stick with SOK or 4 quicks come more normal conditions instead of Lyon. Lyon is just a waste of a spot, he can't even hold a bat anymore.

I really think Pattinson is 4th in line now. Starc gets a pass because he gives left-handed variety and footmarks for Lyon. Lyon uses bounce so he'll get the home tests. Pattinson is a case of "if he's fit, he plays". And Hazlewood is undroppable (he's ranked 3rd in the world FFS).

Pattinson being 4th in line is a pretty scary prospect for England.

Whole point is moot IMO. Those 4 will never all be fit at the same time.

 

[Compton]

On the point of picking a "proper batsman" at 6.

If Smith isn't bowling Maxwell, surely they already are picking a specialist batsman at 6?

 

[adub]

If we were playing only one spinner Maxwell would bowl a whole lot more.

I think Lyon really should be a 50/50 prospect for the 4th Test at best. Finger isn't doing him any favours. I'd be very closely looking at a three man pace attack (good to take some pressure off Haze and Cummo after the amount of overs they bowled) and having Maxwell as the guy spinning it the other way from SOK.

Only another Pune/Bengaluru dustbowl should keep Lyon in the side I reckon. Harsh on him, but batsmen have missed plenty of tests for finger injuries. If his bowling is impeded (and it looks like it is) then he has to make way.

 

[Red]

Come next summer I think we'll see:

Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith*
Handscomb
Maxwell
Wade+
Starc
Pattinson
Lyon
Hazlewood

I really think Pattinson is 4th in line now. Starc gets a pass because he gives left-handed variety and footmarks for Lyon. Lyon uses bounce so he'll get the home tests. Pattinson is a case of "if he's fit, he plays". And Hazlewood is undroppable (he's ranked 3rd in the world FFS).

Pattinson being 4th in line is a pretty scary prospect for England.

Marsh hasn't done enough to retain his spot over Khawaja at home IMO. He's had a couple of good innings in India but I think Khawaja is better at home. Poor Khawaja was so good over the summer and really shouldn't have been dropped (if it was anywhere but India he'd be playing IMO).

They should pick Nevill over Wade, but the selectors are terrible at picking wicketkeepers right now.

For the home summer they *should* go:

Renshaw
Warner
Khawaja
Smith *
Handscomb
Maxwell
Nevill +
O'Keefe
Starc
Pattinson/Cummins
Hazelwood

As harsh as it may be on Lyon, I think O'Keefe just offers more to the team. Just as likely to take a wicket, more economical, and a better bat. With a combo of Starc/Cummins/Pattinson plus Hazelwood in the team, I'd rather a spinner who can bowl long economical spells. Also, with Maxwell in the team, we can have some offies as required.

Wade can **** off, bring back Nev or someone else ASAP.

Khawaja comes back in. I don't drop SMarsh lightly, but what's the point when he's five years older than Maxwell. Should be a tour reserve anyway for some time considering he's capable of opening or batting middle order.

 

[Compton]

If we were playing only one spinner Maxwell would bowl a whole lot more.

I think Lyon really should be a 50/50 prospect for the 4th Test at best. Finger isn't doing him any favours. I'd be very closely looking at a three man pace attack (good to take some pressure off Haze and Cummo after the amount of overs they bowled) and having Maxwell as the guy spinning it the other way from SOK.

Only another Pune/Bengaluru dustbowl should keep Lyon in the side I reckon. Harsh on him, but batsmen have missed plenty of tests for finger injuries. If his bowling is impeded (and it looks like it is) then he has to make way.

I'm worried that they'll use some of this logic, and then end up picking Ashton Agar.

 

[adub]

I'm worried that they'll use some of this logic, and then end up picking Ashton Agar.

It's a risk us Aussies have been living with for a loooooooooooooooong time.

 

[Compton]

Agar
Cummins
O'Keefe
Haze

Is a more than decent tail, if you ignore Agar's bowling ability.