Australian Test Selection Thread 2017 - 2018

[GoodAreasShane]

Marsh will probably do a good enough job at 6, it isn't a shocking selection. But when you look at how many chances he has got compared to other batsman of a similar age, that is why his selection leaves such a bad taste in the mouth. The treatment Callum Ferguson received at the hands of the selectors was especially awful for example.

And I wouldn't even call Moises a real all rounder anymore, he seems to bowl less and less every season now.

 

[Starfighter]

Marsh will probably do a good enough job at 6, it isn't a shocking selection. But when you look at how many chances he has got compared to other batsman of a similar age, that is why his selection leaves such a bad taste in the mouth.

This. He really is the beneficiary of some massive favouritism. It's not like there aren't other batsmen of equal or greater ability either.

 

[Tangles]

Hope Handscomb and Bancroft know they have to significantly out score Darsh to stay.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Michael Clarke tries to justify Shaun Marsh’s selection but if anything it does the opposite.

Firstly, because it’s so gushing that it’s hard to take seriously. If you just went by Clarke’s quotes Shaun is not only one of the gun bats of his generation but also one of the best fielders (!?!) as well.

And secondly, because it seems Clarke respects Shaun because he was a ‘team man’ (i.e. Yes man) who is the sort of personality who goes with what the leader says. Can’t help contrasting this with how Katich was immediately disposed of when Clarke became captain.

It’s possible that Marsh could do a decent job this Ashes series (as long as his body holds up which it rarely does) but spare us this tosh that Clarke says.

 

[cnerd123]

Personality and aesthetics/soundness of technique do matter, but not more than actual output.

Remember the days when Australia were actually the benchmark at team selections? What happened?

 

[Spark]

Personality and aesthetics/soundness of technique do matter, but not more than actual output.

Remember the days when Australia were actually the benchmark at team selections? What happened?

When were these days?

 

[Burgey]

***** is never one to let fact get in the way of a half-arsed attempt at snark

 

[morgieb]

When were these days?

If he's referring to ten years ago, it's easy to look good with selections when you have 20+ Test standard cricketers at your disposal and one of the best teams of all time. It's how you select the merely good sides shows what sort of selector you are.

 

[Shady Slim]

if i were cowan i'd be absolutely livid rn

 

[Tangles]

Cowan, Ferguson, Hartley. We could make a list.

 

[stephen]

Hartley was probably pushed last season by the QLD selectors after the Wade affair to make room for the next QLD keeping hope Peirson. Maybe they all should have waited 12 months.

 

[morgieb]

Haha yeah Hartley would be kicking himself he retired. If you didn't want Nevill he's clearly the best option.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Cowan, Ferguson, Hartley. We could make a list.

You could almost make a Test-quality team purely out of players not selected for the first round of Shield games because of their age

 

[Crazy Sam]

I thought Hartley should've been picked when Nevill was dropped last summer, with the view of taking Hartley through to the end of this upcoming Ashes series and then "worrying about the future" afterwards. Hartley made a hell of a lot of fighting runs in recent seasons, senior player and good with the gloves which is what they needed after Hobart last year.

 

[stephen]

I thought Hartley should've been picked when Nevill was dropped last summer, with the view of taking Hartley through to the end of this upcoming Ashes series and then "worrying about the future" afterwards. Hartley made a hell of a lot of fighting runs in recent seasons, senior player and good with the gloves which is what they needed after Hobart last year.

It was one of many selectorial blunders over the years. Absolutely disgusting that he never got a run, especially considering how much love Marsh gets with a batting average barely three runs higher.

 

[GotSpin]

Have there ever been selectors that aren't ex players? I mean, some of them just aren't the brightest or are too easily influenced by the boyz club

 

[vic_orthdox]

The only thing that would make it harder to take being dropped is having someone without a cricketing background doing it. Ask NZ blokes how much they enjoyed Kim Littlejohn doing it.

 

[SeamUp]

I look at Tim Paine & think yeah if he had been keeping and scoring big runs. Why not.

But lets face it he is a better keeper than Wade and his batting game seems more adaptable than Nevill hence his ability to play limited overs cricket. Character wise clearly what Smith is looking for too in marshalling the troops. Over the years when I saw him he did look like owned the keeping gig.

But the 7 year thing & 1 FC ton and not keeping does make this selection look odd and random. But for some reason I can't get myself to write it off.

No denying they were clearly desperate and it looks a desperate selection.

A few years of Paine and then a Sam Whiteman will be back ?

So far so good.

 

[quincywagstaff]

I reckon Handscombe is skating on pretty thin ice after his first innings here, ironically because he lasted so long and didn’t look any better. He fought hard but never looked comfortable; constantly beaten by fullish deliveries and seemingly incapable of scoring runs in front of the wicket.

It just seems his unusual back-at-the-stumps technique has been found out a bit and while he may get a bit of time if Australia keep winning, unless he can find some run-scoring options other than third man and fine leg before the end of the series I can’t see him going to South Africa.

 

[Burgey]

I don’t know why he wouldn’t use the same technique but stand with his back foot on the crease to negate the movement a bit more. I like his attitude and generally like to see guys with quirky techniques do well, but late movement is killing him, and I can’t see it getting better in the immediate future.