*Official* Australia in South Africa 2023/24

[TheJediBrah]

I thought that's what this was all about

 

[social]

Well, the selectors have put him in the squad for this series just to have a look at him

Personally would have gone with someone like Short or Turner as they have more of an all round game plus they actually train for and play in this format

 

[Victor Ian]

I can see Labu pushing his way into the WC side and then being the guy who sucks all of the momentum out of the innings.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I'm not convinced Matt Short is much more than a sub-standard bowling basher like David/Lynn. Wouldn't hurt to give him a go though, more than handy off-spinner too

I can see Labu pushing his way into the WC side and then being the guy who sucks all of the momentum out of the innings.

Yes

 

[Prince EWS]

Labu wasn't dropped from the ODI side for scoring too slowly, he was dropped because he made **** all runs for ages. If he's actually going to make runs I'm totally fine with having cake from him and Smith at 3 and 4 as long as it means Warner, Head and Marsh are given a license in the rest of the top 5.

Given World Cups are typically lower scoring anyway - IMO due to the fact that teams don't rest most of their bowling attack in every game - I don't think Marnus making 60 off 70 balls in the middle overs is going to be a problem.

 

[social]

Labu wasn't dropped from the ODI for scoring too slowly, he was dropped because he made **** all runs for ages. If he's actually going to make runs I'm totally fine with having cake from him and Smith at 3 and 4 as long as it means Warner, Head and Marsh are given a license in the rest of the top 5.

Given World Cups are typically lower scoring anyway - IMO due to the fact that teams don't rest most of their bowling attack in every game - I don't think Marnus making 60 off 70 balls in the middle overs is going to be a problem.

Might turn out to be the case but it’s also undeniable that the white ball game is changing rapidly and teams must at least have the potential to go really big

 

[TheJediBrah]

I agree with PEWS actually. Especially if the alternative is Stoinis who I can see being eaten alive by proper spinners in India.

 

[social]

Stoinis struggles to make a full strength WA team but is somehow a fixture for Australia

 

[TheJediBrah]

Been our best white-ball opening bowler over the last couple weeks

 

[the big bambino]

Marnus has to come in now. Wonder what the idea of Stoin opening the bowling is all about unless it’s an insight to the selector’s thinking we might only need one genuine pace bowler for Indian conditions.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Marnus has to come in now. Wonder what the idea of Stoin opening the bowling is all about unless it’s an insight to the selector’s thinking we might only need one genuine pace bowler for Indian conditions.

I can't see that happening for the simple reason that Cummins is captain and has to play, and they also have Starc. Leaving Starc out of your World Cup XI would be bonkers

If 1 or both of them are injured though then maybe

 

[Prince EWS]

I can't see that happening for the simple reason that Cummins is captain and has to play, and they also have Starc. Leaving Starc out of your World Cup XI would be bonkers

If 1 or both of them are injured though then maybe

Cummins doesn't usually open the bowling in ODIs (although his record is much better when he does lol). Maybe the thinking is that Cummins bowls some back of a length stuff in the middle orders and we try to get away with Stoinis h4xing the new ball like Mathews did for a while.

Or maybe it was just to give what seemed like a 'real bowl' and didn't have much strategic planning around it - who knows?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah I can see Cummins bowling change, even potentially behind a spinner like Agar/Maxwell/Head for a few cheat overs on a spinny surface. Just can't see them going in with only 1 quick.

As an aside I wouldn't pick Cummins in the XI anyway unless it's a bizarrely fast/bouncy Asian deck. Starc and Haze would be my choice for 2 quicks with Agar + Zampa, or Ellis if they want a 3rd specialist seamer

 

[Nintendo]

Yeah I can see Cummins bowling change, even potentially behind a spinner like Agar/Maxwell/Head for a few cheat overs on a spinny surface. Just can't see them going in with only 1 quick.

As an aside I wouldn't pick Cummins in the XI anyway unless it's a bizarrely fast/bouncy Asian deck. Starc and Haze would be my choice for 2 quicks with Agar + Zampa, or Ellis if they want a 3rd specialist seamer

You reckon Ellis over Cummins as the 3rd pacer? Ellis is a better death bowler, but I can't see him taking middle over wickets enough to validate his spot.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah I do. If we're playing 2 spinners in Asia a big chuck of the middle overs will just be spin anyway. Cummins has been really hittable at all stages of the innings when I've seen him bowl in Asia

 

[Andy19]

Also before we start calling Marnus a good ODI player, consider maybe he's just great against South Africa. He averages 88 v South Africa and 29 against everyone else

Labuschagne could improve his 29 average against rest of the world, in the future his only at the start of his ODI Career.

It's too early to judge Labuschagne yet we should wait few years.

 

[Nintendo]

Also before we start calling Marnus a good ODI player, consider maybe he's just great against South Africa. He averages 88 v South Africa and 29 against everyone else

Fair, honestly. Even his record vs SA is a bit skewed by bullying second XI's. In the first series he played vs them he made a 100 vs an attack that had nortje and maharaj then a bunch of part timers/second-third string players, and in the other two games where SA fielded better bowling attacks he managed 41(54) and a golden duck.

These two games are still a massive positive, IMO. He's shown an ability score at run a ball early and adjust his scoring for the rest of the knock based on match situation. In the first game he slowed down from 50(50) to 80(92)~ to finish the game off, and in second game he went from 50(48) to 122(96). If he can keep an average in the 35-40+ range and more importantly keep his SR above 90 unless there's a specific situation that requires him to go a bit slower, he's fine. If we go to inda and he keeps making runs but slows down to a 70/80 sr he should be binned.

 

[the big bambino]

This series he's been up against Nortje, Rabada, Jansen, Coetzee, Ngidi and Maharaj. Under a bit of pressure too. Different conditions than what we'll find in India but they're runs against quality bowlers.

 

[Nintendo]

This series he's been up against Nortje, Rabada, Jansen, Coetzee, Ngidi and Maharaj. Under a bit of pressure too. Different conditions than what we'll find in India but they're runs against quality bowlers.

Thought i'de mentioned that in my second paragraph, clearly forgot to. My B.

 

[the big bambino]

Ha, no sweat.