*Official* Australia tour of New Zealand Feb-Mar 2024

[Starfighter]

I'm not dropping the guy with a dozen Test match hundreds for a bloke who averages 30, come on now. This is recent form bias at its worst

Thing is Marsh has been one of the few consistent performers recently.

 

[Flem274*]

Sometimes I've wondered if we could use Head as a BazBall opener a la Duckett. Fact is I don't think his ceiling's actually that high. After 160 First Class matches he only averages just over 40, and his test average is now just over 42. With Pucovski all but officially invalided out we're going to be really hard up for openers soon.

Head is lucky enough to play BazBall tho. God loves him, and that is extremely important for a test cricketer.

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Sometimes I've wondered if we could use Head as a BazBall opener a la Duckett. Fact is I don't think his ceiling's actually that high. After 160 First Class matches he only averages just over 40, and his test average is now just over 42. With Pucovski all but officially invalided out we're going to be really hard up for openers soon.

He is an absolute gun middle order match winner though, why would you move him

 

[Spark]

Sometimes I've wondered if we could use Head as a BazBall opener a la Duckett. Fact is I don't think his ceiling's actually that high. After 160 First Class matches he only averages just over 40, and his test average is now just over 42. With Pucovski all but officially invalided out we're going to be really hard up for openers soon.

This is why I unironically think they might just skip this current generation of openers, maybe giving Renshaw and Bancroft a game or two (and inevitably yanking them when they almost certainly don't put up the required performances), and go to the guys who are currently 19-21yo who I'd say are a little more promising (but that could be youth bias speaking)

 

[morgieb]

Well at least we haven’t collapsed to SP.

 

[thierry henry]

I rate Head less than most but we’ve started out just trying to york him as if he’s a tailender, which seems a bit simplistic

 

[Nintendo]

Did that hit the stumps?

 

[Spark]

Blundell's going to break his fingers if he stands up to this

 

[Spark]

I rate Head less than most but we’ve started out just trying to york him as if he’s a tailender, which seems a bit simplistic

It's absolutely a legit tactic to him in his first dozen or so balls. Wouldn't stick with it for long though

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

Henry is bowling grenades and they bring the keeper up, not very smart. Even if batter comes down I would still back my man to nick / bowl him out.

 

[Flem274*]

Bit of miracle ball searching in the last over and a half. Get back in the channel boys.

 

[Starfighter]

This is why I unironically think they might just skip this current generation of openers, maybe giving Renshaw and Bancroft a game or two (and inevitably yanking them when they almost certainly don't put up the required performances), and go to the guys who are currently 19-21yo who I'd say are a little more promising (but that could be youth bias speaking)

We need those guys to put up the performances at that level though. I mean Konstas for instance doesn't look that great technical. Trouble is we have only six teams and old fossils like Hughes clogging up the works.

 

[ashley bach]

Henry 2/22 @SillyCowCorner1

 

[Flem274*]

Henry is bowling grenades and they bring the keeper up, not very smart.

Nah I like it if they switch it up. Keep Green adjusting.

 

[Spark]

Thing is Marsh has been one of the few consistent performers recently.

In the last few games he's fallen off again, but yeah that's what makes it harsh. It's still what I'd honestly do though.

 

[King Kane]

Not sure about the wisdom of this tactic of Blundell standing up to the stumps to Henry with his pace.

He's standing back now to Head at least.

 

[Spark]

We need those guys to put up the performances at that level though. I mean Konstas for instance doesn't look that great technical. Trouble is we have only six teams and old fossils like Hughes clogging up the works.

I agree, but that's why I think they're going to try and hang on with the current squad plus one or two others for as long as possible and pray that one of them comes good

 

[social]

You can see middle stump on the replay though and his head position is outside the line of the ball even before it moves off the deck. Great nut but any movement from there and he's screwed, as he was

Yep

Technique is all over the place and the fact that he’s continually reviewing balls which are crashing into the stumps tells you that he’s lost off stump

That one was absolutely plumb & Uzi should have sent him on his way

 

[Starfighter]

Yeah that really should hang over their heads as an asterisk (except from Nortje); they were absolutely putrid

TBH I didn't think Nortje actually bowled that well, lightning quick but often a bit short, and not sure why he was given the new ball over Jansen when he bowled much better when it was a bit older. Rabada's bowling was shameful and his series figures immensely flattering.

 

[OverratedSanity]

These NZ games make for such great second innings comebacks. Great stuff from the kiwis to come back into this. Finally showing some bottle against Australia.