***Official*** West Indies tour of Australia, Jan–Feb 2024

[Spark]

Batting is batting. If you can't bat 6 you're not going to be able to bat anywhere else.

Ponting batted 6 for years before moving up. Martyn dominated at 6 before going up to 4 as well.

"He's struggling at 6, let's move him up to 4" is just dumb and was never going to work

See what @Starfighter just said. If this were actually how people thought then it'd be fine but it isn't. Even when his record was actually fine he was getting criticised for scoring too slowly.

 

[Burgey]

Well that was a good time to take the dogs to the beach. Now waiting at woolies for Mrs Burgey to pick up some stuff, so am literally on my way back from the beach and the shops.

 

[TheJediBrah]

because there is a very clear expectation in Australia that a No. 6 has to bosh

From who? And since when? Because Marsh has been doing it for the last few months?

In my time this has never been a thing and our no. 6s have all just been normal, proper batsmen

 

[Gnske]

From who? And since when? Because Marsh has been doing it for the last few months?

In my time this has never been a thing and our no. 6s have all just been normal, proper batsmen

You'd never had a time

 

[Burgey]

From who? And since when? Because Marsh has been doing it for the last few months?

In my time this has never been a thing and our no. 6s have all just been normal, proper batsmen

I thought it used to just be where the new guy daybooed before moving up when an established guy was either dropped or retired.

Also, be a good time for some Shield openers not Harris or Bancroft to start making a few

 

[NotMcKenzie]

Although 4/24 is poor, knowing how the West Indies went, perhaps the runs are still to come for Australia too.

 

[Starfighter]

Too short and too wide, particularly to Khawaja

 

[NotMcKenzie]

Also, Khawaja is still in which helps.

 

[Spark]

How many Shield games are there before the NZ squad gets picked. Maybe two or three?

 

[Lefty]

dont think the aus test team has looked as vulnerable as it looks now

What about the 1978 home series versus England during the Packer split?

 

[Gob]

Huh? Green's natural game is far more suited to batting 4 than 6/7. We've barely seen any evidence he's suited to batting 6 either, honestly. Most of his best knocks has come with him walking in earlier than you'de expect a typical #6 to, and his best results are at #4 in FC. We made an assumption that he could turn into a completely different player when we tried turning him into a #6.

I understand the thinking that Green would be better suited to bat at 4 than 6 although number six is one of the easiest positions to bat so in theory a number 4 should be able to adjust and bat at 6. My point being that Green is/was a developing player through out his career so far and not a finished product so he shouldn't be replacing someone like Smith who is, despite all the decline talks, was still performing well enough at 4

So much has been said about this being an aging team blah blah but its worth pointing out that the two youngest blokes in the team outside Green bats at 3 and 5 and Smith himself is still 34 so they had good 3 years still left which is another BG trophy, home ashes and WTC cycle. Middle order of 3 to 5 was one of strong suites in the side and you shouldn't have ****ed it up all to get Green in

I understand that this isn't entirely selectors fault as big part of this is down to Smith putting his hand up. Otherwise they would have picked a regular opener at least to blunt the new ball but sill they should be able to say no to Smith

 

[Starfighter]

See what @Starfighter just said. If this were actually how people thought then it'd be fine but it isn't. Even when his record was actually fine he was getting criticised for scoring too slowly.

It might be just a vibe I picked up, but it seemed to me that because he was a fast bowling allrounder there was pretty much immediately the expectation he had to score quickly and do it in boundaries, like Marsh. We then started bringing him into the limited overs squads to try play that role too. I'm sure the fact he's barely played Shield cricket since his test debut has hindered him.

It's like people can't handle the idea a big guy like him might score slowly. Same with his bowling, where he had obviously been told to bang it in, and it's diminished his strength which was to pitch it up, swing it away, and nibble it a bit off the seam.

It's also not helping that the tail - including Carey - has not exactly been sticking around recently. Really we're in the same bind that England spent the mid '10s in, in that every prospective batsman would be best suited 4, 5 or 6 and we don't have any openers.

 

[Lefty]

lol what a great idea to move a 34 year old to open and bring in a bloke who hasn't really cracked it at test level to bat at the important number 4 position.

Yes, it hubris by the selectors, they are getting their reality check now.

 

[Starfighter]

Marsh sure is enjoying a Watsonesque summer.

 

[Qlder]

I thought it used to just be where the new guy daybooed before moving up when an established guy was either dropped or retired.

This^ or when an established bat moved down when older. Most runs at 6 for Aus is Steve Waugh and Allan Border, hardly "boshers"

 

[TheJediBrah]

This^ or when an established bat moved down when older. Most runs at 6 for Aus is Steve Waugh and Allan Border, hardly "boshers"

Qlder on the money as always

 

[ashley bach]

44/4 @SillyCowCorner1

 

[Chubb]

Damn I’ve been out of contact for the last three hours.

The Smith-Green experiment has failed.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Damn I’ve been out of contact for the last three hours.

The Smith-Green experiment has failed.

Becoming less of a moronic statement every week

 

[Starfighter]

That was an awful ball