Road to the 2017-18 Ashes in Australia

[Burgey]

Australians have been belittling rugby union ever since we won the world cup in their back yard

Since long before then tbf.

 

[Burgey]

I thought Queenslanders and chaps from Sydney liked Rugger?



John Howard, face like a smacked arse, handing over the trophy to Martin Johnson and his boys: one of my favourite days in sporting history.

Rugby league has the biggest following in NSW and Qld. Then AFL then Association football then rugby.

Any time John Howard has a sour face on is a good time for Australia.

 

[CricAddict]

Australian test selection, Heads, Cartwrights and a multitude of Marshes,
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...australia-before-ashes-selection-is-finalised

Good read. Australia are known for very selective selections, but looks like it is going the other way now.

 

[Starfighter]

I can't say I disagree with that first article at all. The way certain players have been treated has been atrocious.

I love Smith as a batsman but he has far too much say over the team makeup. Likewise Lehmann as coach.

This more than any other imo.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Am I missing something here (I cannot claim to be an expert on Aussies on the fringes of the national set-up) but, why not Ed Cowan?

 

[Starfighter]

Too 'old', too dour, not Lehmann enough.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Yes, the article mentioned Lehmann. If he does not like a player (personally) he does not get in the team. What did the manager of New South Wales have to say about Smith and Lehmann buggering up his team selection to trial a player out?

 

[harsh.ag]

Lehmann in being a prat shocker.

 

[Spark]

Wasn't Cowan involved behind the scenes in the whole homework-gate saga back in the day? There could be residual resentment/suspicion of him based on that.

 

[Gnske]

Well if you're referring to Brettig's book I can't recall it outright saying Cowan was involved, just the guy who said to Arthur on that plane that anyone who refuses orders should be executed sounded a bit like him.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Well if you're referring to Brettig's book I can't recall it outright saying Cowan was involved, just the guy who said to Arthur on that plane that anyone who refuses orders should be executed sounded a bit like him.

He was one of the players who had gone to the coach and captain (before that dumb homework thing happened) and talked about a general drop in standards in the team when it came to work ethic. So it's quite likely he's perceived as a snitch.

 

[Gnske]

He was one of the players who had gone to the coach and captain (before that dumb homework thing happened) and talked about a general drop in standards in the team when it came to work ethic. So it's quite likely he's perceived as a snitch.

Well it's hard to see how he'd be at least universally hated for that alone, the book made it sound pretty blatantly obvious no one gave a **** and had awful attitudes on that tour. Would have been like telling tales out of school when he spoke to Mickey about it.

If I were Smith I'd be very chummy with Ed if he had a hand in it all, Usman was going to play those last two tests until that episode happened.

 

[GotSpin]

Lehmann just doesn't rate or like Cowan ever since he was sick during the Ashes and he sent him out anyway to be executed.

I've long been a critic of Lehmann and he should have got the can last summer after we lost to South Africa at home. He has too much influence on picking blokes he likes rather than how they play. Has this stupid attitude of #intent which has in no doubt contributed to our batting collapses time and time again and our away record is appalling

Furthermore, someone needs to stop Smitty from doing these atrocious pressers where he reveals that you gotta be his mate to be selected

 

[Starfighter]

I remember when Maddinson was picked and the talk was along the lines of how he can 'break the game open' and how much 'potential' he has and I remember Lehmann fawning over how hard he hit the ball in some innings or another. Of course this ignored his middling first class returns and lack of form that season, especially compared to his teammate Patterson. We already have batsmen who can break the game open and it's so obvious that we need solidity. Obvious to everyone but Lehmann that is.

 

[Burgey]

Mad Dog’s selection was a punt after the farce of Hobart, but the selectors also punted on Renshaw and Handscomb and those two have been decent. If you’re a selector and pick three new top six players at once, two of whom kick on and play a decent number of tests while one flops, you’ve probably done ok tbh.

 

[quincywagstaff]

Re: Cowan, he was more-or-less boasting about his role post-Homeworkgate on that India tour how he snitched on the apparently "slipping standards" on the India tour:

"A few little things had crept in," Cowan said. "I had a few conversations with the coach and the captain and the manager about those little things and I'm sure a few other guys did as well. It wasn't just, 'right, this is the moment', there had been a build-up and there always comes a time where there is a breaking point and that happened in Mohali. But now it feels there is some solidarity behind the team moving forward and we're excited by that unity and why it has been created."

 

[Daemon]

It might just be an age thing. Following the purge during the SA series only young guys have been brought in. The idea was to build a team from a fresh start or whatever that could easily be shaped and moulded and Cowan didn't fit that. Even Siddle hasn't made any squad since that series iirc and it's not like he didn't perform at all in the handful of tests he got over the last few years.

 

[Jarquis]

But when you compare the records of the blokes who have jumped Siddle in the queue with those who are now ahead of Cowan...

 

[Burgey]

I’m a fan of Ed and he’s actually a really good bloke. Very thoughtful and considered in his views on not just Cricket but on life in general. Does some great work with Not For Sale as well. But I don’t think he’s a great dressing room fit tbh, and I understand his relationship with the vice captain is allegedly toxic.

 

[Burgey]

Top four Aussie quicks (the new south Welshmen and Bird) all rested from the third round of the Shield.

Am I right in saying that means Haze has only had the one game ahead of the Gabba?