Road to the 2017-18 Ashes in Australia

[Daemon]

He's kept three times in the last two years!

Cricket Australia are an absolute joke from head-to-toe.

tbf he does keep in the shorter formats. different beasts but still comparable.

it's not a good selection imo, but the alternatives are pretty awful themselves. impact should be minimal.

 

[Bijed]

Maybe Paine's sledging game is just deemed to be absolutely top-notch?

 

[Compton]

I don’t think any of the other keepers can have much cause for complaint tbh.

It’s a strange call, for sure, but when they made it clear that these Shield rounds were to decide the keeper, they can’t be annoyed when they largely fail and then don’t get picked.

 

[Gnske]

Maybe Paine's sledging game is just deemed to be absolutely top-notch?

He's essentially George Bailey's other wife, has to have something going for him.

 

[mackembhoy]

I don’t think any of the other keepers can have much cause for complaint tbh.

It’s a strange call, for sure, but when they made it clear that these Shield rounds were to decide the keeper, they can’t be annoyed when they largely fail and then don’t get picked.

But they picked the guy who didn't even keep in a shield game.

Thats' just absolutely batshit crazy and I thought our selectors didn't have a clue. Must have been amazing against England behind the stumps

I find the decision to go for the 4 bowlers a brave move with the injury records.

 

[oblongballs]

England have had personnel problems but Australia seem to be digging their own grave. I still expect them to win but they dont have any idea who their best 15 or 16 players are.

 

[Furball]

Surely to **** Tim Paine isn't a serious shout for the gloves?

 

[Burgey]

He’s in

 

[GotSpin]

I'm kind struggling to find myself looking forward to this series now

 

[Adders]

I'm kind struggling to find myself looking forward to this series now

Really? It's just gone up a notch in interest for me

 

[fredfertang]

Really? It's just gone up a notch in interest for me

At this rate once Starc and Cummins are broken you'll be the only man in Australia interested in the Ashes

 

[Adders]

At this rate once Starc and Cummins are broken you'll be the only man in Australia interested in the Ashes

Pretty much what it is was like in 10/11.........all the ****s that had given me **** for years all of a sudden had no interest in cricket at all.

 

[fredfertang]

Pretty much what it is was like in 10/11.........all the ****s that had given me **** for years all of a sudden had no interest in cricket at all.

I have every confidence in your ability to sledge the bastards unmercifully when history repeats itself this time round

 

[Spikey]

Yeah, I think this is the main point, as Spikey alluded to earlier and a few of us have mentioned in the past twelve months.

Steve Smith calls for a side that cares, his state teammate gets dropped and hasn't had a look back in despite averaging around 60 last year, even though he's had a poor start to this season. And he's up there in the argument for best gloveman in the country.

I kinda see a bit of a similarity with Hauritz in 10/11

 

[howardj]

Renshaw and Wade out

Bancroft and Paine in

I don't think the SMarsh mooted selection is as sure though...unconfirmed at the moment

 

[Spikey]

Its confirmed. I think they've released the announcement earlier than they wanted

 

[howardj]

They informed the players last night, and announce it formally in 37 minutes.

 

[Spikey]

The press release is on the CA site. They released it at 9 cause everyone knew already

 

[howardj]

Cool, thank you

SMarsh's eighth recall

FMD

 

[quincywagstaff]

I'm not as down on the changes as most are. Renshaw averaged under 20 in his past 4 Tests and when you factor in 3 ordinary Shield games he was always vulnerable.

As for Paine, it is an insane selection in many ways but I've always liked Paine as a player and he showed more grit in overseas conditions during his 4 Tests than Haddin ever did. Could work but it's a very risky one.

Bringing back Shaun Marsh I consider more baffling than even Paine. Even if you leave aside his mediocre Test record, his physical issues should be a red light. Already hindered Australia in multiple Tests by breaking down with injury and that he's now in his mid-30s, how can be trusted to last a 5 Test series. And it's not like his record justifies this leap of faith; he's like a modern day Graeme Wood, can pull out a quality innings but you can rest assured it will be followed by 5 failures.