Australian Cricket Thread

[sussexpob]

A couple of pachyderms have been wandering around the selection room at Cricket Australia for a while, unaddressed

I have never heard that term before. Learn something new everyday.

First one is not picking the best players for particular positions - an example is moving Marnus to open (after Smith, and proposing Green). I think a move back to specialist openers will be a good move. It sometimes works, as with Khawaja, but often not. Uzzie is due to retire soon, surely?

I really don't understand why Australia would take a player in abject form struggling to save his own career, and put him in a specialist role he has no experience in and expect him to break out the funk. Konstas did ok vs Bumrah in his debut series, give the lad a long run to stake his claim on the spot, makes no sense why you pick a young guy and drop him straight away. I understood why they ditch McSweeney quick, as he looked like a pound shop Mike Atherton, but Konstas at least looked like he wasnt phased by being there. As for Khawaja, I guess Australia would be moving him on quicker if they had replaced Warner. The form seems to have dipped for Ussie, but until someone bangs on the door harder I think Australia will let him have his send off summer in the Ashes (unless things really go South).

After next summer, indeed.... Australia need two new openers.

[sussexpob]

and that touches on the other elephant: the age of the team. How many will plan to keep playing post-Ashes? I wouldn't be surprised if we lost Khawaja, Smith and Starc. Maybe even Lyon. That's a heck of a lot of experience and skill. The bowling backups are even getting on - perennial "in case" bowler, Scott Boland is at least 37. Aus has had plenty of potential test bowlers around the past few years, but the quartet of pacers have just been too good. This may bite in the next year or two.

Being English, I am not so chipper about Australia's inability to replace their bowlers. Murphy and Kuhnemann give depth for Lyon.... and you have talented quicks ready to step up in Fergus O Neill, Doggett and Bartlett, who creamated a strong Lions team in January. I can't remember the guys name, but I was watching some redhead young lad bowling in the winter as well...tearaway, raw quick... looked very talented too (what was he called).

Australia are like South Africa generally..... you see of a crop of decent quicks, and 10 are waiting behind them to make a career for themselves.

[sussexpob]

Pat Cummins has hinted in the meantime a test reset is on the cards.

[sussexpob]

Callum Vidler... that was the guys name

[GarlicJam]

Seems a while since Australia had what looks like a classic batting lineup.

it seems like a decade that the bowlers have been saving Aus' blushes - with the bat as well as the ball.

[GarlicJam]

True, Sussex. I am not concerned about the bowling stock waiting in the ranks - just the lack of opportunity they have been afforded.

Batters, now that is a different matter.

[bigfluffylemon]

Labuschagne dropped.

Big call, but probably inevitable given his form struggles (although his being asked to open did him no favours). It's always been hard to get a handle on just how good he is - the 60+ average was obviously illusory - a combination of some let-offs and filling his boots against weak attacks on flat pitches at home, but his long-run returns have been in the low-mid 40s which I think is about right - a decent batsman, especially at home, but not a great one.

He's only 30 though. Easily time to come back. Despite this move, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's lining up against England in November.

[bigfluffylemon]

True, Sussex. I am not concerned about the bowling stock waiting in the ranks - just the lack of opportunity they have been afforded..

Yes, indeed. The Australian bowling attack has been remarkably stable, which means while there's a lot of talent in the wings, there's a lack of experience there. And it could come to a head quickly - Lyon is 37, Starc 35, Hazlewood 34 and Boland 36. It wouldn't be at all surprising if several of them call it a day after a home Ashes, and even if they don't, there's another year or two at best - but more to the point, given the spread, they might well all retire in quick succession.

But then, Australia do have a habit of taking people later in the career and dropping them into the test team and them being immediately successful.

[alfie]

Bowlers did the job again against West Indies : them and the middle order - in which Webster has made a very promising start to his career. But that top four -

Of course Smith will be back (and probably haven't seen the last of Marnus ?) Still with Khawaja close to his Seniors Card and Konstas looking as if his first Test innings was a bit of a fluke the opening spots are likely to be a problem . Plus Green really does not look like a Test number three - so relocating him elsewhere in the order raises other issues.

Think the selectors have a few things to chew on in the immediate future...

[Durhamfootman]

lets hope that they don't solve the puzzle until next year

[alfie]

lets hope that they don't solve the puzzle until next year

Will probably unearth some prodigy just in time to take England to the cleaners

[The Professor]

Much as it pains me to say it but Warner is in the Top 15 best T20 talents in my eyes.

[Durhamfootman]

it pains me more

odious little toad

[andy]

Currently watching the 2nd odi between Australia and south Africa...it's a good watch by the way.....but the captaincy in Odis needs changing for me.....why is Cummins captain? Since the world cup he's barely played an odi including the CT......give marsh the full time white ball captaincy he's settled into it well and if this lets Cummins prioritise test cricket if that's what he wants to do.....

[andy]

Bartlett has been impressive again today too really like him as a bowler only a matter of time before he is a regular in this white ball side