The Australian team are set to make two changes for their second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi starting on Thursday afternoon (AEDT).
Alex Doolan has been dropped along with spinner Steve O’Keefe. They are set to be replaced by Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc.
Doolan struggled at number three in Dubai, making five runs in the first innings followed by a duck in the second.
O’Keefe, who made his Test debut in Dubai took four wickets across the two innings, taking Australia’s only two wickets in Pakistan’s second dig.
Starc has not played at Test level since the final Ashes test at The Oval in 2013. Maxwell’s last crack at Test cricket was in the series preceding that during Australia’s 2013 tour of India.
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Armchair Expert
Guest
You're clutching at straws again Don, it'd be generous to call those half chances, lol.
Don Freo
Guest
Do you expect Lyon to make the others hold catches too...he can only do his bit. In reality, he was bad too but, as Kim Hughes (always delightfully succinct) said, O'Keefe was 'diabolical' tossing down 'flat blancmanges'. Just because I mock SOK as a Test standard player doesn't mean I am peddling Lyon's case. You SOKcult members are so precious about that. I'd be happy stuffing around with Smith, Maxi and Clarke until we get someone worthy of a spot. Lyon usually is but he is struggling...but is still creating chances. Haddin has dropped 2 now.
Silver Sovereign
Roar Rookie
how many wickets has champion spinner Lyon got in 3 innings vs Pakistan, Don? He is the one with over 100 wickets and has ideal conditions. Lyon should be leading from the front. Yet only has 3 wickets to his name. Doesn't even have more wickets than O'Keefe with an extra innings under his belt.
Don Freo
Guest
Yeah...that'd be it...or the fact he could only take 4 wickets in 790 overs.
VivGilchrist
Guest
So it was obviously SOK's fault that we lost the last Test. I really don't see how Marsh keeps his spot as we don't need a 4th seamer now. Crazy selections. SOK was dropped to prevent blushes and tough decisions being made if he were to outbowl Lyon two Tests in a row.
VivGilchrist
Guest
Yeah, a real match winning decision Don Freo, drop the guy who took 4 out of 11 wickets for a guy that hasn't played red ball cricket for 14 months. Pace is obviously what works on Asian pitches..... bravo.
Its a team game
Guest
As soon as I heard Clarkey spruiking that S Smith is not ready for no 3 I thought "Doolans out". I think it is more horses for courses. Doolan may well be back at no 3 in Australia but lets be honest, no 3 is not such a pivotal position when the opposition quicks get about 1 or 2 overs each to begin the innings and then its over to the spinners. From the look of it they are playing on a road anyway, maybe Siddle could replicate the speed that Doolan bats at by being put in as no 3, knock a bit of shine off the ball. Still have to see how Aussies fare with the bat, but curator seems to have ruled out a result even at this early stage.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
good one Marlin
Don Freo
Guest
No Bec...they are the best 6 Aussie batsmen in Dubai.
Don Freo
Guest
Mitch for # 3...Mitch Johnson that is...our best batsman.
Don Freo
Guest
OOOH! No SOK. I love how selectors think like me.
Kaks
Roar Guru
agreed. dont understand the reason they selected him if they were going to drop him after one poor match.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
4 specialist batsmen? It's a fine line between genius and madness and I reckon they are leaning toward the latter.
Sean Greenhill
Guest
Australia drop their leading wicket taker from the previous Test, and address the house-of-cards batting by playing just four specialist batsmen. Doolan never should have been picked for the side in the first place, but... Seriously? And Siddle.... no variation at all, and usually not that threatening. Hmm.
CoverPoint
Guest
J Martin, I was thinking the same thing. If they are going to select bits and pieces players, they might as well go all the way and have a whole side of "all rounders". They obviously don't believe in the notion of 6 specialist batsmen, so at least let us have some entertainment- lets bring on the Big Show! Seriously though, Maxwell does have freakish ability, so let us hope he can be consistent at test level.
Joel
Roar Rookie
They are the best six we have against spinners... except for Rogers.. but still. The lower order has a good record against spin too (Johnson and Starc)
J Marlin
Guest
Agree. Are these really out 6 best batsmen? On the other hand, perhaps it's time to bite the bullet and pick 11 all rounders, then at least 1 or 2 must fire. Mustn't they?
Joel
Roar Rookie
4 hundreds and 12 fifties in 20 something games at a strike rate of 75. Pretty decent record by anyone's standards. Horses for courses selection most likely but hopefully he fires
hamishmac
Roar Rookie
Totally agree bec. Shouldn't in form batsman be picked rather than another all rounder? Shouldn't an all-rounder be good enough to get in to the team as their preferred speciality with their bowling/batting ability as extra? You have to be delusional to think that marsh or maxwell are good enough to be picked as batsmen and batsmen alone.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
isn't that really like having no No. 3?: 1. Warner 2. Rogers 4. Clarke 5. Smith 6. Maxwell 7. Marsh