It’ll be one of the most interesting selection trials in recent memory for our Australian men’s cricket team, with Australia and Australia A set to face off next week.
With neither side actually named for the match just yet, we sent it back to the schoolyard and got Roar cricket expert David Schout and Roar editor Daniel Jeffrey to pick their Australian XI’s recess style.
Listen to the discussion:
The 25-man squad was lined up like hopeful schoolkids, and it was up to our experts to pick their players, one-by-one, to create the best possible line-up.
Who got it right?
| David Schout’s XI | No. | Daniel Jeffrey’s XI |
|---|---|---|
| Marcus Harris | 1 | David Warner |
| Joe Burns | 2 | Cameron Bancroft |
| Marnus Labuschagne | 3 | Usman Khawaja |
| Steve Smith | 4 | Travis Head |
| Peter Handscomb | 5 | Kurtis Patterson |
| Matthew Wade | 6 | Will Pucovski |
| Alex Carey | 7 | Tim Paine (c) |
| Pat Cummins | 8 | James Pattinson |
| Mitchell Starc | 9 | Nathan Lyon |
| Peter Siddle | 10 | Jackson Bird |
| Jon Holland | 11 | Josh Hazlewood |
| Not picked: Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Chris Tremain | ||
You can vote on whose side you like better in the form below and we’ll reveal the results on the show next week!
Visit our Game of Codes hub to catch the full episode and be sure to subscribe and review on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever else you’re listening.
ChrisH
Roar Rookie
Well I once did the scorecard for my kid's team in a semi final and totally screwed it up so much so that it had to go the league admins to work it out!!
Cricket fan
Guest
Nah! Bancroft can bat at three or four it doesn't matter
Cricket fan
Guest
But I open my ac right before got out in a test match in a jungle ground and I took 175 bowl to get out so, perhaps i.........
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
Look im not trying to hate on Khawaja I just think we can have a better no.3 Khawaja should be opening, but Harris has cemented that spot. Bancroft dominted in recent county seasons batting at 3.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Because Warner and Smith are proven stars who have been our best batsmen over the last several years (and some of the best bats in the world). Bancroft was still a novice at international level before his suspension. Apples and oranges. He showed promise in SA but still averaged about 37. It's not as if he dominated. I don't have any issue with Bancroft playing, I just think he's competing with Harris and Burns for the opening spot and they're both ahead in the pecking order. He'd have to bat slightly out of position in order to push Ussie out. It would be a weird decision. Not necessarily bad but definitely not the obvious choice.
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
Warner and Smith came back into the side why not play the 3rd most promising batsmem considering his recent shield results.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Who else stood up like Khawaja on those ‘flat wickets’? Bancroft was good in SA but poor in the Ashes before that. So a couple of decent tests, 16 months of no international cricket and it’s obvious he pushes out our incumbent?!? There’s no logic to that. If he can’t push out Burns and Harris then he’s not pushing out Khawaja, barring injury.
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
Lol UAE on flat wickets Khawaja was useless in that SA tour on green wickets. If Bancroft wasnt banned he would have been one of our top batsmen.
JamesH
Roar Guru
True, but Khawaja was our best bat in the UAE tour last year. Would it be sensible to push him out so a bloke who still hadn’t established himself 12 months ago can come back in and bat at 3? If he’s injured then Bancroft gets a look but otherwise Khawaja gets first crack.
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
Bancroft should be in the team he was our best batsmen against a strong SA attack on tricky pitches.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I surrender.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Re-read the article and see my reply to KenoathCarnt above. They couldn't pick the same players.
JamesH
Roar Guru
The point of the exercise was that they couldn't pick the same players, KC. Sort of like an auction to see who could end up with the best XI. Neither of them picked the actual team they think will line up (and Bancroft is not what I'd call an 'obvious' selection at 3 anyway).
Simoc
Guest
Fancy calling those two no hopers experts. Neither side is close. They're dim.
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
Rediculous selections it is quite obvious what they should go with. Warner Harris Bamcroft Smith Head Wade/Patterson Paine Pattinson Cummins Starc Lyon
AREH
Roar Guru
He and Travis Head, I think? Previously M.Marsh & Hazlewood or is the latter still a VC?
Gags
Guest
Jeffrey's 7 to 4
Paul
Roar Guru
I made 4 singles in 3 hours - does that count?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, if we are playing this game, I once made 13 in three hours, so I reckon I have you all covered.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
I've always thought people named James have excellent opinions on cricket.