Steve Smith vs Pat Cummins, David Warner vs James Pattinson, Matt Wade vs Mitchell Starc, Alex Carey vs Nathan Lyon, Joe Burns vs Josh Hazlewood – there are so many tantalising match ups in tomorrow’s Australia v Australia clash.
This is the first time in modern history that Australia’s best 24 cricketers have faced off in a four-day match in this manner. The absence of most Test stars from the Sheffield Shield these days means we rarely get to see them go head to head.
Rewind back to 1997 and we had an early season Shield match between NSW and Victoria where Shane Warne was trying to skittle the Waugh brothers, Mark Taylor, Michael Slater and Michael Bevan. Meanwhile, Glenn McGrath and Stuart MacGill were battling Dean Jones and Matthew Elliott.
Or in November 2006 when a WA vs Queensland match bulged with the talents of Matt Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer, Mike Hussey, Damien Martyn, Shane Watson, Andrew Symonds, Chris Rogers, Mitch Johnson and Andy Bichel.
As an Australian cricket nerd, watching such Shield contests was even more fascinating in many ways than seeing the same players compete in Tests.
I knew Warne could boss every Test batsman in the world, bar Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar, but could he get the best of the Waughs? Gilchrist was a great player of pace but could Johnson rough him up?
In more recent times I’ve often wondered in the same way about the current Test players. Having become an elite Test spinner, how would Lyon fare against Warner? Would Starc’s pace and late swing be able to rattle Smith? Could Wade’s rampant form continue against the likes of Cummins, Hazlewood and Siddle?
Wade is fortunate to have been pitted against the stronger of the two attacks in this match, as are Burns and Bancroft.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Those three batsmen are playing for the Graeme Hick XII, while on the Brad Haddin XII are four of Australia’s likely five quicks to feature in the Ashes in Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Siddle.
With all due respect to the Hick XII pace attack of Michael Neser, Chris Tremain, Jackson Bird and Pattinson, I imagine the selectors would give a heavier weighting to runs against the other group of quicks.
Wade has been gleefully hoarding runs across all three formats in the past year. Doing that against elite Test quicks is a whole other thing. If he can dominate The Big Three he’ll very likely play in the first Ashes Test.
The same goes for Burns and Bancroft. My gut tells me Marcus Harris is ahead of both of those batsmen in the race to partner Warner in the Ashes opener. That could change very quickly, though, if Harris fails against the likes of Neser, Bird and Tremain while one of Burns or Bancroft tons up against Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Siddle.
The fact that both teams have five specialist bowlers means the pressure on the batsmen will be relentless. They will be facing fresh, elite bowler after fresh, elite bowler, each of whom will be armed with the hooping, seaming Dukes ball.
For the batsmen, in particular, it should be the closest possible simulation to a Test match. The added pressure of Ashes spots being on the line should further increase the intensity.
Of the 24 players involved in this match, I think only six are certain to play the first Test – Warner, Smith, Paine, Starc, Lyon and Cummins.
(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Quite incredibly, I think all of the other 18 players (bar spinner Jon Holland) are some kind of chance of vaulting into the XI for the first Test by producing something remarkable in this match.
Tremain, Neser and Bird, for example, look to be well behind the likes of Hazlewood, Pattinson and Siddle in the queue to fill the third Test pace spot.
Yet, should any of that former trio absolutely run amok in this match then, who knows, maybe they could launch themselves into the first Test?
The same goes for the likes of Handscomb, Pucovski and Carey, who seem to be at long odds to feature in Australia’s top six at Edgbaston on August 1.
Should they score a stunning ton in this match that could change. I cannot remember the last time a non-international red ball match was this fascinating.
Graeme Hick XII
Joe Burns, Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (c), Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Chris Tremain, Nathan Lyon.
Brad Haddin XII
David Warner, Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Travis Head (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Will Pucovski, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland.
Peter Warrington
Guest
despite all the hoohah around his 3 series, will he play, where will he bat, look at his reviews... watto's 41.5 with the bat against england in england and ability to take wickets with wobble is something they might like access to in this squad.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Good point about that India series Ronan. I happened to watch a couple of matches on TV overseas. That was some of the worse cases of pitch doctoring I’ve ever seen, with the ball spitting like a cobra from dust bowls before lunch on day one. The Proteas sucked it up and didn’t complain, but this was as bad as drug cheats or sandpaper gate and made me very disconsolate about the future of international cricket, although at least the Indians got a rap on the knuckles for one of the matches.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
As I expected both Australian teams ended up copping a pasting on ausca pitch that played uniformly terrible for test cricket but none the less replicates a pitch England could prepare. Observations 1) Labauschagne did very well to make 41 runs. Best batting of the day. Holds up the English county form and can add some key bowling overs in to a test where only 3 quicks and lyon play 2) Starc struggled on a line and length/seaming wicket. Ive been telling all on my postings that we should not play him in the first two let alone three bowlers subject to the pitch. 3) All the bowlers did very well today. What I liked in Pattinson is that he picked up the key scalp of labauschagne on 41 and was the most economical of the first innings they could not score off him. Not all the pitches will be prepared like this but its a big wake up call on the bowling. 4) Cummins maintains his brilliant form and is the number one bowling selection right now. He's a Lock and also has a nice test batting technique for a pace bowler. 5) We can also surmise Lyon may not need to start in absolutely every test match depending on the wicket but lets see if the second innings opens up a bit. 6) Two very even innings make the judgments on batting today very hard let alone the rash judgements on bowling hard outside of the fact that Starc and Hazelwood struggle on a wicket like todays. You could select them both on any wicket around the planet outside of some these english pitches . For me Cummins and Pattinson are shaping as the go to pair in every test match unless the wickets are flatter or have a hint of reverse swing which where you look at Starc and or Hazelwood more.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Haddin & hick eleven is competing who can get all-out faster.
Gee
Roar Rookie
All out for 105, we might be in trouble this winter. Labuschagne in the runs though, I don't think much of him but this innings and his CC form should get him in the team.
deano
Roar Rookie
the supposedly "B" australia team just bowled out the "A" team for 105. they could swap places tomorrow and it would make no difference.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Unimpressive bowling from Starc, even more unimpressive from hoff.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Whatever khawaja did in India was in ODI format , which i think should be totally irrelevant here. Picking a player for a format based on his performances in another format is a proven failed method. Khawaja failed against india in last test series which remains a fact. Personally i would have got rid of both warner & harris at the moment. Better go with both who perform better at that particular condition which is going to be rolled out in real test.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Khawaja opened well in india consistently but it was the sub continent different pitches here , high ball a bit more of an issue to but if he gets over the injury he starts up top for sure . Maybe at the expense of harris so some one like bancroft could come in down lower.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I like bancroft. Before the ban he was in red hot form. Our openers worry me a bit at Edbaston. Whats Supporting Warner is that perhaps the other three bowlers in bird, pattinson and neser bowl better line and length than Starc and Hazelwood. That said Cummins has not come on yet….
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Its a fair point to score five fifties in a row means he can bat in english conditions despite his five fails in a row in first innings and his complete failure in 2013. No doubt about it is his weakest record with the red ball. Ive started him in my team (I think I listed it in this thread earlier) (I also listed Laubachange in that starting XV before the match today).. Ive sat at the ground in england and watched warner slash wildly or edge in the first innings a few times and actually If I think about it it was often reckless batting as he came out in second innings and did better. he should improve on those experiences with larger at the helm. I think coupled with his run machine form in the world cup he’s a lock as opener and has the most experience of all batsman along with Smith. What doesn’t help is him making five first innings blips in the context of the ashes series in the first innings last times which means we are often chasing the game as a whole in matches where we end up losing. Just food for thought there. I just have my eyebrow up a bit but can not place someone in front of him. we need an anchor like khawaja along side him thats for sure . I also had a two way tie for the side between bancroft and carey to start so if Bancroft can do ok today once cummins comes on then he may be the go to in front of carey. Bancroft was in red hot form before the ban as well . He’s also had english red ball experience this summer like Labauchsagne which is what I keep mentioning like Ronan. English pitch form its everything over there
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
2 of Big has bowled 9 overs in tandem, no wickets. They are totally locked.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
"How to play as a test match opener in England" Author: Cameron Bancroft Receivers: David Warner & Marcus Harris Warner + Harris ball played = 31 Bancroft ball played = 33*
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I think I'm right on point re red ball stats. A Test half century in every Test match last series. I just don't know how that does anything but show he can bat in all English conditions in a low scoring series (both teams) where his average was 10 runs higher than the second best England batsman who could only score 2x 50s? You can easily arrive at a pre-determined position by eliminating scores from - in this case - the last Test match, 2nd innings, Lords to bring the average down; as you could do with any players stats across the history of the game. Anyway we'll have to agree to disagree and see how it all unfolds.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Jeff one things for sure Warners consistent with the red ball in england today in the aussie match. He’s failed yet again in a first innings in england which he excels at as he’s never made a 50 outside of the dead rubber match at the oval! . If he holds up his formalines he should knock up a half century in the second innings !
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I agree with your point on deciding if Warner starts after lords. Series could well and truly be over by then . England have been smart with the scheduling this ashes. They often are. We don’t generally play well at Edbaston but do at Lords. If they fail at Edbaston but win at Lords they will be confident to keep the same team in line going north which could have consequences if we don’t assess what players excell where . No doubt about it Australia play well in London in general compared to up north for quite a while now
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I did mention carey Id almost stand by him for selection like I do for Warner right now as they all got skittled today and lets see if its any better tomorrow. if so we may be able to run a line through the batting in this match as england batsman would probably get skittled here too. this pitch is a line and length nightmare it seems. hence all the lbws. Labauchagnes innings may have been a peach of an innings . I was just merely quoting reality with the red ball and warner nothing to concerned about if he goes out and racks some runs up at edbaston but his record is not great with the red ball in england and I’m being generous not including his 2013 stats. As far as Warner is concerned you keep going off point on his english red ball stats . there are some queries .
Pierro
Roar Rookie
One other observation here from this all aussie game. If the wickets are line and length judging on this bowling perhaps they should start four pace bowlers with some variety and maybe omit lyon in a match if the wicket calls for it. Labuachange could bowl . Its hard to call though but a wicket like today means four seamers would run through them. Hard call though sometimes as the second innings can open up for batsmen as the surface dries out sometimes which is where the spinner is needed, very tactical
Pierro
Roar Rookie
That made me laugh. Actually we are lucky Labauchagne made runs. He's the only other all rounder so that may seal it in the all rounder stakes
Jeff
Roar Rookie
"Its why I keep coming back to looking at guys like carey coming in as a batsman (not keeper) after the last 45 days against the worlds best" I thought we started off this discussion talking about white ball performance in the WC - Carey...