Burns earns shock recall as Australia names Test squad

You're right Pierro, you only need look at the history books to know we've never had anything like this strength of quality quicks to choose from. IMO there are at least 6 guys who should be chosen right now; Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc, Pattinson, J Patterson & Neser. Then there are a few other guys who would not disgrace the baggy green if given a run - Sayers, Bird, Tremain, Abbott. Throw in guys like Wes Agar and Gannon who have done some really good things this year and our fast bowling stocks are full to bursting

Paul its a fair, well mixed point on the batting, but as you allude to, smith is second best average in cricketing history right now and we have to see on labs but his ashes was simply outstanding averaging 60 but he’s got to do it now at home which are different conditions. If warner were to find his home form (and god knows I’ve dug the boot in enough on his ludicrous ashes and team damaging antics) then you’d have to say all three would be in front of or level to the border teams thats three batsman (on home soil at least) . Depending how warner goes this series, its basically three batsman (positions 2, 5 and an predictable 6) that wouldn’t be as good so its a little mixed due to potentially high dominance from the other three at their best. The other three have every chance to do well on home decks against pakistan and NZ but Im not overly confident . It is make or break for the two openers this series and a search to see if 5 and 6 can find their way properly again after the ashes. Im with you on laying the boot in to the openers and 5 and to an extent 6 in the last 6 months though , they were awful for the most part in the ashes and certainly don’t deserve as much praise and need to earn their keep this summer. On the flip side and for a bit of a fun chat the pace bowling depth may be strongest we’ve ever had as a unit although, ironically, from 70s onwards in an XV it would be pretty hard to displace the four legends we all know we’ve had before this lot but the depth is huge right now with the quicks and i don’t mind the rotation of one of them per match to prevent any more injuries to them.

I obviously agree with your comments Pierro, but still come back to my original remark. This current iteration of Test batsmen and Test batsmen hopefuls is the weakest I've seen in the past 50 years. Even in the dire days of Murdoch/WSC, there were still guys coming through who Aussie cricket fans knew would push the Test incumbents and eventually replace them. Nowadays, there's not one IMO who 's good enough to challenge a dead ordinary top 6, bar Labuschagne & Smith. Great T20 batting prospects but.....?

theres every chance for the two openers and head to go much better at the gabba, I just don't have any confidence over it for any of them. We don't have much to go on since last summer thats for sure.

Still think Neser warrants a go at the gabba in front of starc although the pitch began to flatten out there finally a bit in last shield game as you’ve mentioned before. You are right if its a seaming pitch it has to be Neser surely on his shield form there but a flat deck means starc plays. I suspect Starc will play. Starc gets one wicket there in his recent shield match but sure he’s worked up great rythem in matches since but his gabba form is questionable recently compared to other prospects. Starc had the worst economy rate against sri lanka in jan 2019 . Richardson figures were way better. Then look at Starc’s Adelaide numbers much better , more wickets and best economy of all bowlers. My concern is, not sure why Hohns has said he would potentially go with neser in front of starc at adelaide myself on rotation. Starc has been amazing in adelaide DN matches. Brisbane 2019 Sri lanka: MA Starc 41/2 3.41. JA Richardson 26 /3 1.85. PJ Cummins 39/4 2.65. NM Lyon 38/1 2.37. Adelaide D/N 2015. MA Starc 24/3 2.66. JR Hazlewood 66/3 3.80. PM Siddle 54/2 3.17. NM Lyon 42/2 2.80. Adelaide 2017 D/N. MA Starc 49/3 2.45. JR Hazlewood 56 /1 3.50. PJ Cummins 47/2 2.93. NM Lyon 60/4 2.48. Second innings highest economy but gets 5 wickets. Huge case for neser off his three shield matches at gabba if it moves about more there on a greener pitch. If they are serious about rotation which Hohns has been talking about with neser being considered for adelaide , shouldn’t it be the other way around as Starc has had lethal match winning figures in DN at Adelaide last two tests there . Ive been to both matches ringside and he was deadly at both bowling lethal spells. It would be lunacy not to select Starc in Adelaide. Perhaps they just stick with him but Neser is a bit hard done by on recent comparisons at gabba

There really isn't much in it, but Burns is the correct selection for the First Test IMO. And presumably for the first three at the least if the selectors want to promote stability through confidence.

Early on it was tough going for border though Paul he often held a poor side up, the team struggled big time , it got better towards the end of his tenure. You are right the winds were much better but it was against many teams not just them

It was definitely hard going for border for a while your right rowdy. He was an incredible cricketer in an average team until the later stages of his career where better players emerged

Pucovski had others in front of him for sure on form. A player to keep watching though. Needs consistency at the tough grounds in shield first

Yes if they can't perform at home against Pakistan and NZ then where will they perform? All openers, and the 5 (and to a small extent Wade) all on trial for sure really this summer . Labs has been great but lets just see his entire summer away from england as well.

Here here.

Saw that 100 hillbilly but then he failed in all the innings in shield before that really compared to other candidates and the brisbane numbers are relevant to the actual site of the first test. On top of that av of 23 in england all summer bested by siddle and equaled by pattinson. The one positive in the A game was that he just played another poor overly aggressive shot. He seems to have the skill but his cricketing intelligence and aggression is his undoing of late. Its flat out Head v Bancroft for 5th spot and most are sure it goes to head . Lets hope he can be a bit more sensible with his batting

Thats the worry DTM . Rotation of the quicks they talk about means rotation not going with the third string bowler twice in a row and the form can be assessed quite well. Neser bowls well at gabba on the home patch and had three warm up games in shield there taking bags of wickets in last month. Starc got only one wicket there in shield match with poor economy . His 2019 figures were the worst of the team against sri lanka , they were ok but nothing like where he is more effective at Adelaide DN test match history he has where he could start in the second test fresh. Richardson figures way better at Brisbane in January. Then look at Starc’s adelaide numbers , much better , more wickets and best economy of all bowlers. Brisbane 2019 Sri lanka: MA Starc 41/2 3.41. JA Richardson 26 /3 1.85. PJ Cummins 39/4 2.65. NM Lyon 38/1 2.37. Adelaide D/N 2015. MA Starc 24/3 2.66. JR Hazlewood 66/3 3.80. PM Siddle 54/2 3.17. NM Lyon 42/2 2.80. Adelaide 2017. MA Starc 49/3 2.45. JR Hazlewood 56 /1 3.50. PJ Cummins 47/2 2.93. NM Lyon 60/4 2.48. Second innings highest economy but gets 5 wickets. Once again he goes better at certain pitches than others but can we trust the selectors to rotate Neser if he bowls well at gabba? probably not

Agree with alot of the comments here. I was merely leaning towards Burns after three shield games this summer there for starts that could generally get australia to 0/50 and better but the Australia A game on another pitch made me nervous. His footwork and timing was not as good as harris who got done by a peach of a ball. Its a tough one . I might lean to Burns off the back of his home form at gabba but Im nervous about him holding his position down on the numbers you've quoted. I know we both agreed on where he was at before the ashes and the innings before it on completely different pitches there where the form wasn't quite good enough . I was hoping for more clarity for the 1st test at brisbane but we don't have much to go on more recently outside of the fact that he is very familiar with the gabba and played ok there in the shield matches without going on with it properly . Harris did fail in england and was marginally more impressive than burns in the A game but still didn't make runs yet again.

Chris, I doubted it a few times in England.

@qwetzen nothing! :) They'll pick Warner for the next 5 yrs even if he makes 100 ducks in a row. Just watch as M Marsh gets another free return ticket before this summer is over also. Burns will fail again but makes no diff in Aust anymore. He'll be dropped and then back in the Test team in 2020 based on a series of low scores in the Shield.

Left right combination also helps his cause over Harris.

I doubt it. Even on a Gabba with a bit of green on it, they will want to win the toss and bat, get through the first session and then go big.

All this talk about Joe but not a word about his opening partner. Wonder what will happen if he continues his Ashes results in the Paki series?

Staksofkhan are looking good.