All of us at one time or another have dreamed of being an Australian Test selector.
Naturally, we all know better than those in the job so based on that I thought I’d have a go at putting together my Test team based on the Sheffield Shield games played so far this season. Granted it’s only four matches, but I think enough players have shown some good early form to create a pretty competitive side.
My criterion for selection is pretty obvious. Guys who are not playing Shield cricket right now, aren’t eligible and that includes Victoria, as they are yet to play a game.
Where I think a couple of guys are pretty equal, but one has played Test cricket previously, I’ve gone with the Test player. So Tim Paine, for example, gets the nod ahead of Josh Inglis, even though Inglis scored a terrific maiden Shield hundred and is in good form with the gloves.
My Test XI is:
1. Cameron Bancroft
2. Sam Whiteman
3. Marnus Labuschagne
4. Travis Head
5. Moises Henriques
6. Cameron Green
7. Tim Paine
8. Ashton Agar
9. Michael Neser
10. Sean Abbott
11. Peter Siddle
Cameron Bancroft is one of only three players in this team not to have a scored a first-class hundred so far this season, but he’s still been very solid, making 23, 71 and 46. More importantly, he and Sam Whiteman have got Western Australia off to very good starts of 106, 31 and 60, which have set up the innings nicely for the middle order.
(AP Photo/Halden Krog)
Whiteman has been sneaky good with the bat. In his last four first-class games, he’s scored two hundreds and three fifties. Just this year alone, he’s made 65, 18 and 114, with the low score a result of his trying to up the run rate to allow a declaration. He could be a bolter for a Test slot if he continues in this vein of form and Joe Burns doesn’t get some runs soon.
Marnus Labuschagne seems to have picked up where he left off last summer. He looked scratchy early in his only innings so far and probably should have been out for under 30, but once he got going, he looked in seriously good nick.
Ditto with Travis Head’s form. He must have been disappointed with the start to his summer before that last knock of 171 not out showed his true class.
Both Moises Henriques and Cameron Green played two excellent innings in the same game. Both batted at 4 for their respective teams, but in this Test side, they’d bat no higher than 5 or 6.
I’m sure selectors would love to see both these guys continuing with to make runs, but also getting through some overs. Green is being managed carefully, so he may or may not bowl this season while NSW also needs Henriques to stay healthy, which could mean he doesn’t get through a lot of bowling.
Agar, Neser and Abbott pick themselves, given each has taken a 5 for on pitches that have been pretty docile. All have made handy runs for their respective teams and two of those innings have contributed significantly to victories.
Peter Siddle was my last choice, simply because he’s been there, played Tests and is still one of the most economical bowlers around. He’s lost a yard or two of pace but is still charging in for Tassie.
His 78 overs to date have cost him 154 runs at an average of 1.97 runs per over, which is quite outstanding given how his team has fared in its first two games.
The real selectors aren’t likely to make too many changes to the current XI, but there have been some pretty impressive performances already this season. In particular, it would be great to see some of the batsmen have 1000 run seasons to really put pressure on our Test guys to perform.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I rarely disagree with Chappelli. He is erudite and clearly the leading thinker in the game. I like his aggressive style. Has always been thus. I also like Steve Waugh for much the same reasons. ----- I find Greg moribund and scleric much in the same way l found John Howard.
Rob
Guest
I am really not looking forward to a day when the Australian team which may include Pucovski, Smith, Labushagne, Whiteman and Green in the batting line up. Based on the outrageous potential talent represented, how does a team stop these guys from scoring? Then you have Starc, Cummins and Pattinson with Lyon with the ball. It really would be too much talent for one team to have.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
And drugs too. They got me or else I would've retired with at least 350 test wickets.... :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
This l wholeheartedly agree with. Let em go. I can’t see a ‘Thommo’ or ‘Hughes’, just to pick two individualists, coming thru our ranks anymore. McGrath was just that strong, go allday guy. I betya he never went in just because it was blazing 40°C.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
So said Simmo.....who was born only a day or two apart from Boof. Clash of the Stubborn Illegitimates!!!
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Lehmann was unlucky Rowdy but who should he have replaced in the test team in the 1990s? He played half his shield innings on the Adelaide Oval.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
And Boof should’ve been picked before all of em. Instead we had to pick dilettante poetically waving a bat as if it was an orchestral baton. ——- Question: How many batstmen have been picked to play their first game for Australia with a far inferior SS record to Lehmann? I’d aver at least 30! He would’ve walked into any other international team, at the time, as their #1 or #2 batsman. ——- Lehmann got to his 5 Test centuries quicker than any of his contemporaries other than Haydos whom he evened —– I maintain that the non-Selection of Boof was the 2nd biggest selectorial blunder, in Aussie Cricket, after the dropping of my fave Kiwi; Clarrie G.
Ace
Roar Rookie
Yes. It's imperative to find that opener who is comfortable in his role as an opener. Warner getting on. Burns still to be reliable. To have a combination that consumes time but scores at a reasonable rate to make it easier for the accumulators to come. I dislike it when suddenly Manus becomes an opener in the first hour ..or less
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I've read it and disagreed with it elsewhere on this various article.
Bunney
Roar Rookie
You're full of it Bernie. What you're espousing is 100% subjective opinion, not fact. You think Chappell was a genius selector, and as evidence, cherry pick the selections that turned out winners. But not everyone agrees with you - see fellow Roarer Stephen Vagg's in depth analysis of Chappell's stints as selector. https://www.theroar.com.au/2019/02/27/greg-chappell-great-player-terrible-selector/amp/
Paul
Roar Guru
I'm guessing he'll want to play through until the end of next years Ashes and if he can do that by chipping in with 30's & 40's and the Test team keeps winning, I reckon he's pretty safe, U
U
Roar Rookie
He has to keep scoring runs or his place in the side will come into question at age 35.
Brian
Guest
So Bancroft, Green & Whiteman replace Burns, Wade & Paine over the summer
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I did forget Gilly and that is a crime ... though both Katich and Gilly were only on the scene in the second half of the 90s.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Also forgot to mention Gilly as keeper/batsman @ #7 for WA! :shocked: :silly:
Micko
Roar Rookie
Also interesting to note, Langer was most often usually #3 and didn’t often (if ever) open the batting in the Shield. Changed later to save his Test career when the opening position opened due to Slater, Elliot etc all in form slumps, leading to the end of their Test careers. He then switched to opening in the Shield fulltime too. Luckily he succeeded with a century at the last Ashes test @ The Oval in 2001 I think it was, which was effectively his last chance to save his test career. :happy:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Oh right ... now i getcha ... and yeah, fair point.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Hussey should have been picked for Australia before Katich was though Katich was a worthy test cricketer.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
It should never have gotten anywhere near the point that Martyn played that shot. Taylor and Boon were the real culprits and instead of plodding along at a run an over for about 20 overs after the early loss of Slater, and by doing so keeping the saffies thinking they were just a couple of quick wickets from getting back into the match (which is precisely what consequently happened), they should have taken Australia home on that same fourth evening. On the one hand, 7 wickets in his first two tests against one of the best sides in the world at the time was hardly a hopeless start to a test career, I would also contend that Muller probably didn’t have the true genuine potential ability wise to be a high class performer long term or even full stop, irrespective of whether picked too early, too late or precisely at the right time so he prolly is a moot point.
Micko
Roar Rookie
I was referring to that 90’s WA batting lineup with Langer, Hussey, Katich, Martyn & Moody. Hussey was a fulltime opener then and Katich was the middle order player, before they both found longterm success in the test team with these roles reversed.