Roar Rookie
Joined February 2014
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If the recent trend is to be continued, Australia needs to bat first at Cape Town to have any chance of winning this series…
And considering he averaged over 7 wickets a test match from 3 tests at an average of 20 last time we were over there, and bowls lightening bolts that hit Marnus and Smith in the head last time, I think it’s a massive loss
England announce Test squad but Ashes chances cop huge blow with star speedster ruled out
It might be good on him for being chirpy, and it could be England’s plan leading into the series, but you’ve got to pick the right bloke. Having someone throwing barbs who clearly has no courage to get behind the ball when he bats is the wrong person. He can back it up with performance but you can’t be backing a meter away from your stumps every ball when you bat. If my lad was doing that when he batted with his local under 15 side, he’d be walking home because I’d be too embarrassed to be there to watch
Broadside: Stuart’s playing bizarre mind games with Aussies claiming last Ashes didn’t count - ‘a void series’
I agree Jeff, he has done a great job batting wise outside yesterday’s innings since coming into the test team. I just meant it’s way too premature to lift him from 6 to 3 in the batting order. 6 is perfect for him at the moment and I’m sure if Smith doesn’t retire in the next two years he will find himself at 4 when he does retire
Khawaja now world's best batter while Green's ton puts rival nations on notice as Aussies grind India into dust
Far out, let’s change the whole batting line up for the first ashes test in England. Labuschagne is the best 3 in the world at the moment. Why move him. Green just scored his first 100. That’s all he has done at this stage. He does not move to 3. Hardie has not done anywhere near enough to be considered yet. 5 of the top 6 are a lock for the first test with Bancroft the obvious opening spot in my opinion
Bancroft
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Green
I’m actually a bit worried about this test. We didn’t put India away with a score of 550. It’s going to be unbelievably hard to take wickets on that deck. I think there is a possibility India will be about 600 at tea on day 4 and that gives them about 90 overs to roll us by tea day 5 and chase 150 last session. It’s probably unlikely but not out of the question
Khawaja now world's best batter while Green's ton puts rival nations on notice as Aussies grind India into dust
If you can do 15 or 16 years it’s pretty possible to think that you could do 17 or 18. As Rellum said above, it’s too hard to predict and I would doubt Smith would have no clue at the moment
Smith preparing for Indian Test farewell as record crowd looms: 'I can't see myself coming back'
I think you should know facts before commenting on that stuff.
Third time lucky for opener emerging from crowded pack to replace struggling Warner for Ashes
He’s a good captain Smith. Has a better captaincy record than Mark Taylor and we all know the team that Taylor got to captain most of his career
Kuhn's the Man: Spinner sparks Indian collapse with maiden five-for before Khawaja steers Australia to lead
Wondering with the doom and gloom of this tour, we may have just found a couple of 10 year spinners. Certainly favourable conditions over there so hard to judge, but both have decent shield records as well
Kuhn's the Man: Spinner sparks Indian collapse with maiden five-for before Khawaja steers Australia to lead
Possibly. But if we get a 100 run lead and they make 200, I don’t think my ticker will last watching us having a crack at those 100. We should be, and certainly are favourites, but far out I just don’t know
Kuhn's the Man: Spinner sparks Indian collapse with maiden five-for before Khawaja steers Australia to lead
I think it looked worse because it went down leg side by a bit. If it had of gone straight over his head I don’t think it would have been too high and it wouldn’t have looked as bad. And the red ball rules are very lenient on balls that go well down the leg side
As close as it gets: Wellington Test ends in one-run thriller as England earn unwanted slice of history
Yeah bowling Bracewell when they needed 40 to win after they had just got Stokes and Root was crazy. Also couldn’t believe they waited until they needed 10 to win to bring back Southee who hadn’t bowled for ages
As close as it gets: Wellington Test ends in one-run thriller as England earn unwanted slice of history
Yep that is what cost them. They could have walked into bat at 0 for 220 and they couldn’t possibly lose. Thought they’d roll the kiwis in the second innings for 200. Been reading too much of there own publicity and thought they’d take there bazball to another level. Declared at 8 down as well in the first innings. Got ahead of themselves
As close as it gets: Wellington Test ends in one-run thriller as England earn unwanted slice of history
A bit harsh to say he can’t captain. I think some people just don’t like him as a person. That could have something to do with his personality, his body language as captain was poor, but maybe that is because he is driven more than most on winning and he just got uptight when things weren’t looking good. His record as captain is very good and that’s what needs to be looked at more. His winning percentage as captain is the fifth best out of the 20 or so captains that have captained Australia in more than 10 tests. It’s better or at worst, equal, than Mark Taylor’s, arguably Australia’s best ever captain. And Taylor had a lot better team than Smith. He had himself opening with Slater, Ponting 3 Steve and Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn at 6 Healy 7, and a bowling attack of McGrath Warne Gillespie with a bit of Bichel and Kaspa. A hell of a lot better than Smith’s team. I don’t for a second think he was a gun captain but he was a lot better than average
Smith can’t afford to let his temper tantrums get in the way of leading Australia at team’s time of need
Handscomb is the best player of spin in Australia. Khawaja’s innings was brilliant but he had to take his innings to the bowlers otherwise he would have had a ball with his name on it. Handscomb didn’t have to do that. He just let the bowlers come to him and play every ball on its merits. If they bowled well, he’d defend if they dropped marginally short he’d rock back and cut through point. Everything he does he reminds me so much of Dean Jones
Selectors letting Warner down by not dropping him - 'really struggling, feet not moving', Handscomb settles in: Talking Points
I don’t see a problem taking injured players away, especially two that are very important to the team, but just don’t play them until they are fit, which they still might do. Starc’s follow through is probably more important than his bowling in India and I’m sure Lyon and Murphy will be keen for him to play
Green on track, Starc doubtful means Kuhnemann close to joining list of Aussie spin bolters who sink or swim
Apparently Green was wincing in pain yesterday while batting. I hope he can’t do long term damage because it would be crazy putting a once in a generation player at risk for long term damage for one test, no matter how important it is. Tim Paine missed 5 or 6 years in the prime of his career with a finger injury
Green on track, Starc doubtful means Kuhnemann close to joining list of Aussie spin bolters who sink or swim
Or perhaps Cummins didn’t want to be honest to protect Travis Head. Maybe he wanted to say, look it was tough on Trav. But he had an unbelievable ashes on our bouncy wickets a year ago, then went to Pakistan and Sri Lanka and looked all at sea for 5 tests on wickets that didn’t even spin like India. And as we know he had another unbelievable summer here in Australia on our true decks, but when we got to India, the week leading in at practice he looked absolutely woeful. So we looked back on our past sub continent tours and realised that every time we have been there, after 2 tests we have had one or two of our great batsmen really struggle with the different conditions, and after those couple of tests we’ve had the whole Australian media and general public scream at us, when are we going to start picking horses for courses in spinning conditions. We do it for the bowlers, why is it so different for our batsmen. Perhaps he didn’t want to be honest for good reason
Spin bolter a 'live chance' to play, Head set to replace Warner as Cummins defends controversial selections
Prior to this test, Jon Holland was the second best spinner in Australia. I’m very surprised he’s not over there as our left arm finger spinner
REPORT: Hot Toddy! Debutant's dream five-for a bright spot for Aussies as Rohit, Jadeja lead India to hefty lead
The match referee just has to check his finger. If he has a cut on it, he’s not guilty, if he doesn’t he’s guilty. Pretty simple isn’t it
Indians explain what happened after ball-tampering accusations - match referee reacts to Jadeja incident
I think you need to get Kallis in there somehow. Statistically you could make a case for him being the best cricketer of all time. Batting average of close to 60, over 200 test wickets and probably 150 odd catches in the slips. He didn’t miss anything in the slips
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
I think we can be super competitive and even win the series if everything goes right. I’m not sure India is going as well at the moment, and Risbah Pant is out who has saved them a number of times the past 2 years. Apart from the 20/20 World Cup last year Kohli has struggled for runs the past 2 years especially in test cricket. Head certainly deserves to start but personally I can not see him having success. He struggled big time in Pakistan and Sri Lanka last year after a monster summer in the ashes and Pakistan didn’t even produce spinning decks. He’s a fish out of water coming in and facing spin first up on spinning decks. I would absolutely love to have egg on my face in 2 months but I have serious doubts. Handscombe is a great player of spin, has played in India before, is 5 or 6 years older so potentially will be a lot better this time around. With Head in the team he’s just another Left Hander for Ashwin to feast on. It’s a good batting team with Smith, Labuschagne, Handscombe and Carey great players of spin and even Agar at 8 plays spin well. I think we are a chance
Can Australia claim their first Test series win in India since 2004?
Why does Lyon need a rocket put up him for starters. I’m not sure what his test average has been in the past 2 years but my guess it would be between 25 and 30. Some people don’t appreciate what we’ve got with him and never will
Can Australia claim their first Test series win in India since 2004?
He could, but I wouldn’t play Head over there. He’s clueless coming in against sharp turning spin. He was man of the series in the ashes this time last year and then went to Pakistan and Sri Lanka and had no idea. Hopefully the selectors can still remember that. In my opinion Handscombe should bat at 5 as he plays spin as good as Smith and Labuschagne. Having Smith, Labuschagne Handscombe and Carey all great players of spin gives us a really good chance to make some good scores over there. Agar plays spin really well as well so if he plays having him at 8 gives us a really strong batting line up
Cummins wants video system reviewed, Agar not so horrible, No pink ball for SCG, Proteas optimistic: Talking Points
Yeah I think I agree with that James. Agar certainly didn’t look threatening in this test but maybe the wickets over there will benefit him more. I think with Green in the team, that helps Agar because we have 5 wicket taking options. Perhaps we don’t need Agar taking 20 wickets at 25 because of his all round package. If he takes 15 at 35, but makes 200 odd runs at 25 batting at 8 and saves us 10 runs in the field an innings that might make up for a Jon Holland making no runs at 11 and finding a place to hide him in the field. I really think a left arm finger spinner to compliment Lyon is going to be crucial, considering even India haven’t found a good leggie for there conditions since Anil Kumble retired around 15 years ago
Cummins wants video system reviewed, Agar not so horrible, No pink ball for SCG, Proteas optimistic: Talking Points
I think that is spot on. If they do go that way it’s a pretty long tail. Woakes is a good no 8 but poor 7, Robinson is a good 9 but poor 8 and Anderson Broad Wood and Leach will play at least 3 tests and they aren’t that good with the bat
England announce Test squad but Ashes chances cop huge blow with star speedster ruled out