- Jan 7, 2018
- 7,961
- 7,297
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
Should have been stamped 'Never to play again' after dropping Stokes in the third test and then carrying on like a pork chop after the 4th test like he actually made a contribution.
1st Test Border Gavaskar Trophy November 22-26 1350hrs @ Perth Stadium
- Thread starter Gough
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Should have been stamped 'Never to play again' after dropping Stokes in the third test and then carrying on like a pork chop after the 4th test like he actually made a contribution.
Topkent
Confirmed ITK Drafting King
Sucked in couldn't have happened to a bigger pack of w***ers
- Oct 19, 2020
- 26,666
- 36,880
- AFL Club
- Richmond
Smith is a cheat and a downhill skier.
I'm more disappointed in the state of Australian Cricket then I am in the players honestly.
This team has had a good run but there have been signs the peak of our Test team has been over for a while now and I'm struggling to see how things don't descend pretty sharply from here.
This is all about the batting. We no longer have a single batsmen in or out of the team who is currently great and we haven't been in this situation in a long long time.
While our batting weakened in the late 2000s, we had Ricky Ponting. When he declined, we had Clarke, when his back gave out Smith emerged... now? No one.
Our entire top 4 is people who're very likely past their best (We can give Khawaja the benefit of the doubt but he's at an age where it could be over at any moment). The scary thing is, I'm not sure if anyone outside the team can actually do any better.
It took some time, but we've finally reached the moment where the consequences of going all in on T20 and destroying our grass roots / FC systems has entered what feels like a point of no return.
In the past, we've overcome this by focusing all our attention on a handful of supremely gifted players and using that as a substitute for genuine systems and pathways but that bit us on the backside in the most direct way possible. Pucovski was seen as that next star and problems outside anyone's control have meant he's gone and the next best is multiple tiers below in quality.
Our aging stars will likely continue playing and we might see some token deck chair shuffling, but once they're gone we'll have to opt into the same strategy as the weaker Test nations. This means basically picking on potential and having these people learn on the job, hoping they'll come good after a couple of dozen Tests and develop into solid enough players.
I don't even want to get into the bowling. Our main 4 are still great and very little about this loss will be there fault, but they are also all reaching the end and replacing them won't be pretty.
Ignoring all this, I think we need to bring Cameron Green back as a pure batsmen when he returns. His bowling isn't worth losing our most promising young bat & fielder to injury as sad as it is to say. You cannot drop or move McSweeney, you need to commit to at least the series and consider moving him to the middle order for a spell if the opener experiment fails.
Labuschagne is the most droppable, but no one else in the Shield will come close to matching his early career record. If someone has to go it'll be him but I could see him back as early as next series given we're going to lose both Smith & Khawaja soon. Travis Head will never be more than a 40 average feast or famine bat, he's fine where he is, talk of making him opener is laughable unless we commit to pure flat decks at home like England have now done.
This team has had a good run but there have been signs the peak of our Test team has been over for a while now and I'm struggling to see how things don't descend pretty sharply from here.
This is all about the batting. We no longer have a single batsmen in or out of the team who is currently great and we haven't been in this situation in a long long time.
While our batting weakened in the late 2000s, we had Ricky Ponting. When he declined, we had Clarke, when his back gave out Smith emerged... now? No one.
Our entire top 4 is people who're very likely past their best (We can give Khawaja the benefit of the doubt but he's at an age where it could be over at any moment). The scary thing is, I'm not sure if anyone outside the team can actually do any better.
It took some time, but we've finally reached the moment where the consequences of going all in on T20 and destroying our grass roots / FC systems has entered what feels like a point of no return.
In the past, we've overcome this by focusing all our attention on a handful of supremely gifted players and using that as a substitute for genuine systems and pathways but that bit us on the backside in the most direct way possible. Pucovski was seen as that next star and problems outside anyone's control have meant he's gone and the next best is multiple tiers below in quality.
Our aging stars will likely continue playing and we might see some token deck chair shuffling, but once they're gone we'll have to opt into the same strategy as the weaker Test nations. This means basically picking on potential and having these people learn on the job, hoping they'll come good after a couple of dozen Tests and develop into solid enough players.
I don't even want to get into the bowling. Our main 4 are still great and very little about this loss will be there fault, but they are also all reaching the end and replacing them won't be pretty.
Ignoring all this, I think we need to bring Cameron Green back as a pure batsmen when he returns. His bowling isn't worth losing our most promising young bat & fielder to injury as sad as it is to say. You cannot drop or move McSweeney, you need to commit to at least the series and consider moving him to the middle order for a spell if the opener experiment fails.
Labuschagne is the most droppable, but no one else in the Shield will come close to matching his early career record. If someone has to go it'll be him but I could see him back as early as next series given we're going to lose both Smith & Khawaja soon. Travis Head will never be more than a 40 average feast or famine bat, he's fine where he is, talk of making him opener is laughable unless we commit to pure flat decks at home like England have now done.
Around the Wicket
Norm Smith Medallist
- Dec 8, 2021
- 7,599
- 5,018
- AFL Club
- Brisbane Lions
If you play watch carefully Cummins was abit annoyed when he seen Labs walking out, he wanted another night watchmen.
Brilliantly said, however you won’t get much support around here with that call. Well I didn’t before the test.
Even though it should’ve been obvious to everyone prior to the test especially on the stats of McSweeney coming in early and Inglis as the reserve, people wouldn’t have a bar of Head opening.
Now we are left with needing 2 openers soon again.
Head to open, Harris if you really want but personally I wouldn’t, we’ve tried him. McSweeney can go to 3. Inglis is the reserve so he must come in next test.
In the end we will still have massive concerns batting but it’s time to inject some more youth.
Just don’t open McSweeney, this was obvious.
Iceman!
Brownlow Medallist
So we would have had a few extra test of Smith as opener and we’d be in the exact same position.
lol disrupt this batting line up?
Puhlease mate.
Hardly any of them will remain in a year. It’s up for major disruption.
How’s that Kamala landslide going?
You hating on smith is a good omen for his future success.
Bancroft was in ripping form last summer. If they'd have got him in then, he might have done okay, and then at least we'd have a Set-And-Forget for a few years.....So we would have had a few extra test of Smith as opener and we’d be in the exact same position.
Great comments. Thanks for posting some legit analysis rather than one line emotional player hating with no credibility.
You may be right but the Australian cricket team has some structural deficits that meant this was extremely challenging to facilitate. 12 months ago the side was feasting on numerous successes home and abroad, perhaps it paper over some of the hairline cracks that have now turned into canyons. However the only way that could have an occurred was to drop Labuchane. Smith was in the infancy of the now failed opener trial in the post Warner era, and Green was in promising form.
the only way Bancroft would have fit in the side was if Labuchane was dropped and smith to 3. And on the back of WTC victory, Ashes success etc at the time this wasn’t seen as the viable path to further mix the order up.
The Australian cricketing public is a tough judge, jury and executioner, and we should be. However the deficits are systemic, not able to be quickly aided by radical playing lists changes or wild selection theories. Slow, Careful and considered change is required, but the focus needs to be on the shield level and its lack of prominence in the playing calendar, obviously due to the rise of BBL.
Nicho50
Premiership Player
- Apr 20, 2022
- 3,386
- 3,665
- AFL Club
- Richmond
There’s just not enough younger players bashing the door down. Realistically in terms of batting who are out next in line. Bancroft and Renshaw aren’t making runs.
I like Matt Short I think he has the tools to be a good test bat at 6 again though hasn’t smashed the down door though.
Is it Inglis with the bat , Webster in the AR spot and outside of Boland would it be Bartlett and Murphy as seam/ spin?
With the Ashes ahead and our aging team it would be extremely disappointing but highly predictable if this current side play all 5 tests.
For the sake of the future surely we can blood another batsman but also get a game or two into some of the other bowlers on the fringe.
The biggest problem with Cummins as captain is you’re locked into one of three pace bowling options every game.
I like Matt Short I think he has the tools to be a good test bat at 6 again though hasn’t smashed the down door though.
Is it Inglis with the bat , Webster in the AR spot and outside of Boland would it be Bartlett and Murphy as seam/ spin?
With the Ashes ahead and our aging team it would be extremely disappointing but highly predictable if this current side play all 5 tests.
For the sake of the future surely we can blood another batsman but also get a game or two into some of the other bowlers on the fringe.
The biggest problem with Cummins as captain is you’re locked into one of three pace bowling options every game.
The hands of stone
Norm Smith Medallist
- Sep 13, 2020
- 7,604
- 22,077
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
Inglis is in the squad , has been playing and is in form.
He has to come in if they make the change .
I feel for Mcsweeney . Batting out of position because thats where the spot was.
He needs to be given a decent run to find out if he can cut it at the level or not .
He can now go to work on a plan against Bumrah. Lets see what he can come up with next test .
Should have happened 18-24 months ago , the plan should have started for Warner, Khawaja and Smith replacements. But we've treaded water and now face big changes to a batting line-up in a short time .
I almost feel that Cricket fanatic Marnus needs a break from the game . Clear his head , maybe stop hitting 1000 balls a day .
He has to come in if they make the change .
I feel for Mcsweeney . Batting out of position because thats where the spot was.
He needs to be given a decent run to find out if he can cut it at the level or not .
He can now go to work on a plan against Bumrah. Lets see what he can come up with next test .
Should have happened 18-24 months ago , the plan should have started for Warner, Khawaja and Smith replacements. But we've treaded water and now face big changes to a batting line-up in a short time .
I almost feel that Cricket fanatic Marnus needs a break from the game . Clear his head , maybe stop hitting 1000 balls a day .
zumahawk
Team Captain
- Oct 20, 2024
- 401
- 677
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
Nothing soft about them, just not good enough in the opening test (and don't add the word 'woke' as a put down like you know what the word means).
TubbsFarquhar
TheBrownDog
That, and the conditions played right into NZ's hands and, let's be frank, NZ have a better test side than Australia do bur, for whatever reason, shit the bed whenever they play them.
zumahawk
Team Captain
- Oct 20, 2024
- 401
- 677
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
We've all missed the point that other nations have caught up with their professionalism and administration now matching Cricket Australia. Our team is not entitled to keep winning- it needs to lift and develop test style batsmen. This could be loss the team needs.
It's no longer about smashing the door down at the moment. A polite knock and discrete enquiry about not being able to do worse is suffice.
Iceman!
Brownlow Medallist
Yeah sorry but I don’t buy it, Bumrah would make Bancroft look like a child playing against his dad…
It's amazing what being under the spotlight does to decision making. Completely out the window.
We all knew what Bumrah was going to do. 3-4 away and then a massive in swinger/off cutter. It's easy watching on the couch.
Unfortunately we had a debutant who was a deer in headlights and another bloke who has forgotten how to bat.
Yep. The Big Bash tree that was played a little over a decade ago is now bearing fruit
Similar threads
- Poll
- Poll
