1st Test Sri Lanka v Australia Jan 29-Feb 2 1500hrs @ Galle International Stadium

[TubbsFarquhar]

Don't need 2 keepers.
It has been line ball for 4 years and Inglis with his ton overtook him and deserves a shot. Connoly makes a good 4th spin option
It could change in a year or a few tests.
Australian cricket has a weird obsession that you can never change a side and once someone is omitted they are banished to the boon docks forever. Very odd attitude

How has Inglis overtaken him based on one innings? Carey was also batting well before declaration plus his keeping was excellent. No need to give Inglis the gloves when Carey is doing a fine job with them. He's perfectly fine staying as a batting option.

 

[sr36]

Can't see why you would drop anyone except Marnus (and that's not happening).

You're not dropping Head, Khawaja, Smith, Inglis, Kuhnemann, Lyon, Starc or Carey (very good with the gloves as per usual) based on their performances in the last Test.

Of the two that remain, Webster deserves to be backed in and there's every chance we need him with the ball if Sri Lanka's batters get their shit together. And Murphy remains the obvious heir to Lyon's throne and needs experience.

Connolly's time will come. He's still only played 4 FC games and doesn't have an FC ton to his name. It's good experience for him to be over there, but he shouldn't actually be anywhere near the XI IMHO. I'd be more inclined to give McSweeney a crack at the expense of Marnus if anything, but as I said, there's next to no chance Marnus gets dropped until Green returns.

To me, other than injury the only possible cause for change is if it looks like a decent deck for seamers and then Boland in for Murphy and then you may also consider Connolly for Webster as you'd prefer your allrounder to be a spinner if you're playing tow seamers - I don't think there's much chance of it though.

 

[grumbleguts]

Don't need 2 keepers.
It has been line ball for 4 years and Inglis with his ton overtook him and deserves a shot. Connoly makes a good 4th spin option
It could change in a year or a few tests.
Australian cricket has a weird obsession that you can never change a side and once someone is omitted they are banished to the boon docks forever. Very odd attitude

You realise Carey was not out yeah?

 

[4Seasons]

Could say his chances were thrown out the door.

Unbelievable.
This website not only has the worlds best cricketers commenting, as well as as the Worlds greatest commentators, the Worlds greatest tacticians, but now it also has the Worlds greatest administrators.
There doesn't seem to be a difference around here, about people who love sport, in comparison to those that love themselves.
How does a cricket lover not admire what the Mens and Woman's teams achieved over this weekend?

 

[Linda Lovelace]

To me, other than injury the only possible cause for change is if it looks like a decent deck for seamers and then Boland in for Murphy and then you may also consider Connolly for Webster as you'd prefer your allrounder to be a spinner if you're playing tow seamers - I don't think there's much chance of it though.

We'll likely beat them easily anyway, but I think this is a better balanced side should the Sri Lankans put up more of a fight. Connolly and Head to back up Lyon and Kuhnemann seems enough spin options rather than persisting with Murphy.

Starc is good in Sri Lanka but there's always the chance in any given game he will open up the pie shop. Better to have Boland in there as well to crack in consistently if the Sri Lankans get on top of the spinners like they did last time we were 1-0.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Can't see Konstas making the team for a long while, that's why he shouldn't carry on like a pork chop and get off signing autographs.

 

[freo_leo29]

Can't see Konstas making the team for a long while, that's why he shouldn't carry on like a pork chop and get off signing autographs.

If you count 4 months as "a long while"

He will play the WTC final in June

 

[Bedi]

If you count 4 months as "a long while"

He will play the WTC final in June

Only if they drop Labs or Carey. I've seen enough to know Inglis needs to be there permanently. Not getting rid of Webster either. That's a spot for Green to earn back.

 

[freo_leo29]

Only if they drop Labs or Carey. I've seen enough to know Inglis needs to be there permanently. Not getting rid of Webster either. That's a spot for Green to earn back.

Inglis won't open

Konstas will be back in

 

[Bedi]

Inglis won't open

Konstas will be back in

No, but why not stick with Head opening given Inglis is there now as his perfect replacement to offer that role in putting on the burners mid innings? (Or just putting the pressure back on the bowlers in general)

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

If you count 4 months as "a long while"

He will play the WTC final in June

Who they gonna drop then?

 

[The 747]

We'll likely beat them easily anyway, but I think this is a better balanced side should the Sri Lankans put up more of a fight. Connolly and Head to back up Lyon and Kuhnemann seems enough spin options rather than persisting with Murphy.

Starc is good in Sri Lanka but there's always the chance in any given game he will open up the pie shop. Better to have Boland in there as well to crack in consistently if the Sri Lankans get on top of the spinners like they did last time we were 1-0.

Murphy does seem to be unnecessary f Lyon is playing.

 

[sr36]

Who they gonna drop then?

No one. This is the Asian team. A bloke who took 10 for and a bloke who made a ton aren't in the SENA team yet. We'll be back to the SENA team for WTC, with Konstas opening. The dilemma is the bowlers if Hazlewood is fit.

 

[Soggy2112]

Don't need 2 keepers.
It has been line ball for 4 years and Inglis with his ton overtook him and deserves a shot. Connoly makes a good 4th spin option
It could change in a year or a few tests.
Australian cricket has a weird obsession that you can never change a side and once someone is omitted they are banished to the boon docks forever. Very odd attitude

Take nothing away from Inglis, but it was a 100 when the conditions were favourable, and when Carey was well on the way to his own before the declaration. Carey has been performing exceptionally well with the gloves, and consistently scoring valuable runs in tough conditions. To drop him because his understudy cashed in when things were easier would be silly.

Worth remembering too that most keeper-bats who play as batters only generally score less runs when they’ve got the gloves.

 

[Gough]

Carey's career up until now feels a bit like Lyon's at the same point. Despite doing everything asked of him there's still people questioning his place in the side.

 

[Millky95]

Carey's career up until now feels a bit like Lyon's at the same point. Despite doing everything asked of him there's still people questioning his place in the side.

When Lyon retires he gives Carey the song to help him keep his place like Hussey did?

 

[JimmyBC]

One thing is for sure the selection moves in Sri Lanka are as horses for courses as you can possibly get, Inglis is by no means a lock as a pure bat going forward.

 

[Soggy2112]

Carey's career up until now feels a bit like Lyon's at the same point. Despite doing everything asked of him there's still people questioning his place in the side.

It’s the Gilchrist curse, he made us think keepers averaging 45+ was normal.

Haddin, Paine and Carey are all excellent keepers who averaged 32+ which is very good for a keeper-bat, yet all faced constant questions about their spot because we’re chasing something will probably never get again.

 

[Soggy2112]

One thing is for sure the selection moves in Sri Lanka are as horses for courses as you can possibly get, Inglis is by no means a lock as a pure bat going forward.

Nor should he be.

Trav will drop to 5, and Konstas will come back in at the top.

The question then becomes Marnus v Inglis for who goes 3. Then how much does a 100 against an almost all spin attack in Galle, count when you’re picking a team for Lord’s against South Africa or Perth against England?

Plus you add the spanner in the works that is Green, particularly if he’s fit to bowl.

Ultimately though, for the first time in a while, the selectors are presented with a lot of really good choices, which is a positive sign.

 

[sr36]

One thing is for sure the selection moves in Sri Lanka are as horses for courses as you can possibly get, Inglis is by no means a lock as a pure bat going forward.

Us fans have gotten used to it with the bowlers - no one is carrying on that Boland was "dropped" after a man of the match game. We'll get to used to it with the batters too. It prioritises different skills and shots to succeed against spinners in these conditions than it does to succeed against Rabada at Lords. Some will be suited to batting in Australia but won't yet have put together a game for Asia and some will be really suited to Asia despite not yet being in the best 6 on seaming decks. It's how we are going and we will probably get even more horses for courses over time. Head becoming an Asian opener is like when Mark Waugh became our One Day opener.

 

[BGman]

Out labaschagne
In konstas

I'll go with that. But dont see Bailey or McD changing a winning side. Brad Haddin has called for Sam Konstas to be cleared for shield cricket if unwanted for second Test. Agree.

No way is Carey's place under threat. In fact he is arguably the best keeper/batman in world cricket imo.

 

[sr36]

Carey's career up until now feels a bit like Lyon's at the same point. Despite doing everything asked of him there's still people questioning his place in the side.

Agree, but you still pick your best team and if that means a really solid servant misses out, that's just bad luck. All our seamers do everything that's asked of them every time - but one of them always gets left out.

Gilchrist just had to replace Healy despite Healy being a magnificent servant. Not saying Carey should go - he definitely shouldn't on turners. But against pace, the time might come when we think the gap between CArey and Inglis's keeping is smaller than the gap between Carey's batting and Inglis and Green's batting.

 

[Voice of the G]

I'll go with that. But dont see Bailey or McD changing a winning side. Brad Haddin has called for Sam Konstas to be cleared for shield cricket if unwanted for second Test. Agree.

No way is Carey's place under threat. In fact he is arguably the best keeper/batman in world cricket imo.

If they are going into the next test with the same 11 you only need a reserve batsman and bowler.Send Konstas,Boland and Connolly back to play shield.

 

[JackOutback]

Connolly's time will come. He's still only played 4 FC games and doesn't have an FC ton to his name. It's good experience for him to be over there, but he shouldn't actually be anywhere near the XI IMHO. I'd be more inclined to give McSweeney a crack at the expense of Marnus if anything, but as I said, there's next to no chance Marnus gets dropped until Green returns.

This is, of course, true. But he has a 90, made on debut in the Sheffield Shield final, which is pretty high pressure for a 20-year-old. Has only played three more FC games because of a combination of Australian white ball duty and injury sustained playing for Australia.

 

[BGman]

The dilemma is the bowlers if Hazlewood is fit.

No dilemma. Barrell makes way as he has always done. Haze gave the Vicco a Test career, that seems to be lost on a lot of people.