3rd Test Border Gavaskar Trophy December 14-18 1050hrs @ The Gabba

[Westend]

Reckon there could be more to it in regards with Sydney

Wouldn’t surprise me if there has been a handshake agreement and ussie has been told to retire come the scg test with Sydney guaranteed a spot for Sri Lanka

 

[Black Diamond]

Not sure that success or otherwise at the top level is an essential component.

Greg Chappell is an all-time great cricketer. He was also a selector and wasn't that good in that role (he wasn't that good as a coach either).

Lawrie Sawle wasn't an all-time great cricketer but he was a brilliant selector.

I do agree that George and his band of merry men are very slow to drop under performing players.

Trevor Hohns was the best selector of my lifetime.

Not a great international cricketer. Took the rebel tour money. Has an oval at Sandgate named after him.

 

[sherb]

To add to that. What credentials does someone like Bailey have for being an international selector in the first place?

Two things you’d want ideally would be some sort of success at the highest level and a certain degree of separation from the current playing group. Neither of which Bailey seems to have. Same with McDonald. They aren’t far enough removed from the current playing group to make objective decisions.

3044 ODI runs, average 40.58, SR 83.51, 3 100s and 22 50s.

I'm not sure what your definition of "some sort of success" is, but that's a pretty good record at that particular international level.

He didn't have enough of a Test career to be able to make a judgment there (only 5 Tests).

 

[hawkman]

Ashes 25/26

1. TBD
2. TBD
3. Labuschagne
4. Green
5. Head
6. Smith
7. Carey
8. Cummins
9. Starc
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood/Richardson

Top 3 looks ****ed

Why Marnus? He averages 30 since the start of the South Africa series 2 years ago. That is nearly half of his test career (43 out of 95 innings).

 

[Gough]

3044 ODI runs, average 40.58, SR 83.51, 3 100s and 22 50s.

I'm not sure what your definition of "some sort of success" is, but that's a pretty good record at that particular international level.

He didn't have enough of a Test career to be able to make a judgment there (only 5 Tests).

Hard to imagine that strike rate passing muster these days.

 

[sherb]

Hard to imagine that strike rate passing muster these days.

It's still ok for 50 over cricket I guess, certainly not good enough for T20.

Smith's SR for ODIs for instance is 87.18.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

It’s cricket, not the private sector though. That’s why they often hire business trained people or even business trained ex cricketers to run the off field aspects of the business.

The performance of the selectors - or ‘management and recruitment’ as it were - is ultimately judged by how the ‘company’ or the team performs. Under Bailey’s watch it has performed reasonably well. Not like an unstoppable beast but reasonably well.

So that’s the first thing that he’s gotten right.
Some things have obviously been gotten wrong.
But you can’t hold a person accountable for there being no viable options to fill various roles.

It’s not a qualification based industry where it’s just a case of crunching some numbers and producing a product at the end of a factory assembly line:

It’s like saying ‘fill the role vacated by John Bonham in zeppelin and if you don’t find an adequate candidate, you’ve failed in your job.’ Well what if there isn’t one?

Take it from a West Indies fan: our selectors have the hardest job in world cricket.

And yes of course they have to be accountable to some degree and I feel sorry for McSweeney any player that gets given a go that isn’t up to it or that they get wrong or that gets given too long a leash is a mistake.

But that is what happens in professional life in general: the failures get weighed up against the successes. The thing is they haven’t had to make too many other calls at this stage beyond trying to find an opener. They gambled on Marsh coming back and for a time it worked so that was a short term tick. It won’t in the long term, though, I’m pretty sure.
Green was probably always going to work because he has talent in abundance but either way it was a tick. Head took a while to truly come good at the level he has, but he has. Whether the faith in Marnus gets repaid remains to be seen

Yes but it should be. Part of the reason cricket is such a shambles in many senses is because they have too many ex cricketers making decisions that don't have the business experience or acumen to get things right and to make changes when they aren't right. Cricket could learn a lot from the business world.

on the rest i would very much disagree that the team has performed reasonably well (relative to what it could have done with better planning and management) but thats a debate for another day.

Your argument misses the mark because the job of a selector is to partly develop for the future but also in the present pick the least worst option. Mcsweeney 3 games ago was clearly a decent to quite good middle order batsman who had no experience opening (which was obvious). Konstas was a raw but talented kid who has had little first class exposure. Since then nothing has changed. Mcsweeney has done exactly what you would expect given his background. Konstas hasn't played much first class since then he's hit an innings on a postage stamp ground and another in a BBL game? So what has changed. Nothing has. The information George has now is what he had a month ago he just made the wrong decision.

But there is no accountability for that decision which in the real world there is and needs to be because that's how you improve-from failure and consequence.

Again I have no issue with konstas being picked if you like that go for your life but there's no circumstance in which he should be getting picked mid series and Bailey isn't resigning as a result. It's one or the other because that's what accountability looks like-and this is not George's first failure.

Part of the reason we lack excellence in cricket leadership is because the fans don't demand more accountability (it's not the only reason but its a significant one).

 

[greening22]

Basically been all on the bowlers and Head/Carey for a lot of our recent test wins. The batting has been up the shit for quite a few years now but getting bailed out big time. Cracks have been papered over for years and it could be panic stations for next years Ashes given we don’t have many games to sort it out.

I agree with many of the latter comments. I just think that it was an error to try to manufacture a Test opener with a bloke who played pretty much all of his first-class career as a middle order batsman. OK. In addition, the top scorer in the current Sheffield Shield is Henry Hunt from South Australia with 537 runs at an average of 44.75 after 6 games. He is a deicated opener.OK. Now I know a lot of commentators appear to disparage the quality of the Sheffield Shield but I think that it is not as easy to bat on current Australian pitches as it was 5 to 10 years ago. Why? Well the KOOKABURRA ball has been modified with additional laquering so as to retain its shine for much longer as well as some subtle changes to the ball stitching. Secondly, there appears to be a general trend around Australian grounds to produce wickets that are somewhat "spicier" and so more bowler friendly than the past. Given these factors, I am not so willing to just criticise the quality of the Shield in 2024 going into 2025. By the way, Marcus Harris - for all of his critics - currently has accumulated 445 runs at an average of 49.44 in 5 games in this Shield season so far. Bottom line, I think that you need to recognise & reward players who perform well in your domestic first-class competition.

 

[peternorth]

He’s younger than Don Bradman was on debut, so yeah.

Yes. He is the next chosen one by the way the media is carrying on about him.

If Im Konstas Im feeling good if that is the case. Nothing to lose, guaranteed spot for the remainder of the summer and next series

 

[Woody15]

Ashes 25/26

1. TBD
2. TBD
3. Labuschagne
4. Green
5. Head
6. Smith
7. Carey
8. Cummins
9. Starc
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood/Richardson

Top 3 looks ****ed

A lot can happen between now and then but I’d like to see:

1. Konstas
2. Hunt
3. Labuschagne
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Green
7. Carey
Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon and Starc Id expect to still be there.

Labuschagne needs to come good. Could be McSweeney or someone else in at 3 if he doesnt find some runs. Possibly a very brittle and inexperienced top order.

Bit of an exodus after the Ashes. Smith and possibly a bowler or 2.

 

[PhatBoy]

Yes but it should be. Part of the reason cricket is such a shambles in many senses is because they have too many ex cricketers making decisions that don't have the business experience or acumen to get things right and to make changes when they aren't right. Cricket could learn a lot from the business world.

on the rest i would very much disagree that the team has performed reasonably well (relative to what it could have done with better planning and management) but thats a debate for another day.

Your argument misses the mark because the job of a selector is to partly develop for the future but also in the present pick the least worst option. Mcsweeney 3 games ago was clearly a decent to quite good middle order batsman who had no experience opening (which was obvious). Konstas was a raw but talented kid who has had little first class exposure. Since then nothing has changed. Mcsweeney has done exactly what you would expect given his background. Konstas hasn't played much first class since then he's hit an innings on a postage stamp ground and another in a BBL game? So what has changed. Nothing has. The information George has now is what he had a month ago he just made the wrong decision.

But there is no accountability for that decision which in the real world there is and needs to be because that's how you improve-from failure and consequence.

Again I have no issue with konstas being picked if you like that go for your life but there's no circumstance in which he should be getting picked mid series and Bailey isn't resigning as a result. It's one or the other because that's what accountability looks like-and this is not George's first failure.

Part of the reason we lack excellence in cricket leadership is because the fans don't demand more accountability (it's not the only reason but its a significant one).

Developing for the future isn’t done on the job unless you are in be position of having the luxury to do so. You could make an argument that probably last summer they could have with an opener but there’s rarely been a time with Warner where he was actually droppable because every time it looked like he was, he would come out and make another big score: it’s also worth remembering he was the only batsman apart from head last summer that hit a century.


Read back through this thread and look at the reaction to a test that Australia has DRAWN after dominating.

Look at the emphasis fans place on winning and results. You want selectors to develop players on the job and place an emphasis on that as much as results?

Selectors need to plan for the future and have succession ideas, sure. But there’s a time and a place.

And you’d have thought the West Indies would be an ideal opportunity to blood a young opener: well as it turned out, Australia’s best batsman since Bradman was used instead, played what could have ALMOST been an amazing fourth innings knock and Australia STILL lost. So it’s debatable as to whether one of the younger openers in the wings would have been able to establish themselves in that series.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

McSweeney was on a hiding to nothing being played in a position he doesn't bat against the world's best bowler with a new ball.

Hopefully it doesn't destroy his confidence but, really, he should've been backed, drop a position with Labs making way.

 

[Plugger35]

McSweeney was on a hiding to nothing being played in a position he doesn't bat against the world's best bowler with a new ball.

Hopefully it doesn't destroy his confidence but, really, he should've been backed, drop a position with Labs making way.

McSweeney was pretty lucky to get picked in the first place, he only got picked because Harris and Bancroft were worse options.

He might get another chance in the middle order in the future but even if he doesn't he's still had the chance to play test cricket.

There have been much better batsmen than him in Australian domestic cricket that never got that chance so he can't complain.

 

[hawkman]

McSweeney was on a hiding to nothing being played in a position he doesn't bat against the world's best bowler with a new ball.

Hopefully it doesn't destroy his confidence but, really, he should've been backed, drop a position with Labs making way.

It was a very Quiney like selection against South Africa to protect Hughes who they really wanted in the team but didn't want to expose to the best attack in the world

 

[Scorpus]

Mitchell Owen just scored a century in the Big Bash so I'm sure Bailey will add him to the Test squad soon

 

[toml]

Mitchell Owen just scored a century in the Big Bash so I'm sure Bailey will add him to the Test squad soon

Konstas out for a duck, Owen in for Konstas it is

 

[hawkman]

Mitchell Owen just scored a century in the Big Bash so I'm sure Bailey will add him to the Test squad soon

Bats 7 or 8 for Tassie which means he would occasionally face the 2nd new ball which qualifies him for an opening spot

 

[SC_Power]

Konstas out for a duck, Owen in for Konstas it is

Well, I’m sure the “he’s still young and raw and give him a chance” line will be trotted out on occasion for the next 12 months

 

[big_e]

Yes but it should be. Part of the reason cricket is such a shambles in many senses is because they have too many ex cricketers making decisions that don't have the business experience or acumen to get things right and to make changes when they aren't right. Cricket could learn a lot from the business world.

on the rest i would very much disagree that the team has performed reasonably well (relative to what it could have done with better planning and management) but thats a debate for another day.

Your argument misses the mark because the job of a selector is to partly develop for the future but also in the present pick the least worst option. Mcsweeney 3 games ago was clearly a decent to quite good middle order batsman who had no experience opening (which was obvious). Konstas was a raw but talented kid who has had little first class exposure. Since then nothing has changed. Mcsweeney has done exactly what you would expect given his background. Konstas hasn't played much first class since then he's hit an innings on a postage stamp ground and another in a BBL game? So what has changed. Nothing has. The information George has now is what he had a month ago he just made the wrong decision.

But there is no accountability for that decision which in the real world there is and needs to be because that's how you improve-from failure and consequence.

Again I have no issue with konstas being picked if you like that go for your life but there's no circumstance in which he should be getting picked mid series and Bailey isn't resigning as a result. It's one or the other because that's what accountability looks like-and this is not George's first failure.

Part of the reason we lack excellence in cricket leadership is because the fans don't demand more accountability (it's not the only reason but its a significant one).

So if you think Bailey made the wrong decision a month ago, but he's since rectified it, you're still sacking him? So you're sacking him because his most recent decision was the correct one?

 

[010203]

India's behaviour towards the media has been floggish in the last few days. We had Virat Kohli berating a journalist when his ire should have been towards the cameramen. Now we have a situation where Australian journalists were invited to Jadeja's press conference with Jadeja refusing to speak to the local media, only answering questions from Indian journalists in Hindi.

 

[JimmyBC]

India's behaviour towards the media has been floggish in the last few days. We had Virat Kohli berating a journalist when his ire should have been towards the cameramen. Now we have a situation where Australian journalists were invited to Jadeja's press conference with Jadeja refusing to speak to the local media, only answering questions from Indian journalists in Hindi.

Possibly but the Australian media are awful so I don't care.

 

[Plugger35]

So if you think Bailey made the wrong decision a month ago, but he's since rectified it, you're still sacking him? So you're sacking him because his most recent decision was the correct one?

So you're just assuming that picking Konstas is the correct decision and he will be a raging success when McSweeney wasn't.

You know what they say when you assume, it makes an ass out of you and George Bailey, no guarantee Konstas will succeed.

He just got out for a duck in the Big Bash and got outscored by 70 runs by the much maligned Bancroft who finished not out.

 

[The hands of stone]

India's behaviour towards the media has been floggish in the last few days. We had Virat Kohli berating a journalist when his ire should have been towards the cameramen. Now we have a situation where Australian journalists were invited to Jadeja's press conference with Jadeja refusing to speak to the local media, only answering questions from Indian journalists in Hindi.

Virat arguably is at his best when he is combative.
Gambhir was prickly on field and is probably moreso as a coach .

They are going for the us against the world narrative. It's not a bad one for them , they'll have heaps of support at the MCG too.

 

[Grumpyshades]

India's behaviour towards the media has been floggish in the last few days. We had Virat Kohli berating a journalist when his ire should have been towards the cameramen. Now we have a situation where Australian journalists were invited to Jadeja's press conference with Jadeja refusing to speak to the local media, only answering questions from Indian journalists in Hindi.

some peanut on here was trying to tell me India don't feel pressure..The same team that celebrated like winning the lotto when they avoided the follow on

clueless

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Yes excellent lets drop the only prospect under 30 and shatter all his confidence after what i thought he came in at ridiculous difficult circumstances and i thought his 39 against the Pink Ball was impressive.

Cant Drop Khawaja who has averaged 12 for god knows how long for political reasons and i guess they will keep backing Lab to turn it around like Smith but its BARREN in the top 5.

Head is not going to save us every bloody time