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

[pebblesofsand]

Really is a closed shop.

The obsession with an all rounder is what keeps him out of the side.

Yep - especially with one who doesn't take many wickets and makes a few runs every 3rd or 4th innings.

 

[Moonwatcher]

Looking again, the last 4 days of the Gabba test have the same probability of rain as the first day of the Adelaide test. We had 20 minutes of rain during lunch and didn't lose any overs.

 

[Moonwatcher]

Just got my 17 year badge

 

[Neese]

join the oldies club

Yeah I would have dropped Lyon and kept Boland.

Guessing Boland will be back for Melbourne test.

 

[toml]

The calls for Lyon to be left out are hilarious. Lyon has a great record at the Gabba, the extra bounce suits him to a tee.

 

[RookiePick]

If anyone deserves a bit of extra leeway before they get dropped, it's Smith.

He's a once in a generation player and has been the unrivalled best test batter in the world for nearly 10 years.

I agree he looks shit at the moment, but I'd like to give him the rest of the summer before we pull the pin on our best cricketer since Ponting.

I agree. Plus they would know what he looks like in the nets. If he is looking fine there you back him in for a bit longer yet.

I'm sure if he was looking as hopeless in the nets as he appears in the middle the clock would be ticking pretty fast.

 

[toml]

Photo of the deck from today. Far less grass already than the photo everyone was losing their mind over yesterday.

 

[Cleavy]

View attachment 2186963
Photo of the deck from today. Far less grass already than the photo everyone was losing their mind over yesterday.

medias fault for being morons.

 

[toml]

medias fault for being morons.

People overreacting to how a pitch looks 3 days out from a test is a tale as old as time

 

[Xtreme]

No it’s not. Simply put who out of Haze, Starc or Cummins are you dropping?

Whomever took the least wickets
Or if they're all level - whomever leaked the most runs and/or dropped their heads the most in both innings -HAS TO GO!

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

Should be spicy with the rain Brisbane have had so can't see it going five days

Boland will get another chance at some stage. I would rest Starc at the SCG, has a horrible record there

 

[010203]

If anyone deserves a bit of extra leeway before they get dropped, it's Smith.

He's a once in a generation player and has been the unrivalled best test batter in the world for nearly 10 years.

I agree he looks shit at the moment, but I'd like to give him the rest of the summer before we pull the pin on our best cricketer since Ponting.

How long do you give him before the leeway runs out and he gets judged solely on performance?

 

[Jim Prideaux]

View attachment 2186963
Photo of the deck from today. Far less grass already than the photo everyone was losing their mind over yesterday.

People over reacting to test pitches days out from the start of play, say it isn’t so

 

[TY24]

How long do you give him before the leeway runs out and he gets judged solely on performance?

Personally if he still is struggling by the end of this series then it's time to start exploring other options.

He struggled last summer, and has looked at sea so far against Bumrah and co. I'm just not in a hurry to retire our best since Ponting given how thin our batting stocks currently are.

If there was someone in the Shield absolutely kicking the door down, then sure. But there isn't, Patterson maybe, Hunt could potentially open and slide McSweeney down to 4? Neither really feel like a proper Steve Smith replacement.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

How long do you give him before the leeway runs out and he gets judged solely on performance?

It's not about leeway for Australia in my opinion. Smith should be dropping himself. I know competitors want to compete but all he's doing right now is ruining his legacy. Keep the average above 55 and step away from international cricket and go play IPL. Love him, but he is not the player he was right now and hasn't been for a couple of years.

 

[Black Diamond]

Have a nagging feeling Hazlewood is being rushed back.

 

[Gough]

Smith and Khawaja would be the players who need to contribute something this Test, they're the only two who really don't have anything to hang their hats on so far this series.

 

[Neese]

The calls for Lyon to be left out are hilarious. Lyon has a great record at the Gabba, the extra bounce suits him to a tee.

Current form is important though and Lyon only bowled 1 over in Adelaide.
It's not a stupid take imo.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

Have a nagging feeling Hazlewood is being rushed back.

Why though?

Are they not confident in Boland?

 

[TY24]

Current form is important though and Lyon only bowled 1 over in Adelaide.

Lyon not bowling had nothing to do with form. He just wasn't needed because we rolled them so quickly.

The test lasted 2 and a half days and we only bowled 70 odd overs for the entire match.

The pace attack were on fire and getting a new pink ball to talk. The top order were all knocked over under lights with a new ball, hardly conducive conditions for a finger spinner.

Lyon is a walk up starter for us in all conditions when fit, dropping him would be ridiculous IMO.

 

[Black Diamond]

Why though?

Are they not confident in Boland?

Hazlewood is a lot better so I think that is it.

 

[Neese]

Please don't mansplain to me when I offer my opinion.

 

[Moonwatcher]

we only bowled 44 overs for the entire match.

44.1 and 36.5

 

[TY24]

44.1 and 36.5

Apologies, I meant to say the second innings.

My point remains, when both innings are that short and partially under lights there's hardly an opportunity for a finger spinner when the pace attack is getting the pink ball to sing the way they were.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

Please don't mansplain to me when I offer my opinion.

If you're talking about TY24 he wasn't "mansplaining", just offering a a conter-opinion