4th Test Border Gavaskar Trophy December 26-30 1000hrs @ the MCG

[Gough]

Australia from, Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
India from, Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (Wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (Wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.

 

[western royboy]

Head fitness test today…any chance he doesn’t get up?

 

[Great8]

Head fitness test today…any chance he doesn’t get up?

Yes.
He is a genuine 50/50 at this stage.
Marsh in doubt too

 

[Pistol Night]

Yes.
He is a genuine 50/50 at this stage.
Marsh in doubt too

**** sake. The one thing we have to look forward to is Trav going berserk and it might be taken away. The state of Haydos’ bouffant is next on the list

 

[Cleavy]

If Marsh is in doubt, he shouldn't play.

 

[Pistol Night]

If Marsh is in doubt, he shouldn't play.

I can’t think of any reason not to risk injured players that’s happened recently

 

[jannissary]

due for a scorcher. welsh friend of mine's will be there and i can imagine that he'll look like a tomato by the end of the first session.

hoping we bat first, really tire them out.

 

[Pistol Night]

due for a scorcher. welsh friend of mine's will be there and i can imagine that he'll look like a tomato by the end of the first session.

hoping we bat first, really tire them out.

Hopefully they don’t skittle us for 100 and we’re bowling by 2pm.

 

[jannissary]

Hopefully they don’t skittle us for 100 and we’re bowling by 2pm.

on the cards, interested to see how konstas will go. arguably the biggest game of the year and he's debuting. while i don't think it's a good idea, i think there needs to be another change made with marsh. we can't have someone who's an "allrounder" who can't really bowl, and hasn't performed at all this series playing.

i think webster is due for a chance, but it could similarly bite us on the ass if he's just as cooked.

 

[Pistol Night]

on the cards, interested to see how konstas will go. arguably the biggest game of the year and he's debuting. while i don't think it's a good idea, i think there needs to be another change made with marsh. we can't have someone who's an "allrounder" who can't really bowl, and hasn't performed at all this series playing.

i think webster is due for a chance, but it could similarly bite us on the ass if he's just as cooked.

I’m hoping the young fella does well. The hard on the selectors still have for an all rounder since Flintoff bent us over in 05 is incredible

 

[PhatBoy]

**** sake. The one thing we have to look forward to is Trav going berserk and it might be taken away. The state of Haydos’ bouffant is next on the list

 

[Pistol Night]

View attachment 2192949

I love that man as much as anyone in sports media.

 

[Great8]

**** sake. The one thing we have to look forward to is Trav going berserk and it might be taken away. The state of Haydos’ bouffant is next on the list

I think Trav will play will play but he definitely isn’t 100%

 

[Pistol Night]

I think Trav will play will play but he definitely isn’t 100%

Might see even more fireworks if he doesn't want to do too much running between wickets

 

[big_e]

Yes.
He is a genuine 50/50 at this stage.
Marsh in doubt too

There's a non-zero chance the line-up will be:

Konstas
Khawaja
Labuschagne
Smith
Inglis
Webster
Carey
Cummins
Starc
Richardson
Lyon

 

[Borisdog]

I’m hoping the young fella does well. The hard on the selectors still have for an all rounder since Flintoff bent us over in 05 is incredible

What would be your suggestion?

6 pure batsmen, a keeper and 4 bowlers?. Then a couple of part timers to get through, say, 10 overs?

If that’s your call then who’s your 6th batsman. And who shares the 10 with Trav?

I actually don’t mind it but the 6th Batsman has to be good enough, and it’s why I’m keen on Inglis. But there’s a big workload there for the rest if a bowler goes down mid game.

Everything is a risk.

I’m not convinced Aussie cricket is “obsessed” with an all-rounder post Flintoff, we’ve played them to varying degrees between batting and bowling all rounders for years.

We do that because they’re a good option.

If you always need runs out of your batting all rounder at 6 then I’d suggest he ain’t the problem.

 

[Great8]

Ronnie just confirmed that Konstas opening and both Trav and Mitch to play.
With the heat predicted the next few days I just hope they both get through

 

[Golumless]

What would be your suggestion?

6 pure batsmen, a keeper and 4 bowlers?. Then a couple of part timers to get through, say, 10 overs?

If that’s your call then who’s your 6th batsman. And who shares the 10 with Trav?

I actually don’t mind it but the 6th Batsman has to be good enough, and it’s why I’m keen on Inglis. But there’s a big workload there for the rest if a bowler goes down mid game.

Everything is a risk.

I’m not convinced Aussie cricket is “obsessed” with an all-rounder post Flintoff, we’ve played them to varying degrees between batting and bowling all rounders for years.

We do that because they’re a good option.

If you always need runs out of your batting all rounder at 6 then I’d suggest he ain’t the problem.

No, but he's part of the problem.

If your batting stocks are low enough that you're routinely needing runs out of the 6-7 slots to post competitive scores, then putting in an all-rounder is cutting your nose off to spite your face, whether batting or bowling. Unless they're in the Jacques Kallis territory of a genuine best 6 bat. You just need the best bat here to increase the chances of getting to those competitive scores (and I'm disappointed to see that we didn't drop McSweeney to this slot).

As much as you say workload, it's what our quicks are doing anyway with Marsh.

 

[Pistol Night]

No, but he's part of the problem.

If your batting stocks are low enough that you're routinely needing runs out of the 6-7 slots to post competitive scores, then putting in an all-rounder is cutting your nose off to spite your face, whether batting or bowling. Unless they're in the Jacques Kallis territory of a genuine best 6 bat. You just need the best bat here to increase the chances of getting to those competitive scores.

As much as you say workload, it's what our quicks are doing anyway with Marsh.

Pick 11 fit players would be my first non negotiable. A specialist batsmen at 6 is better than an all rounder that can’t bowl imagine

 

[Run n Spread]

Head fitness test today…any chance he doesn’t get up?

Bring in Kurtis Patterson to the squadif that's the case in for a straight swap.
Otherwise given conditions and the squad picked I'd go
Carey
Konstas
Inglis
Smith
Head/Patterson
Webster
Abbot
Starc
Cummins
Boland
Lyon

 

[Borisdog]

No, but he's part of the problem.

If your batting stocks are low enough that you're routinely needing runs out of the 6-7 slots to post competitive scores, then putting in an all-rounder is cutting your nose off to spite your face, whether batting or bowling. Unless they're in the Jacques Kallis territory of a genuine best 6 bat. You just need the best bat here to increase the chances of getting to those competitive scores (and I'm disappointed to see that we didn't drop McSweeney to this slot).

As much as you say workload, it's what our quicks are doing anyway with Marsh.

Like I said, I don’t disagree.

The issue is who plays if not Marsh, and then who takes the fifth bowler option.

Sydney and Melbourne will both need the fifth bowler.

I personally think Trav is under bowled. He is actually quite an attacking spinner who bowls with much more side spin than Lyon, and does turn it. Whether you want him bowling 10 overs is another story. But as a guy to take a couple of overs with the chance of a wicket he is a good option that is IMO under utilised.

I want Marnus nowhere near the bowling crease, unless he’s at silly mid on or off, or bowling leg spin.

Most of this is a non argument if Green is fit.

 

[Run n Spread]

Like I said, I don’t disagree.

The issue is who plays if not Marsh, and then who takes the fifth bowler option.

Sydney and Melbourne will both need the fifth bowler.

I personally think Trav is under bowled. He is actually quite an attacking spinner who bowls with much more side spin than Lyon, and does turn it. Whether you want him bowling 10 overs is another story. But as a guy to take a couple of overs with the chance of a wicket he is a good option that is IMO under utilised.

I want Marnus nowhere near the bowling crease, unless he’s at silly mid on or off, or bowling leg spin.

Most of this is a non argument if Green is fit.

Am I the only one not convinced Green is the budding superstar many are claiming he is?
I think he is a solid player and would have him competing with the likes of Webster and Sutherland when fit. Hardly think he is a walk up start thou.

 

[Stax on the mill]

Bring in Kurtis Patterson to the squadif that's the case in for a straight swap.
Otherwise given conditions and the squad picked I'd go
Carey
Konstas
Inglis
Smith
Head/Patterson
Webster
Abbot
Starc
Cummins
Boland
Lyon

5, maybe 6 changes? I don’t think so.

 

[Borisdog]

Am I the only one not convinced Green is the budding superstar many are claiming he is?
I think he is a solid player and would have him competing with the likes of Webster and Sutherland when fit. Hardly think he is a walk up start thou.

I don't think he's a budding superstar, I certainly don't believe he's a #4 bat, but he's a very long way in front of the two you mention. Particularly Sutherland, who is much more a bowling all rounder.

And he'd be in the side in a heartbeat in place of Marsh ATM if fit.

 

[PhatBoy]

Am I the only one not convinced Green is the budding superstar many are claiming he is?
I think he is a solid player and would have him competing with the likes of Webster and Sutherland when fit. Hardly think he is a walk up start thou.

He has the tools to be.

I dont think he is ever going to be destroying batting line ups with the ball for a couple of reasons: he’s injury prone so he will always be managed carefully as far as his bowling goes, Australia will probably always have a decent attack so he’s never going to HAVE to be that guy. The West Indies for example have had 6-12 month periods where Jason Holder was their best bowler. Green will probably never have to be that.
Also he has the physical attributes - height, good pace, but he doesn’t (yet) strike me as having the bowling nous of a specialist. That could change though.

As far as his batting goes I think he could easily average 45.

That in itself isn’t superstar level but it’s world class and if he’s taking a wicket or two a game then it makes him very valuable