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

[Black Diamond]

Reckon he was harshly treated but that is just stuffing around more and sending mixed messages. Patterson in for Head. Webster for Marsh

agreed, but Inglis and Webster are still in the squad as backup bats.

If it were up to me then Patterson would be in.

But what a shambles of a selection. By what measure was McSweeney considered the best opener, but not a better middle order alternative than Inglis?

If the original vacancy had been in the middle instead of the top, are we to presume they would have gone with Inglis from the outset? FMD.

 

[PhatBoy]

Reckon their best bet is to go baz ball go quickly and aggressively with the bat. As tempting as it is they can't afford to overbowl bumerah. Use him as a strike bowler a few overs at a time and use 2 spinners to tie down and stifle Australia. While not world beaters siraj and deep are solid enough back up. Leaves a option of a 5th bowler. Reddy while handy with the bat is not a bowl all day type or who can penetrative a flat wicket. I'd go Sundar who offers the same with the bat and can tie down an end. Jadega they underbowled in Brisbane.

They bowled to a stupid plan with Jadeja as well - or he bowled one himself. Coming around the wicket to left handers at leg stump when he was actually getting by his standards a fair bit of bounce was such a waste of time. There was an opportunity to come over and try and bowl on or outside off stump (yes Head took him on when he went too wide a couple of times) and they didn’t really try and take it.-

 

[evolved2]

Green should give up bowling and focus on batting - similar career arc to Steve Waugh.

Good enough to average 45-50 at number 4 for the next 8-10 years, IMO.

Problem is he doesn't warrant a place in the side on one skill alone at the moment.

 

[FreoRicci]

Dropping McSweeney for Kostas is just garbage.
Labs gets a reprieve because what.. he’s 30?

Don’t get me started on Mitchell Marsh. Absolutely overrated in the category of Stoinis. But his century v England keeps him in on the basis of being a great prankster/comedian.

 

[Tugga27]

Hardly bagged him just questioning if he is a walk up.start. Yet you call others spuds.
I mean Mitch Marsh was booed once for being selected but there is not a lot of difference between him and Green.
Marsh slightly better bowler Green slightly better bat.

Seriously?

I love MM but if you think he's a slightly better bowler that Green, you haven't been watching.

Green is also a significantly better bat.

 

[jannissary]

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.

marsh has bowled 23 overs in three tests as the 5th bowler, taking 3 wickets total in his overs. nothing to write home about and i don’t think his body can handle bowling much, in brisbane he looked cooked and only bowled 2. his most is 12 overs & that was in perth, wherein the team together bowled 134 overs.

 

[jannissary]

Dropping McSweeney for Kostas is just garbage.
Labs gets a reprieve because what.. he’s 30?

Don’t get me started on Mitchell Marsh. Absolutely overrated in the category of Stoinis. But his century v England keeps him in on the basis of being a great prankster/comedian.

agree with the general idea but in reality, mcsweeny may have been moved to three & konstas brought in to open, mcsweeny looked far out of his depth opening & provided very little

 

[Tugga27]

Problem is he doesn't warrant a place in the side on one skill alone at the moment.

Green would walk into this side at the moment.

 

[evolved2]

Green would walk into this side at the moment.

Possibly as an allrounder for Marsh who isn't bowling.

Would you pick him on either skill alone?

 

[Tugga27]

Possibly as an allrounder for Marsh who isn't bowling.

Would you pick him on either skill alone?

I'd pick him as a bat in front of most of them apart from Head and Smith.

 

[Tugga27]

Reckon he was harshly treated but that is just stuffing around more and sending mixed messages. Patterson in for Head. Webster for Marsh

So you have Inglis as the reserve batter for most of the series and then you catapult Patterson in front of him?

Talk about mixed messages.

 

[jannissary]

Possibly as an allrounder for Marsh who isn't bowling.

Would you pick him on either skill alone?

anecdotally i’d pick green over marsh as a bowler & a batsman. he’s had a number of handy supporting innings iirc

 

[TheMcManusNose]

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 may not be the second coming of Kallis anymore but as a bat alone he walks into the top 6. On the strength of both his shield record and his test record.

He actually probably should just give up bowling and focus on batting IMO given how the injuries have gone.

 

[Run n Spread]

So you have Inglis as the reserve batter for most of the series and then you catapult Patterson in front of him?

Talk about mixed messages.

I'd already have Inglis in in place of Labaschagne

 

[The 747]

He may not be the second coming of Kallis anymore but as a bat alone he walks into the top 6. On the strength of both his shield record and his test record.

He actually probably should just give up bowling and focus on batting IMO given how the injuries have gone.

Green at 4 looked like a decent plan. Which would mean when he comes back Smith goes to 6. Fine, but we need an all rounder so I think Green needs to be bowling for the next couple of years.

 

[checkraiseulite]

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.

an all rounder that is so injury prone he barely bowls has to justify his position with the bat

 

[Cleavy]

Konstas debut confirmed, Head under injury cloud for Boxing Day | cricket.com.au

Blues teen confirmed to make his Test debut while Travis Head will need to pass a fitness test

www.cricket.com.au

"We've got great depth in our bowling, and (allrounder) Mitch Marsh is fully fit and able to bowl."

yeah, I'm not falling for that one again...

 

[hugecannon]

When will Green be available to return? For the Windies series?

Problem will be what we do with he and Smith. One will have to bat [emoji6] or not play…

I’d go:-

3-(?) Labuschange- but surely must be running a of chances soon.
4- Green
5-Smith
6- Head

But wouldn’t be fussed if they had Smith & Head swapped around

 

[Voice of the G]

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.

Biggest problem at the moment with Sutherland is he always seems to have injury issues.

 

[troybe]

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

Sounds like the start of a Rodney Rude joke

 

[Pistol Night]

Sounds like the start of a Rodney Rude joke

He’ll have a quick rub down and if that doesn’t spring him to life we’ll have to bring out the “magic spray”. If that gets him through 5 days he might have to pull out before Sydney starts

 

[KBLT]

It's kind of crazy that Khawaja will be opening the batting with a guy who is barely a few months over being half his age.

 

[The 747]

It's kind of crazy that Khawaja will be opening the batting with a guy who is barely a few months over being half his age.

 

[Pistol Night]

View attachment 2193130

We get that every week with Pendlebury

 

[largebus]

We are cooked if Head doesn't play. Kind of dumb that McSweeney isn't in the squad so he can't come in if Head doesn't get up