5th Test Border Gavaskar Trophy January 3-7 1000hrs @ the SCG

[MarcMaverick]

Then you need to go back to Bradman prior to that ... and he was from NSW.

So we need more Croweaters as skippers.

Plus its in his surname, Captain Head.

 

[Soggy2112]

dont like that usman got the pick

does not deserve it.

Why not?

Why would his struggles on fast, seaming wickets against one of the greatest fast bowlers ever, be a reflection on his likelihood of succeeding in Sri Lanka against mostly spin attacks?

Prior to that, he averaged 52 in 2023, and 67 in 2022. In his past four series in Asia he has been in our top 3 performing batters in all of them, and has not averaged below 40 in any of those.

It is laughable to suggest that there is an opener in Australia who is more likely to succeed on this tour than Uzzie is.

 

[Soggy2112]

Good line-up, although they missed a trick by not making Head as captain, would be a nice mini audition of sorts.

I actually think that if they’re looking at Trav as Pat’s replacement, then long term, having him captain this series would be detrimental to that.

Assuming Cummins’ has the job for probably 2-3 more years (I think beyond that we probably lose out on his performance as a bowler and he probably gets burnt out), then Trav might have the team for 3-4 years. He will want to put his own stamp on it and be able to run things his way I imagine.

Smith’s job will largely be to maintain the status quo and be in charge tactically on field, I don’t think that’s necessarily the best way for Head to be introduced to the job.

Remember, he’s captained SA for nearly a decade, so he’s not lacking captaincy experience.

 

[Saints4ever]

Head doesn’t want the Captaincy long term.
He sees how much work Cummins has to put in and he’s not at all interested.
Happy just to play and go home to his wife and 2 young kids.

 

[Bletch]

Why not?

Why would his struggles on fast, seaming wickets against one of the greatest fast bowlers ever, be a reflection on his likelihood of succeeding in Sri Lanka against mostly spin attacks?

Prior to that, he averaged 52 in 2023, and 67 in 2022. In his past four series in Asia he has been in our top 3 performing batters in all of them, and has not averaged below 40 in any of those.

It is laughable to suggest that there is an opener in Australia who is more likely to succeed on this tour than Uzzie is.

But... he's a 38-year-old who has averaged under 30 over the past year (28 since start of last summer). It's not just the recent series v India.

If he was 30 I'd agree with you and back him to recapture past form. But he's not.

We've only had two batsmen over the past 45 years that have played at age 38+. Border and S Waugh - two of our greatest. Both retired before reaching 39. And neither were opening batsmen. Time catches us all.

Might he perform well in Sri Lanka on slower pitches? Maybe. But then it means blooding someone new for the TC and Ashes.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Head doesn’t want the Captaincy long term.
He sees how much work Cummins has to put in and he’s not at all interested.
Happy just to play and go home to his wife and 2 young kids.

So a Dusty Martin then.

 

[Black Diamond]

Head plays with panache.

I don’t know if he could keep that up as captain in the modern era.

Could he even get away with his celebration after taking Pant’s wicket?

 

[Borisdog]

He had been playing for Queensland for 2 years when he was Australian captain.

I think you’ll find it was his brother.

I reckon you'll find Greg Chappel's birth certificate says he's South Australian.

 

[PhatBoy]

I reckon you'll find Greg Chappel's birth certificate says he's South Australian.

Thanks for that stunning revelation.

Point being you have to be playing for them for CA or the ACB or the Board of Control as it was pre-1972 for them to want to have a bias towards or against a particular state.

Border was a new south Welshman but he was a Queensland captain of Australia wasn’t he.

 

[Pistol Night]

Head plays with panache.

I don’t know if he could keep that up as captain in the modern era.

Could he even get away with his celebration after taking Pant’s wicket?

Kohli managed it balance the captaincy/flog workload without any issues

 

[Soggy2112]

But... he's a 38-year-old who has averaged under 30 over the past year (28 since start of last summer). It's not just the recent series v India.

If he was 30 I'd agree with you and back him to recapture past form. But he's not.

We've only had two batsmen over the past 45 years that have played at age 38+. Border and S Waugh - two of our greatest. Both retired before reaching 39. And neither were opening batsmen. Time catches us all.

Might he perform well in Sri Lanka on slower pitches? Maybe. But then it means blooding someone new for the TC and Ashes.

In my opinion, whoever it is that is going to replace Khawaja at the top of the order will gain absolutely nothing in terms of their preparation for the WTC final and the Ashes. It is a wildly different set of conditions and opponent. I really don’t see how, for arguments sake, McSweeney will be better prepared for South Africa at Lord’s and England in Australia, by facing spinners on a ragger in Sri Lanka.

I also think you are devaluing this series. It is a Test tour after all, and we seem to be playing less and less away Tests against teams outside the big 3. Winning there is a big deal and we should be selecting the team that gives us the best chance to do so and picking Khawaja does that. If you can come up with a name who you think will do better, I’m all ears.

I also think you’re writing off Khawaja too quickly. I understand the age argument, but we’re also talking about a guy who has played a lot less international cricket than most players that go to that age, a good comparison is Chris Rogers who retired at 38 and could’ve kept going if he wanted to. He’s had two bad series and one of them can be put down to Bumrah.

 

[Borisdog]

Thanks for that stunning revelation.

Point being you have to be playing for them for CA or the ACB or the Board of Control as it was pre-1972 for them to want to have a bias towards or against a particular state.

Border was a new south Welshman but he was a Queensland captain of Australia wasn’t he.

And thank you for your usual half smart attempt at one upmanship.

Greg Chappell was playing for Queensland.

But he is a South Australian, as MarcMaverick correctly stated.

 

[PhatBoy]

And thank you for your usual half smart attempt at one upmanship.

Greg Chappell was playing for Queensland.

But he is a South Australian, as MarcMaverick correctly stated.

That being the case then, Australia has had one Queensland captain since Bill Brown:

Watto

 

[Borisdog]

That being the case then, Australia has had one Queensland captain since Bill Brown:

Watto

Yep.

 

[Topkent]

Is Adam Zampa an absolute moron? Read that he's complaining about not getting picked for Sri Lanka and has said that young leg spinners should basically give up on trying to play in tests. He's played 3 first class games in 3 years. Maybe actually take it seriously instead of being a T20 whore for hire. What sort of entitled dick head is he?

Even warney used to go to England and play first class cricket to practice.

 

[PhatBoy]

Is Adam Zampa an absolute moron? Read that he's complaining about not getting picked for Sri Lanka and has said that young leg spinners should basically give up on trying to play in tests. He's played 3 first class games in 3 years. Maybe actually take it seriously instead of being a T20 whore for hire. What sort of entitled dick head is he?

Even warney used to go to England and play first class cricket to practice.

He’s an absolute knob.

If there was any good leg spinners around maybe they might actually be in some level of consideration but even the one good wrist spinner on the planet - Kuldeep Yadav - has been stuck behind two blokes with 900 test wickets between them

 

[Lunchtime]

He’s an absolute knob.

If there was any good leg spinners around maybe they might actually be in some level of consideration but even the one good wrist spinner on the planet - Kuldeep Yadav - has been stuck behind two blokes with 900 test wickets between them

With a First-Class average of 45 or 46...Adam Zampa should be nowhere near the Australian Test team. In a stronger era of Australian cricket, he wouldn't even be playing ODI cricket for Australia. He should be thankful he plays white ball cricket for Australia.

 

[Gough]

My theory about Test caps not counting for spinners in Asia looks better all the time if Zampa thinks he should be there.

 

[sr36]

I didn't see an issue with Zampas comments. Thought he was talking more generally about leg spin in tests rather than his situation. It is hard to see us turning to a leggie any time soon - the leggie would need to be extremely exceptional.

 

[Black Diamond]

We have only had maybe six genuinely good leg spinners ever.

Warne
MacGill
Benaud
O’Reilly
Grimmett
Mailey

Lucky to average one each generation.

It is the most difficult discipline to learn and master. It is not like other nations are churning them out.

 

[corbies]

I didn't see an issue with Zampas comments. Thought he was talking more generally about leg spin in tests rather than his situation. It is hard to see us turning to a leggie any time soon - the leggie would need to be extremely exceptional.

His comments were completely fair. People saying otherwise have clearly not watched or read what he actually said, they've just reacted off a Fox Sports headline.

 

[sabso]

Is Adam Zampa an absolute moron? Read that he's complaining about not getting picked for Sri Lanka and has said that young leg spinners should basically give up on trying to play in tests. He's played 3 first class games in 3 years. Maybe actually take it seriously instead of being a T20 whore for hire. What sort of entitled dick head is he?

Even warney used to go to England and play first class cricket to practice.

Worst current specialist bowler in first class cricket

 

[PhatBoy]

His comments were completely fair. People saying otherwise have clearly not watched or read what he actually said, they've just reacted off a Fox Sports headline.

He was doing ok up until this line:

“But I think if you were looking to play a lot of Test cricket as a leg spinner, I don’t see it happening.”

In theory he may be right - if you’re a young AVERAGE leg spinner, or of any age. If you’re young and you’re any good of course you’d be in the mix just like any good player of any skill.

 

[Bletch]

We have only had maybe six genuinely good leg spinners ever.

Warne
MacGill
Benaud
O’Reilly
Grimmett
Mailey

Lucky to average one each generation.

It is the most difficult discipline to learn and master. It is not like other nations are churning them out.

Complete (I think) list of test leggies who have taken 25+ wickets and averaged 35 or under:



Just 31 players - 9 AUS, 6 ENG, 5 PAK, 4 IND, 2 SA, 2 WI, 1 AFG, 1 ZIM, 1 SL, 0 NZ.

Note, doesn't include left arm wrist spinners.

 

[Lunchtime]

Complete (I think) list of test leggies who have taken 25+ wickets and averaged 35 or under:

View attachment 2202615

Just 31 players - 9 AUS, 6 ENG, 5 PAK, 4 IND, 2 SA, 2 WI, 1 AFG, 1 ZIM, 1 SL, 0 NZ.

Note, doesn't include left arm wrist spinners.

Paul Adams: 134 wkts @ 32.87
Michael Bevan: 25 wkts @ 24.24
Simon Katich: 21 wkts @ 30.23

All 3 were left-arm wrist spinners.

Even though Katich didn't quite get to the 25 wkts mark. As we know, Bevan and Katich were part-time bowlers, but good ones though.