Australia v India - post 2nd Test discussion, we're all doomed? Maybe not.

[RookiePick]

Where's all the aus 5-0 posters gone?

Busy studying the Pommie playbook - "How to claim the Moral Victory"

I thought we were vulnerable and the series would most likely be a 3-1 or 2-1 win. I did however think it likely Aus would win in Perth. Particularly at tea on Day 1.

I think Aust should still win but they gave up a big advantage in Perth for sure. Heading to the GABBA 2-0 would have been huge and likely the expectation given Aus were undefeated in Perth and also in the D/N test.

 

[Bucking Beads]

What we have performing in the SS:

Bancroft 916@39.82 (last 1&1/2 seasons) , 2363@44.58 (last 3&1/2 seasons)
Handscomb 969@37.27 , 2300@46.84
Whiteman 918@39.91 , 2160@40.75
Webster 1241@56.41 , 2198@51.12
McSweeney 1053@47.86 , 1716@41.85
Inglis 563@70.38 , 803@50.19
Davies 972@51.16 , 1056@45.92
Cartwright 995@39.91 , 2225@39.83
McDermott 731@48.73 , 13122@36.44
Goodwin 778@38.9

Purely on talent you'd have to start looking at Davies.

 

[western royboy]

Purely on talent you'd have to start looking at Davies.

Technically he’s nowhere near it - he bats at 6 for NSW and you could not send him in any higher

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Purely on talent you'd have to start looking at Davies.

Davies would be a complete failure.

 

[Whowants2know]

With those averages. The only 2 batsmen with a average over 50 is Webster and Inglis.
A wicket-keeper and all rounder.
Does say much about the depth of our batting.

 

[Gough]

Good piece by Paul Kennedy.

'We take cricket with us': Why the face of Australian cricket must change

India has dominated Australia in Test cricket for the past decade but as New Zealand recently showed the key to beating the Men in Blue may lie in players who hail from South Asia.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Bucking Beads]

Technically he’s nowhere near it - he bats at 6 for NSW and you could not send him in any higher

Completely agree but the talent is there. Technically particularly in defence is horrendous.

 

[Coops93]

It worked for how many years before we got fixated on Flintoff who by the way way in their best bats. Can we stop picking average bats at 6 when we don’t have Gilchrist like keepers to cover the shortage of runs. Green would be in the top 6 as a bat he’s the AR. Not available now so pick Inglis or whoever they deem as the next best bat and yes that would include (and hand me the puke bucket) Harris.

Again, I'm not convinced that this top 6 being only batters until recently is actually a thing. All-rounders in the top 6 are littered through Aus history.

Like I said, Waugh was an all-rounder until he became captain and stopped bowling himself. Going back decades, Richie Benaud was an all-rounder who scored a century batting at 4, Keith Miller on the tail end of Bradman/post Bradman era. Doug Walters.

Of the modern all-rounders, they have all been good enough to warrant selection. Symonds was good enough all-round to play, Watson was solid - if maligned (unfairly, I think his late career DRS blunders mar him a bit) and Cam Green now is likely our best bat, unfortunately injured. Mitch Marsh has been our 2nd best bat recently behind Green - though I doubt he holds that title for as I've mentioned a few pages back.

This idea that we need to go "back" top 6 only being batters isn't really a thing. All rounders have been a consistend part of the team so suggesting it's because of Flintoff is a bit of a myth tbh. There's a gap in the 80s of all-rounders but that just so happens to coincide with a very weak period under AB.

 

[swingdog]

Is this where we talk about the PM X1 v India match.
PM XI squad: Jack Edwards (c), Charlie Anderson, Mahli Beardman, Scott Boland, Jack Clayton, Aidan O'Connor, Ollie Davies, Jayden Goodwin, Sam Harper, Hanno Jacobs, Sam Konstas, Lloyd Pope, Matthew Renshaw, Jem Ryan

Sad to say this batting line up is going to be eaten and spat out by Bumrah and co. I see only Konstas and perhaps Goodwin as Test standard. Renners will need a minimum 50 to be given further consideration. I do like the young talented pace attack of Anderson, O'Connor, Beardman. I expect not all three will get a game tho , with Barrel to lead the attack..

Bumrah won't play so they'll have that going for them.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Is this where we talk about the PM X1 v India match.
PM XI squad: Jack Edwards (c), Charlie Anderson, Mahli Beardman, Scott Boland, Jack Clayton, Aidan O'Connor, Ollie Davies, Jayden Goodwin, Sam Harper, Hanno Jacobs, Sam Konstas, Lloyd Pope, Matthew Renshaw, Jem Ryan

Sad to say this batting line up is going to be eaten and spat out by Bumrah and co. I see only Konstas and perhaps Goodwin as Test standard. Renners will need a minimum 50 to be given further consideration. I do like the young talented pace attack of Anderson, O'Connor, Beardman. I expect not all three will get a game tho , with Barrel to lead the attack..

Supposedly going to absolutely piss down rain Saturday and into Sunday....not sure anyone will get much chance to show their worth.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Again, I'm not convinced that this top 6 being only batters until recently is actually a thing. All-rounders in the top 6 are littered through Aus history.

Like I said, Waugh was an all-rounder until he became captain and stopped bowling himself. Going back decades, Richie Benaud was an all-rounder who scored a century batting at 4, Keith Miller on the tail end of Bradman/post Bradman era. Doug Walters.

Of the modern all-rounders, they have all been good enough to warrant selection. Symonds was good enough all-round to play, Watson was solid - if maligned (unfairly, I think his late career DRS blunders mar him a bit) and Cam Green now is likely our best bat, unfortunately injured. Mitch Marsh has been our 2nd best bat recently behind Green - though I doubt he holds that title for as I've mentioned a few pages back.

This idea that we need to go "back" top 6 only being batters isn't really a thing. All rounders have been a consistend part of the team so suggesting it's because of Flintoff is a bit of a myth tbh. There's a gap in the 80s of all-rounders but that just so happens to coincide with a very weak period under AB.

Forcing an all-rounder in when they aren't a top six bat or top four bowler is fair new. Having a genuine all-rounder is rare (Miller might be the only one in Australian history), but weakening the batting to fit in a fifth, often not greatly used, bowler rather making do with the almost inevitable part-timers is not something that was done much in the past.
If you're going to win, the fifth bowler probably isn't going to do much work. But the number six bat might need to.

You mention Benaud getting a century at 4. True, although he only batted in that position three times; and under a third of the time in the top six. But he was a bowling all-rounder (only averaged about 24, so maybe only a bowler who could bat a bit), who could sometimes score bigger and definitely belonged in the side even if his secondary skill had been utter crap.
Walters was a bit better than a part-timer, perhaps batting all-rounder, who (apart from perhaps in England) did belong in the top six.
Those types are handy to have, if you have them - as are the Imran, Wasim, Kapil Dev types who are clearly best bowlers and can bat with the talent (though not the output) of a top six.
Forcing one in, as happened with Watson for all but about 18 months of his career, costs too much in the batting without the regular payoff in the bowling.

 

[Cleavy]

I guess we shouldn’t expect much play in the 2 day PM XI game. Weather forecast looks pretty bad.

 

[Cleavy]

Hazlewood ruled out of Adelaide Test, uncapped duo called up | cricket.com.au

Josh Hazlewood will miss the day-night Test with a side injury as Australia selectors bolster squad…

www.cricket.com.au

Hazlewood out of Adelaide. Abbott and Doggett into squad

 

[Bucking Beads]

Gee that’s some slim pickings with our bowling depth.

 

[Aussie_boy]

No disrespect to Abbott or Doggett but surely we could do better. Neser and Richardson not being injured would be very nice. Joel Paris for me is streets ahead of either. Could come up with a few other names too. Don't even think Doggett was selected in a game for South Australia earlier this season.

 

[Bucking Beads]

What the hell happened to Lance Morris? Next big thing and now he can’t take wickets

 

[Torz]

Selections continue to be horrendous. Bowlers that should be far ahead of Abbott and Doggett in the pecking order:

Jhye Richardson
Lance Morris
Joel Paris
Fergus O’Neill
Spencer Johnson
Xavier Bartlett
Michael Neser (when fit)

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I guess we shouldn’t expect much play in the 2 day PM XI game. Weather forecast looks pretty bad.

Pretty steady rain right now, at least northside but its heavy enough I can't see Manuka faring much better.
It is supposed to ease off later, but I wouldn't expect much play today. And given its a two day game, fairly worthless to begin with, at best half a day under lights tomorrow is utterly pointless.
Unfortunate as the forecast rain all week produced a few hours of minor showers just a couple of times over, until early morning today.

 

[Cleavy]

Selections continue to be horrendous. Bowlers that should be far ahead of Abbott and Doggett in the pecking order:

Jhye Richardson - returning from injury/on bowling restrictions
Lance Morris - see above
Joel Paris - should be considered
Fergus O’Neill - should be considered, but didn’t take any wickets in last Shield game
Spencer Johnson - needs to play more Shield cricket
Xavier Bartlett - returning from injury
Michael Neser (when fit) - should be next, if not for injury

My comments on each.

 

[eddiesmith]

Selections continue to be horrendous. Bowlers that should be far ahead of Abbott and Doggett in the pecking order:

Jhye Richardson
Lance Morris
Joel Paris
Fergus O’Neill
Spencer Johnson
Xavier Bartlett
Michael Neser (when fit)

But as it’s just for the drinks carrying position, it’s probably better for some of them to be playing Shield games next week.

 

[PhatBoy]

Selections continue to be horrendous. Bowlers that should be far ahead of Abbott and Doggett in the pecking order:

Jhye Richardson
Lance Morris
Joel Paris
Fergus O’Neill
Spencer Johnson
Xavier Bartlett
Michael Neser (when fit)

Morris literally played his first domestic game of 2024 in the four days before you posted this, and took 2-75 for the match.
Johnson has played 6 matches in his entire career and only one was this season - he took 5-168 for the match and again, it just finished.
Those two would need to be incredibly lucky to just be parachuted straight in.
O’Neill has a fantastic record but he picked a very bad time to go wicketless across two innings and his season to date hasn’t set the world on fire.

Paris is very unlucky not to have been under closer consideration for higher honours before.

Abbott has taken 13 wickets at under 20 in his last two matches including a 5 wicket haul and a 4 wicket haul.

 

[Torz]

Bowling averages for context:

Joel Paris - 19.47

Jhye Richardson - 20.95

Fergus O’Neill - 21.16

Lance Morris - 25.76

Xavier Bartlett - 26.48

Spencer Johnson - 27.46

Selected

Sean Abbott - 30.31 (+32 yo)

Brendan Doggett - 28.63

 

[Bucking Beads]

Doggett is 30 as well but bowls at a good pace. Not much thought to his bowling though.

 

[Bedi]

Eventful week for Abbott if he gets the nod

 

[LukeParkerno1]

No disrespect to Abbott or Doggett but surely we could do better. Neser and Richardson not being injured would be very nice. Joel Paris for me is streets ahead of either. Could come up with a few other names too. Don't even think Doggett was selected in a game for South Australia earlier this season.

Jordan Buckingham

Honestly why not?