Australia v India - pre series discussion

[sabso]

If Marnus opens the first wicket will fall for NO RUNNNNNNNNNN

 

[Mikevk123]

Squad
1. Marnus
2. Khawaja
3. McSweeney
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Marsh
7. Carey
8. Starc
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood
Bench
12. Webster
13. Doggett
14. Murphy
15. Inglis
16. Buckingham

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Squad
1. Marnus
2. Khawaja
3. McSweeney
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Marsh
7. Carey
8. Starc
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood
Bench
12. Webster
13. Doggett
14. Murphy
15. Inglis
16. Buckingham

Buckingham won’t be there, too soon. It will be Boland/Neser. Doubt Webster is there at all.

 

[Great8]

Buckingham won’t be there, too soon. It will be Boland/Neser. Doubt Webster is there at all.

Only way I see Webster playing is if Trav opens and they slide Webster into the middle order.
I’d take any option that doesn’t have Harris in the team though

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Only way I see Webster playing is if Trav opens and they slide Webster into the middle order.
I’d take any option that doesn’t have Harris in the team though

McSweeney opening for me right now. It’s him or Konstas feel they may like Konstas to have another year before Khawaja goes

 

[Great8]

McSweeney opening for me right now. It’s him or Konstas feel they may like Konstas to have another year before Khawaja goes

Makes perfect sense.

 

[Gough]

If McSweeney is picked I'm trying to think back to the last time three SA players were in the Test team, off the top of my head I think it might have been on the 1973 West Indies tour.

 

[eth-dog]

If McSweeney is picked I'm trying to think back to the last time three SA players were in the Test team, off the top of my head I think it might have been on the 1973 West Indies tour.

Surely Gillespie, Blewett and Lehmann played together in the test side?

 

[Gough]

Surely Gillespie, Blewett and Lehmann played together in the test side?

I think Blewett was off the scene by the time Lehmann debuted, I thought maybe Hookes, Phillips and Sleep for a game in the mid 80s but couldn't find one, Third Test in Eden Park in 1974 with the Chappells and Mallet might be my guess given Greg moved to Queensland the next season.

 

[eth-dog]

I think Blewett was off the scene by the time Lehmann debuted, I thought maybe Hookes, Phillips and Sleep for a game in the mid 80s but couldn't find one, Third Test in Eden Park in 1974 with the Chappells and Mallet might be my guess given Greg moved to Queensland the next season.

They overlapped but seemingly never together

 

[Great8]

I think Blewett was off the scene by the time Lehmann debuted, I thought maybe Hookes, Phillips and Sleep for a game in the mid 80s but couldn't find one, Third Test in Eden Park in 1974 with the Chappells and Mallet might be my guess given Greg moved to Queensland the next season.

Yeah, the two Chappells and TJ/Mallett in the 70’s would be my guess although we did have 4 against the Windies in 73

 

[Kuuz]

Disappointing McS couldn't go on too much beyond today, out for 39.

Still - has shown better temperment than others, but you'd argue the opening position is still all there to play for. All the opening candidates still have an opportunity to seize the position.

EDIT: Unless Todd Murphy keeps slogging India, make him open

 

[Gough]

Yeah, the two Chappells and TJ/Mallett in the 70’s would be my guess although we did have 4 against the Windies in 73

I found four in Adelaide against NZ 1973/74 with the Chappells, Mallett and Ashley Woodcock debuting.

 

[Westend]

Squad
1. Marnus
2. Khawaja
3. McSweeney
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Marsh
7. Carey
8. Starc
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood
Bench
12. Webster
13. Doggett
14. Murphy
15. Inglis
16. Buckingham

Little bit confused is that your batting order ???...marnus opening with McSweeney three ? if so and marnus is opening I would rather Inglis play in the middle order and smudge to bat three

for me if McSweeney gets picked opener only...I would be pissed if I was Inglis and Mcsweeney gets picked to bat three with marnus opening

 

[big_e]

I’m not a huge fan of changing around the order from things that have worked. Moving Marnus to open feels a little more like a short term solution stop gap rather than addressing the need for a specialist opener and he’s our best number 3 since Ponting.

You could say Head would be a worthwhile gamble to throw in and open as he hasn’t necessarily been setting the world on fire in test cricket anyway. However when it clicks, he’s one of the most damaging batters in the world and that role is perfect for him at number 5.

I’m really coming around to the idea of McSweeney opening. I hope we take the punt on him similar to that of Labs when he was brought into the team. Like a lot have mentioned, he’s in good form, at a good age (not too young but very much a long term prospect).

Some of our better openers of recent-ish years were originally stopgaps.

Langer replaced Michael Slater for the last test of the 2001 Ashes, scored a ton and never looked back. Shane Watson opening was a real WTF moment that paid off. Even Usman Khawaja got back into the side in the middle-order before moving up to open again.

I don't mind that they gave it a shot with Smith opening, but I'm glad they conceded quickly that it didn't work. I've suggested Head to open before, but it wouldn't bother me if it was Labuschagne, either. Those guys have a much better chance of succeeding than the traditional openers (Bancroft, Harris, Konstas etc), and it also gives McSweeney or Webster a fairer shot starting their test careers in the middle order.