Test (Early) Sri Lanka tour squad predictions

[Freezin]

Good squad. It’s great seeing younger players like Konstas, McSweeney, Connolly and Murphy included.

Totally agree......thank fudge no recycling of Handscomb or giving Marsh another crack

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Agree similar thoughts I’d have Kuhermann on structure over Murphy but they probably all play. Don’t love it though that’s 8 out all out none of those three are lasting long with the bat

Murphy is the clear 2nd best spinner in the country and heir apparent to the soon-to-be retired Nathan Lyon. He'll play both tests.

 

[largebus]

Stiff for Rocchiccioli but like Boland he gets left out because he isn't a left armer like Kuhnemann.

 

[Rabish Binney]

Abbott?

After all these years, Mark Waugh’s love child gets a gig

 

[Foucault1989]

I don’t reckon Abbott gets a run.

I don't know why Abbott was selected. He is a straight up bowling machine and not in a good way. Bowls bouncers and not much else. So overrated.

 

[Foucault1989]

If the theory is correct that Konstas deliberately played more aggressive to counter Bumrah, it could be worth him opening with Head and telling him to bat more conservatively. Ussie out or in later in the innings when the spinners are on

I actually don't mind batting Ussie at 5 in Sri Lanka. Avoid those dreaded middle order collapses in the subcontinent with a solid player of spin at 5.

 

[Westend]

You can’t possible think it did

Yeah correct but the media didn’t think so

 

[Bletch]

Squad of 16 broken into roles.

Top order (1-3):
Khawaja
Konstas
Labuschagne

Middle order (4-6):
Smith
Head
Webster
McSweeney
Connolly

Keeper:
Carey
Inglis

Quicks:
Starc
Boland
Abbott

Spin:
Lyon
Murphy
Kuhnemann

Now... what's our current biggest weakness? Pretty clearly it's our top order. So whadda we do? Just select 3 top order players to go on tour. Nonsensical. We've taken a spare in every other category, including two extra middle-order bats. This was the perfect opportunity to try something new. I don't mind that Usman is in the touring squad (though I'd have left him out), but we had to pick another opener for the tour.

 

[danielnajdek]

I don't like that squad. It has 2-0 defeat written all over it.

 

[eth-dog]

Only thing I don't like is Abbott over Swepson or Tanveer and an extra bat. No need for 3 Quicks in the squad

 

[freo_leo29]

Abbott has been selected for the ODI leg of the tour surely

We play one ODI after the tests

I guess we just make a hybrid team from the test squad

Should be easy enough, might see konstas get an ODI debut

 

[Cmarsh]

Squad of 16 broken into roles.

Top order (1-3):
Khawaja
Konstas
Labuschagne

Middle order (4-6):
Smith
Head
Webster
McSweeney
Connolly

Keeper:
Carey
Inglis

Quicks:
Starc
Boland
Abbott

Spin:
Lyon
Murphy
Kuhnemann

Now... what's our current biggest weakness? Pretty clearly it's our top order. So whadda we do? Just select 3 top order players to go on tour. Nonsensical. We've taken a spare in every other category, including two extra middle-order bats. This was the perfect opportunity to try something new. I don't mind that Usman is in the touring squad (though I'd have left him out), but we had to pick another opener for the tour.

Head or Connolly can play opener.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Only thing I don't like is Abbott over Swepson or Tanveer and an extra bat. No need for 3 Quicks in the squad

Swepson was terrible last time round! Has he actually changed anything has zero control. Fairly sure Tanveer is injured still

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Stiff for Rocchiccioli but like Boland he gets left out because he isn't a left armer like Kuhnemann.

You need a left armer in those conditions

 

[Bletch]

Head or Connolly can play opener.

Maybe, but not a long-term position for either you'd think. And Head is our best-performed batsman of the last couple of years, so you'd be robbing Peter to pay Paul by shifting him.

Saw this tour as the perfect opportunity to bring in someone new for the future.

 

[Tugga27]

Abbott has been selected for the ODI leg of the tour surely

We play one ODI after the tests

I guess we just make a hybrid team from the test squad

Should be easy enough, might see konstas get an ODI debut

It's the test squad.

The white ball squad still to be announced.

 

[eth-dog]

It's the test squad.

The white ball squad still to be announced.

You'd think that most would be on the plane there already.

Head
Short
Smith
Inglis (+)
Labuschagne
Marsh
Maxwell
Starc
Cummins
Zampa
Hazlewood

Connolly
Carey
Agar
Abbott/Murphy/Kuhnemann

I'd be open to playing two spinners in the Champions Trophy so don't mind if Abbott, Murphy or Kuhnemann are the last players selected.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Maybe, but not a long-term position for either you'd think. And Head is our best-performed batsman of the last couple of years, so you'd be robbing Peter to pay Paul by shifting him.

Saw this tour as the perfect opportunity to bring in someone new for the future.

Head opened in India and was outstanding. There isn’t a second opener that’s ready, Hunt has had a good half a season, who else is there that’s ready now. Waste of time they aren’t ready. There’s a number of openers, even Smith has opened and Lab could easily open.

 

[Wetdog]

I just can't see a world where the selectors pick anything else but this lineup.

1. Konstas
2. Khawaja
3. Labuschagne
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Webster
7. Carey
8. Connelly / Murphy / Kuhnemann
9. Starc
10. Lyon
11. Boland

If Uzzie wasn't going to play he'd have retired already, I can't see them making the tough call on Lab just yet, Starc is a favourite and Boland is in great form and will play without Cummins or Hazelwood around.

That leaves a single position for another spinner/spinning all rounder. No idea who they go with, but I'd say Murphy or Kuhnemann more likely as Connelly is a bit too raw.

Agree with all of this.

 

[Bletch]

Head opened in India and was outstanding. There isn’t a second opener that’s ready, Hunt has had a good half a season, who else is there that’s ready now. Waste of time they aren’t ready. There’s a number of openers, even Smith has opened and Lab could easily open.

Well, Konstas isn't ready. But he's there. So Head opens (assumedly with Konstas). What then? Do we leave Head as opener for the TC and the Ashes? If not, then who? Are we going to persist with Ussie for another year? Take a 39-year-old opening bat into an Ashes series? After he was toweled up by the Indian attack this year?

Hunt's probably the best option, and sure it'd be great if he'd had more than half a season before the squad was selected, but half a season is all we've got. If not him, then Patterson or Ward, who have both had excellent half-seasons, albeit batting at 3. Or go back to Harris, who though has been tried before, has still gotta be better proposition over the next 1-2 years than Khawaja.

 

[Cleavy]

Must be Adam White from SEN behind the keyboard.

Adam went as far to say the other day that Maxwell would be in the team for Sri Lanka if we needed to win for the World Championships but as as our place is secured he would be left out.

I don't think he would have been selected, regardless of WTC standings

 

[Cleavy]

I just read somewhere that Foxtel/Kayo aren't gonna be showing this test series?? Surely that's not true

usual lazy Foxtel negotiating tactics. wait for the last minute and swoop. (except Amazon gazumped them for the World Cup rights etc)

 

[freo_leo29]

It's the test squad.

The white ball squad still to be announced.

I doubt they name a white ball squad

It's 1 game

Can fill a team with the test players

 

[cricketnut14]

I doubt they name a white ball squad

It's 1 game

Can fill a team with the test players

they will name an ODI squad of 15 sooner rather than later.

that one off ODI was added last minute and is basically our warm up game for the champions trophy which basically is straight after this series.

the champions trophy starts on 19th Feb and we play England, South Africa, Afghanistan with the semi and final to follow.

 

[adogsfan5]

I remember watching Connolly in his first big bash season where he helped the Scorchers over the line in that final and couldn’t help but judge his batting. Doesn’t have much foot work and is a genuine slogger.. didn’t win me over at all..

Can anyone give me much insight into his game this year? Has he improved?
What’s his bowling like?