Test (Early) Sri Lanka tour squad predictions

[ioppolo]

Is it worth playing Swepson over Murphy for a point of difference? Leggie, left arm orthodox and offie compared to two offies and a left armer?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

heck me. Rest him , ? The games between Sri Lanka and the Ashes against the Poms are over half a year apart , these are professional athletes , not our Nonna’s waiting to plant the tomato seeds for the next harvest season.

I'm still struggling to see exactly what of my team you disagreed with.

All I did was replaced two seamers with two spinners.
Quite conservative.

 

[DaTBird187]

are we all retiring khawaja

I’d sure like to.

 

[Westend]

Don't hate them at all, just like needling the posters who would rather support WA than Australia.

No I support players who are good enough to play for Australia That includes WA players who you like to shit all over time and time again on these threads for fun

 

[Jeremias]

yeah the point i was making i guess is , that we don't hand out soft test caps - if it's horses for courses approach and if selectors deem he ain't in the best XI, then that's fine. but he is probably in our best 2 quicks, given that cummins may not tour and hazlewood ain't quite right still.

I haven't suggested handing out 'soft test caps'.

We have a fantastic setup at state level to tell us who is the most suitable and deserving replacement.

heck me. Rest him , ? The games between Sri Lanka and the Ashes against the Poms are over half a year apart , these are professional athletes , not our Nonna’s waiting to plant the tomato seeds for the next harvest season.

Yes, he's a 34 year old professional athlete who limped to the end of this series vs India. That's precisely why it makes sense to rest him now.

You talk about the series againt Sri Lanka and then the Ashes next summer but for some reason pretend that there's no cricket to be played in between. Why?

This isn't cricket as we knew it in decades gone - the calendar is now packed with cricket all year round.

We've just finished a gruelling 5 test series. We have the series against Sri Lanka this month, then the ICC Champions Trophy about a week after that, and then the IPL less than 1 week after that concludes.

There's a huge amount of cricket coming up, and I know which matches I want Starc fit and firing for and it's not the inconsequential 2 test series in Sri Lanka.

 

[Voice of the G]

So the second spinner for literally every tour of the past 3/4 in Murphy drops behind a bloke who is the second spinner in his state in Agar? Maxwell isn't even getting picked for Victoria and you have him ahead of Handscomb, who had more 50+ scores than any other player in FC cricket last year, and is also one of our better players of spin.

Honestly don't see the need to take 3/4 quicks over for two tests at Galle. Taking two is plenty, we actually have good spin depth in the country now with Kuhnemann, Murphy, Rocchiccioli (who I don't think tours), Swepson and Tanveer Sangha being good FC spinners at a minimum

... He also had the 3rd and 4th most runs of each tour respectively. Inglis injured himself and may not be fit to tour Sri Lanka, McSweeney got dropped from the side and really should play Shield cricket before he returns.

Connolly is a talent but he hasn't got a FC ton yet, let him play the season out with WA. You can play 2/3 spinners and just use Cummins/Starc and Webster with the new ball.

He's not a great player of spin, not in great form, and with Sri Lanka tending to play 2/3 spinners at the venue, is there a point in playing him?

So how can Maxwell play for Victoria when at the same time he is playing white ball cricket for Australia.

 

[Doctor Feel]

Bring in Ben Hilfenhouse, James Pattinson (Pattonam), Doug Bollinger, Jackson Bird and Michael Beer.

 

[Westend]

You mean his recent tours where he was 3rd and 4th on the runs list for us? Also the same Peter Handscomb who has the 5th most FC runs this year, the most 50+ scores in FC cricket this year? Yeah okay. He's in good form, we know he's one of the best players of spin in the country, so yeah, I'm happy to pick him, as are the selectors with the indication that he'll play due to being added to the squad as a sub fielder for this test. McSweeney got dropped and needs time in the Shield. Patterson needs to prove that his return isn't just a flash in the pan. Cartwright seemingly has his papers stamped.

Well yeah eth you say it here ..recent tours 3rd and 4th on the runs list..not actually killing it is he ??

Far out he is the 5th on most FC runs this year... lets look at his stats recently this year

In the shield so far this season 478 runs at 47 1 ton and 4 50s.....thats good but not stand out pick me...patterson is ave above 100

and then lets look further back 23/24 shield season 10 matches 593 runs ave 32 1 ton

further back great 22/23 was a good season for him in the shield 6 matches 634 runs ave 70 with a massive 281 not out thats good ..but thats three years ago

So thats a bloke who recently in the shield this season and last season is not averaging over 50 with the bat and has only scored 2 tons....but he can play spin well and thats the justification of being picked??... I am sure a lot of other shield batters if given the opportunity can play spin equal to if not better than Peter

If Hansdcomb had been killing it in the shield yes I would agree with the selection but in this case not....years ago yes but not now

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Far out he is the 5th on most FC runs this year... lets look at his stats recently this year

In the shield so far this season 478 runs at 47 1 ton and 4 50s.....thats good but not stand out pick me...patterson is ave above 100

His 2024 is more than enough of a sample size to suggest he's in good form. No FC player past 50 more often for the calendar year.

2024 in FC matches: 1, 8, 114, 0, 71, 0, 6, 26, 51, 68, 99, 109, 11, 81, 103, 92, 1, 5, 63, 46, 139*, 129, 3*, 64, 5, 1, 8, 56, 56*

Most 50+ scores in FC cricket in 2024. 1416 runs @ 52.5. 4 centuries, 10 50s.

 

[Voice of the G]

Well yeah eth you say it here ..recent tours 3rd and 4th on the runs list..not actually killing it is he ??

Far out he is the 5th on most FC runs this year... lets look at his stats recently this year

In the shield so far this season 478 runs at 47 1 ton and 4 50s.....thats good but not stand out pick me...patterson is ave above 100

and then lets look further back 23/24 shield season 10 matches 593 runs ave 32 1 ton

further back great 22/23 was a good season for him in the shield 6 matches 634 runs ave 70 with a massive 281 not out thats good ..but thats three years ago

So thats a bloke who recently in the shield this season and last season is not averaging over 50 with the bat and has only scored 2 tons....but he can play spin well and thats the justification of being picked??... I am sure a lot of other shield batters if given the opportunity can play spin equal to if not better than Peter

If Hansdcomb had been killing it in the shield yes I would agree with the selection but in this case not....years ago yes but not now

Patterson has only come good in the shield the last 3 games but before that struggled to get a game for NSW.Handscomb averaging 47.80 so far the season but has performed on spinning wickets before and is a wicket keeping option if Carey injured

 

[Tugga27]

Patterson has only come good in the shield the last 3 games but before that struggled to get a game for NSW.Handscomb averaging 47.80 so far the season but has performed on spinning wickets before and is a wicket keeping option if Carey injured

Wouldn't Inglis be the best option for back up keeper?

 

[Voice of the G]

Wouldn't Inglis be the best option for back up keeper?

Agree with that comment but I think the selectors might be thinking of the past with Handscomb batting with success over there.Perhaps they should be looking at the future but not sure how Inglis goes on a spinner,s wicket.

 

[Joose]

My turn:

Bats: Khawaja, Konstas, Head, Smith, Labuschagne, Webster
Gloves : Carey, Inglis
Spin: Lyon, Kuhnermann, Murphy
Quicks : Starc, Boland, Hazelwood, Richardson

 

[Yoda_]

Bring in Ben Hilfenhouse, James Pattinson (Pattonam), Doug Bollinger, Jackson Bird and Michael Beer.

Why is Jason Krejza on the bench

 

[Doctor Feel]

Why is Jason Krejza on the bench

Because Nathan Hauritz is preferred.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I haven't suggested handing out 'soft test caps'.

We have a fantastic setup at state level to tell us who is the most suitable and deserving replacement.



Yes, he's a 34 year old professional athlete who limped to the end of this series vs India. That's precisely why it makes sense to rest him now.

You talk about the series againt Sri Lanka and then the Ashes next summer but for some reason pretend that there's no cricket to be played in between. Why?

This isn't cricket as we knew it in decades gone - the calendar is now packed with cricket all year round.

We've just finished a gruelling 5 test series. We have the series against Sri Lanka this month, then the ICC Champions Trophy about a week after that, and then the IPL less than 1 week after that concludes.

There's a huge amount of cricket coming up, and I know which matches I want Starc fit and firing for and it's not the inconsequential 2 test series in Sri Lanka.

wgaf about the Champions Trophy? And if he needs a rest, sit out of the IPL and the international white ball guff.
The Sri Lanka series, WTC final, and West Indies series are the only meaningful series Australia plays before the next Ashes.

 

[Jeremias]

wgaf about the Champions Trophy?

Australia, along with every other participating nation.

And if he needs a rest, sit out of the IPL

Good luck with that. How much would he forego if he didn't play the IPL?

As for the Sri Lanka series being "meaningful", it really isn't. What exactly does it count towards?

 

[RightWingRoo]

Interesting timing for the tour.
In 1999, 2011, 2016 and 2022 we went over in our winter.
But the 2004 tour was played at a similar time to this.

Assume we're going over to Sri Lanka's dry season, so rain shouldn't be a factor.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

wgaf about the Champions Trophy?

We have a chance at immortality.

Win the Champions Trophy in March and we'd hold the Test Mace, No.1 Test Ranking, ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy all at once. Going all the way would possibly also restore Aus to No.1 in the ODI rankings.

 

[eth-dog]

We have a chance at immortality.

Win the Champions Trophy in March and we'd hold the Test Mace, No.1 Test Ranking, ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy all at once. Going all the way would possibly also restore Aus to No.1 in the ODI rankings.

We lost the T20 WC

 

[Art Vandelay_]

We lost the T20 WC

**** me they have too many of those tournaments. Feels like not long ago Marsh led the team to victory in UAE... And I see it's not even the tournament before that. FFS.

No wonder I hate the format.

 

[1990crow]

**** me they have too many of those tournaments. Feels like not long ago Marsh led the team to victory in UAE... And I see it's not even the tournament before that. FFS.

No wonder I hate the format.

I'd get rid of international T20 altogether.

 

[cats_09]

I'd get rid of international T20 altogether.

What about at international level it being capped are say U23/25 and used as a way to bring younger players through at international level?

 

[1990crow]

What about at international level it being capped are say U23/25 and used as a way to bring younger players through at international level?

Nah, I'd get rid of it completely. Clear out the calender for more test cricket and ODI.

 

[Cleavy]

Nah, I'd get rid of it completely. Clear out the calender for more test cricket and ODI.

getting rid of international T20 will just strengthen the resolve to make T20 comps longer (or more of them).