Test (Early) Sri Lanka tour squad predictions

[LukeParkerno1]

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.

Khawaja will open this series so yes he’ll be opening till past the WTC. Konstas opens with him. Head may open in sub continent for obvious reasons though.

No we aren’t going back to Harris and Patterson is mediocre at best against spin. The only option is Hunt and we are not going with two rookie openers just before a WTC it’s not happening.

 

[big_e]

I doubt they name a white ball squad

It's 1 game

Can fill a team with the test players

It'll be the Champions Trophy squad. There's less than a week between the DI vs Sri Lanka and the start of the Champions Trophy. Abbott is there for the tests.

 

[Tugga27]

I doubt they name a white ball squad

It's 1 game

Can fill a team with the test players

It's also the squad for the Champions trophy.

Should be announced this week.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

It'll be the Champions Trophy squad. There's less than a week between the DI vs Sri Lanka and the start of the Champions Trophy. Abbott is there for the tests.

Yep they will fly in the CC squad it’s the best practice match they will get. Probably be announced after the first test

 

[JackFlash]

The squad makes sense, good to see Connolly get a gig. We have 6 Tests before the Ashes later this year to put together a good new team. With Green coming back they are on the right track, Konstas also gets a chance to cement his place and curb his enthusiasm!

 

[ioppolo]

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?

Watch some of his innings from this season. His 66 against the Renegades at Marvel was impressive on a shitty pitch.

Made 79 or something on Shield debut in a final too. Kid can play.

 

[The 747]

Happy to see some youngsters in the squad and hope some of them get exposure to Tests in Sri Lanka.

There's always one that grinds one's gears and here that is Sean Abbott.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Happy to see some youngsters in the squad and hope some of them get exposure to Tests in Sri Lanka.

There's always one that grinds one's gears and here that is Sean Abbott.

It makes sense though- let Jhye, Spencer and Xavier Bartlett not miss Shield cricket to carry drinks at most

 

[It Just Is]

What the hell did Handscomb do to get drafted into the extended squad, then get the the chop behind Abbott?

Made starts in 4 of the 6 innings in India (which is better than most the other Aussie batsmen) and had a 72n.o. too..

Unless they plan to play McSweeney (at the expense of either Marnus or Khwaja - both of which I'd be happy with), then why take him?

So confused by this squad - is it "horses for courses" on a spinning dust bowl (seems acceptable for the bowling unit, so why not the batting), or is it a future "blooding" experience for youngsters now the WTC is gauranteed, or is it just jobs for mates from a particular State and allowing out of form old boys "find some form" (good luck on these wickets!!)

I think it says that if we’d lost in Sydney, and needed to win 1 of the tests in Sri Lanka to make the WTC final, Handscomb would have been in squad.

Now it’s a dead rubber the selectors are looking to the future for what is likely to be a spare batter getting tour experience.

Makes complete sense to me.

 

[yabsy]

he did bat at 5 in perth a few weeks ago

Excluding being relegated due to a night-watchman

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[Voice of the G]

Voice I agree with your points and he has been burnt in the past with white ball causing him to miss red ball cricket

But he has had over 15 years of playing cricket you can’t argue that he hasn’t been given the opportunity to play shield games in that time

Even this season he could of played a shield game for Victoria boy was playing 2nd eleven/ grade instead

Name the opportunity Maxwell had the chance to play for Victoria in the shield this season.

 

[yabsy]

Great opportunity for Connolly to spend some time on tour with the Test squad. Will only miss the end of the Big Bash (Scorchers looking unlikely to make finals so no dramas there) and one Shield match so there's far more benefit for him being on tour.

Unlikely that Webster turns into Funky Miller in Sri Lanka - has hardly bowled his offies over the last couple of seasons and averages nearly 50 as a spinner. If we're getting to that point we're in trouble

Connolly could also be selected in the Champions Trophy squad that follows straight after in Pakistan, so may miss the rest of the Shield season

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[LukeParkerno1]

Name the opportunity Maxwell had the chance to play for Victoria in the shield this season.

After the T20’s or before but he was injured and that’s unfortunately what occurred. He has become injury prone which isn’t uncommon at his age.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Stunned to be living in a timeline where we're one injury away from Sean Abbott playing test cricket for Australia. There's absolutely no way in the world that he's a test player.

Did Richardson pop his shoulder out again trying to answer their call? Why wasn't it Johnson or Bartlett? I don't understand it at all. Clearly there's no plan for him to play, Webster is the 3rd pace option, but Starc has just spent 8 days of cricket grabbing at his back, and the combined age of Starc and Boland is proper elderly. They aren't picking a 16-man squad, then flying someone in to play ahead of Abbott if there's an injury.

I'd be happier with McSweeney's recall if I thought he was there as a middle order player. But he's not.

And it takes a lot for me to be critical of the selection of a Tasmanian player, but Kuhnemann has objectively done zero to be picked since he last played for Australia.

 

[freo_leo29]

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.

won't they just play the Marsh cup?

 

[freo_leo29]

It's also the squad for the Champions trophy.

Should be announced this week.

Would've thought they'd go straight to Pakistan though


Can build a team from our test side, players at home get Marsh cup games, Test players get the ODI

Head
Carey
Smith
Labu
Inglis (wk)
Coops
Abbott
Starc


This is where it kind of falls away I guess, if Hazlewood was there then it goes close enough to the CT squad

I remember we had a funky team in SA before the ODI WC a couple years back though

Kuhnemann
Lyon
Webster (would have to go up the order if they did it this way)

 

[Freezin]

Watch some of his innings from this season. His 66 against the Renegades at Marvel was impressive on a shitty pitch.

Made 79 or something on Shield debut in a final too. Kid can play.

Made 90 in last years SS final on his red ball debut for WA.

 

[western royboy]

I think it says that if we’d lost in Sydney, and needed to win 1 of the tests in Sri Lanka to make the WTC final, Handscomb would have been in squad.

Now it’s a dead rubber the selectors are looking to the future for what is likely to be a spare batter getting tour experience.

Makes complete sense to me.

I have a link to Handscomb so when he got called up to Sydney it was two fold; 1. Be the absolute emergency if something happened to Carey on the morning of the Test and 2. with a view to going to SL in a similar role but was given a pretty clear indication by a selector that he was in the frame to play as a batsman(clearly there was a doubt on Inglis). The poor bugger expected as late as Monday that he was going. Something has changed since then and I cam understand with the WTC spot secured there’s less need to win at all costs. He’s pretty flat at the minute.

 

[BrownYouGun]

Good squad, I wouldn’t have taken Abbott but they were always going to take 3 seamers - no point taking a Morris or Richardson if they aren’t going to play, or even worse having them break down trying to bowl quick on dust bowls out there

Khawaja
Konstas
Labuschagne
Smith
Head
Webster
Carey
Starc
Lyon
Boland
Murphy

McSweeney, Connolly, Inglis, Abbott, Kuhnemann to fill the squad. If the pitches are complete dustbowls could play just one seamer and bring Kuhn in

 

[big_e]

Stunned to be living in a timeline where we're one injury away from Sean Abbott playing test cricket for Australia. There's absolutely no way in the world that he's a test player.

There is a great Australian tradition of blokes getting a baggy green because they were in the right place at the right time.

 

[ioppolo]

Stunned to be living in a timeline where we're one injury away from Sean Abbott playing test cricket for Australia. There's absolutely no way in the world that he's a test player.

Did Richardson pop his shoulder out again trying to answer their call? Why wasn't it Johnson or Bartlett? I don't understand it at all. Clearly there's no plan for him to play, Webster is the 3rd pace option, but Starc has just spent 8 days of cricket grabbing at his back, and the combined age of Starc and Boland is proper elderly. They aren't picking a 16-man squad, then flying someone in to play ahead of Abbott if there's an injury.

I'd be happier with McSweeney's recall if I thought he was there as a middle order player. But he's not.

And it takes a lot for me to be critical of the selection of a Tasmanian player, but Kuhnemann has objectively done zero to be picked since he last played for Australia.

In regards to Kuhnemann, there aren't many (none I can think of) left arm orthodox bowlers going around playing regular four day cricket. Did well in India and I dare say he'll do well in Sri Lanka.

Who's the next best after Lyon and Murphy anyway? Rocchiccioli? Arguably number two but another right arm offie unfortunately. Swepson? Seems out of favour. Tanveer Sangha? Might've been worth it this trip but still only 22.

 

[ioppolo]

There is a great Australian tradition of blokes getting a baggy green because they were in the right place at the right time.

Worse have donned the baggy green in fairness to Abbott.

 

[nobbyiscool]

In regards to Kuhnemann, there aren't many (none I can think of) left arm orthodox bowlers going around playing regular four day cricket. Did well in India and I dare say he'll do well in Sri Lanka.

Who's the next best after Lyon and Murphy anyway? Rocchiccioli? Arguably number two but another right arm offie unfortunately. Swepson? Seems out of favour. Tanveer Sangha? Might've been worth it this trip but still only 22.

You're 100% right, Kuhnemann gets a massive benefit from offering some variety, especially when factoring in that Webster is also bowling right arm offies when he's off the short run.

I guess, despite his likely status as a batting allrounder, I don't see Kuhnemann playing ahead of Connolly... and while I staunchly disbelieve that you "play for the future" in test cricket, and think you always play your best 11...

Well, we're already qualified for the test world championships. I don't think there should be a scenario in which he plays ahead of Connolly. With not heaps on the line? If an opportunity exists, just this once, put that game into the future prospect that we have confidence in.

If we're ignoring their Shield records, I think Zampa might've been the safest of options, he's obviously proven at international level. And I don't think that's a juxtaposition with what I've just said.

 

[eth-dog]

Name the opportunity Maxwell had the chance to play for Victoria in the shield this season.

The last 2 or 3 games. Stop flogging this dead horse. It's done.