Resource Non-AFL General Chat

[nurries]

He shouldn't be playing for WA (at full strength) as an all-rounder let alone Australia. And absolutely comical if anyone ever actually thought he was "in the best 6 available bats".

This is what gets me. No way he is a best 6 Test batter in the country.

 

[greatgatsby]

For players with 45 tests but less than 75 wickets (I.E. not a bowler) and who was not a keeper Marsh has the 7th lowest average in the history of test cricket:

Mohammad Ashraful (BAN)	2001-2013	61	2737	190	24
SE Gregory (AUS)	1890-1912	58	2282	201	24.53
D Ganga (WI)	1998-2008	48	2160	135	25.71
KR Rutherford (NZ)	1985-1995	56	2465	107*	27.08
ADR Campbell (ZIM)	1992-2002	60	2858	103	27.21
MR Ramprakash (ENG)	1991-2002	52	2350	154	27.32
MR Marsh (AUS)	2014-2024	46	2083	181	28.53

Most you can excuse as to why they got so many tests.

Ganga - Opener, always shaves a few runs off
Gregory - 19th Century
Ashraful - Shit side
Campbell - Shit side
Ramprakash - Averged 53 in first class cricket over 460 matches and made 114 hundreds (equal 15th most in history). You can see why they persisted so long.

Ken Rutherford I'll give him. How he got to 56 tests is a bit of a mystery. Maybe I'll give him Ganga too. Jeez he was shit.

I'll be fair to Mitch though; he did kind of Kim Hughes his average there by being so bad at the end. In fact I think I heard someone on the coverage (maybe day 5 in Melb) say Marshes 4 test results were the worst for a specialist batter for Australia since Hughes's last series in 84/5.

Quite the contrast in how they went out - Hughes bawling at the press conference as he handed over to AB; Mitch hanging around backslapping with Webster's parents!

Ramprakesh was the prime example of a guy who was exceptional at first class level but could never fully make the step to Tests.

 

[Docker82]

I think your guess is probably correct; only 6 innings. Marsh was 7 and Hughes 8. Shaun actually ended up with a test average of 35. It's not that bad.

Back on Hughes (I love Kim. Well I loved his batting. He himself blows hot and cold as a pundit.) for a moment his last 9 tests were against the West Indies in their pomp: 296 runs at 16.44. Before that last stretch his test average was 41.

That series from Shaun Marsh was nothing short of bizarre tbh. It was almost cruel picking him. He was either playing injured and/or in the worst form I’ve ever seen a specialist batter at test level. By worst form I mean mean furthest from his best.

Honestly it was a series that almost made you think the selectors would put a line through his name and never pick him again. I wouldn’t have been shocked to see that happen with Mitch Marsh tbh prior to his 2023 comeback. Some players get their papers stamped by the selectors and are never picked again despite whatever their shield or limited overs form is like.

 

[Paracleet]

Both the Marsh boys where obsessed tragic bottom side park cricketers trapped in the bodies of truely sublime creme de la creme cricket talents.

 

[Taylor]

I'd be content with the careers of either.

 

[MadMundy]

What the **** has happened to the Scorchers this season?

 

[Purple Suit]

That series from Shaun Marsh was nothing short of bizarre tbh. It was almost cruel picking him. He was either playing injured and/or in the worst form I’ve ever seen a specialist batter at test level. By worst form I mean mean furthest from his best.

Honestly it was a series that almost made you think the selectors would put a line through his name and never pick him again. I wouldn’t have been shocked to see that happen with Mitch Marsh tbh prior to his 2023 comeback. Some players get their papers stamped by the selectors and are never picked again despite whatever their shield or limited overs form is like.

I’m not sure that happens anymore. It use to a lot but Marcus Harris continual adding to squads is proof they don’t seem to worry about Test failure. Maybe if you’re a good bloke then you just need to make runs in the shield & a free spot for a look in.

Mitch is a great bloke so recon he might play another test stint if he shows good shield form and injuries happen. We’re about to lose 2 of the top six too soon to retirement so we will be unsettled for awhile.

 

[BStaff17]

I’m not sure that happens anymore. It use to a lot but Marcus Harris continual adding to squads is proof they don’t seem to worry about Test failure. Maybe if you’re a good bloke then you just need to make runs in the shield & a free spot for a look in.

Mitch is a great bloke so recon he might play another test stint if he shows good shield form and injuries happen. We’re about to lose 2 of the top six too soon to retirement so we will be unsettled for awhile.

Harris getting linked all the time to the test team is more the inditement of the standard of openers atm.

Harris is a shit fielder on top of being an average bat who doesn't bowl.

He brings nothing else to the table other then opening the batting.

I would say at least Bancroft could field in at bat-pad even though his batting is at similar level to Harris he brings the in close fielding aspect to the table.

Personally the worse thing was Langer destroying Matt Renshaw for blokes like Bancroft/Harris.

Renshaw looked a test cricketer at a young age now he looks done.

 

[Purple Suit]

Harris getting linked all the time to the test team is more the inditement of the standard of openers atm.

Harris is a shit fielder on top of being an average bat who doesn't bowl.

He brings nothing else to the table other then opening the batting.

I would say at least Bancroft could field in at bat-pad even though his batting is at similar level to Harris he brings the in close fielding aspect to the table.

Personally the worse thing was Langer destroying Matt Renshaw for blokes like Bancroft/Harris.

Renshaw looked a test cricketer at a young age now he looks done.

Bangers can at least block and sometimes survive long enough to scuff up the new ball. Harris would make a run a ball 20 at best before getting out at Test level. He has too many flaws that get exposed by good, planned bowling and making shield runs doesn’t solve it.