This is what gets me. No way he is a best 6 Test batter in the country.
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- Thread starter Snuffaluphagus
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- Oct 17, 2010
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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.
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.
- Jun 30, 2011
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Both the Marsh boys where obsessed tragic bottom side park cricketers trapped in the bodies of truely sublime creme de la creme cricket talents.
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.
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.
I honestly thought that Bancroft had been written off by the selectors tbh and I'm not sure I buy that the sandpapergate stuff still lingering is the reason.
Same with Harris the last few years. Don't think he's got into test squads for around two years.
It did take until their 30s for it to happen I must admit though.
They are not far off the pace but have played some really dumb cricket at the death when bowling.
That last over by Kelly gifted the game to the opposition. Leg side wide, full toss too high resulting in a free hit? That's about as bad as it can get.
The game before that they were penalised for a slow over rate and had to bring the field up for the final over. It's not like them at all so hopefully they can rectify things before to much longer.
Lack of a proper all rounder is killing them IMO.
Either you're pretending Agar is an all rounder. Not the best time to write this but that was probably his only good innings in like 3-4 years the other night.
The other option is to play four bowlers and if even one of the bowlers has a poor night you're relying on part timers to get the overs in.
We haven't scored enough runs but at the same time at the fifth bowler (Richardson, Morris, Behrendorff and Agar have been good) has been a problem. If Hardie or Marsh was bowling as good as they can fully fit we could play the extra batter and it'd help us get enough runs.
It's all about sandpapergate. Bangers virtually said the fast bowlers were aware of what was happening. The captain is one of those bowlers. No way will he let him be selected after that.
He's not good enough for test level and that's been proven after sandpapergate. They had no issues recalling him for the 2019 Ashes.
He might have shield runs since but his dismissals are very similar to when he was last in the test team. Test bowlers would get him out for fun and then selectors know it.
You'd be a moron to think the whole team wasn't aware of sandpapergate when it was happening btw. I honestly believe every team in the world was ball tampering at the time. Such an obvious example really didn't look good for Cricket Australia so they felt the need to ban someone. I think the ICC showed just how bad they thought it was by banning Bancroft for one game and literally no one else.
Anyone who has played cricket at any level will know that the bowlers are always aware of the condition of the ball. That's part of being a bowler. There is absolutely no way Cummins and Co didn't know the ball was being "massaged" with some 40 grit sandpaper.
Bancroft was a border line test opener and has also been unfortunate that his form has deserted him this season, just to put the final nail in his test cricketing coffin. I am looking forward to his autobiography.
100% I think Flintoff summed it up best here:
Australia ball-tampering: 'Nonsense' only three players knew - Andrew Flintoff - BBC Sport
It is "absolute nonsense" that only three Australia players knew about the ball-tampering scandal, says ex-England captain Andrew Flintoff.
www.bbc.com
Shaun's best was amazing. What a waste.
Mitch's bowling never looked super threatening at test level but he still could have been a 35/30 type which is more than handy.
Such a shame.
Bancroft was in the side after sandpaper, his ability is the only thing keeping him out of the side.
Every single team and every single player was doing something dodgy to the ball. The Aussies were just the ones that got caught and made it far too obvious. Crazy how reverse swing has basically disappeared in all conditions since…
Sitting with the pooch at the Belgian Beer Cafe in Southbank.
By golly the Hiatus Pacific Ale goes alright for a non-alcoholic beer.
On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app
By golly the Hiatus Pacific Ale goes alright for a non-alcoholic beer.
On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app
Yes, but not after he made the comment incriminating the bowlers.
- Apr 22, 2017
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Losing all but one toss when the chasing side wins 75% of the time has an impact.
Bowling's been good enough other than some poor death overs, batting lacks another gear but the catching and fielding has been sub par, cost us the last two games
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