1st Test Border Gavaskar Trophy November 22-26 1350hrs @ Perth Stadium

[Foxx]

Bill Lawry would like a word.

Bill Lawry was not skinny. He was tall, lean with long levers. And a big nose. All imposing attributes.

 

[Borisdog]

Steve Waugh too was identified and backed in by selectors as a young bloke and had a pretty poor start to his test career

It wasn't as poor as legend would have it, but it did take a very long time for him to get the first ton.

He contributed well with the ball in his early days and also in ODIs.

 

[gtrxuone]

Most bowlers with an incredibly high strike rate do bowl a lot of trash.

That’s what comes with throwing the ball up

Bowlers like Bumrah are a rarity who have a low strike rate and are also hard to hit

Sir Ian Botham comes to mind.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Most bowlers with an incredibly high strike rate do bowl a lot of trash.

That’s what comes with throwing the ball up

Bowlers like Bumrah are a rarity who have a low strike rate and are also hard to hit

That is fair 100% there, can't rate him more than a B though he makes me pull my hair out!

 

[Westend]

I blame CA and George Bailey/ Ronnie McDonald specially for our present predicament by playing favorites and letting Warner stay past his used by date. They set a precedent doing that and now we are stuck with a fast ageing team that look as tho the modern game has passed them by. The BBCI saw the writing on the wall and jettisoned some former greats past their best to send us arguably their least experienced batting lineup in ages. With only Kohli from the old guard here as the team mentor.

Reckon the selectors use this as an excuse "there is no one performing in the shield atm so we can't make changes"

its a smokescreen excuse ...they should be doing there bloody job

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I'd give my left nut to have had batsmen post the same averages as Smith, Lab, Warner, Khawaja, Head for England, not to mention the 21st century GOAT Adam Voges

I'll just take batsmen that value their wicket, do these blokes realise they don't need to play golf on day 5? It's a 5 day test for goodness sakes

 

[sabso]

I'll just take batsmen that value their wicket, do these blokes realise they don't need to play golf on day 5? It's a 5 day test for goodness sakes

So would I

 

[PhatBoy]

Bill Lawry was not skinny. He was tall, lean with long levers. And a big nose. All imposing attributes.

I’m sure those extra 4 centimetres of height played a huge role in intimidating the bowlers of his era.

Time for Nathan to retire.

 

[PhatBoy]

Sir Ian Botham comes to mind.

Even Dale Steyn when he was at his peak could throw in some days when the runs were flowing like the Amazon

 

[LukeParkerno1]

So would I

Heck at this rate I'd take an Ed Cowan opener...

Runs to the hills with my puke bucket

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Even Dale Steyn when he was at his peak could throw in some days when the runs were flowing like the Amazon

Easily my favourite bowler in modern times Steyn, not even close, could watch him all day.

 

[Borisdog]

Yes, as someone with the strike rate that he boasts, he’s hovered around B+/A for much of that time. And I say that reluctantly as someone who wrote him off for much of his career. The guy takes wickets.

One of Starc's biggest problems, right throughout his career, is you can stone cold guarantee there will be plenty of release balls for the batsmen.

He takes wickets certainly, but there's always been room for improvement. It just never came. And never will.

The first innings of this test was probably the most accurate and consistent I've seen him bowl. I'm sure there'll be other times but I can't recall them.

 

[Jimthegreat]

Wonder how this 12 would go. Pick a 12th man from there.

Hunt
Kontas
Ussie
McSweeney
Head
Webster
Carey
Cummins
Richardson
Lyon
Morris
Hazelwood

Not sure about 2 newbies as openers, which would worry me but choices are getting poorer because we developed no-one in a boy's club environment. Hence, I put Ussie at 3, rather than open, to provide support in that very important spot if one newbie opener goes early. We'd less likely be 2/5.

 

[Nicho50]

I said this yesterday but I can't for the life of me work out why they continue to pick players like Stoinis and David in 50 over cricket. I am fine with those guys playing T20 but we need to start exposing some of these younger players that "HAVE" potential to play test cricket and get them into the short from first getting experience playing against International bowlers.

 

[kickazz]

Bill Lawry was not skinny. He was tall, lean with long levers. And a big nose. All imposing attributes.

Not quite following your point here. Are you suggesting if they look like you could beat the shit out of them, then their ability is of secondary importance?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Wonder how this 12 would go. Pick a 12th man from there.

Hunt
Kontas
Ussie
McSweeney
Head
Webster
Carey
Cummins
Richardson
Lyon
Morris
Hazelwood

Not sure about 2 newbies as openers, which would worry me but choices are getting poorer because we developed no one in a boy's club environment. Hence, I put Ussie at 3, rather than open, to provide support in that very important spot if one newbie opener goes early. We'd less likely be 2/5.

Khawaja has to open, that's asking for trouble two rookies opening, personally Inglis at 6 before Webster, and Morris is zero chance. He is NOT as quick as everyone thinks. Until Jyhe can actually throw the ball properly just no.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Personally not sure we can change much against this Indian side it's just asking for trouble, rather the changes before going to SL- Hunt and Konstas have to go there

 

[HirdsTheWord]

It didn't make any difference how many runs he scored, or how on field imposing he was to opposition teams. Most people wanted him out for most of his career simply because they didn't like him.
Now they get their wish, and can watch a 70kg soaking wet opener give the opposition bowlers an extra pep in their step.

I think you are minimizing the fact is from 2019 onwards he wasn't scoring runs. Especially overseas and against good teams.

He should have been made to retire ALOT sooner than he did. It isn't just people getting their wish, it's what should have happened.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

This is being overplayed IMO.

Maybe he wants to give the kid the honour/experience.

And at the end of the day there is every possibility you get a single off the first ball. If protecting the new kid is what you want to do, then put him in at 5 or 6.

I disagree.

in that situation where you have 25 mins to bat. The experienced player should be taking the first ball. Especially against the #1 bowler in the world.

 

[BGman]

That seems to be part of the current problem to me, the next fast bowler in line (if we replace one of the current three) is 35 years old.

Spot on. Felt the same when Barrel was chosen. If not him then it was to be Mike Neser at 34. We seem almost obsessed with age and reputation rather than promise and talent. Xavier Bartlett shud've been the reserve bowler. Or one of Johnson, Richardson, Morris if they proved themselves fit.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I think you are minimizing the fact is from 2019 onwards he wasn't scoring runs. Especially overseas and against good teams.

He should have been made to retire ALOT sooner than he did. It isn't just people getting their wish, it's what should have happened.

At least last summer he should have been told you get one test which one do you want to play? That is it, and Khawaja would sit out the test he picks whether it be sydney or whatever.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Spot on. Said the same when Barrel was chosen. If not he then it was to be Mike Neser at 34. Xavier Bartlett shud've been the reserve bowler. Or one of Johnson, Richardson or Morris if they proved themselves fit.

Bartlett hasn't played enough shield cricket I like him but what red ball form are you picking him off this year at least? I'd have gone Buckinham to be honest. At worst he travels with the side, and he is released for every Shield game.

 

[Jimthegreat]

Khawaja has to open, that's asking for trouble two rookies opening, personally Inglis at 6 before Webster, and Morris is zero chance. He is NOT as quick as everyone thinks. Until Jyhe can actually throw the ball properly just no.

I explained my reason for that. You're asking for more trouble having a newbie at no.3. We should have thought of that last year.

150k+ km bowlers rarely try to bowl 150k every ball, just in bursts. Watched him last night, the bounce he gets at his pace is troubling. More interested in Jyhe's bowling than his throwing.

Anyway, this is the situation we find ourselves in as we let our players just get old in the side rather than develop players. Rather these others play now rather than be newbies for the Ashes.

 

[Foxx]

Not quite following your point here. Are you suggesting if they look like you could beat the shit out of them, then their ability is of secondary importance?

Fact is imposing players are bigger guys.
Imposing players withdraw confidence from opposition players.
There's been very few skinny dominant Australian openers, or batsman at all.

Put it this way I would take the imposing bigger guy over the skinny guy, even if the bigger guy wasn't scoring quite as many runs. Simply because of the psych influence.

 

[kickazz]

On Marnus:

Yes he is out of sorts for a good while now, and his early Test career had a fair share of luck.

But at least he has gone and played some red ball cricket in England - do many players do that now? And I didn't follow closely, but did he play well?