Discussion Cricket Discussion

[Herbie66]

I don’t know that he’s in the best XI, but I think he’s better than some of that squad on form and on overall record.

I thought he retired from International cricket 5 years ago.

Big step up from under strength domestic cricket to International cricket though.

On form the captain should be left home , don't mind to see what McDermott can do @ 3 , Maxwell , Marsh are locks.

Wade is VC , so Philippe probably doesn't get a chance.

Not sure Short should be their , Stoinis bats 4-5 in the IPL so maybe can at International level.

Turner I actually like.

Silk must have been close , I would have taken Harvey.

Not sure who else could be 5 or 6 as everyone else making runs is a opener.

 

[Herbie66]

Just reading after the Ashes series we have 4 series away in Asia scheduled

v Pakistan 2 Tests
v Sri Lanka 2 Tests
v Afghanistan 1 Test
v India 4 Tests

 

[Darkie]

Fast bowlers are all interesting.

Hard to see which 3 get the first crack (those NZ batsman could smash all of them)

Behrendorff , Meredith , Richardson x 2 , Sams , Tye

5 game series so hopefully they rotate them to give them all a opportunity

If Agar is fit we bat fairly strong (on paper) to 7.

Agreed, it probably makes sense to rotate, maybe flagging that in advance so it doesn’t dent their confidence. Most of those guys are pretty lucky to be in the running for an international game based on their BBL form, I think all but JRicho and Sams have had decent lulls this season. I guess the good news is that all have some history of strong performances as well (eg KRicho is a very good player, who’s just a bit down), we are not just picking a hack in a purple patch. I do think it’s a pretty good squad.

Personally I don’t really rate Agar as a batsman based on some horrible innings I’ve watched him play. Him at 7 is probably okay though.

 

[Herbie66]

Agreed, it probably makes sense to rotate, maybe flagging that in advance so it doesn’t dent their confidence. Most of those guys are pretty lucky to be in the running for an international game based on their BBL form, I think all but JRicho and Sams have had decent lulls this season. I guess the good news is that all have some history of strong performances as well (eg KRicho is a very good player, who’s just a bit down), we are not just picking a hack in a purple patch. I do think it’s a pretty good squad.

Personally I don’t really rate Agar as a batsman based on some horrible innings I’ve watched him play. Him at 7 is probably okay though.

I wrote down 10 quicks yesterday on my short list for NZ (Abbott , Agar , Ellis & Steketee were the 4 that missed out)

Small grounds and up against Phillips , Seifert & Williamson etc they might just be bowling machines anyway.

Crank up Meredith and just let him bowl at 150 km/h.

Behrendorff might create problems.

Richo man was completely different away from Marvel.

Sams will be the one to see if he can perform at this level.

Tye seems to be a mixed bag , their bowling coach the other week was saying he has now gone back to bowling quick instead of his mixture of slow balls that the world know all about by now.

Agar looks confused whether he is a noodler or a hitter.

 

[Darkie]

I thought he retired from International cricket 5 years ago.

Big step up from under strength domestic cricket to International cricket though.

On form the captain should be left home , don't mind to see what McDermott can do @ 3 , Maxwell , Marsh are locks.

Wade is VC , so Philippe probably doesn't get a chance.

Not sure Short should be their , Stoinis bats 4-5 in the IPL so maybe can at International level.

Turner I actually like.

Silk must have been close , I would have taken Harvey.

Not sure who else could be 5 or 6 as everyone else making runs is a opener.

I think the opener issue is a reflection of the step up issue you mentioned, which I agree with (although almost all of those players have been playing in the same comp, so it’s like for like). Someone like Dunkley plays forward (or, erm, ruck) at the Dogs but is an obvious first choice midfielder at most other clubs. In BBL if you’re a good batsman you should be batting top 3 or you’re underutilized, with very good middle order specialists (there aren’t many, as you have noted previously) the rare exception.

I guess you have to pick those you think can adapt to international level, and ensure a couple of them can bat lower down the order. Stoinis and Maxy are good options for two spots.

 

[Herbie66]

I think the opener issue is a reflection of the step up issue you mentioned, which I agree with (although almost all of those players have been playing in the same comp, so it’s like for like). Someone like Dunkley plays forward (or, erm, ruck) at the Dogs but is an obvious first choice midfielder at most other clubs. In BBL if you’re a good batsman you should be batting top 3 or you’re underutilized, with very good middle order specialists (there aren’t many, as you have noted previously) the rare exception.

I guess you have to pick those you think can adapt to international level, and ensure a couple of them can bat lower down the order. Stoinis and Maxy are good options for two spots.

What is our best T20 batting order though ?

Finch
Warner - South Africa
Smith - South Africa
Maxwell
Carey/Wade
Marsh or Stoinis

so Finch , Wade , Maxy , Marsh , Stoinis all in NZ.

so even if McDermott does sensationally @ 3 he is not going to the World Cup ahead of Smith.

Short is probably their as backup for Finch.

Philippe is backup for Wade.

Turner for Marsh/Maxwell/Stoinis

England have the same issue , was reading a article from Morgan where he actually wanted guys like Banton , Lawrence , Livingstone , Salt etc to start batting 4-6 for their county sides.

They still want to open though.

When you have Bairstow , Roy , Malan , Stokes , Morgan , Buttler same problem , most of them are best suited at 1-3.

No one wants to be a specialist 5 or 6 unless you are DreRuss , Pollard or Pooran.

 

[Herbie66]

IPL Auction 18th February

 

[Connoisseur]

Live streaming of the Pakistan VS South Africa Test match.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1354741619132690437

https://www.youtube.com/c/PakistanCricketOfficial/live

 

[Connoisseur]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1354704493439377410

 

[Connoisseur]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1356000235579867138

 

[Connoisseur]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1356374290577297410

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1356490282041102337

 

[Wolffy84]

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/aus...-coronavirus-pandemic-paine-langer/2021-02-02

The test series in SAF won't be going ahead. Good call I reckon. The players deserve a break but I wonder if any of the guys picked for the test tour may go to NZ instead. That series should still happen.

 

[Wolffy84]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1356000235579867138

NZ still hasnt forgiven us...

 

[Darkie]

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/aus...-coronavirus-pandemic-paine-langer/2021-02-02

The test series in SAF won't be going ahead. Good call I reckon. The players deserve a break but I wonder if any of the guys picked for the test tour may go to NZ instead. That series should still happen.

Unfortunately I understand that this all but ends Australia’s hopes of participating in the inaugural WTC final.

To make matters worse, we are likely to miss out due to a penalty for a slow over rate.

I’m all for improving over rates - if this does eliminate us from the final, hopefully captains and players take notice.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/crick...s/news-story/a0c84d1fd173d90ba7ef2830e7fda5e4

 

[Herbie66]

Unfortunately I understand that this all but ends Australia’s hopes of participating in the inaugural WTC final.

To make matters worse, we are likely to miss out due to a penalty for a slow over rate.

I’m all for improving over rates - if this does eliminate us from the final, hopefully captains and players take notice.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/crick...s/news-story/a0c84d1fd173d90ba7ef2830e7fda5e4

Perhaps we just should have won the MCG , SCG & Gabba tests 😉

Agree about the over rates , been a issue for years.

Worrying signs coming up I feel , too many rumours and whispers coming out since the Gabba Test not to think something big is about to happen.

Not sure whether JL or Paine has "lost" the players , but expect one of them will be gone by the start of the summer.

 

[Wolffy84]

I really love the concept of the WTC (or some sort of other best of the best competition), but cricket never seems to have any luck with it.

Rest of the World XI Vs Oz - Rest of the World saw it as a holiday opportunity
WTC 2013 - Replaced at last minute by the Champions Trophy
WTC 2017 - Exactly the same as 2013 (after the ICC promised that wouldn't happen again)
WTC 2019-2021 - Hamstrung by COVID

I'm sure there are some more examples I've forgotten

 

[Herbie66]

Unfortunately I understand that this all but ends Australia’s hopes of participating in the inaugural WTC final.

To make matters worse, we are likely to miss out due to a penalty for a slow over rate.

I’m all for improving over rates - if this does eliminate us from the final, hopefully captains and players take notice.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/crick...s/news-story/a0c84d1fd173d90ba7ef2830e7fda5e4

CricBuzz has a article outlining how Australia can still qualify for the final

 

[Wolffy84]

Perhaps we just should have won the MCG , SCG & Gabba tests 😉

Agree about the over rates , been a issue for years.

Worrying signs coming up I feel , too many rumours and whispers coming out since the Gabba Test not to think something big is about to happen.

Not sure whether JL or Paine has "lost" the players , but expect one of them will be gone by the start of the summer.

Yeap. Rule 1 of Australian test cricket, you can't lose at home. The Oz team had so many problems with collapses overseas, and very little seemed to change. Then Hobart 2016 happened. 11am on a Saturday morning. The whole of Oz watches us get bowled out for 85. Mass changes follow.

I'm not sure how much change would help here. Realistically it was the bowlers that couldn't get us over the line in Sydney and Brisbane. Maybe Starc needs a break. Patto/Neser/Abbott could come in. Lyon looked down on confidence but he's still the best spinner in Oz.

 

[Darkie]

Perhaps we just should have won the MCG , SCG & Gabba tests 😉

Agree about the over rates , been a issue for years.

Worrying signs coming up I feel , too many rumours and whispers coming out since the Gabba Test not to think something big is about to happen.

Not sure whether JL or Paine has "lost" the players , but expect one of them will be gone by the start of the summer.

Well that too! The Gabba loss was an extraordinary win for India, but also says a fair bit about the Aussie team. Sides of the past would have smelled blood from the outset.

 

[Herbie66]

I really love the concept of the WTC (or some sort of other best of the best competition), but cricket never seems to have any luck with it.

Rest of the World XI Vs Oz - Rest of the World saw it as a holiday opportunity
WTC 2013 - Replaced at last minute by the Champions Trophy
WTC 2017 - Exactly the same as 2013 (after the ICC promised that wouldn't happen again)
WTC 2019-2021 - Hamstrung by COVID

I'm sure there are some more examples I've forgotten

WTC is a absolute farce.

9 teams only playing 6 series home & away with series of various lengths.

How can it be fair when teams don't all play each other ?

Needs to have all teams involved and playing each other at least once , minimum of 2-3 tests.

"Icon" series can then still have "additional" tests which are not part of the WTC.

I actually emailed the ICC probably a decade ago with a proposal that each team would play 4 x 3 series in a 12 month period.

With 9 teams it would work over a 4 year period where every team would play each other H & A , so 16 series in all.

Afghanistan & Ireland get granted Test status and then basically get told they (and Zimbabwe) are not part of the WTC.

Think their was discussion on a 7-5 division split (with promotion & regulation) but then Australia , England , India & South Africa were worried that one of them might get relegated.