1st Test: Australia v Pakistan at Gabba, Nov 21-25 2019

[tumbidragon]

Gotsta watch those naughty words and hurt feelings...
I'll be handing out free pearls to clutch at the next test.

 

[TheParraboy]

I give Pakistan half a chance here in Brisbane

Few things need to go their way but its not impossible for them to cause some damage

Good read by ex coach Micky Arthur. Interesting to think Pakistan will get enough runs and the bowlers are the worry.

They certainly need to tick most of the boxes Mickey mentions

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28096560/pakistan-do-win-australia

 

[mozza91]

Not a chance. The Knights are more reliable than the Pakistan Test team.

 

[Haffa]

Henry holding back here.

Among the plots and subplots rushing the game toward the first Test of the summer is the nonsensical selection of Western Australian and fellow Aquinas College alumnus of Justin Langer in Cameron Bancroft.

The "best short leg in the world" has a terrible recent record, was terrible in England when he never should have been picked in front of Joe Burns or Kurtis Patterson, and has steadfastly maintained that form. It is the standard of form that has got him picked in Australian squads, so why change it?

Chief selector Trevor Hohns, whose current tenure comes to a conclusion on December 31, must be watching a Bancroft doppelganger if he has observed that "the improvement in his game is quite noticeable". It certainly isn't reflected in the only currency in which it counts – making runs.


We may as well cancel the Sheffield Shield as a proving ground for Test cricketers if this is the rationale to be used by the national selection panel, which at the moment constitutes only Langer and Hohns because Cricket Australia hasn't gotten around to making the third appointment even though they have had several months to sort it out ahead of the international summer.

George Bailey and Michael Klinger are reportedly the only two left in the race, one a current player and the other just retired from Western Australian cricket.

Usman Khawaja has had a statistically slightly better start to the Australian summer than Bancroft and averages 60 in home Tests but hasn't "improved quite noticeably", so he was cut from the squad even though the first Test is at his home ground.

Bancroft's scratchy 49 batting out of position at No.6 in the Australia A match versus Pakistan only came about because Nic Maddinson pulled out of the game for mental health reasons.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cri...ncroft-selection-baffles-20191116-p53b7b.html

 

[hineyrulz]

Lol go Hen!!

 

[lockyno1]

It's still better than playing Harris, at least Bancroft can catch

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I've never wanted an Australian player to fail before but I want proven cheat Bancroft to fail miserably.

 

[TheParraboy]

I've never wanted an Australian player to fail before but I want proven cheat Bancroft to fail miserably.

Hopefully he wont be in the XI, and Joe Burns secures his spot with some good runs

We know Davey will probably be given couple of tests at least, if not the summer

 

[lockyno1]

I've never wanted an Australian player to fail before but I want proven cheat Bancroft to fail miserably.

The Marsh spuds are worse

 

[Bazal]

The Marsh spuds are worse

f**king clueless, just follow the herd Locky...

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Pakistan are the worst fielding side in the known universe.

 

[TheParraboy]

Pakistan are the worst fielding side in the known universe.

You didn't catch a bit of South Australia in the field today by any chance?

 

[hineyrulz]

You didn't catch a bit of South Australia in the field today by any chance?

Fielding standards around the Aus domestic scene have dropped alarmingly the last 4 or 5 years.

 

[_snafu_]

The Marsh spuds are worse

mate, you need at least one “levers” player in your team.

 

[mozza91]

Shaun Marsh has been given plenty of chances and is much maligned but he’s about 5 times the batsmen Plodcroft is.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Bancheat is the concussion sub which is a handy way for JL to keep his mistress on tour on the company's dime.

 

[Bazal]

Shaun Marsh has been given plenty of chances and is much maligned but he’s about 5 times the batsmen Plodcroft is.

100%

His issue is his age and his inconsistencies. The bloke is clearly in the top six bats in the country but he's struggled to bring that to the next level.

Bancroft is just rubbish

 

[hineyrulz]

Shaun Marsh has been given plenty of chances and is much maligned but he’s about 5 times the batsmen Plodcroft is.

I’d argue the same applies for Khawaja as well.


Plodcroft is a homeless bum compared to the both of them.

 

[Bazal]

I’d argue the same applies for Khawaja as well.


Plodcroft is a homeless bum compared to the both of them.

Sandcroft is deadset Adam Lythe level

 

[mozza91]

I’d argue the same applies for Khawaja as well.


Plodcroft is a homeless bum compared to the both of them.

Khawaja is the go to scapegoat.