1st Test: Australia v South Africa at Perth on Nov 3-7, 2016

[AlwaysGreen]

Why is Australia so desperate for an all rounder, for the last 10 yrs we have been completely wasting a position on our team. We used to use the 6 position to blood our best young batsman coming through and between the top 6 they would cobble through enough overs to take a bit of pressure of the bowlers, MMarsh is not one of our top 6 batsman and isn't good enough to be a frontline bowler so shouldn't be in the team.

Andrew Flintoff. When we got boned by the poms in 2005 he was a major reason why. So ever since then we've been desperate to get an allrounder - symonds, watson, McDonald, maxwell, Marsh. The difference is that Flintoff was a genuine bowling allrounder and was in the absolute peak of his form. When his batting went off he wasn't good enough to bat 6 either, but as a bowler he was excellent, unlike Mmarsh.

 

[billygilmore]

Andrew Flintoff. When we got boned by the poms in 2005 he was a major reason why. So ever since then we've been desperate to get an allrounder - symonds, watson, McDonald, maxwell, Marsh. The difference is that Flintoff was a genuine bowling allrounder and was in the absolute peak of his form. When his batting went off he wasn't good enough to bat 6 either, but as a bowler he was excellent, unlike Mmarsh.

It really is embarrassing looking at that list of players who got to play test cricket for Australia, I know that series was the reason but like you say, flintoff would be in that team as a bowler regardless as kallis would have been in the SA team as a batsman regardless of his bowling. None of the "all rounders" we have picked would make it as just a batsman or bowler so they shouldn't be picked.

 

[umina panther]

Watson was the answer but they opened with the prick

 

[Mr Spock!]

Of course you want as number 6 a guy who passes 50 once every 5 first class innings....and has 4 first class centuries out of 108 innings....

But he has potential....and hits the ball hard.....

 

[billygilmore]

There's now talk of Nevill batting 6 and Marsh at 7, how long do these guys get a free ride for. We don't pick Bird cause of his batting yet I can't think of a single innings were either of these 2 have made any real contribution. Imagine if these selectors were around 15 - 20 yrs ago, " sorry mr McGrath, we know you've been bowling well but where gonna go with Ian Harvey until you get that batting avg. up "

 

[Bazal]

There's now talk of Nevill batting 6 and Marsh at 7, how long do these guys get a free ride for. We don't pick Bird cause of his batting yet I can't think of a single innings were either of these 2 have made any real contribution. Imagine if these selectors were around 15 - 20 yrs ago, " sorry mr McGrath, we know you've been bowling well but where gonna go with Ian Harvey until you get that batting avg. up "

Nevill is the best keeper in the country by a long way, so end of discussion on him really. He's probably more a 6 than a 7 too, he's batted as high as 4 for NSW quite regularly. Marsh can f**k off though and the selectors are still morons.

 

[billygilmore]

Nevill is the best keeper in the country by a long way, so end of discussion on him really. He's probably more a 6 than a 7 too, he's batted as high as 4 for NSW quite regularly. Marsh can f**k off though and the selectors are still morons.

Mate, I agree he probably is more suited to 6 but you got to admit if he doesn't start getting some runs we'll have to give someone else a go, the days of teams retaining a keeper averaging 20 are long gone

 

[Bazal]

Mate, I agree he probably is more suited to 6 but you got to admit if he doesn't start getting some runs we'll have to give someone else a go, the days of teams retaining a keeper averaging 20 are long gone

Tbh when the supposed next best option is Matt Wade, I'd rather carry the better keeper averaging 20 odd than the bloke with dicks for fingers who doesn't bat much better anyway...

 

[billygilmore]

Tbh when the supposed next best option is Matt Wade, I'd rather carry the better keeper averaging 20 odd than the bloke with dicks for fingers who doesn't bat much better anyway...

Ha ha, I wasn't inferring Wade get the gig though, he's had his chance but with hard on the selectors seem to have for him sadly he would be given the job I Suppose if Nevill isn't picked. Look I'm happy for them to continue with Nevill for a bit but if he doesn't show something with the bat by the end of the summer where gotta look at other options, just hopefully not Wade.

 

[hineyrulz]

I'm surprised Wade wasn't picked instead of Haze for this test.

 

[Twizzle]

Haze is a better batsman.

 

[Iafeta]

The Australian test team always dominated when it went with 6 bats, 1 keeper, 1 spin bowler, 3 pace bowlers. All specialists. Its like there's a mystery search for the next Garfield Sobers or Jacques Kallis. A bloke who can average 50 and still take wickets.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Haze is a better batsman.

Def the better keeper

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I'm with hayne train. Wade comes in, bowls his 130k thunderbolts, then grabs the gloves and drops a few nicks followed by a breezy 12 off 10 balls before getting caught in the deep.

That my friends is an allrounder.

 

[billygilmore]

I'm with hayne train. Wade comes in, bowls his 130k thunderbolts, then grabs the gloves and drops a few nicks followed by a breezy 12 off 10 balls before getting caught in the deep.

That my friends is an allrounder.

Wade's so good he could keep to his own bowling

 

[Bazal]

Well he'd probably let about the same amount of byes through and drop the same amount of catches as he does when he's keeping to everyone else

 

[lockyno1]

I'm with hayne train. Wade comes in, bowls his 130k thunderbolts, then grabs the gloves and drops a few nicks followed by a breezy 12 off 10 balls before getting caught in the deep.

That my friends is an allrounder.

Still bowls quicker than Siddle lol

 

[Twizzle]

Bring back Marto, batted ok at 6 and faster than Sids

 

[Bazal]

Joe Burns bowled a bouncer in the Shield game, so he's also probably a better bowler than Sids....

 

[TheParraboy]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-south-africa-2016-17/content/story/1063935.html

"It is great to have Sids in the 12 and hopefully he gets a crack on Thursday," Hazlewood said after the Test series launch at Elizabeth Quay in Perth. "It is great to have an experienced player in the squad who can talk about the different players and the way to go about it. He is valuable come team-meeting time."