1st Test: Sri Lanka v Australia @ Galle Jan 29 - Feb 2, 2025

[Marshall_magic]

Haze is 33, Boland is 36. Boland will retire before Haze does you would think.

I think next summer the quicks will rotate through the ashes. Pat will probably play 5 but the other 3 will probably play 3-4 tests each. I would give Boland the Boxing Day test as a retirement match.

 

[Bazal]

I think next summer the quicks will rotate through the ashes. Pat will probably play 5 but the other 3 will probably play 3-4 tests each. I would give Boland the Boxing Day test as a retirement match.

I think we need to use SL and WI to look at one replacement at least. Fergus O'Neill preferably. We sort of know what Jhyhyhyhye and Sabba can do.

 

[blue bags]

World test championship match
If rain affected
The number one ranked team
Has the advantage
So The Aussies need to be ranked number one

 

[Marshall_magic]

I think we need to use SL and WI to look at one replacement at least. Fergus O'Neill preferably. We sort of know what Jhyhyhyhye and Sabba can do.

I would agree, probably use SL to look at Lyon replacements and the Windows to look at pace options. O’Neill, Bartlett and Jacky Boy would be options worth considering.

 

[Twizzle]

and a wrist spinner but the cupboard seems pretty bare

 

[undertaker]

World test championship match
If rain affected
The number one ranked team
Has the advantage
So The Aussies need to be ranked number one

Not according to the official ICC website.

In the case of a drawn WTC final, the mace and prize money is shared:

What happens if the World Test Championship ends as a draw?

www.icc-cricket.com

Also worth noting that the WTC final has a reserve day (day 6) that can be used to make up for lost time due to weather. Day 6 was used in the 2021 WTC final, when NZ beat India

 

[Desert Qlder]

Not according to the official ICC website.

In the case of a drawn WTC final, the mace and prize money is shared:

What happens if the World Test Championship ends as a draw?

www.icc-cricket.com

Also worth noting that the WTC final has a reserve day (day 6) that can be used to make up for lost time due to weather. Day 6 was used in the 2021 WTC final, when NZ beat India

Didn't the ICC consider making the WTC final a timeless test at one point? Not sure how far that got.

ICC could use 'timeless' Test for World Championship final

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has suggested that the final of the inaugural World Test Championship, which will be held in England in 2013, could be a 'timeless' Test

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[undertaker]

Didn't the ICC consider making the WTC final a timeless test at one point? Not sure how far that got.

ICC could use 'timeless' Test for World Championship final

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has suggested that the final of the inaugural World Test Championship, which will be held in England in 2013, could be a 'timeless' Test

www.espncricinfo.com

It would be interesting if the WTC Final was a timeless test. Unless it was a flat track, I don't know how the pitch would hold up if the test lasted beyond day 5.

 

[King-Gutho94]

and a wrist spinner but the cupboard seems pretty bare

Its a shame Tanveer Sangha picked up an injury in the BBL

He has 37 FC wickets @ 35.

Now i reckon Lyon had similar figures when he got picked

I would have taken Sangha over to Sri Lanka as the wrist spinner as i reckon he has the most potential out of all the young leggies.

Other then that i would take Swepson.

I can't stand Zampa he doesn't deserve a Baggy Green that whole schmozzle for NSW was a joke. The bloke is too arrogant to even train with his team mates at NSW rather be at Bryon f**king Bay.

Look at Beau Webster & Scott Boland done the hard yards in Shield for a decade and it shows when they play test cricket how FC cricket hardened they are.

 

[Bazal]

Its a shame Tanveer Sangha picked up an injury in the BBL

He has 37 FC wickets @ 35.

Now i reckon Lyon had similar figures when he got picked

I would have taken Sangha over to Sri Lanka as the wrist spinner as i reckon he has the most potential out of all the young leggies.

Other then that i would take Swepson.

I can't stand Zampa he doesn't deserve a Baggy Green that whole schmozzle for NSW was a joke. The bloke is too arrogant to even train with his team mates at NSW rather be at Bryon f**king Bay.

Look at Beau Webster & Scott Boland done the hard yards in Shield for a decade and it shows when they play test cricket how FC cricket hardened they are.

I'm no real fan of Zampstagram but I do think it's worth mentioning NSW cricket are hardly blameless. After all, they f**ked him off originally.

He's not a Test player anyway, he doesn't bowl the right lengths and lines. At the moment there's no leggie really worth a go, they all pretty much bowl white ball variety leggies

 

[BunniesMan]

The answer is not Boland or Hazlewood. They should both be in the team when fit. Starc has not kept up to the very high standard those two have put in. When everyone is fit Starc should miss out. Not relevant to Sri Lanka but more generally if the pitch is offering nothing for the spinners I'd even drop Lyon. But I know the selectors love him too much to ever do that.

Variety for variety's sake is pointless. You don't need a left armer just to have a left armer. You don't need a spinner just to have a spinner. Especially if picking that variety means you drop either Boland or Hazlewood.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Jesus Christ

 

[BunniesMan]

Jesus Christ

Starcs averages in recent years
2021: 33
2022: 28
2023: 30
2024: 31

Perfectly decent but I hate the idea that he should be a certain starter if it means losing either Hazlewood or Boland who produce historically great numbers. They are generational test bowlers. Starc is a very good test bowler. Starc should be the unlucky one to miss out getting regular games, not either of them.

 

[Bazal]

Starcs averages in recent years
2021: 33
2022: 28
2023: 30
2024: 31

Perfectly decent but I hate the idea that he should be a certain starter if it means losing either Hazlewood or Boland who produce historically great numbers. They are generational test bowlers. Starc is a very good test bowler. Starc should be the unlucky one to miss out getting regular games, not either of them.

He's the swing bowler you thick shit.

If you wanna replace him with a swing bowler, that's fine. Hazelwood and Boland swing the ball about as far as your mate Latrell can run without needing a KFC bucket

 

[BunniesMan]

He's the swing bowler you thick shit.

If you wanna replace him with a swing bowler, that's fine. Hazelwood and Boland swing the ball about as far as your mate Latrell can run without needing a KFC bucket

We didn't do this during our best era. When McGrath, Gillespie and Lee were the standouts we didn't give games to Fleming just to include some swing. Starc's swing is not producing exceptional results. It has gone unnoticed but he has only been ok the last few years. When you need to make room for a quick the incumbent who is consistently your 3rd best should be the one who makes room.

 

[Bazal]

We didn't do this during our best era. When McGrath, Gillespie and Lee were the standouts we didn't give games to Fleming just to include some swing. Starc's swing is not producing exceptional results. It has gone unnoticed but he has only been ok the last few years. When you need to make room for a quick the incumbent who is consistently your 3rd best should be the one who makes room.

Why did we need Phlegm when Lee swung it at 150 and when Phlegm retired a few seasons after Lee debuted?

 

[AlwaysGreen]

We didn't do this during our best era. When McGrath, Gillespie and Lee were the standouts we didn't give games to Fleming just to include some swing. Starc's swing is not producing exceptional results. It has gone unnoticed but he has only been ok the last few years. When you need to make room for a quick the incumbent who is consistently your 3rd best should be the one who makes room.

Fleming was a different era to these 3.

If you're using this argument, Lee or Gillespie should have sat out for McGill.

Starc is in the team. When on he's a proven match winner. I think he probably should have sat out in Sydney because he wasn't fully fit.

 

[Chins get the wins]

Fleming was a different era to these 3.

If you're using this argument, Lee or Gillespie should have sat out for McGill.

Starc is in the team. When on he's a proven match winner. I think he probably should have sat out in Sydney because he wasn't fully fit.

Is Starc the worst home ground bowler in the sport? He's always terrible in Sydney.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Is Starc the worst home ground bowler in the sport? He's always terrible in Sydney.

I think although he's as fit as a bull the short turn around from Melbourne to Sydney definitely affects him.

 

[JJ]

in the 2021 WTC final, when NZ beat India