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

[PJ]

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

Isn't that largely due to his figures getting worse the longer a series goes and Sydney is always at the end?

I think there is merit in resting him often.

 

[JJ]

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.

He also offers quite a point of difference from the other three, he should have been rested, but I reckon he’s much more important than many want to acknowledge

 

[King-Gutho94]

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

Sydney has been a dead track for a decade.

Its been a nightmare for most bowlers tbh.

 

[BunniesMan]

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.

Starc has been average for 4 years. Yes he is still capable of the odd great spell and his variety would be a tie breaker IF the other blokes in question were producing similar middle of the road numbers. But when Hazlewood and Boland are so significantly more threatening then neither should be missing out when fit.

 

[mozza91]

Dig up, Goldenrod.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Starc has been average for 4 years. Yes he is still capable of the odd great spell and his variety would be a tie breaker IF the other blokes in question were producing similar middle of the road numbers. But when Hazlewood and Boland are so significantly more threatening then neither should be missing out when fit.

Did you see Boland get smashed around England?


Have you seen Starc constantly take early wickets? Did you actually watch Starc bowl in the first 3 tests?

He was better than Hazelwood.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Geez when was the last time we played an overseas test in January?

 

[undertaker]

Would have to think that Australia will play at least 2 frontline spinners in Sri Lankan conditions.

Lyon + Kuhnemann or Murphy is the most likely combination

 

[undertaker]

Geez when was the last time we played an overseas test in January?

22-27 January 1970, South Africa vs Australia (1st test) at Cape Town.

Last test series for the Saffers before they were banished from international cricket for a couple of decades

 

[Chins get the wins]

Would have to think that Australia will play at least 2 frontline spinners in Sri Lankan conditions.

Lyon + Kuhnemann or Murphy is the most likely combination

I hate playing 2 offies and with Head and Webster it will be even worse

 

[Fangs]

Its tricky as we want variety. But Todd Murphy is the 'hair' apparent to Nathan Lyon. Unfortunately both are offies. I think we might be stuck taking both unless we can convince baldy to take a rest.

In a perfect world we only take one of them. Kuhnemann and our best leggie are chosen instead.

 

[Bazal]

I hate playing 2 offies and with Head and Webster it will be even worse

We haven't got a leggie worth a pinch of Bruce McGain's shit though. So it's two offies. The only real variation is Kuhnemann purely because he bowls left arm offies instead, but Murphy is a much better bowler so IMO you pick the two best.

 

[TheParraboy]

Would like to see more test players rested rather than BBL before SL tests

Head the only confirmation so far

Marsh set for BBL return after losing Test place

Travis Head is not expected to feature for Adelaide Strikers before the Sri Lanka tour

www.espncricinfo.com

"I'm wrecked," Head told Fox Cricket at the SCG on Sunday. "I don't know what I'm going to do in the next few days but we've got 10 or 12 days off now before we go to Sri Lanka and I'm going to use every little bit of that."

Webster could be available for Melbourne Stars' next game against Sydney Sixers on Thursday and also the return derby against Renegades on January 12.

Steven Smith (Sydney Sixers), Sam Konstas (Sydney Thunder), Marnus Labuschagne (Brisbane Heat), Usman Khawaja (Brisbane Heat), Alex Carey (Adelaide Strikers), Nathan Lyon (Melbourne Renegades) and Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers) are the other players from the Test squad who could turn out for their BBL teams. Scott Boland, who plays for Melbourne Stars, may be rested after his workload in the final two Tests.

Most of those names are then likely to be part of the Sri Lanka tour which begins with a training camp in Dubai. Teams that reach the BBL finals will be without any of the players who are on that trip.

 

[simmo1]

Three spinners is overkill. Even if it's a sandpit and teams struggle to get 200, you'd think Lyon will just bowl one end unchanged and the 3rd spinner wouldn't get much of a look in. Better off with an extra batter, and rely on part timers if desperate.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Since Chuck retired the Sri Lankan pitches have taken turn but haven't been sandpits.

2 spinners is ideal.

 

[hineyrulz]

I have a bad feeling Zampa is going to backdoor his way into the squad.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Since Chuck retired the Sri Lankan pitches have taken turn but haven't been sandpits.

2 spinners is ideal.

2011 when we won Sri Lanka produced 2 roads in that 3 test series.

And we won the toss on the only Bunsen burner in the series in Galle where we lucked in and won that match

Lyon was the only spinner. We didn't play two and Michael Clarke didn't bowl much all series.

We had Ryan Harris, Trent Copeland, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson bowling.

And the great Mike Hussey chipped in with a few wickets including Sangakarra.

Today's Cricket Match | Cricket Update | Cricket News | ESPNcricinfo

Get live cricket scores, cricket updates of upcoming International, domestic and T20 matches. Catch all the latest videos, news about cricket on ESPNcricinfo.

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[TheParraboy]

I have a bad feeling Zampa is going to backdoor his way into the squad.

I reckon Maxy is almost a cert...

 

[Twizzle]

He also offers quite a point of difference from the other three, he should have been rested, but I reckon he’s much more important than many want to acknowledge

his footmarks help the Boat get some turn and he needs help in that area

 

[Twizzle]

Haze out of the SL tour