2nd ODI: Australia v NZ in Cairns D/N (Cazaly's Stadium) Sept 8, 2022

[Bazal]

Dammit that was so unnecessary but that's what happens when everyone else has the IQ of a cunjevoi and you're the last real bat I suppose.

Should have been selfish and batted for a not out.

 

[ElectricEelMan]

Aaron Finch ODI scores since start of 2021 - 0, 5, 5, 1, 15, 0, 0, 62, 14, 44, 0, 0, 23
169 runs in 13 innings
One okay inning, five ducks, and eight innings below ten
He is approaching 36 years of age.

Yet selectors stick with him for some reason.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I thought the Tigers season was over.

 

[Bazal]

At this point Haze is exponentially a better batsman than our fat fraud captain

 

[hineyrulz]

Haze>>>>>>> Funch

 

[JJ]

Wtf is Bracewell bowling for

 

[Bazal]

Well at least it's something to bowl at.

Just

 

[JJ]

Well at least it's something to bowl at.

Just

Yeah, we should win easily but I suspect we won’t ( easily anyway)

 

[Fangs]

Haze and Starc did a very good job to get us up near 200. Competitive enough.

Bowlers need to fire up. We have picked a good attack. Maxwell/Stoinis/Marnus is the problem as they need to fill out the 50 overs. None of them fill me with confidence with the ball in this scenario.

 

[undertaker]

Bowlers need to fire up. We have picked a good attack. Maxwell/Stoinis/Marnus is the problem as they need to fill out the 50 overs. None of them fill me with confidence with the ball in this scenario.

Don't worry. Funch's left-arm pies will win this game for us!

 

[undertaker]

At least Taylor was a good skipper.

I'll agree with you on that point.

But it's clear as the light of day that Funch has been going to the same post-match buffets as Tubby!

 

[Fangs]

Don't worry. Funch's left-arm pies will win this game for us!

Honestly he may as well bowl. He is not contributing with the bat. Maybe his left-arm unorthodox will trouble the Kiwis.

 

[TheParraboy]

Serious question, where’s Mitch Marsh?

Had a minor ankle injury and was ruled out of Zimbabwe and this Kiwi series

Be good to go for the 3 game T20 Indian tour and the WC

 

[TheParraboy]

Kiwis need 196

I think we are 10-20 runs short...

 

[undertaker]

Aaron Finch ODI scores since start of 2021 - 0, 5, 5, 1, 15, 0, 0, 62, 14, 44, 0, 0, 23
169 runs in 13 innings
One okay inning, five ducks, and eight innings below ten
He is approaching 36 years of age.

Yet selectors stick with him for some reason.

It's as clear as the light of day that the Aussie selectors have no succession plan at the moment regarding who's going to be the new opening ODI partnership once Funch and Warner are gone, and are just praying that they continue to play for as long as they can. The fact that both of them will be 36 within the next couple of months are at the tail-end of their international careers means nothing to them. However, Funch's woeful form may push the matter out of the selectors' hands if he has another shocker in the last ODI on Sunday.

If this was two decades ago during the Steve Waugh era, there's absolutely no way that a soon-to-be 36 year old opening batsman would be retained in the side at either national or state level with an average of 13 over their past 13 limited-overs innings.

Also, another issue is the captaincy. If Funch goes, who replaces him? Is giving it to Cummins putting too much on Cummins' plate to deal with, or are the selectors willing to give Smithy another stint given he has past experience captaining players in the current squad? Other than Cummins or Smith, I don't know who else in the squad would be a genuine contender for the role.

 

[Fangs]

One of the best replacements at opener for the shorter formats would be Khawaja. Unfortunately he too turns 36 in December.

We've got the same problem across every format. I'd look at Marnus as a test opener at this stage.

 

[Bazal]

Oof. Guptill falls for the old Mats bar under the cardboard box

 

[Bazal]

OMFG.

I want to call that village but I've played for village cricket teams that wouldn't have f**ked that up. Jesus wept

 

[undertaker]

One of the best replacements at opener for the shorter formats would be Khawaja. Unfortunately he too turns 36 in December.

We've got the same problem across every format. I'd look at Marnus as a test opener at this stage.

The ODI World Cup is in October-November next year. Both Warner and Funch will be 37 by then.

The national selectors really need to sit down and ask themselves the question "can we realistically see Warner and/or Funch being there in the World Cup in India just over a year from now?"

If the answer is a definitive "NO" or leaning on the side of "no", then they've got to cut those players loose after this series, and use the upcoming ODI series vs England (held immediately after the T20 World Cup) as the start of a new beginning towards their ODI World Cup preparations.

For me, although he's been inconsistent, Warner has done and shown enough over the past year to be there in India. On the other hand, Funch has got to go.

Also, I'm not convinced that Stoinis should be going to India either next year. Reminds me of Ian Harvey: has the talent, but grossly underperforms most of the time and his career stats are a reflection of his underperforming with both bat and ball.

Of Green/Maxwell/M Marsh/Stoinis, Stoinis is the "all-rounder" that gets cut from the final 15 man squad.

 

[Fangs]

The ODI World Cup is in October-November next year. Both Warner and Funch will be 37 by then.

I'll take Warner along. He seems to hit them well enough.

I'll delete my account if Aaron Finch makes it to the WC next year. That would be one of the greatest sporting comebacks in history.