2nd ODI: Australia v Pakistan at Melbourne on Jan 15, 2017

[Wizardman]

Is he Mitch Swepsons dad?

that guy....haha

 

[Bazal]

I know it's a different format etc. but can anyone explain to me HOW m.marsh gets selected over Faulkner for the long form of the game? Faulkner is by far a better bowler in all formats going by averages. Marsh isn't good enough IMO at anything to warrant selection. In first class Faulkner has a superior batting average and bowling average, yet marsh has played 20 odd tests compared to Faulkner only having played 1. Baffles me that the selectors keep going back to marsh when there is a better option right under their noses

Faulkner is a much more genuine fifth bowling option too. Very different to the main quicks, capable of playing a genuine front line bowler role and bowling 140kph swing and seam on suitable tracks, but also has a wide array of variations to provide a real change from the other two or three quicks if needed. I'd have him the test side...only issue is I don't see him as a number six bat, but then we haven't picked a genuine six in years so what does that matter?

 

[Wizardman]

We don't have a good all-rounder for test match cricket. Stick with Handscombe.

 

[undertaker]

Interesting stat:

Tonight is Pakistan's first ODI win against us in Australia since 2005, and their first win against us in an MCG ODI since 1985

In addition, tonight is only our 2nd loss at home over the past 25 ODIs.

 

[Wizardman]

Yeah, nah.

351 runs....it is a road though.

 

[Hutty1986]

351 runs....it is a road though.

I sense a Kohli 155* off about 110 balls and an Indian canter!

 

[Bazal]

351 runs....it is a road though.

India will shit it in. Small ground, road

 

[El Diablo]

Is he Mitch Swepsons dad?

lol

Wizarderp not having a good day

 

[mattyg]

Faulkner is a much more genuine fifth bowling option too. Very different to the main quicks, capable of playing a genuine front line bowler role and bowling 140kph swing and seam on suitable tracks, but also has a wide array of variations to provide a real change from the other two or three quicks if needed. I'd have him the test side...only issue is I don't see him as a number six bat, but then we haven't picked a genuine six in years so what does that matter?

I don't see him as a genuine number 6 at this stage either however he could possibly develop into a 35-40 average if he had a prolonged period in the longer format. At the moment he is playing 1-2 FC games then one dayers, t20s etc it doesn't really give him much chance to develop his batting in the longer format. He already has a better batting average than marsh in first class so surely he deserves a go. He could even bat at number 8 as the 3rd seamer... I think he is our best option and he has played good cricket in India in the past. Unfortunately he wasn't picked for the tour but hopefully he can go well when the shield starts back up and force his way in at some point.

 

[blaza88z]

India will shit it in. Small ground, road

This Jadhav bloke looks like Bradman, can't say I have ever heard of him

 

[hineyrulz]

England are kicking the shit out of India at the moment.

Lol!! On fire last night champ.

 

[hineyrulz]

I don't see him as a genuine number 6 at this stage either however he could possibly develop into a 35-40 average if he had a prolonged period in the longer format. At the moment he is playing 1-2 FC games then one dayers, t20s etc it doesn't really give him much chance to develop his batting in the longer format. He already has a better batting average than marsh in first class so surely he deserves a go. He could even bat at number 8 as the 3rd seamer... I think he is our best option and he has played good cricket in India in the past. Unfortunately he wasn't picked for the tour but hopefully he can go well when the shield starts back up and force his way in at some point.

Neither Faulkner or Marsh are test quality, this all round obsession has got to stop. It's great to have an all rounder in the team but when we ruled the world for a decade we didn't need one. It's dickheads like Pat Howard worried about bowling workloads and resting players telling everyone we need an all rounder it's no point picking one if we don't have one close to being good enough. They would of creamed their jeans over someone like Simon O'Donnell lol.

 

[Twizzle]

Gee its hard to watch Maxwell against spin, they went trough him a few times before he got out, I couldn't help thinking about what Trevor Hohns said, that has picked for India because he is a good player of spin bowling.

Imagine ho good he will be against real spinners instead of these plodders

 

[AlwaysGreen]

But he can reverse sweep.

 

[hineyrulz]

We deserve to lose for not going into a ODI game without a recognised spinner.

 

[Bazal]

Neither Faulkner or Marsh are test quality, this all round obsession has got to stop. It's great to have an all rounder in the team but when we ruled the world for a decade we didn't need one. It's dickheads like Pat Howard worried about bowling workloads and resting players telling everyone we need an all rounder it's no point picking one if we don't have one close to being good enough. They would of creamed their jeans over someone like Simon O'Donnell lol.

There's nothing wrong with wanting an all rounder tbh. On modern flat wickets you really do need a fifth option. The problem is they want a bloke who bats six and bowls like Flintoff. That doesn't exist in world cricket at the moment, so we weaken the batting and don't markedly strengthen the bowling.

Faulkner has the potential to be a more than useful test match number 7 but they've dropped the keeper capable of batting six and our selectors are so set in their structure that they wouldn't allow it anyway. Keepers can only bat 7 in their eyes. Faulkner is test quality, but not in the top six. 6 test wickets and 50 runs (batting 8 IIRC) in one Test and never picked again is more than a little harsh anyway.

I really think Hilton Cartwright is a good option to keep an eye on as well. He needs to recreate his form of last season, but he's not an all rounder which I like...he's a genuine batsman who can roll through a few quick overs, not go for many, maybe jag the odd wicket. Like we used to have with Martin or the Waugh brothers or Ponting or Hussey. Yeah, we didn't have an all rounder, but we had a bunch of batsmen who could bowl a few overs so we always had a fifth or sixth option when needed

 

[JJ]

England are kicking the shit out of India at the moment.

nek minut

 

[undertaker]

Crowd looks crap in the 'sporting capital of the world'.

As I mentioned in the MCG pitches thread, ODIs in Melbourne not involving England or India should be played at Etihad Stadium. Etihad would've had the ideal capacity for today's ODI, and would've generated a better atmosphere and looked better on tv.

31,390 was the crowd yesterday.

In the 100k MCG, it looked like a ghost-town on tv with the only crowd atmosphere being generated were the sections where the Pakistani contingent were, but in the 48k Etihad would've looked better.

Excluding the 2015 World Cup, ODI crowds at the MCG over the past decade - and especially the past few years - have been very unimpressive and another reason why I would like to see those matches shifted to Etihad:

2017
31390 vs Pakistan

2016
20591 vs New Zealand
47638 vs India

2015
34253 vs India

2014
14177 vs South Africa
38068 vs England

 

[Incorrect]

MS Readathon > MS Dhoni

Early days but that will be on the podium when it comes time for me to pick my piss funniest posts of the year... I near soiled myself when I read that!!