3rd Test: Australia v Pakistan at SCG on Jan 3-7, 2017

[TheParraboy]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-pakistan-2016-17/content/story/1074685.html


Maddo dropped, Looks like AGAR is the next all rounder we will be trialing. Good to see SOK back

Don't forget Jane McGrath day 3, WEAR PINK

 

[Bazal]

Cartwright will play over Agar. He bats at 4 or 5 for WA, even our selectors aren't dumb enough to think Agar (as handy a batsman as he is) is a test match number six

Plus they'll have two spinners so the extra overs from the part timer will want to be seam

 

[Timbo]

Cartwright and O'Keefe will play for Maddo and one of the quicks.

How in the name of crickey f**k did Wade get picked?

 

[Iafeta]

What a shame for Maddo. Gutsy effort. I'm sure he will bounce back from the unforeseen trauma of this shock dropping.

He was on the improve. It's as harsh an axing as the great Stuart Law suffered.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Maddinson being dropped is a great disappointment. Hope he gets another chance. McGrath's career average is within striking distance and there for the taking.

SOK bowling while Warne commentates could be a highlight.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Ashton Agar - the Australian Moeen Ali, @Timbo.

 

[Bazal]

Nah Agar is a wicked fielder...lol

 

[Pete Cash]

Cartwright is nowhere near a good enough bowler. Our selectors are geniused

 

[Bazal]

Cartwright is nowhere near a good enough bowler. Our selectors are geniused

Talented batsman who bowls a bit, dead rubber, Maddinson the definition of struggling...personally I don't have an issue with it. He likely won't bowl more than 8-10 overs

 

[Pete Cash]

Talented batsman who bowls a bit, dead rubber, Maddinson the definition of struggling...personally I don't have an issue with it. He likely won't bowl more than 8-10 overs

Maybe

He just isn't belting the door down this year in FC cricket. Maybe he will have a blinder but I feel that the selectors are making too many hunch selections

 

[Bazal]

If Chris Lynn could stop getting injured in pre season and actually play some FC cricket I don't think we'd have many issues at number six, to be honest

For all his T20 batshittery he averages 45 at first class level with a top score of 250 and 6 hundreds, generally scored in the lower middle order too I think

 

[lockyno1]

Cartwright is nowhere near a good enough bowler. Our selectors are geniused

Could be worse Maddinson could be there!

What a useless dud he was!

Although he got his average up to a whopping 6.75...that's 5 more than anyone expected!

 

[Iafeta]

I'm sure if given another series he could have raised it to 12.4. I hope he doesn't fall into the Rob Niney/Alex Doolan trap where there's always considerable debate about bringing them in to solidify the middle order but for whatever reason it never happens. Too good a player for that.

 

[Twizzle]

I cant see us playing the Goat, Agar the horrible and SOK.

If they play Agar at 6 then SOK will probabaly carry the drinks, its not as tho SCG is the turner that it used to be, we wont need 3 spinners.

Then again, its our selectors so anything could happen

 

[Iafeta]

Agar should miss out. Cartwright bats 6, Bird drops out and O'keefe plays as second spinner. Another option is to put a sulo bin as a quasi back stop and drop Wade too.

 

[typicalfan]

Agar isnt a test 6.

 

[umina panther]

Agar isn't a test player at all

 

[JJ]

Agar isn't a test player at all

And O'Keefe is a white ball specialist!!

Wade, LOL, Nevill must have done something truly awful

 

[AlwaysGreen]

So how much will the pitch turn? The scg is no longer the raging turner it was in the 80s or even the spin friendly pitch it was in the 90s/00s. If anything it is usually quite good for the fast bowlers especially in the first couple of days. Let visiting teams fall for the 'scg is a turner trap'. Australia should pick Hazelwood, Bird and Starc as they are our best 3 bowlers plus a spinner with part timers Warner and Smith to assist.

It doesn't warrant two spinners being selected unless those two spinners are part of your best XI. Lyon, despite what happened in Melbourne isn't 'back' as some journos and commentators would have you believe. Taking 3 wickets against a woeful Pakistan shouldn't hide the fact he has been ineffective for a long time. 2 years and counting without a 5 wicket haul.
He should make way for SOK at least to demonstrate his position in the team isn't a given.

Cartwright in for Maddinson as basically the selectors have picked a squad which means that this is the only option with no specialist batsman brought into the squad. How he will go I dont know, but I doubt a guy with his bowling record in FC cricket is going to effective at the higher level.
Agar is no number 6 at test level and definitely not a front line spin option.

 

[Tommy Smith]

And O'Keefe is a white ball specialist!!

Wade, LOL, Nevill must have done something truly awful

The worst part is that I reckon the ass hat commentators, led by Botox Face, with their continual and inexplicable talking up of Wade is keeping him in the team.

Because the selectors are that dumb.

They're about equal with the bat but Nevill is an infinitely better gloveman. If Nevill doesn't go to India where Wade will embarrass himself then they should all be shot... about the 12th time they've deserved such a fate over the last few years.