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5th Test: Australia v India @ SCG Jan 3-7, 2025

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14,832
Plus we need opener cover anyway, so Head on turning decks makes sense as a temp measure. Green into 5, McSweeney and Webster to play 6 depending which the side needs. McSweeney is a good player of spin in Aus at least, and maybe a few Knicks in the middle order might get him comfortable at Test level if they want to try him as an opening option again.

I think we go to the Windies after that?
I’m very pro transition atm
Can’t have Uzi, Smith, Starc, Lyon, Hazelwood all go at once. And Cummins, Lauba, Head and Carey are all 30+ too.
We can’t afford to have them retire in a block and I’m not saying we just turf players. But new blood is very much needed.

And five tests in SL and WI gives us some trying out time before the Ashes. Heaven forbid national players play shield too.
 
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15,307
I think this BGT should be it. Scored f**k all. They sacrificed an up n comer, thrown in another up n comer, and at least Labs got some runs and Head and Smith have tons. Bison was only cover for Green. Let’s see how Webby bats now but I think we can make some transitions this year.
Don’t disagree, I think we were prime to lose 3-4 after the ashes ala 06/07, Marsh looks to be done already, but I still think any of the following could pull up stumps in 12 months
-Uzzy (highly likely)
-Smudge (less likely now after a strong BGT)
-Marsh (won’t play another test when Green is fit, could be done already if Webster delivers here)
-Starc (injuries depending, could stay on for a few years for the pink ball tests and help blood a replacement)
-Haze (with Boland performing here could already be done sadly, although will likely be transitioned out)
-Lyon (could go on for a few years as a spinner although we have some decent options coming through)
-Boland (could be used as a stop gap although he is older than the other quicks)

After the ashes our team could legitimately look something like
Konstas
McSweeney
Labuschagne
Green
Head
Webster
Carey
Neser
Cummins
Richardson
Murphy
 

Bazal

Post Whore
Messages
103,677
I’m very pro transition atm
Can’t have Uzi, Smith, Starc, Lyon, Hazelwood all go at once. And Cummins, Lauba, Head and Carey are all 30+ too.
We can’t afford to have them retire in a block and I’m not saying we just turf players. But new blood is very much needed.

And five tests in SL and WI gives us some trying out time before the Ashes. Heaven forbid national players play shield too.

Yeah we need an opener by the Ashes. Head doesn't do it here, in India/Sri Lanka/Bangladesh sure but not here. You could extend that to the Windies cos the tracks are usually shit and the poor Windies are minnows.

We really need to get some games in the next cab players. Webster and McSweeney for e.g. have sort of been chucked in to the surprise of the public and it shouldn't be a surprise cos Big Slug is 30 and McSweeney Todd is 25...we've been terrible at bringing players through for a while now. If the opener experiment is going to continue, getting McSweeney in the middle order first is vital IMO. He can open in Shield if they're serious, and bat middle until he gets used to Test cricket.
 
Messages
14,832
I was at Green Shields game two weeks ago when McSweeney got dropped. A mixed audience but all agreed he had been treated shabbily, even not keeping him with the squad. He’d been selected out of position. The top order had all spluttered poorly. Bumrah had run rampant against everyone. And if he’s in the mix of Gen next then why f**k him over so badly??
Then to a man, attention turned to Lauba and how he hadn’t really been getting runs, is a plum space cadet and the Aussie public have worn thin on him. You only need to look at Starc - he truly does not like the guy’s antics.
 
Messages
15,307
Yeah we need an opener by the Ashes. Head doesn't do it here, in India/Sri Lanka/Bangladesh sure but not here. You could extend that to the Windies cos the tracks are usually shit and the poor Windies are minnows.

We really need to get some games in the next cab players. Webster and McSweeney for e.g. have sort of been chucked in to the surprise of the public and it shouldn't be a surprise cos Big Slug is 30 and McSweeney Todd is 25...we've been terrible at bringing players through for a while now. If the opener experiment is going to continue, getting McSweeney in the middle order first is vital IMO. He can open in Shield if they're serious, and bat middle until he gets used to Test cricket.
The general reaction is to throw things at the wall and see what sticks. We sort of had a revolving middle order around Steve Smith for a few years before some guys started nailing down spots. Coming into the 2021/22 Ashes it was a toss up between Khawaja and Head to bat 5. Head got the spot and has made it his own, before Khawaja got a chance and locked up an opener spot. Marnus got a chance when Smith got hit in the head and locked it up. Others like the Marsh brother just float in and other of the side for years on end.

McSweeney is worth a trip to Sri Lanka and some other tours, I would like to see him get a run against teams that don’t contain Bumrah to see how good he is. Could see him being a long term 4 when Smudge calls it a day.
 

BunniesMan

Immortal
Messages
33,738
Calling it. Game over. India is cooked. They have given up. Kohli for all his talent is not a back against the wall bloke to win a match from a losing position. Jaiswal was the real danger man and with him out early they are not getting 250.
First of all, called it.

Second of all, time to go Usman. Have liked him as a bloke. And he has scored lots of good runs for us. But at 38 unless you are Lebron James or Tom Brady (meaning literally 1 in a million) your eyes and your hands are simply not what they were. Blokes running around playing club cricket might be fine because they aren't facing elite bowlers. But at Test level you simply cannot keep up with the best of the best.
 

BunniesMan

Immortal
Messages
33,738
As for Bumrah. I have no problem with what he did. It is a compliment to Konstas that the best bowler in the world is giving him that much attention in his first match. There are lines we don't cross of course but I don't think Bumrah did anything like that. A bit of drama in the middle (without crossing that line) is good for the game.

Things like Richie Richardson holding Curtly Ambrose back from Steve Waugh. These become iconic timeless moments. We should not be trying to airbrush the contest too much.
 

TheParraboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
69,223
Don’t disagree, I think we were prime to lose 3-4 after the ashes ala 06/07, Marsh looks to be done already, but I still think any of the following could pull up stumps in 12 months
-Uzzy (highly likely)
-Smudge (less likely now after a strong BGT)
-Marsh (won’t play another test when Green is fit, could be done already if Webster delivers here)
-Starc (injuries depending, could stay on for a few years for the pink ball tests and help blood a replacement)
-Haze (with Boland performing here could already be done sadly, although will likely be transitioned out)
-Lyon (could go on for a few years as a spinner although we have some decent options coming through)
-Boland (could be used as a stop gap although he is older than the other quicks)

After the ashes our team could legitimately look something like
Konstas
McSweeney
Labuschagne
Green
Head
Webster
Carey
Neser
Cummins
Richardson
Murphy


Nesser will be 36yo

Id put in Spencer Johnson or Xavier Bartlett in there

Inglis for Carey might be on the cards as well
 

Bazal

Post Whore
Messages
103,677
Nesser will be 36yo

Id put in Spencer Johnson or Xavier Bartlett in there

Inglis for Carey might be on the cards as well

Spencer will replace Starc IMO. But I think we need to get some genuinely younger quicks in and build, like we did with this set. Fergus O'Neill would be one of my top picks. Not only does he have a FC average of 19, his name is f**ken Fergus.
 
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