MELBOURNE 3rd Test: Australia v India on Dec 26-30, 2014

[Twizzle]

exactly

 

[rickywalford1]

perhaps, but the last calendar year he averaged 40 in was 2010, he's averaged 40 in 2 of 8 years of test cricket, 3 of 8have been in 20s, and a further one below 20....

Sorry but two good years don't make a test career, he can only be in the team for his bowling at the moment, and it is insane to have him at #3 - in saying that, now the pressure is off he'll likely make some runs - but that's how he rolls...

He's a fine ODI player, but as a test player he's not... I just don't get his automatic selection status.

What's the gossip on Burns? Record looks decent, but all I read here and elsewhere was talking Fergusson, Voges, Cowan... and if Burns is the goods, why was S Marsh picked ahead of him?

How is the pressure off ? The series isn't won and Watsons is under the hammer for the first time in a long time. They have signalled their all rounder intention with Marsh and now Burns is getting a crack. Selection wise, it's probably the most pressure Watson has been in in his career.

 

[rickywalford1]

exactly

Yes. Ive just forgotten some examples ? Can you help me out ?

 

[TheParraboy]

Burns opens for QLD mate. Has batted 3 and 4 for QLD too. He is a top order bat!

Locky what do you reckon of Chris Lynn?, a replacement for Sunshine or Sean Marsh over the next 12 months (preferably sooner)

I applaud Burns being in the side. I think he will steadily do well

 

[Twizzle]

um, Boonie was at 3 for Tassie and opened for Australia

Blewitt opened for SA and batted at 5 for Australia

Hussey opened for WA and batted at 5 for Australia

Watson 4 for Qld and 1,3 for Australia

just off the top of my head, pick your best 6 batsmen then worry about thier batting positions

 

[TheParraboy]

Blewett never batted at 5 for Australia (but you were close)

Batted at 6, his most successful position in the aussie side (averaged almost 44 there in 18 digs) was a disaster as opener in 21 innings there

 

[rickywalford1]

I'll give you boonie. That's a good call. The rest aren't openers to 3 or vice versa. You should have stopped at Boonie.

I agree to some extent in terms of the top 6. However, In this case, I think the best chance of Joe Burns having some success is not throwing him in at 3. Young batsemen struggle at test level. Very rarely do they stick on their first attempt. Surely the priority is giving him the easiest path.

 

[Twizzle]

If a bloke is a cricketer he can bat.

If he can only bat at one position at this level of cricket, you've got the wrong bloke imo

 

[Twizzle]

I'll give you boonie. That's a good call. The rest aren't openers to 3 or vice versa. You should have stopped at Boonie.

I agree to some extent in terms of the top 6. However, In this case, I think the best chance of Joe Burns having some success is not throwing him in at 3. Young batsemen struggle at test level. Very rarely do they stick on their first attempt. Surely the priority is giving him the easiest path.

Matt Elliott was another who went from opening to 3

 

[JJ]

Matt Elliott was another who went from opening to 3

many players have swapped between the two

Langer, Richardson, McCullum, Latham, Blewett, Watson, Root, Boon (I think Marsh too?), Veletta, Katich, Hussey all spring to mind as having gone one way or the other, with varying degrees of success - not all #3, but I also refuse to believe there's something inherently different about 3, there certainly is about opening, but more and more cricket is getting over that wee superstition too

 

[rickywalford1]

Ok. I'll concede on the opener to 3 transition. There's a few there.
Staying firm on 6 giving him the best chance of making an impression though. I'm a little over seeing young blokes slaughtered at 3.

 

[Twizzle]

Like Watson, they will only be slaughtered if they are not good enough imo.

He may just surprise but in any case he has to be better then Watson.

Having said that, knowing our selectors he'll bat at 6 and Watson at 3 because they are just stupid enough to think that way.

 

[rickywalford1]

He could easily be worse than Watson. Just like Khawaja at 3 was worse than Watson, Hughes at 3 was worse than Watson, Marsh at 3 was worse than Watson and Doolan at 3 was worse than Watson. We've seen plenty of young 3's being worse than Watson.

 

[The Charlatan]

Khawaja? 9 tests over nearly three years, was given no time to settle into the side. Watson scored 3 less runs in his first nine Tests.

Watson = 24.9 from his first nine Tests
Khawaja = 25.1 from his nine Tests

By that logic he should have played 50 Tests by now...

 

[JJ]

Ideally you would start a younger player at 5 or 6, as Ponting did. But he's not 20, so not sure it matters so much. If he is a long term choice maybe start at 5 to adjust to tests, the two Nuffies can bat 3 and 6

 

[rickywalford1]

Khawaja? 9 tests over nearly three years, was given no time to settle into the side. Watson scored 3 less runs in his first nine Tests.

Watson = 24.9 from his first nine Tests
Khawaja = 25.1 from his nine Tests

By that logic he should have played 50 Tests by now...

Watson was bowling in his first 9 tests. If he was batting only with those numbers he would have been gone as well.

 

[Pete Cash]

Watson has averaged like 30 under Clarke's captaincy where he has increasingly focused on his batting.

 

[The Charlatan]

Only took 14 wickets @ 37.2.

Should have been punted anyway.

 

[Pete Cash]

I honestly don't mind Watson in the side as an allrounder if the selectors must pick one. He cannot bat at three though. His batting has been frankly terrible under Clarke's captaincy. He averages iirc 10 runs less under Clarke than Ponting.

He proved at the gabba that he is a handy bowler. He can tie down an end which helps the strike bowlers. Its just insane having him at three.

 

[rickywalford1]

Only took 14 wickets @ 37.2.

Should have been punted anyway.

Possibly. They were/are fixated lon an all rounder.
Not a fan of the Khawaja bleeding heart story. The guy didn't perform, reportedly sooked about it, and consequently didn't perform domestically when he got dropped. Unlucky champ. In saying that, I feel a bit sorry for him now. Started performing again and it sounds like the knee injury cost him another crack at it.