Tim Paine quits as test captain

[Incorrect]

10000% agree mang. Steve Waugh was the last Aussie captain who got the job because he was a genuine cricket captain.

Punter was a generational cricketer but a shit captain, although I do think he had good personal skills he also seemed to only apply them to his mates?

Clarke was a generational cricketer and actually a really good tactician and his broader leadership skills were obviously great (see the Phil Hughes tragedy) but his personal skills were really poor.

Smith is a rarer than generational cricketer with some form of cricketing Aspergers...

Paine is a great leader with excellent personal skills. Honestly he's probably the closest we've got to going back to naming a captain who is just a good captain no matter what else he does...but his tactics fell away dramatically the last two years. And he's not exactly bashing the door down skills-wise.

I honestly think Head is the best option. He's a better bat than Paine, so they can't use the "he's not good enough to play" line IMO and he's a genuinely good captain at Shield level. Obviously remains to be seen if that translates to the top level, but with the situation as it is why not give the guy a go?

Agreed Re Tim Paine. He was exactly what the team needed after the SA debacle. An experienced, hard head at 1st class level and who had scars to prove it, literally and figuratively. But seems to have got caught 'playing the man' lately in his captaincy.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Captaincy hit its peak at Chappelli and went downhill again from there.

 

[simmo1]

Test captaincy probably not as easy as it seems from the armchair. Australia were definitely spoilt with the Border-Waugh years.

 

[herbert henry1908]

10000% agree mang. Steve Waugh was the last Aussie captain who got the job because he was a genuine cricket captain.

Punter was a generational cricketer but a shit captain, although I do think he had good personal skills he also seemed to only apply them to his mates?

Clarke was a generational cricketer and actually a really good tactician and his broader leadership skills were obviously great (see the Phil Hughes tragedy) but his personal skills were really poor.

Smith is a rarer than generational cricketer with some form of cricketing Aspergers...

Paine is a great leader with excellent personal skills. Honestly he's probably the closest we've got to going back to naming a captain who is just a good captain no matter what else he does...but his tactics fell away dramatically the last two years. And he's not exactly bashing the door down skills-wise.

I honestly think Head is the best option. He's a better bat than Paine, so they can't use the "he's not good enough to play" line IMO and he's a genuinely good captain at Shield level. Obviously remains to be seen if that translates to the top level, but with the situation as it is why not give the guy a go?

Head didn’t even play in our last test match, he’s a 50/50 selection at best. If Pucovski was fit he’d be in the team in front of him. I’d argue Maddinson should probably be there at no.6 and Green and no.5

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Captaincy hit its peak at Chappelli and went downhill again from there.

Can I just add, that's not just my opinion, it's Chappelli's as well.

 

[The_Frog]

Fitting way for Paine's career to end, I would be stunned if he gets picked without captaincy. He will get sledged like no tomorrow and on his performances you couldn't say he is the best option we have got.

Cummins is the next in line with that very likeable personality, similar to the one that I believe enticed them to go with Paine initially.

Likeable is overrated. I can't recall a quick captaining Australia before.

 

[hineyrulz]

Captaincy hit its peak at Chappelli and went downhill again from there.

Helluva good comment here AG.

 

[Bazal]

Head didn’t even play in our last test match, he’s a 50/50 selection at best. If Pucovski was fit he’d be in the team in front of him. I’d argue Maddinson should probably be there at no.6 and Green and no.5

And IIRC Tim Paine wasn't even averaging 35 in FC cricket when he got the gig, so what?

We need a f**ken captain. Not "oh this bloke is the best batsman/bowler so give him the gig"....

Head might not be the long term option, but neither is Cummins. IMO it's stupid to even consider Cummins an option....so why not give it to the most experienced Shield captain left in the squad and see how he goes? He can bat six and Green five, that's much better anyway.

Pucovski is worse than me and @hineyrulz against short shit and Maddinson has the mental strength of a leaf of cos lettuce (plus his own head issues) They bring zero leadership to the squad and several concussions...

 

[Smug Panther]

If it takes being captain for Paddy to get the new ball off that potato Starc then it's worth it

 

[TheParraboy]

You want a captain that's a guarantee lock for every test and universally respected by players and puplic. Cummins has that in buckets over everyone else. Don’t think he will be conservative as a Punter or as stupid as Paine in terms of terrible DRS reviews and lame sledging.

There is far less need for a Mike Brearly type to be carried in a side in the modern game with coaches and video analysis of the opposition with every test playing nation for decades now.

If Paddy is picked as test captain he will have old hands for support including Smith and hopefully Khawaja

Id personally go Smith. He is far more mature now and as far as I’m aware is respected. Of course like with Paine, the cry of the puplic and media won’t allow it.

 

[Twizzle]

Paine’s actions were investigated by CA’s Integrity Unit at the time and he was cleared of any breach under its Code of Conduct, a decision Hughes called “staggering”.

this is what needs investigating, not Tim Paine

 

[Twizzle]

Head didn’t even play in our last test match, he’s a 50/50 selection at best. If Pucovski was fit he’d be in the team in front of him. I’d argue Maddinson should probably be there at no.6 and Green and no.5

generally a batsman at 5 and your all rounder at 6 depending on his batting ability, I don't think Green has done enough to be picked on his batting alone

 

[herbert henry1908]

generally a batsman at 5 and your all rounder at 6 depending on his batting ability, I don't think Green has done enough to be picked on his batting alone

That’s what’s done because typically the all rounder is the weakest batsmen, that’s not the case with Green. He bats at 4 for WA and averages over 50. He’s a genuine batsmen, his style is also suited to batting higher up the order, he’s an innings builder.

He’s easily done enough at Sheffield Shield level to be picked on batting alone.

 

[herbert henry1908]

And IIRC Tim Paine wasn't even averaging 35 in FC cricket when he got the gig, so what?

We need a f**ken captain. Not "oh this bloke is the best batsman/bowler so give him the gig"....

Head might not be the long term option, but neither is Cummins. IMO it's stupid to even consider Cummins an option....so why not give it to the most experienced Shield captain left in the squad and see how he goes? He can bat six and Green five, that's much better anyway.

Pucovski is worse than me and @hineyrulz against short shit and Maddinson has the mental strength of a leaf of cos lettuce (plus his own head issues) They bring zero leadership to the squad and several concussions...

I’m puzzled at you comparing a batsmen to a keeper on their averages? 35 is fine for a keeper, that’s what all the current keeping options average as well.

The reality is Head isn’t guaranteed to even be in the team, you pick the best team and then pick the captain. But you want a bit of security in that role, I’d want some confidence he’s going to be there for a couple of years at least, and with Head’s record that’s no guarantee.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Personally I’d go with Smith. I’m a big believer in second chances, he’s older and more mature, plus he will have learnt from that mistake. He’s hardly some loose cannon type of guy.

Just think the job is too big for someone like Cummins whose hardly captained at all. But if not Smith, he’s the only option.

 

[Eelectrica]

Id personally go Smith. He is far more mature now and as far as I’m aware is respected. Of course like with Paine, the cry of the puplic and media won’t allow it.

It's pretty much what we're down to. CA sends candidates to the sponsors and broadcasters and they pick the one they like. Person with least skeletons in the closet gets the job.
I'd go with Smithy as well, believing he's learned a hell of a lot from that will come back better for it.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Where is the evidence that Smith is more mature? Aging alone doesn't make you more mature, just older.

 

[Smug Panther]

Head is a bum, shouldn't be near the side really

 

[simmo1]

Cummins kills it at everything he does, from bowling to cryptic crosswords, so no reason to believe captaincy would be any different. There is simply no horse blanket worthy of being worn by the stallion.

 

[Eelectrica]

Don't mind Cummins as captain either. Probably the 'ssfe' choice CA will go for and be approved by broadcasters and sponsors.

He's just got to not bowl himself to break point. Which Paine was on the way to doing anyway.