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mikeh, I think I have seen that list as well.......12 - 18 months back Hunt, Street and Ward would of been on that list.....all 3 have stagnated big time. Davies showed some red ball form, especially v WA, before the Shield hiatus. It will be interesting to see how he backs up when the Shield comp recommences. 

McSweeney and Hardie look like first off the middle order ranks, be interesting to see if one or both get a NZ call-up. Bowling wise Aust looks ok, especially on the spinning front with Murphy, Sangha and Rocchiccioli. Pace wise the depth of talent looks ok as well.

Freezin wrote:

BH, didn't Aust score 550 + and 470+ v a SA attack consisting of Rabada, Nortje and Jansen not too long ago? 
I agree Aust batsmen havent been on song this summer, but all 6 have had their moments over the past 12 months....good and bad.

Jamieson ain't express, Henry like Ferguson runs hot n cold....as does Milne.  But all on theiir day capable of taking down any batting line up.Aust bowling will be just a concern to the fragile NZ batting line up I reckon. NZ are due to end their drought v Aust, though if Joe Burns can score runs v Boult and Southee on a Hagley green top, then I am quietly confident a few of Aust top 6 can find some runs next month.




 

Freeze the now retired Warner scored 200 of those runs (also probably the last time we got anywhere near the 400-500 mark).
Yep I know Jamieson aint express but he is very tall and awkward to play, Southee will seam it around, Henry for pace and swing, whilst Wagner always causes the Aussie batsmen grief with his short at the body stuff. I wonder if Boult makes a return from his T20 commitments?
I cant see this Aussie batting line up scoring anything over 300 in NZ conditions, they are a fragile line up, and god help us if Khawaja & Smith both fail.

The current India vs England Test Series in India is fascinating viewing at the moment.
England coming from nowhere to win the 1st Test against the odds, can they do similar in the current 2nd Test with India seemingly on top atm???
Jaiswal the young left handed opener hitting 209 in the first dig, then Bumrah destroyed England with 6/42, and some brilliant reverse swing bowling.

Looks like India will win the 2nd Test vs England squaring the series 1-1 with 3 to play.
Gee Tom Hartley continues to shine for the Poms, with the ball and now with the bat showing a bit.

Great to see Eng have the balls to play 3 young spinners.....all 3 had their moments and will no doubt grow from the experience and the self belief Baz and Ben have showed in their selection. Can't see all 3 coming to Aust next year....but hey who knows. Hopefully Aust plays Murphy, Sangha and Rocchiccioli in India next time they are there.....and hopefully Connolly is  up and about too.....

Geez that Jaisal looks special too.....in Gill and Jaisal, India has two young bats in the top 3 for the next 10 years.....with no doubts others to surface somewhere along the line as well....as India's U/19s look on track for another comp win....though good to see Aust youngsters in Dixon, Konstas and  the skipper Weibgen showing some promise with the bat and pace boys in Vidler & Beardman with the ball.

Watching a bit of the NZ vs SA Test match currently being played in Hamilton.
Gee this new Kiwi quick on debut Will O'Rourke looks a good type, I can see him causing the fragile Aussie batting line up some concerns with his pace, bounce and seam.

Another 5 wickets for O'Rourke today BH. I agree that he and Jamieson will test the brittle Australian batting line up. They are both tall and can get the ball to rise sharply. The Aussies were struggling with Jamel and Joseph on our pitches so I reckon the Kiwis might fancy their chances in these two tests. Would love to see a 3 test series in NZ as its our first one there for 8 years

Interesting take on NZ bowlers licking their lips with Aust fragile batting line up.....would like to think Aust bowlers would be licking their lips with NZ fragile batting line up in their sights.

Would also like to think bowling to this current SA batting line up is a tad easier then bowling to Aust current line up...time will tell I guess..... or are folk saying Aust top 6, are mediocre Shield level at best?

If a mediocre Shield bat in Joe Burns can score runs v Boult and Southee in their prime, in NZ conditions, then I have every confidence in Aust apparent mediocre Shield level top 6, doing something similar, as O'Rourke is no Trent Boult.......yet!

Fair comment Freezin. Apart from Williamson, NZ's batting has looked very shaky against a 2nd rate South African attack in this test so they may struggle against Starc and co.
If you look at the test returns of the batters in the summer just gone you would have to agree that apart from Marsh and perhaps Warner , batsmen have performed below their previous career averages
Mitchell Marsh – 380 at 54.28
Usman Khawaja – 359 at 39.88
Steve Smith – 314 at 44.85
David Warner – 299 at 49.83
Marnus Labuschagne – 226 at 28.25
Alex Carey – 211 at 30.14
Travis Head – 200 at 25.00

They have set high standards in the past but what I am saying is that the batting group as a whole has not clicked this summer and they need to rectify this to beat NZ.  

Jamieson out with a back injury....disappointing considering his  current test record....would of been a good test for Aust top 6....might mean Wagner gets a crack at Aust top 6.