TOPIC:

One thing is for certain...Mitch Marsh won't be playing test cricket anytime soon....surely that 180 by Ferguson gives him front running...gotta feeling if Sean Marsh scores again and Renshaw fails in the next match then Sean is in......and the side looks like below
Warner
Marsh
Kawhaja
Smith
Handscomb
Ferguson
Nevill
Starc
Cummins
Lyon
Hazlewood

Ferguson?...surely you jest Freeze!
He was batting on a drop in road against an average bowling attack whilst the likes of Bancroft & S.Marsh were playing on a suburban pitch against the Australian Test bowling attack!

Beasley Hutton wrote: Ferguson?...surely you jest Freeze!
He was batting on a drop in road against an average bowling attack whilst the likes of Bancroft & S.Marsh were playing on a suburban pitch against the Australian Test bowling attack!

Amazingly I kind of agree with Freezler mate, only because I think Ferguson was harshly treated after his one and only test plus he averages higher than the other contenders over a longer period apart from Marsh (I'm pretty sure) who has had an abundance of goes at it. But Bancroft would have to be pretty close too

Is Bancroft good enough to keep at Test level mate?
If he is having him coming in at 7 would make feel a lot more comfortable than either Nevill or Wade at the moment!

Beasley Hutton wrote: Is Bancroft good enough to keep at Test level mate?
If he is having him coming in at 7 would make feel a lot more comfortable than either Nevill or Wade at the moment!

Yeh piss Wade off for sure! Maybe Ferg at 6 and Bancroft 7 & keeping, he is pretty handy mate

Thing is BH, Ferguson has scored that "big daddy" 100 apparently Smith and Lehmann want....everyone else has scored a 50 or 60....do I want Ferguson in?...no not really, personally rather have Head in TBH...yeah ave 33 is piss poor, but is improving and has improved since taking over the SA captaincy....he is only 23 yrs old and has capatained SA to 2 shield finals since he took over that job at 21.....also scored a 100 in the final last year...not bad for a youngster, just says something about his character and temperament that could do well in the big arena.....bowls some spin too....but Head like the rest, bar Ferguson, hasn't scored that big daddy 100....hence Ferguson getting the nod.

Got no probs with Bancroft too playing as a keeper....none of Wade, Carey or Nevill have scored over 40 yet.....Bancroft at 7 would add some depth to Aust batting line up.....and can play the new ball too.....

I am fully aware of that Freeze (re the 'big daddy' 100 for Fergy & Jake) but it is not really a fair comparison considering WA were up against the complete Aust Test bowling attack on suburban Hurstville Oval whilst SA were facing a long past it Siddle, Tremain, Boland, Christian, Maxwell & Aaron feckin Finch on a drop in road at the G!!!!
I am sure I know who the likes of Bancroft, S.Marsh & Cartwright would have preferred playing at and against!
I wonder how Fergy & Jake might have gone on a tricky Hurstville wicket against Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins & then Lyon for good measure?

On another note is Matt Renshaw safe as the other opener after an average start to the Shield season?
I hope he is as he is lets a lot of those balls go thru outside off stump that some of his contemporaries would have a nibble at.
Hopefully this next round of SS games clears up a lot of the confusion around the 1st Test XI as having watched the Poms on the weekend they will not be the easy beats some in the media are suggesting and when/if Stokes flies in I would even have them as the slight favourites!

BH...the Poms faced a young WA grade bowling attack, no one scored a 100....and WA young batsmen made 300 plus v Eng test attack.....and you were impressed with them?....road or no road you still have to compile an innings....which is what Ferguson did....I reckon if Cartwright had made 180 v that Vic attack and Ferguson or Lehmann a pair v Starc et al reckon you would be saying Cartwright is in good nick and the other two aren't....come end of the day runs are currency...I am not a fan of Ferguson but reckon Lehmann will be swayed by his 180 over Cartwrights pair of ducks.....regardless of the bowling attack

Renshaw is a worry, made nothing so far, but has faced a few deliveries so its not as though he is giving his wicket way early on....don't think these last two shield games have help any decision making one bit....just showing the inconsistency of all the candidates wanting that 6th spot....

Freezin wrote: BH...a 100....and WA young batsmen made 300 plus v Eng test attack.....and you were impressed with ththe Poms faced a young WA grade bowling attack, no one scored em?....road or no road you still have to compile an innings....which is what Ferguson did....I reckon if Cartwright had made 180 v that Vic attack and Ferguson or Lehmann a pair v Starc et al reckon you would be saying Cartwright is in good nick and the other two aren't....come end of the day runs are currency...I am not a fan of Ferguson but reckon Lehmann will be swayed by his 180 over Cartwrights pair of ducks.....regardless of the bowling attack

Renshaw is a worry, made nothing so far, but has faced a few deliveries so its not as though he is giving his wicket way early on....don't think these last two shield games have help any decision making one bit....just showing the inconsistency of all the candidates wanting that 6th spot....

Went down for a look on Sunday when they were bowling not batting but even so half of them retired not out and Root got a howler yep up against a young bowling line up plus NCN but it was their first hit in the middle for a while.
Make no bones about it the likes of Broad, Anderson, Ball or Woakes & Stokes with Ali tieing up an end will serve it up to our fragile batting line up over the Summer especially in the first 3 Tests where the Ashes will be up for grabs!

On another note...young Aaron Hardie is going to be something special. He went to school with my young bloke at Aquinas and was a class above back then. Is only 19 and plays at number 3 for Willeton 1sts and didn't disgrace himself against the poms with a couple of wickets and a handful of runs. I think he also captained Australia's under 18s last year but could be wrong.