TOPIC:

How about dropping continual underperforming batsmen?
Under McDonald the only one who has been dropped was Green for Marsh in England (although I think Green was left out due to soreness).
Back in the previous era you had to earn your spot as a batsman.
Guys like Jones, Waugh, Martyn etc were all dropped and averaging over 40 and they werent earning 7 figures like the current lot who continue to fail.
When was the last time we made well over 400 Freeze?
And when was the last time we had successive large partnerships?
Labuschagne has been ordinary for some time now, he needs a spell, some of his antics are totally over the top when out and in the field.
Head will hit a cameo knock once in every 10 Tests but has a number of golden ducks in between.
Carey should be moved on for Inglis for the better of the team, much like Healy for Gilchrist back in the late 90s!

Fantastic Australia Day weekend test match.Very close with momentum swings both ways.
Great result for Global Test Cricket. Let's hope the new generation of Calypso cricketers stick at it.
Taking nothing away from the Windies. THE Aussies did have a Covid scare in the camp.And some players preparation was on the rights and wrongs of the Australia day holiday. Not a role for our international players ,imo.

forget Australia, what a wonderful victory for West Indies and for test cricket.

What a brilliant fast-bowling performance by Shamar Joseph.
As Freezin said, let's hope that Shamar stays in Test cricket and isn't lured to the travelling T20 circus.
Although disappointed that Australia lost, the far bigger picture is the West Indies' victory is just what Test cricket needed.
All this talk about Australia being world champions, largely due to our excellent bowling quartet, masks the glaring inadequacies of our modest batting line-up, as BH has highlighted.
Marnus Labuschagne is sadly out of form and probably needs a spell playing Shield cricket to regain his confidence, while Travis Head was, literally, a century (119 in Adelaide) or nothing (a king pair at the Gabba) against the Windies.
In fact, Head made three golden ducks this summer and outside his ton, scored just 81 runs in seven innings.
Full credit to Steve Smith for at least hanging in there and almost getting us over the line.
It's been a bizarre day of Test cricket, with debutant Tom Hartley - who saw his first ball at the top level disappear for six - taking 7-62 to spin England to an against-the-odds victory over India.  

BH, totally agree about the batting, but the underlying problem I can see is that Aust don't bat in unison.....one innings it maybe Uzzie and Marsh scoring runs, the next a Head cameo, with  a scratchy Smith knock or a Labuschagne struggle....each batsmen contributes a knock here and there to keep their spot safe for another few tests.

Uzzie- can't drop the leading Test batsman for 2023 and Aust since 2022

Smith - his record speaks for itself, carried his bat yesterday, so safe.

Labuschagne - fighting 100 v Eng plus a couple of 60's v Pakistan. Hanging on just, but wont be dropped, as who else is there in Shield cricket ready to bat 3

Green - the future apparently, nice 40 odd yesterday, safe for the NZ series

Head - 100 or bust maybe, but in a time where Bazball is the go, definitely need Head to tee off and increase the run rate.

Marsh - great 100 in England, man of the series for me v Pakistan, continually teasing the fans....safe for now.

Carey - left handed version of Inglis TBH. Ok keeper like Inglis who averages low 30's in FC, like Inglis.

The bowlers work as a unit, share the wickets most matches.....plenty of younger options for sure....but all are safe for now....

People are calling for change, but besides Bancroft who else is there? Especially since the Shield is a weaker version of that golden era back in the 90's......for me Hardie and McSweeney are two possibilities....both are young, which appears to be another important criteria for Aust moving forward in the next 12 - 18 months.

Well done the WI; a good effort from the captain with bat and ball; Bancroft in Smith down the order, please. Green out.

ArkRoyal wrote:

Well done the WI; a good effort from the captain with bat and ball; Bancroft in Smith down the order, please. Green out.

Ark I didn’t see Green bat but I saw a bit of a couple of spells with the ball. That’s the best I’ve seen him bowl. Bowled with aggression and hit a great line and length but bowled without luck. Smith dropped a catch off his bowling. Smith will bat where Smith wants to bat. Now he’s made a score and got a taste of what it’s like to charge off the ground at the end of the oppositions innings to get the pads on like a kid off to the lolly shop with $2 in hand and not have to wait for others to fail, he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. 

I’ve noticed Bancroft is having a dry run with the bat of late failing to make a score in the last couple of BBL games for the Renegades was it or Strikers? Missed out in the PM’s XI and noticed he only made 11 in grade cricket on the weekend. None of that affects his Shield average of course but I think this has taken it’s toll on him and perhaps the fire has been extinguished from his non selection even before the choice was made when it was made pretty obvious he wasn’t seriously being considered by those in power.

One thing that has become clear over the last few years is how much our batsmen struggle against genuine pace bowling.
Shamar Joseph, Aamir Jamal, Mark Wood, Anrich Nortje, Jofra Archer even Kagiso Rabada, Shaheen Afridi, Alzari Joseph etc have had the measure of our batsmen.
Expect the Kiwis to role out their quickest attack with Henry, Jamieson etc and then Neil Wagner to serve up the short uncomfortable deliveries to rough them up a bit as well.

Read an article on a cricket website which identified the next generation of Australian players (under 25) and who may make a mark over the next 3-5 years. In Cam Greens case that is already happening

Those named were

BATTERS
Ollie Davies NSW 23
Harry Dixon Vic 18
Jake Fraser McGurk SA 21
Campbell Kellaway Vic 21
Sam Konstas NSW 18
Nathan Mc Sweeney SA 24
Teague Wylie WA 19

Bowlers
Jordan Buckingham 23 SA
Todd Murphy 23 VIC
Tanveer Sangha NSW 22

All rounders
Cooper Connelly 20 WA
Joel Davies NSW 20
Jack Edwards 23 NSW
Cam Green 24 WA
Aaron Hardie 25 WA
Will Salzmann 20 NSW
Will Sutherland 24 VIC


I would argue that Lance Morris has been left out here as well as other bowlers such as Riley Meredith, but you would say that many of these guys will be an integral part of the red and white ball teams in years to come

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.