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Some very interesting Test matches currently going on overseas at the moment.

NZ are playing India in India and rolled them for a paltry 46 which is the Curry's lowest score ever at home, and then for good measure the Kiwis replied with 402, young left handed bat Ravindra from NZ hit a brilliant 134.  India about to start their second innings but need 356 to at least make NZ bat again!

Meanwhile in Pakistan the Pakis have levelled their series 1 - 1 after giving the Poms a 152 run hiding after the 1st Test embarrassment of scoring 556 in their first innings and still losing by an innings after the Poms smashed 800+ in their only dig!

not sure what to make of the India v NZ Test - on one hand it confirms that anything green sees India seriously struggle with the sideways movement at pace , but this will be a wake up call and that's what we didn't want before they get here mate.

England did an England and threw it away - strange playing two tests in row on the same pitch , very strange !

Gee what a horribly out of form batting line up we have to come up against the likes of Bumrah, Siraj etc.
The Bancroft fanclub seems to have disappeared, I have always said he wasnt a Test standard opener and stand by that call, currently averaging 2.5 so far this summer.
Harris is no good either, ditto Renshaw, it might be a touch too early to throw Konstas in to face a world class attack but there are not a lot of better options going around atm.
What about Inglis to come in as a batsman, he is in as good a form as anyone with the bat currently, whilst Webster must be a smoky to replace Green (injured) & M.Marsh (out of form with the bat and not bowling) for the number 6 all rounder position?
Remembering India have won the last 2 Test Series out here and the last time was without Bumrah and a host of their regulars.

Australia will have some monstrous batting issues very very soon because you're right there's nothing from beneath left or anywhere near good enough

Southerner wrote:

Australia will have some monstrous batting issues very very soon because you're right there's nothing from beneath left or anywhere near good enough

With Green injured and likely to be replaced with one of either Harris or Bancroft (knowing that selection dopey duo of McDonald & Bailey) we will have a Test team of all players being 30yo or older.
I used to laugh at those Pommy teams of the 80s & 90s with their Dads Army collection of veterans like Gooch, Gatting, Gower, Botham, Larkins, Taylor, Willis, Underwood, Boycott etc but we have taken it to another level with our current lot of oldies sheesh!!!

NZ once again are outplaying the Currys and over in the pressure cooker of India as well.
I bet Australia dont put the Currys under this much pressure this summer especially our limp as a lettuce leaf batting line up!

Yep agree BH.....let's bring life into that 30 something  Capt Mainwaring Aust test XI , with a soon to be 31 year old Beau Webster ....it's kinda Ronald and George- esque like.....replacing 30 somethings with even more 30 somethings, surely it's like running on the spot....pointless.

Sadly if the naysayers are right and Aust are going to fall off that batting cliff very soon.....why not really pin the ears back, and go all in,  by picking the likes of  Konstas, Connolly, McInerney, et al and really breathe some life back into that aging limp lettuce like Aut top 6. No half measures I say. Not saying it will be immediately on the money, but at least a step in the right direction.

Speaking of lettuce limp top 6's, good to see spinning  guns Santner and Phillips keeping India's top 6 honest.....Mitch farking Santner says it all.....if Mitch had taken 7 for v Aust in a test match,  pretty sure a couple of fella's on here, would be donning their kicking boots big time.

 

Webster at 30 should be a shoe in then to be selected!
Mind you that is a baby compared to the rest of the Australian XI.
Do you have an alternative batting all rounder to come in at 6 and provide anywhere between 6-12 overs an innings of decent quality seam/spin Freeze?

As for Santner he only ever plays for NZ against Australia in Tests in either of the 2 aforementioned countries not on these Indian (or Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh for that matter) spin friendly decks. If he did he would probably take 8 or 9 for against our clueless batting line ups in the sub continent!

Depends how true you want to be your mantra  BH.....folk like you bang on about Aust test XI being a Dads Army of collectible 30 somethings, yet want a 30 something to come on board when a spot opens up.

I agree Webster deserves a crack, but considering youth is  the best foot forward for Aust,  Hardie or Connolly for me for that all-rounder spot.....both may not be ready like Webster, but sticking to my mantra for youth, either will suffice for me, despite the obvious short term pain they will offer. 

Kudos to Santner for his one and only decent test match in his career.....but one swallow doesn't make a summer, thus reality will bite again for Mitch  in the future.....interesting no comment about India's lettuce limp top 6 so fat in this series....Sharma, Rahul  and Kohli suddenly look old and the others look very green and young......though talented for sure.

Freezin wrote:

Depends how true you want to be your mantra  BH.....folk like you bang on about Aust test XI being a Dads Army of collectible 30 somethings, yet want a 30 something to come on board when a spot opens up.

I agree Webster deserves a crack, but considering youth is  the best foot forward for Aust,  Hardie or Connolly for me for that all-rounder spot.....both may not be ready like Webster, but sticking to my mantra for youth, either will suffice for me, despite the obvious short term pain they will offer. 

Kudos to Santner for his one and only decent test match in his career.....but one swallow doesn't make a summer, thus reality will bite again for Mitch  in the future.....interesting no comment about India's lettuce limp top 6 so fat in this series....Sharma, Rahul  and Kohli suddenly look old and the others look very green and young......though talented for sure.

Whilst I am a fan of both young WA players im not sure you have been watching any of the games so far this year Freeze?
Hardie missed the first couple of games and looked very rusty in the last Shield game vs TAS.
Connolly hasnt even taken a first class wicket as yet and you are picking him for the all rounder spot in the Test side??!!