TOPIC:

McSweeney looks like he's won a spot mate
and bit sad to say that Harris will be the opener
there is simply nothing else in the cupboard
you would be right in thinking that with such a massive opportunity on offer that at least one of the pack might have stuck his nose down and bore out runs 
but unfortunately 

I'd be going with McSweeney for this summer and looking to bring Konstas in over the period to replace Uzzie - which has to be at the end of the Aussie summer.

From there it then needs to be time up for Smith and Marsh next (If Marsh's body can hold together that long)

Whats probably just as scary is most of the good bowlers around the country are old too - there is no young players that look like they can play for years without injury

On another note have any of you watched the series on Foxtel - A brief history of cricket down under - 11 episodes about cricket in Australia in the 80's You will love it

BH, as I said in my post,  if I was sticking to my mantra on picking youth....Connolly and Hardie are young and capable.....but I ain't as fussed like you and others  are, on Aust current Dads Army set up, so Webster is fine by me as well.....

Beasley Hutton wrote:

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!

after today the door must be permanently shut on Bancroft ever getting an opener's role - this player should be dropped from the WA team his form is that piss poor & inept
How in hell did he get selected on such shitty output ?
Mind you Harris wasn't much better and young Konstas got found out big time too
Lots of issues confronting the coach and his selectors now

That Bancroft cheersquad have gone awfully quiet Southy, although in fairness he did get a stinker yesterday, but still in red ball cricket this summer with the bat he has made a total of 10 runs from 5 completed innings at an average of 2.00......yes you read that correctly!
Harris dropped on 8 before out for a very streaky 17 whilst young hope Konstas got a 3rd ball globe.
If we think the 1984-87 and 2008-2012 eras were bad with a plethora of retirements of all time greats wait until the likes of Smith, Khawaja, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood, Cummins etc all retire in the next couple of years with the pitiful batting options we have coming through this one could be worse than those 2 previous eras combined!!!

BH, be ironic if Bangers got picked on his current form.....as he couldn't  get a look in when he was making runs. I think the SA skipper is a shoe in for a test debut at Optus later this month. Though these "A" games are a tad meaningless, as Renshaw filled his boots v the NZ A team from memory. 

Beasley Hutton wrote:

That Bancroft cheersquad have gone awfully quiet Southy, although in fairness he did get a stinker yesterday, but still in red ball cricket this summer with the bat he has made a total of 10 runs from 5 completed innings at an average of 2.00......yes you read that correctly!
Harris dropped on 8 before out for a very streaky 17 whilst young hope Konstas got a 3rd ball globe.
If we think the 1984-87 and 2008-2012 eras were bad with a plethora of retirements of all time greats wait until the likes of Smith, Khawaja, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood, Cummins etc all retire in the next couple of years with the pitiful batting options we have coming through this one could be worse than those 2 previous eras combined!!!

the stinker only existed because Bancroft is in such shit form he can't lay timber on ball - that was a near half tracker that should have been caned to the ropes
but it just got a limp attempt at a leg glance 
seriously Bancroft needs time in the pennant comp 
a long time in pennant comp mate something like permanently hey
a seriously flawed technique that has been totally sussed out and duly massacred

A few Take outs from the Australia A vs India A game just completed.

McSweeney & Webster definitely worthy of a Test spot, McSweeney's patience & ability to bat time is something I havent seen from an Australian batsman for a while since the overload of T20 buckethead stuff, whilst Webster has to play batting at 6/7 and offering a fifth option with the ball either medium pace or off spin (ala Colin Miller & Andrew Symonds of years past) if Marsh cant bowl.

Bancroft & Harris well nothing has changed, both not decent Test standard batsman.

The bcci will no doubt threaten to abandon the upcoming Test series vs Australia if anything is done about what just happened in the A game in Mackay!!!

yeah looks like the ball was inspected after play and then during - deliberate scuffing detected and that is so sweat can be put into it for reverse swing
given our batting questions it might be good if India get upset and don't arrive mate 

long long time since any hopeful put the runs on before a season of tests and for Australia it's rare - since the 1980's Border rebuild era

and on Bancroft and that technique outside off stump

 


pretty much sums it up 
and when you close your eyes as a batsman
you may as well just say here's my wicket take it