Settle down mate. Plundering net bowlers and his batting coach with the side-arm is rather different thing to facing Starc, Hazle and Cummins in the middle. Kohli’s gonna make runs either way at some stage and we’re gonna lose this series but those net session vids are rubbish. Even I look ■■■■■■■ mint in the nets.
Admittedly some of them were throw downs, but it was good to watch
Are we seriously no chance this test series? If our bowlers get it right it will make it difficult for them. Their spinners won’t have indian dust bowl pitches. If our batsmen can show some pride, surely we can create some contest over here…
No doubt good to watch, that’s precisely what they’re supposed to be. But should be taken with a grain of salt.
He’s gonna make a truck load of runs regardless.
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Trouble is our bowlers are going to be bowling to rubbish totals so won’t be able to build any pressure. And the Indian pace attack are better than people give them credit for, certainly Yadav and Shami will be plenty slippery enough.
Wouldn’t be at all surprised to see us not win a test and lose 0-2.
Good article.
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Langer all but confirmed Harris to debut, Handscomb and Marsh fighting it out for the last spot in the batting order. So looking like this for tomorrow.
Finch
Harris
Khawaja
Shaun Marsh
Head
Handscomb/Mitch Marsh
Paine
The Bowlers
Yuck.
I think we’ll go down 1-3 or something personally.
Our problem is not so much that we won’t be a chance of winning some games, our batting just never gives us a chance to save/draw them.
I love Kohli.
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I hate him. He’s a freak, but I hate him. ■■■■ him. ■■■■ anyone from India.
Andrew Symonds. Never forget.
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So Handscomb is totally 12th man.
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Looking like that. Given it’s gonna be hot as balls over the 1st couple of days it’s hard to see them not picking Marsh even to only bowl a couple of spells per innings.
It would be nice to find an all-rounder that:
a. Bats like a genuine top-order batsman,
b. Bowls well enough to be relied upon to bowl more than 2-3 overs per innings, and
c. Doesn’t plant the front foot and continually get out LBW.
IMO a test-level all-rounder should be test-selection standard at either batting or bowling, and at least state-level selection standard at the other. All the all-rounders getting around in Aus at the moment are lucky to be state-level standard at their absolute best. Yes, genuine all-rounders are rare, that’s one of the reasons they are so valuable. We’ve been obsessed with it ever since legitimate all-rounders like Flintoff and Kallis were killing us. Shane Watson, Mitch Marsh, Stoinis, Cartwright, McDonald, etc just aren’t good enough.
The best way Mitch Marsh can give the bowlers a spell is by making a shed-load more runs when it’s his turn to bat. It’s a pretty sad indictment on our national batting stocks when it’s iffy whether he deserves to be dropped or not. We’re just really lucky in the past few years that we have had a very good bowling attack that have also done well with the bat.
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The funny thing is Watson wasn’t liked by fans generally when he was in the team. But his results are that far ahead of Marsh’s it’s not even a contest. IMO Watto deserved his spot for most of his test career - but he wasn’t anywhere near the Kallis or Flintoff level.
Disappointing Handscomb won’t get a game. There is absolutely no way Langer leaves out M Marsh.
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MMarsh has to play because our quicks are so talented but also fragile, and we know at some point India will bat for a long time. The media quoted indecision is probably JL’s version of a reminder to MM that he needs to perform in a hurry.
He rarely bowls so I am not sure that ■■■■■ for much.
I don’t think there’s more than 4 or 5 people in the country who think Mitch Marsh is even an iffy selection.
2 x tons and 3 x 50s in 51 Test innings.
The selectors will point to his big ton against QLD 3 rounds ago when WA were able to secure a draw. But they’re not picking Will Bosisto, Dan Hughes, Nick Larkin and Moises Henriques - and they’ve also hit big hundreds against QLD this year. Truth is QLD’s attack have been pretty ordinary, not that MMarsh is a gun.
Ignore scores against any spinner-less Pakistan D squad, too.
He’s let his bowling drop off, and he’s no good in the field. And he always brings BBQ shapes for tea.
Everything you hear about Watson is he was hugely liked and respected by teammates.
Which runs counter to most cricket “fans” view of him
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I want an allrounder who is a genuine middle order batsman, who knows how to dig in when the going gets tough, and a genuine wicket taking bowler, partnership breaking type bowler - A Michael Clarke without a dodgy back would be nice.
Handscomb needs to be in the side because Paine is so fragile.