Performances would suggest otherwise. We hold every bilateral trophy, are test and ODI world champions. Shame he gets a black mark and is canned by you because we didn’t win the last T20 world cup.
To think he stuck fat with the players after the Perth test when you were calling for max axings and then has gone on to win 4 of 5 tests - dominating the 5th which ended in a draw.
You really need to get over McDonald. He’s a great person and the players clearly enjoy playing for him and his record is excellent.
Slug or Murphy. Slug ain’t gonna be bowling, as pretty much confirmed by Smith, so it’s largely a case of whether they want to extra batting (in which case Connolly comes in for Murphy) or are happy swap an all rounder who wont bowl for a more horses for course all rounder.
My suspicion is they’ll drop Murphy, which is a bit ■■■■ for the bloke given he hardly bowled badly, but they want more left arm spin into the side and to lengthen the batting a on wicket that’s gonna rag square from ball 1.
The changes I suggested were made. Maybe a test or two late. SK, Webster. I wasn’t the only one wanting change after Perth. That first test was really poor.
So off the back of this comment I thought it was worth revisiting your changes proposed post Perth. Yes you weren’t the only one. I’m sure I called for Uzzie to go - but I do have to laugh at most of these calls only 10 weeks later.
Must have missed when Marnus was dropped
What is it - 3 test tons for Smith since you wanted him dropped. Fortunately this suggestion wasn’t adhered to! You were right on the other calls
Lucky Cummins held his spot to win MoM in Melbourne
This one might be my favourite. Head, Uzzie and Smith . So much egg. Amazing what backing players who are proven performers can actually do.
Please don’t tell me the Lotto numbers for Saturday night
Yes I was and several people in here including one high profile poster who scoffed at Webster being selected. I won’t go back and quote them. Funny you seemed to miss the many other posters saying the same about Marn etc.
Drop Marn drop Uzzie (many including well known ex test players saying the same) and Head to perform more consistently. There was also a lot of speculation about Uzzie retiring. Nothing wrong with any of those.
If you would like to have a constructive conversation about any of these or any other team selections I’m happy to do so. We can pull out the stats and what other ex test players were saying at the time. Otherwise I’ll leave the attempted shaming to you,
The point is you still think your calls (and plenty of others) were wrong, while McDonald and the other selectors got it right. Yet results would suggest otherwise.
Test cricket is a bloody tough game. Even Bradman struggled at times (yes it did take @efc1robbo’s Poms resorting to bodylineti make him human ). The Aussie players in the test team are all proven performers over several years and you have to back them in. Results wise since Perth the team has been basically perfect and the selectors largely sticking by the incumbents has been vindicated.
Imagine if they shot from the hip and dropped players every time they had a few poor performances.
Dropping Marn, Uzzie and Marsh (unfit) weren’t a shoot from the hip. In particular the former two had been in a long steady decline over several years. Like I said take a look at the stats. Hardly over the top shoot from the hip. Happy to discuss those stats. Take a look at what they showed.
Anyway I’m always up for a constructive discussion on team selection @redbull
I’ll always have my favourites and young/new players I’d like to see get a game. My philosophy is always to try and bring in youth and back young talented players. The approach of backing guys that consistently underperform is what I have a problem with
They have chosen to go with the pitch that is offering plenty for the spinners. I hate seeing a dedicated spinner make way for a part timer but hope the kid does well if he does indeed play
. So much egg. Amazing what backing players who are proven performers can actually do.
). The Aussie players in the test team are all proven performers over several years and you have to back them in. Results wise since Perth the team has been basically perfect and the selectors largely sticking by the incumbents has been vindicated.