The Cricket Thread (part 9) - from Dec 2024

[primmer1978]

@Lawry

MCS the scapegoat ….Uzi and Marnus should have walked the plank before him. Marsh cannot stay at 6 if he’s injured.

MCS was good in Adelaide but maybe two youngens in the team (SK and MCS) was too much for the selectors to handle

I though MCS showed some real fight and deserved to retain his spot. Uzi, that is another story, pretty good at giving up his wicket.

[Jaymin]

@saladin

It’s no more setting him up to fail than it was to send McSweeney in as opener. And Konstas at least has been playing as an opener, McSweeney we shoehorned in to a spot that we needed filled rather than his best role.

I’m not sure a 19yo is necessarily going to be too damaged if he gets knocked over by the current #1 pace bowler in the world anyway. And I’m not sure we should be too bothered by it either. Give him two tests now, take him to Sri Lanka, give him the exposure before potentially opening in an Ashes series. Even if he doesn’t get runs, Bumrah isn’t ending his career. He’s a cricketing baby. But someone like Rogers, if he gets out cheaply it’s all over and you’re back to choosing a kid anyway.

So on a similar front, what I don’t like is dropping McSweeney for struggling in an unfamiliar role after three Tests. That does more damage imo than him failing at the crease so far. Especially when Usman, Lab and Marsh have not been up to standard - or even close to it - as the experienced members. If you view him as a long term option , stick with him. If Marsh can’t offer a legitimate bowling option, he shouldn’t be playing. McSweeney should be no matter which angle I look at it from. Most State number fours cut their teeth at 5 or 6 for the Test side. His temperament looks great.

I agree. I wouldn’t have gone McSweeney either in this series but their hand was kind of forced at the start because Bancroft, Harris and Renshaw couldn’t buy a run.

Think the West Indies tour mid next year would be a good time to blood Konstas and see what he’s got.

[primmer1978]

Put Konstas in , half the current batsman should be dropped, we new blood.

[efc1robbo]

@IceTemple

Not to me, you are a great person and great to chat with.

if you love him so much WHY DON’T YOU MARRY HIM!

[Lawry]

@IceTemple

If Head is unfit I would play Inglis in his spot. Also an attacking scorer.

Might be onto something @IceTemple

Konstas debut no guarantee with Webster, Inglis in mix https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/sam-konstas-on-verge-of-being-called-into-australian-squad-for-boxing-day-test/news-story/a151927829a1ddd4255337df08797112

[Jaymin]

If they have dropped McSweeney I can only imagine they are going to play Konstas unless they are going to do something stupid like open with Marsh.

[saladin]

Removing McSweeney entirely from the squad is a good thing as he can obviously now get some Shield cricket in. Oh … what?

The system is broken right now. It’s only Trav’s innings that have avoided it being laid completely bare via the series scorecard.

[efc1robbo]

dropping a kid after 3 tests ,who you weren’t playing in his best position is absolutely brutal.

Brad Scott would love this decision

[yaco55]

There has never been much shield cricket between mid dec and jan, unless, you go back to world war 2. Anyway there has been five rounds of shield cricket to state your claims.

[barnz]

they’ll never drop any of the established players

[Aceman]

@yaco55

Anyway there has been five rounds of shield cricket to state your claims.

Which McSweeney did

[Lawry]

Jhye is back in the squad

Richardson marks Test return with five wickets | Men's Ashes 2021-22

[cummy_scant]

Hope he can stay fit, bloke is a huge talent.

Gotta feel for McSweeney, always thought if they were just looking for a short term they could have just popped Harris in there, he wouldn’t haven’t done any better but at least it isn’t a kid being thrown to the wolves.

The irony that Bailey was given an entire Ashes series to stake his claim whilst never really doing so

[saladin]

I chose 93/94 at random. Shield matches on December 10, 18, 31 .

We staggered the matches throughout the Test tours - plus State sides gave the tourists first class tour games - and never, ever shut the comp down for a month, let alone the two prime months that we currently do, in my memory. But we’ve covered this before.

[Hoffy]

@saladin

Removing McSweeney entirely from the squad is a good thing as he can obviously now get some Shield cricket in. Oh … what?

The system is broken right now. It’s only Trav’s innings that have avoided it being laid completely bare via the series scorecard.

Zampas was talking about this last night in the BB interview. He said that the only way he and others can get noticed at the moment is in the short form games as there are no other options.

[Alan_Noonan_10]

@efc1robbo

@IceTemple

Not to me, you are a great person and great to chat with.

if you love him so much WHY DON’T YOU MARRY HIM!

My response would have been…while you’re down there

[Houli_Dooley]

I rate Jhye Richardson pretty highly like most pundits but with his history I don’t know that picking him having only managed one Shield game in a year is a recipe for success. It seems like it lends itself to perpetuating the same doom spiral that he’s been on for years.

Obviously he’s more likely to just be a reserve as Boland replaces Hazlewood but he’s clearly now next in line should anything happen to Starc or Cummins.

[Jaymin]

Jeez reckon Ollie Pope needs to give away the ramp for a while.

[smooth]

He didn’t look fit either. Carrying a bit around the middle, which stands out when you’re quite a slender build. His best is quality and he’s a point of difference compared to the rest of the bowling given he’s a tad shorter and skids the ball on at express pace. But again, you’d be looking at another bloke who has a lengthy injury record.

[smooth]

BEN DUCKETT WHAT A CATCH!!!