Test XI Selection Thread

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I don't believe there has been a more heartless effort in Australian cricket on what were pretty good Test standard wickets. I thought I was sitting at Chisholm Reserve watching East Sandringham cut through an opposition in Park cricket. At least in park cricket you expect questionable shots especially as beer o'clock approaches. The Australia bowling was appalling and the batting lacked any clue of how to play spin bowling. The ACB pays these bowlers hundreds of thousands of dollars and none of them can bowl seam up, wrist up and get the ball to swing. Reverse swing has been around for 30 years. Most of the bowlers have been shown how it works and yet when it counts they cannot do it. It just shows how important Rhino has been for Australia. He maintains the pressure that Johnson exerts. Starc has been found wanting. He is either too full or to short and he just has no impact on flat pitches. Siddle is probably on his last legs. No penetration and just lacks the pace. Lyon is only good on hard bouncy pitches and cannot bowl for s*it on slow turners. Ahmed is playing for Victoria and is by far the best spinner in the country and yet we do not pick him? Why wouldn't you take him to the UAE in conditions he knows and has played in and give him an opportunity? If he fails then you put a line through his name. If he succeeds then you take him on the next tour of India and Sri Lanka. It's time to show Rogers and Haddin the door as their time is up. Promote Watson back to opening, leave Maxwell at 3 for now and get us a new keeper but make it known that performance will drive the position.
Before the next tour of India, the ACB should employ Dean Jones to show these guys how to play spin. He is the only one who correctly identified the technical flaws. Luckily for Australia we come up against India in a few weeks. They are spineless (as Australia was against Pakistan) when they tour because they cannot get accustomed to balls that actually bounce thigh height. There won't be too many Indians looking forward to facing Johnson or Rhino on a green top at the Gabba. Crush India in the first Test and we will not hear another yelp from them for the rest of the tour.
 
CLOCKER said:
Promote Watson back to opening, leave Maxwell at 3 for now and get us a new keeper but make it known that performance will drive the position..
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Considering you spoke about heartless batting, why would you leave Maxwell at 3? Do you think that he will prosper there in Australia due to the regular nature of the wickets? He appears to have no respect for test cricket in terms of batting or is being badly advised and is following that bad advice to the letter.
 
lol Maxwell should automatically have a line put straight through his name for the next 2-3 years. Seriously what sort of an imbecile attempts a premeditated reverse sweep (that very narrowly avoids bowling him) at any time in a Test match, let alone when a team is try to bat for time when there is still a possibility of saving the game?
 
Ljp86 said:
Rogers would be nervous yes, needs to make runs against India otherwise he won't be on the plane to England. Fair to say Maxwell should never be allowed anywhere near the test team for the very long time and Doolan probably won't be in the side for a while also.

Personally I'd like to see one of the in-form guys from the Shield come into the team. Not sure we'll see Haddin in the India series with his dislocated shoulder either.
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I would think Rogers is iron clad safe for this series and he will make runs. As for Maxwell, this simply brings the thinking of the selectors into question. First putting Doolan at 3 then Maxwell???. Smith will be 3 in a couple of years and in the mean time the need an older head there. Personally should be Clarke or retire. He is doing nothing again other than be injured and cause problems around the team.
 
Beeswax said:
Give Paine or Nev a shot. He really was poor on this tour even before he did something to his shoulder.
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It's an interesting conundrum the wicketkeeping position at this stage. Haddin is quickly approaching retirement and probably has 12 more months left in the game. After that there's a logjam of players vying for the role.

Nevill - Showed really good form with the bat in the Matador's One-Day Cup and has looked good in the Shield so far.
Hartley - Again showed great form in the One-Day Cup and has also been okay so far in the Shield. Also a very good gloveman but at 32 is running out of time to play at the highest level.
Wade - Seems to be number two at the moment after being called up for the one day series. Had an okay One-Day Cup but hasn't set the world in fire in Shield cricket of late. Also has disciplinary issues and generally seems to be a shit bloke.
Paine - Was behind Haddin as number two for a long time but a finger injury has seen him slip well down the order. Have to say he won't be getting the call anytime soon unless his form picks up dramatically.
Whiteman - The youngest and most promising of all the candidates. Had a great Shield campaign last season and spent the winter representing Australia "A" and scoring bulk runs. Hasn't started this season off too well though. A great talent and at only 22 he looks the best of the lot.
Ludeman - No chance of securing a spot, would be the last ranked keeper from all states.
Handscomb - One of the least likely of all the candidates, fills in for Wade at Victoria when he isn't available but is still good enough to hold a batting spot when Wade is in the side. Had a reasonable One-Day Cup and has started well in the Shield so far but is still a long way off.


It's a pretty even field I think. Whiteman looks to be the best but hasn't started that well while Wade seems to be second at the moment followed by Nevill. I'd like to see Whiteman in there and I think he'll be the long term answer but he needs to get some form back again. The wicketkeeping debate makes for a good discussion though.
 
Selectors wont pick him but Hartley should be easily number 2, 32 isn't that old and could fill in until someone like Whiteman is ready.

Wade shouldn't be anywhere near the Test team.
 
Kram81 said:
Selectors wont pick him but Hartley should be easily number 2, 32 isn't that old and could fill in until someone like Whiteman is ready.

Wade shouldn't be anywhere near the Test team.
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Not sure what the issue is with Wade. He is the clear No 2. He had a bad patch there just before Haddin came back to cricket but he has been playing well for Aus in the ODI's.
Dean Jones article paints a poor picture for the test series with India, he calls the Indian's confident, i thought they were just cocky and arrogant but thats bias i suppose.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/spo...s-against-inform-indians-20141121-11qcwz.html
 
This is what i believe should happen.
  1. Australia re-think the captaincy to make it easier for an injury riddled michael clarke.
  2. Do not rush your injured players back into the team. Instead blood some new players. Afterall Australia are meant to be rebuilding their team.
 
SriLanka said:
give hughes or kawaja a go man I prefer one of them rather than doolan.
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Or simply move Wade to number 3 and have Smith as your number 4.
Here's my selection: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Matthew Wade, Steve Smith, Aaron Finch, Nathan Lyon, George Bailey, Peter Siddle, Mitch Johnson, Alex Doolan, Alastair McDermott.

I would be blooding some new players in such as Alastair McDermott and have Alex Doolan come in at number 10. Also if Mitch and Shaun marsh are available I would have them both in there.
 
nairbe said:
Not sure what the issue is with Wade. He is the clear No 2. He had a bad patch there just before Haddin came back to cricket but he has been playing well for Aus in the ODI's.
Dean Jones article paints a poor picture for the test series with India, he calls the Indian's confident, i thought they were just cocky and arrogant but thats bias i suppose.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/cricket/warning-signs-for-australian-team-ahead-of-series-against-inform-indians-20141121-11qcwz.html
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I disagree, Nevill has clearly been in much better form so far this summer.
 
Renegadesfan said:
Or simply move Wade to number 3 and have Smith as your number 4.
Here's my selection: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Matthew Wade, Steve Smith, Aaron Finch, Nathan Lyon, George Bailey, Peter Siddle, Mitch Johnson, Alex Doolan, Alastair McDermott.

I would be blooding some new players in such as Alastair McDermott and have Alex Doolan come in at number 10. Also if Mitch and Shaun marsh are available I would have them both in there.
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Interesting.

Doolan at 10? Throw him the new ball?
 
Renegadesfan said:
Hmmm then why hasn't he been playing in both the odi and t20 squads for australia if you believe nevill has been so awesome?
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He played recently for Australia "A" when South Africa "A" and also India "A" toured here during the winter and played in the squad in front of Wade who wasn't selected. If you look at Nevill's form so far in the Sheffield Shield where he has 244 runs at 81.33 he has shown strong form while in the Matador BBQ's One-Day Cup he scored 267 at 33.37 which isn't too bad.
 
Ljp86 said:
He played recently for Australia "A" when South Africa "A" and also India "A" toured here during the winter and played in the squad in front of Wade who wasn't selected. If you look at Nevill's form so far in the Sheffield Shield where he has 244 runs at 81.33 he has shown strong form while in the Matador BBQ's One-Day Cup he scored 267 at 33.37 which isn't too bad.
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I see! Maybe cricket australia didn't think he was right to go up to the next level. A bit like kayne richardson the other night where the nerves got to him in the game and wouldn't leave him be.
There's a difference between playing for state and playing at the elite level sport. It's amazing how many talented state players don't make it to the elite level. Peter nevill is great against players from australia. However he might be like Liam Anthony from north melbourne footy club. Was awesome at state level but couldn't find his way through the elite level.
 
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