Test squad for Bangladesh

[lemmon]

The test squad has been named for Bangladesh:
Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Patrick Cummins, Andrew Fekete, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Stephen O’Keefe, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

The big surprise is Fekete, for those that haven't heard of him he was a very successful grade player here in Victoria but never really got a chance at state level. He moved to Tassie as a 28 or 29 year old and had a breakout season this year taking 37 Shield wickets. He's pacey enough, probably ticks over the 140 kph mark and is capable of getting the ball to reverse. I don't like the decision - a 30 year old quick bowler is hardly rebuilding - but he was pretty good on the recent Australia A tour of India. It just reminds me of the selection of Peter George and Trent Copeland who debuted on the subcontinent and were never seen again.

I like the O'Keefe selection, he's been the best domestic spinner for about 5 years and deserves to be second in line.

Voges as vice captain is pretty pointless in my mind also, I suppose it's been done in the case Smith is injured at least Voges has some captaincy experience behind him but the guy is lucky to be touring.

I imagine the opening battle is between Burns, S.Marsh and Bancroft with Khawaja to slot in at 3 or 4

[Bornadog]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

Can't believe Voges is vice after 7 test matches.

[Twodogs]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

First off I'd like to thank the ACB for putting on a Test series to distract us from footy finals. Props to them.

That's a very inexperienced looking lineup. Is that because we are playing the Bangers and think we can experiment a bit or have we just lost that much talent and experience to retirement/injury? Voges must be feeling that life can be funny sometimes. By rights he should be one of the first to go during a rebuild, but instead of being on the sidelines he finds himself a heartbeat away from the most important job in Australia.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

It's a bit of each. Warner injured and Johnson and Hazlewood rested to get the aches and niggles taken care of prior to summer. Otherwise we're just a youngish team on the rebuild.

Will be interesting to see the final 11. I'd love to see a top 3 of Handscomb, Burns, Khwaja but supect they'll play it safe and throw S.Marsh in for his 83rd opportunity to prove he's Test quality.

I'd love an 11 of Handscomb, Burns, Khawaja, Smith, Voges, M.Marsh (or Maxwell if pitch looks completely dead), Nevill, O'Keefe, Starc, Siddle, Lyon.

[Sedat]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

Can any of the new batsmen play spin? Because that's all they'll be facing after the first couple of token overs to get the shine off the ball.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

Bancroft (especially) and Khawaja did well in the recent Australia A tour of India, so that's a good sign. Burns not so sure.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

What happened to Fawad Ahmed?

[GVGjr]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

The test squad has been named for Bangladesh:
Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Patrick Cummins, Andrew Fekete, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Stephen O’Keefe, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

The big surprise is Fekete, for those that haven't heard of him he was a very successful grade player here in Victoria but never really got a chance at state level. He moved to Tassie as a 28 or 29 year old and had a breakout season this year taking 37 Shield wickets. He's pacey enough, probably ticks over the 140 kph mark and is capable of getting the ball to reverse. I don't like the decision - a 30 year old quick bowler is hardly rebuilding - but he was pretty good on the recent Australia A tour of India. It just reminds me of the selection of Peter George and Trent Copeland who debuted on the subcontinent and were never seen again.

I like the O'Keefe selection, he's been the best domestic spinner for about 5 years and deserves to be second in line.

Voges as vice captain is pretty pointless in my mind also, I suppose it's been done in the case Smith is injured at least Voges has some captaincy experience behind him but the guy is lucky to be touring.

I imagine the opening battle is between Burns, S.Marsh and Bancroft with Khawaja to slot in at 3 or 4

Thanks Lem, informative as always.

First up a 15 man squad for a 2 test series is overkill. I don't mind the Fekete selection but if I had to pick another quick instead of him it might have been Sandhu. What I heard was they think Fekete can get the reverse swing happening there so if the selectors have it right good luck to them.
I sort of get the Shaun Marsh selection but I wouldn't have picked him if Warner was available.
I'm lukewarm on the O’Keefe selection because I don't see him as a good enough replacement for Lyon but I think the selectors didn't just want 2 or even 3 off spinners so the left hander mixes it up a bit.
I'm not sure Cummins is a good selection with these conditions.
Mitch Marsh and Maxwell competing for the number 6 all-rounders spot should be interesting.

All up interesting selections but we don't have a lot of batting experience.

[Twodogs]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

A 15 man squad for a two Test tour is a bit over the top.

[lemmon]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

What are the thoughts on replacing Cummins with Faulkner? I think they like Faulkner's skiddiness on the sub-continent, will be interesting to see whether he jumps over Fekete for the final bowling place

[GVGjr]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

What are the thoughts on replacing Cummins with Faulkner? I think they like Faulkner's skiddiness on the sub-continent, will be interesting to see whether he jumps over Fekete for the final bowling place

Faulkner is probably a good selection but I wonder if other possibilities like Sandhu or Coulter-Nile were even considered. Faulkner should be fine but we now have 3 all-rounder types in the squad.

[Axe Man]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

Poor Cummins body seems to be made of chalk, breaking down once again after a few one day games. It will be 10 years between test appearances at this rate.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

Poor Cummins body seems to be made of chalk, breaking down once again after a few one day games. It will be 10 years between test appearances at this rate.

Sadly, his long term career must be seriously in question. In a nearly 5 year career, he has played just 8 first class matches and has managed to take 5 wickets once in his entire first class career. He hasn't managed a Sheffield Shield match in 4 years. Unless his body does some serious maturing, can't see him ever being up to Test match conditions.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

Real tragedy with Cummins, and just looks like the body isn't up to the rigours of fast bowling .
Gotta say that's one of the weakest Australian line-up I've ever seen .

[Remi Moses]

Re: Test squad for Bangladesh

What happened to Fawad Ahmed?

Been pretty stiff