Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

[lemmon]

Siddle out and O'Keefe named in the XI is the only Aussie change.

I'm happy to see O'Keefe get another crack, think he's a very handy cricketer and his record is outstanding over a long period of time. To put it into perspective from 58 matches his first class bowling average is two runs better than Shane Warne's.

Pitch is apparently pretty dry so hopefully we get an old fashioned SCG turner

[GVGjr]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

Siddle out and O'Keefe named in the XI is the only Aussie change.

I'm happy to see O'Keefe get another crack, think he's a very handy cricketer and his record is outstanding over a long period of time. To put it into perspective from 58 matches his first class bowling average is two runs better than Shane Warne's.

Pitch is apparently pretty dry so hopefully we get an old fashioned SCG turner

I'm happy to see a 2nd spinner being played but I question if Agar might have been a better selection. I'd be interested in your thoughts?

[Twodogs]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

Have you guys seen Alison Wellingham? I saw a bit of her bowl the other night and she turns it a mile and has really good control.

She's only 18 too. Very impressive. Lots of variety, a topspinner and a stock ball that turns square.

[lemmon]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

I'm happy to see a 2nd spinner being played but I question if Agar might have been a better selection. I'd be interested in your thoughts?

O'Keefe is the selection I would've made, think they've got this one right. With our spinners the pressing concern has to be finding immediate depth in case Lyon is injured or we want to play two on the subcontinent. That means we really need to find out who the second best spinner in the country is at the moment and it's a race in two between Fawad and O'Keefe. I think O'Keefe's record warrants him having the opportunity, he's not as flashy as Ahmed but he has been outstanding for a very long time. He'll bat at 8 in a tail that looks very long without Johnson/Starc and probably fields at third slip. He just ticks more boxes than Fawad.

If we were to pick Agar it would obviously be a sign that we're looking at finding the next spinner to have a 10 year, 300 wicket career. My rebuttal to that would be, don't we already have our five year option? Lyon is 28, one of the first picked and has heaps of test cricket left. By the time he's ready to call it a day, who knows who the best young spinner in the country will be? When Warne was playing we cycled through the likes of Dan Cullen, Cullen Bailey and Nathan Hauritz as the heirs apparent, goes to prove you can't force something that isn't there.

Agar has 7 wickets from 5 Shield matches at 63 runs per wicket this year and looks every chance of going down the Cameron White/Steve Smith transformation, no matter the intention behind the selection I don't think there is any justification behind playing someone with those numbers as a bowler. Lyon's age and form really has afforded us some breathing room.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

Have you guys seen Alison Wellingham? I saw a bit of her bowl the other night and she turns it a mile and has really good control.

She's only 18 too. Very impressive. Lots of variety, a topspinner and a stock ball that turns square.

I've only seen a highlights package of 6 or 7 balls, but it was super impressive. Big loop on the ball and bite and turn off the pitch. Nothing like a leggy that can really rip it.

I've only caught a few overs here and there of the womens cricket, but have found it very watchable. As people become familiar with the names, I think it can have a real future.

[lemmon]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

Shai Hope in for Chandrika is the sole change, I imagine the leggie Bishoo would have been selected for Roach had he recovered from his shoulder problem but not to be.

[GVGjr]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

If we were to pick Agar it would obviously be a sign that we're looking at finding the next spinner to have a 10 year, 300 wicket career. My rebuttal to that would be, don't we already have our five year option? Lyon is 28, one of the first picked and has heaps of test cricket left. By the time he's ready to call it a day, who knows who the best young spinner in the country will be? When Warne was playing we cycled through the likes of Dan Cullen, Cullen Bailey and Nathan Hauritz as the heirs apparent, goes to prove you can't force something that isn't there.

Agar has 7 wickets from 5 Shield matches at 63 runs per wicket this year and looks every chance of going down the Cameron White/Steve Smith transformation, no matter the intention behind the selection I don't think there is any justification behind playing someone with those numbers as a bowler. Lyon's age and form really has afforded us some breathing room.

Thanks for the detailed response. I think O'Keeffe is a fairly limited spin bowler. He doesn't turn it a lot and he doesn't necessarily beat the batsman through the air. A decent 2nd spin bowler but far from capable of being the number one guy. To me Agar has a lot more potential than SOK and it's why I'm a bit more interested in him. I get his performances haven't been good but every now and then you have to take a punt.

[GVGjr]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

How long before Pattinson bowls his first no ball?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

How long before Pattinson bowls his first no ball?

Immediately...

[GVGjr]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

Immediately...

I can live with that no ball

[GVGjr]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

Chris Rogers has said today that Pattinson has a lot to learn bowling on slower tracks.

I like listening to the ABC commentators. The delve a bit deeper than the CH9 team.

[Twodogs]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

I can live with that no ball

But not if it had got the batsman out?

That's the trouble. It's not like he can rescind the no ball after the fact and claim his wicket back. Just get your foot behind the line.

[Twodogs]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

Chris Rogers has said today that Pattinson has a lot to learn bowling on slower tracks.

I like listening to the ABC commentators. The delve a bit deeper than the CH9 team.

Rogers is a gem. He has a really simple way of explaining things.

[GVGjr]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

But not if it had got the batsman out?

That's the trouble. It's not like he can rescind the no ball after the fact and claim his wicket back. Just get your foot behind the line.

In that instance the umpire got it wrong.

[GVGjr]

Re: Third Test, Australia V Windies- SCG

Lyon and SOK have already bowled more than the two quicks and the all-rounder.

Prior to the test the media built up how quickly Marsh could bowl but I read somewhere that in his 4 over spell he bowled more balls under 132km than above that mark. Batting all-rounders have a habit of doing that knowing with the responsibility of being the 3rd seamer they have to pace themselves due to the extra workload.