What's the solution?

[bulldogtragic]

In the last 5 tests (let's leave the 0-5 one day series in SA out for now):

8/98
10/83
10/86
9/112
10/86
10/85
8/32

Extraordinary historic performances. It's safe to say this the worst run in my personal living memory. I'm not sure how they go about attacking this considering they made two batting changes, and Nevill is arguably the best keeper. Hopefully it's not going back to All Rounders to solve this crisis. What a cluster*!*!*!*! of a problem.

[Scraggers]

Re: What's the solution?

Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not the solution; therefore wholesale changes are probably not in order. In saying that, Marsh and Voges have to go !!! Graeme Hick (Batting Coach) has to go as well. How are our mid to tail batsmen not able to hold up an end? Why are our current bowlers trying to knock the casing off every ball they face? I acknowledge its not their fault that we get to 3 for not many very quickly, but when that does happen to readjust your plan. We are not readjusting !!

[The Doctor]

Re: What's the solution?

Get rid of Sutherland

[Bornadog]

Re: What's the solution?

1. Coach and selectors need to be looked at.
2. Policy of resting players needs to be out the door.
3. Fixture and timing of, needs overhauling, so shield matches play a more important role in selection and they coincide with test matches.
4. Only pick an all rounder if they are a genuine all rounder
5. Wicket keeper must be able to bat.

[lemmon]

Re: What's the solution?

The problems are endemic and the result of structures put in place around the team, and around first class cricket in this country.

It's a travesty that South Africa were more prepared than we were for a test series on home soil. Players came in with one first class match under their belts. Why? Because of the block we've created for the Big Bash.

Selection clearly has to change, the idea of picking a two test 'squad' was ridiculous. How can you watch Sayers take 11 wickets on that ground in the same attack as Mennie and decide Mennie is the better bowler? How can you ignore Bird's stellar record at all levels?

Darren Lehmann's style has to change clearly. This isn't a 'hands off, let them play' team anymore. He inherited a relatively experienced side in the 2013 Ashes. This team needs a different kind of guidance.

[Twodogs]

Re: What's the solution?

The problems are endemic and the result of structures put in place around the team, and around first class cricket in this country.

It's a travesty that South Africa were more prepared than we were for a test series on home soil. Players came in with one first class match under their belts. Why? Because of the block we've created for the Big Bash.

Selection clearly has to change, the idea of picking a two test 'squad' was ridiculous. How can you watch Sayers take 11 wickets on that ground in the same attack as Mennie and decide Mennie is the better bowler? How can you ignore Bird's stellar record at all levels?

Darren Lehmann's style has to change clearly. This isn't a 'hands off, let them play' team anymore. He inherited a relatively experienced side in the 2013 Ashes. This team needs a different kind of guidance.

This team is sorely in need of leadership and guidance. It can't just be left to drift along by itself.

[Sedat]

Re: What's the solution?

Allow as many Aussie cricketers as possible to play County Cricket in the winter months, and also prioritise Oct and Nov as purely Sheffield Shield months on the Aus cricket calendar. That will show some semblance of respect to the longer form of the game.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: What's the solution?

Selection clearly has to change, the idea of picking a two test 'squad' was ridiculous. How can you watch Sayers take 11 wickets on that ground in the same attack as Mennie and decide Mennie is the better bowler? How can you ignore Bird's stellar record at all levels?
.

On Mennie,

Maybe i'm judging too early but seriously, Siddle has been under fire and has been dropped previously because he can't regularly bowl as fast as he used to. His pace starts to drop into the 12x's km/h and they say that is too slow. But then they go and pick this bloke Mennie who at his peak can't even bowl faster than 130km/h!!!!
That's medium pace territory. Is that seriously the best next bowler we have?

On the batting, Voges wasn't good enough 10 years ago when he was 27. He couldn't force his way in with the quality of batsmen around at the time, now all of a sudden he is a test cricketer at 37? I think that may show what our depth is like at the moment.

I think we have just been playing on too many concrete roads here in Australia and it isn't developing test cricketers.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: What's the solution?

Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not the solution; therefore wholesale changes are probably not in order. In saying that, Marsh and Voges have to go !!! Graeme Hick (Batting Coach) has to go as well. How are our mid to tail batsmen not able to hold up an end? Why are our current bowlers trying to knock the casing off every ball they face? I acknowledge its not their fault that we get to 3 for not many very quickly, but when that does happen to readjust your plan. We are not readjusting !!

How the f&ck Hick gets to be batting coach is beyond me. He is a classic case of a guy who had no idea how to adjust from County wickets to test wickets which is precisely our problem.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: What's the solution?

On Mennie,

Maybe i'm judging too early but seriously, Siddle has been under fire and has been dropped previously because he can't regularly bowl as fast as he used to. His pace starts to drop into the 12x's km/h and they say that is too slow. But then they go and pick this bloke Mennie who at his peak can't even bowl faster than 130km/h!!!!
That's medium pace territory. Is that seriously the best next bowler we have?

On the batting, Voges wasn't good enough 10 years ago when he was 27. He couldn't force his way in with the quality of batsmen around at the time, now all of a sudden he is a test cricketer at 37? I think that may show what our depth is like at the moment.

I think we have just been playing on too many concrete roads here in Australia and it isn't developing test cricketers.

This! Too many one day/20 20 pitches used for 4 day games. Not enough 4 day games through the season. This move to play in blocks doesn't work. By all means schedule the international Simmersed in blocks (test, 20 20, ODI), but the Shield season should be throughout the summer, not cramped into the start and end.

The pitches should then be prepared as bowler friendly - make batsmen work for their innings.

Selection if batsmen should be 2 things the ability to accumulate runs and occupy the crease on difficult tracks.

[GVGjr]

Re: What's the solution?

Lehmann needs to be put on notice that the players need to perform. This whole mantra of play your natural style has created a environment where style over substance is accepted.
Rod Marsh needs to go before his contract expires. He's a great guy and was a hard arsed cricketer but his comments over the last 12 months about players being in the right head space and tail enders needing to be able to bat has lost me.

Ask the all the batsman who are in the selection mix what is the most important thing to them and if they don't answer about building partnerships with their team mates then don't play them.

Ask all the batsman if playing in the IPL is more important than working on batting flaws and if their answer is yes then don't play them.

Make the hard call on Neville and replace him with Wade. It's a shame because I like Neville and don't like Wade but we simply need a few more runs.

Make the hard call on Siddle, he's been a great warrior over the long term but his form isn't strong enough to ignore the need to bring more bowlers through.

Don't be married to the idea of an allrounder unless someone is showing the required form.

Look at the scheduling and made sure Shield cricket is a priority.

Prey that Cummins and Pattinson get fit.

[Twodogs]

Re: What's the solution?

On Mennie,

Maybe i'm judging too early but seriously, Siddle has been under fire and has been dropped previously because he can't regularly bowl as fast as he used to. His pace starts to drop into the 12x's km/h and they say that is too slow. But then they go and pick this bloke Mennie who at his peak can't even bowl faster than 130km/h!!!!
That's medium pace territory. Is that seriously the best next bowler we have?

On the batting, Voges wasn't good enough 10 years ago when he was 27. He couldn't force his way in with the quality of batsmen around at the time, now all of a sudden he is a test cricketer at 37? I think that may show what our depth is like at the moment.

I think we have just been playing on too many concrete roads here in Australia and it isn't developing test cricketers.

Voges isn't just a test cricketer but he's a senior test cricketer according to the paper I read the other day.

[lemmon]

Re: What's the solution?

Selection is worrying, it looks like we're doing it by numbers.

I wrote on here before the first test that Mennie wasn't up to the level. There are a whole host of quicks going around with very good first class numbers but not all have the game to step up to test cricket. The art of selection is identifying who can and who can't - it's why you pick Mitchell Johnson over Andrew Noffke, despite the two having similiar first class records for Queensland.

We've got a proven test player in Bird and an excellent talent in Sayers. Looking past those two guys is utterly head scratching

[GVGjr]

Re: What's the solution?

Selection is worrying, it looks like we're doing it by numbers.

I wrote on here before the first test that Mennie wasn't up to the level. There are a whole host of quicks going around with very good first class numbers but not all have the game to step up to test cricket. The art of selection is identifying who can and who can't - it's why you pick Mitchell Johnson over Andrew Noffke, despite the two having similiar first class records for Queensland.

We've got a proven test player in Bird and an excellent talent in Sayers. Looking past those two guys is utterly head scratching

You've been spot on with calls on Mennie, Sayers and Bird.

We can't keep tweaking the 12 with a change or two because it's now time to set a new course.

I hope the hard calls are made and that we set a new standard in getting the right sort of players into the 12.

[Twodogs]

Re: What's the solution?

You've been spot on with calls on Mennie, Sayers and Bird.

We can't keep tweaking the 12 with a change or two because it's now time to set a new course.

I hope the hard calls are made and that we set a new standard in getting the right sort of players into the 12.

Yep we are back in 1985 again when we have to bring in Steve Waugh because he is the long term future of Australian cricket. He might only be 18 but he has to come into the side and stay in.

Finding the Steve Waugh of 2016 is the selectors job. It's not Mitch Marsh.