2017 Tour of India

[lemmon]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

I would've just played the 6 batsman and 4 bowlers. The batting isn't strong enough to justify the luxury of Marsh, Maxwell or Agar. I'd have left the order as it was at the end of the home summer, but slotted S. Marsh into 6

[lemmon]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

And despite all that, 250 isn't bad on this deck. India would't want to chase more than 150 in the fourth innings.

[Sedat]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

250 is not a bad score on this deck - this is a very handy contribution from Starc. Not sure why India took the new ball when the old one was reversing around significantly for Umesh - the runs have really flowed since the new ball was taken.

[Bornadog]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

Would Maxwell be any better?.

Yes he would be better. You may be surprised to know Maxwell's batting average in first class cricket is 39.6, compared to M Marsh 29.5.

I would also have preferred Usman for S Marsh.

[jeemak]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

Yes he would be better. You may be surprised to know Maxwell's batting average in first class cricket is 39.6, compared to M Marsh 29.5.

I would also have preferred Usman for S Marsh.

But Maxwell is a lair who is dismissed with a lack of accountability regularly, whereas Marsh is a Marsh. Marsh Marsh's the Marsh out of Marsh compared to what Maxwell could Marsh.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

But Maxwell is a lair who is dismissed with a lack of accountability regularly, whereas Marsh is a Marsh. Marsh Marsh's the Marsh out of Marsh compared to what Maxwell could Marsh.

The defence rests.

[Sedat]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

I find the really galling thing about overlooking Khawaja is that he wasn't even given the chance to find form and stake his claims in the tour match. The decision to drop him might have been (slightly) more justified if he failed in the tour match to go along with his failures in Sri Lanka last year, but to not even give him the chance is incredibly unfair considering his stellar form in the test team for the vast majority of the last couple of years.

[Ozza]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

I think we can all agree that Khawaja is infinitely more equipped to make runs in any situation than M.Marsh is, and to sacrifice his position, in exchange for what is likely to be only 8-12 overs per innings by Marsh, is an extraordinary move.

As for the other Marsh - for the first time in my life - I actually support his inclusion in the team, given he actually performed very well in similar conditions in Sri Lanka (averaged 78 across 3 tests). I think that Khawaja at 3, Smith 4, Marsh 5 and Handscomb 6 - would have been a better line up. If you need bowlers outside of the 2 paceman, and 2 spinners to take wickets - then you probably have bigger problems that are not going to be solved by Mitch Marsh's mediums on this deck. Whereas Smith or Warner's part timers may be enough for some variety if required.

...having said all this - happy to look silly if Mitch Marsh comes up and takes 3 or 4 wickets!!

[Twodogs]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

I hope Marsh takes all 20 wickets in this match and makes me look silly. Having said that I would rather have Khawaja bowl 10-15 overs (and I don't even know if he can bowl) than watch Mitch Marsh march out to bat for Australia again.

[Sedat]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

As for the other Marsh - for the first time in my life - I actually support his inclusion in the team, given he actually performed very well in similar conditions in Sri Lanka (averaged 78 across 3 tests). I think that Khawaja at 3, Smith 4, Marsh 5 and Hazlewood 6 - would have been a better line up. If you need bowlers outside of the 2 paceman, and 2 spinners to take wickets - then you probably have bigger problems that are not going to be solved by Mitch Marsh's mediums on this deck. Whereas Smith or Warner's part timers may be enough for some variety if required.

...having said all this - happy to look silly if Mitch Marsh comes up and takes 3 or 4 wickets!!

We are so conservative and so rigid in our selections in Asian conditions. We are dragged kicking and screaming away from the 3 quicks/1 all-rounder/1 spinner bowling attack, and only if the pitch is a raging bunsen burner do we sacrifice a quick for an additional spinner. Meanwhile the home team has 3 specialist spinners in their line-up and have done in most home tests the last couple of years. Mitch Marsh will hardly be used as a bowler in this match being the 3rd banana in the pace bowling - IMO we should have dropped Hazlewood, made Marsh the no. 2 quick and brought in a 3rd spinner (one of Agar, Swepson or Maxwell - I'd go Agar for his bounce as a point of difference from Lyon/O'Keefe) for this match. You need to be bold and think laterally when the conditions demand it.

What is the point in selecting M Marsh in the specialist batting position of 6 if he is not contributing with the bat? Put him down the order at 8/9 and treat him as a bowler.

[Axe Man]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

We are so conservative and so rigid in our selections in Asian conditions. We are dragged kicking and screaming away from the 3 quicks/1 all-rounder/1 spinner bowling attack, and only if the pitch is a raging bunsen burner do we sacrifice a quick for an additional spinner. Meanwhile the home team has 3 specialist spinners in their line-up and have done in most home tests the last couple of years. Mitch Marsh will hardly be used as a bowler in this match being the 3rd banana in the pace bowling - IMO we should have dropped Hazlewood, made Marsh the no. 2 quick and brought in a 3rd spinner (one of Agar, Swepson or Maxwell - I'd go Agar for his bounce as a point of difference from Lyon/O'Keefe) for this match. You need to be bold and think laterally when the conditions demand it.

What is the point in selecting M Marsh in the specialist batting position of 6 if he is not contributing with the bat? Put him down the order at 8/9 and treat him as a bowler.

If you are treating Mitch Marsh as a bowler why on earth would you select him ahead of Hazlewood?

In your scenario why not just select Agar instead of Mitch Marsh? You would certainly lose nothing in batting ability.

[Axe Man]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

I think that Khawaja at 3, Smith 4, Marsh 5 and Hazlewood 6 - would have been a better line up.

You must have seen something in Hazlewood's batting that I haven't!

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

If you are treating Mitch Marsh as a bowler why on earth would you select him ahead of Hazlewood?

In your scenario why not just select Agar instead of Mitch Marsh? You would certainly lose nothing in batting ability.

This is the option that makes sense to me.

Next best choice would have been Maxwell instead of Marsh.

3rd choice would have been a random draw from WOOF posters instead of Marsh.

[Topdog]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

You must have seen something in Hazlewood's batting that I haven't!

LOL clearly he means Starc but good pick up

[Ozza]

Re: 2017 Tour of India

You must have seen something in Hazlewood's batting that I haven't!

Sorry have edited since.

Obviously meant Handscomb!!!