The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

[Bornadog]

We know Mitch Marsh has been called into the squad despite an average Shield performance this season.

England haven't won in Perth since the 1970s and I think it may be their only win at the WACA.

[Axe Man]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

I'm no Mitch Marsh fan but he's just about in the best form of his life with the bat. Unfortunately Handscomb's diabolical form and the sports scientists dreaded bowling loads are all the reasons the selectors need to recall Marsh. Hopefully he can follow his brother's example and prove us all wrong.

[SlimPickens]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

I wonder if he would be in the conversation if the test was anywhere but Perth. His form has been very good at home this season. If there are question marks over his bowling then he doesn't play as far as i'm concerned. Our bowlers loads haven't been too bad and we are yet to struggle to take 20 wickets. Plus they have a week to freshen up.

[lemmon]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

I'm a big fan of Marsh's talent but I thought it was the right time to leave him in the Shield for a few seasons, lead a good WA side and establish himself as a cricketer.

Maxwell is really stiff. Has banged down the door and can give you 8 overs an innings.

[Flamethrower]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

Our batting isn't deep enough to replace a top 5 batsman with a bowling all-rounder.

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

I'm a big fan of Marsh's talent but I thought it was the right time to leave him in the Shield for a few seasons, lead a good WA side and establish himself as a cricketer.

Maxwell is really stiff. Has banged down the door and can give you 8 overs an innings.

Smith won't bowl Maxwell so he isn't regarded as an all rounder. Maxwell has to knock the door down with his batting and while he has performed well if they want an all rounder then he really isn't in the mix.

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

Our batting isn't deep enough to replace a top 5 batsman with a bowling all-rounder.

Rightly or wrongly they believe the bowlers need some additional support and they appear to believe that Marsh's bowling is the superior option. I've read a few times that they really want Stoinis but he just hasn't done enough

The selectors are very likely to take the risk of weakening the batting and strengthening the bowling

[Twodogs]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

Rightly or wrongly they believe the bowlers need some additional support and they appear to believe that Marsh's bowling is the superior option. I've read a few times that they really want Stoinis but he just hasn't done enough

The selectors are very likely to take the risk of weakening the batting and strengthening the bowling

Do you think that at 2-0 up in the series it's time for an experiment like that? I guess they are looking at baking hot days in Melbourne and Sydney on flat decks and want to lighten the load on the main bowlers

[Bornadog]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

I tend to agree with this: ALL-ROUNDER OBSESSION NEEDS TO END: O'DONNELL

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

Do you think that at 2-0 up in the series it's time for an experiment like that? I guess they are looking at baking hot days in Melbourne and Sydney on flat decks and want to lighten the load on the main bowlers

Mitch Marsh hasn't done the bowling to be regarded as an all rounder at the moment.
I wouldn't be against a batsman coming in because Handscomb has really looked bad but I acknowledge that bringing in Marsh would be a risk. Adam White keeps saying the selectors really want Marcus Stoinis but they can't bring him in at the moment because his form isn't even close..

[jeemak]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

In reference to the O’Donnel article he skims over the fact we didn’t need one because of Gilchrist’s batting for the best part of a decade. Now we do. We would be immediately better if Mitch Marsh could get his shit together, much like our situation when Shane Watson was putting his name forward but not producing to the extent we wanted.

Imagine if we had a batting lineup with solid technique and temperament that didn’t put the potential all rounders we had under a shitload of pressure.

Coming into this lineup as an all rounder has been tough for a while now.

[comrade]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

In reference to the O’Donnel article he skims over the fact we didn’t need one because of Gilchrist’s batting for the best part of a decade. Now we do. We would be immediately better if Mitch Marsh could get his shit together, much like our situation when Shane Watson was putting his name forward but not producing to the extent we wanted.

Imagine if we had a batting lineup with solid technique and temperament that didn’t put the potential all rounders we had under a shitload of pressure.

Coming into this lineup as an all rounder has been tough for a while now.

So we're kind of screwed then?

We neither have the batting depth to help nurture a talented all rounder along, or a talented enough all rounder to support our brittle batting line up.

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

So we're kind of screwed then?

We neither have the batting depth to help nurture a talented all rounder along, or a talented enough all rounder to support our brittle batting line up.

I remember a few years back when the WACA was more friendly to bowlers the consensus was that it was regarded as a result test when you played at Perth and you either backed your bowlers to win it or you backed the batsman.
We are thin on pace bowlers with really only Sayers or Bird around the mark as potential replacements and while I don't necessarily agree with it I believe the selectors are considering playing Marsh in an effort to help preserve our bowlers for Melbourne.

It's hard to imagine the logic behind replacing Handscomb with a player that has a test batting average of less than half of Handscombs but they are still a chance to do it.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

I remember a few years back when the WACA was more friendly to bowlers the consensus was that it was regarded as a result test when you played at Perth and you either backed your bowlers to win it or you backed the batsman.
We are thin on pace bowlers with really only Sayers or Bird around the mark as potential replacements and while I don't necessarily agree with it I believe the selectors are considering playing Marsh in an effort to help preserve our bowlers for Melbourne.

It's hard to imagine the logic behind replacing Handscomb with a player that has a test batting average of less than half of Handscombs but they are still a chance to do it.

It is hard to imagine any logic in retaining Handscomb, who has looked completely inept in this series.

I get the disquiet with Mitchell Marsh and clearly the deserving player on current form is Glenn Maxwell.

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes: 3rd Test - December 14th 2017 - Perth

It is hard to imagine any logic in retaining Handscomb, who has looked completely inept in this series.

I get the disquiet with Mitchell Marsh and clearly the deserving player on current form is Glenn Maxwell.

Handscomb is clearly struggling, no doubt about it, but how many batsman with a test average of 47 get dropped rather than given the opportunity to work through it? And the player replacing him has an average of 22? It's not like Handscomb average is built on a 200no either he's been very consistent.
By the way I'm not sold on Maxwell either