The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

[Bornadog]

Ashton Agar has been added to the squad. Jon Holland is surely very unlucky.

Australia's 14-man squad for fifth Magellan Ashes Test:

Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Agar, Peter Handscomb.

[Twodogs]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

Ashton Agar has been added to the squad. Jon Holland is surely very unlucky.

Australia's 14-man squad for fifth Magellan Ashes Test:

Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Agar, Peter Handscomb.

I wouldn't call it unlucky. Unless you mean it's unlucky that he is Victorian and not from NSW.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

I wouldn't call it unlucky. Unless you mean it's unlucky that he is Victorian and not from NSW.

You should also realise that batting is more important to the selectors when they pick players to bowl.

[Twodogs]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

You should also realise that batting is more important to the selectors when they pick players to bowl.

Yep. It's hard to follow the selectors' reasoning. An all rounder ideally performs one aspect of batting and bowling really well and the other pretty well. We seem to be so desperate to play an all rounder we are picking players who perform both aspects adequately rather than a actual all rounder. If there isn't an all rounder performing at Shield level then why don't we pick a tradional 6 batsmen, 1 keeper and four bowlers line up? I don't understand why we have to have an all rounder. If one barges the door then fine, pick him, but stop trying to make players into all rounders. It's destroying their confidence by expecting them to bat at 6 when they should be coming in at 8 or 9.

[lemmon]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

Yep. It's hard to follow the selectors' reasoning. An all rounder ideally performs one aspect of batting and bowling really well and the other pretty well. We seem to be so desperate to play an all rounder we are picking players who perform both aspects adequately rather than a actual all rounder. If there isn't an all rounder performing at Shield level then why don't we pick a tradional 6 batsmen, 1 keeper and four bowlers line up? I don't understand why we have to have an all rounder. If one barges the door then fine, pick him, but stop trying to make players into all rounders. It's destroying their confidence by expecting them to bat at 6 when they should be coming in at 8 or 9.

Are you referring to Agar? Surely if he replaces anyone, it's Bird?

I don't mind the selection of Agar over Holland anyway. He bowled very well in Bangladesh and was unlucky not to pick up more wickets, it's a dead rubber and he's a 24 who the selectors clearly feel could develop into our number 1 spinner over time.

[Bornadog]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

Official:

One change only: Starc In, Bird Out

England - Mason Crane will make his Test debut. He comes in for the injured Chris Woakes

[Twodogs]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

Official:

One change only: Starc In, Bird Out

England - Mason Crane will make his Test debut. He comes in for the injured Chris Woakes

I wonder if we included Agar in the squad in order to get England to play one when we knew all along we were going to replace a quick with a quick?

[lemmon]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

If Smith gets a pair, he'll still finish the series averaging 100.

Should be a good test, this is usually the best wicket in the country.

[Bornadog]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

If it stops raining we may see some action.

Three years in a row Sydney test delayed due to rain.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

I have Australia to win the series 3-0 at 25-1 so personally I hope it rains for days

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

Impressive bowling attack, our 4 main bowlers have performed pretty well.

[Twodogs]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

I have Australia to win the series 3-0 at 25-1 so personally I hope it rains for days

Nice odds. I bet they didn't let you put a very big stake on it.

[lemmon]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

Bayliss must be tearing his hair out. 4 guys got in and had the chance to make it England's day and they all gave it away.

[GVGjr]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

Bayliss must be tearing his hair out. 4 guys got in and had the chance to make it England's day and they all gave it away.

Always a very frustrating thing to see Australian batsman get starts and not go on with it so I feel for Bayliss just a little bit

[Bornadog]

Re: The Ashes - 5th Test SCG, January 4th, 2018

Bayliss must be tearing his hair out. 4 guys got in and had the chance to make it England's day and they all gave it away.

Those two late wickets swung the test back in Australia's way. That is what I love about test cricket, anything can happen.