Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

[GVGjr]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

For the first time in a while, I seriously have no idea what the XI will look like come Thursday. The number of combinations and questions are incredible.

Just a few in my mind are:
-Do they see Khawaja as an opening bat come Ashes time? If so, what does that mean for Burns and Renshaw?
-Can they dump Labuschagne after one okay game at 3?
-Can they call up Patterson late and not play him? And can he jump ahead of the high-profile youngster Pucovski on the back of one Aus A game? Or does it spell the end for Labuschagne?
-Jhye Richardson is clearly a better bowler than Siddle right now, but can he jump over the man that was next in line (this is the issue with picking 'good blokes' in squads)?

I have no idea what that final side will look like. My best guess is:
Burns
Harris
Khawaja
Head
Patterson
Pucovski
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Richardson
Lyon

Interesting side. It just looks inexperienced to me but there aren't clearly better options.

[lemmon]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

Interesting side. It just looks inexperienced to me but there aren't clearly better options.

Agreed. They're pretty reliant on Smith and Warner slotting straight back in.

If that is the side, it's a bat off with Harris v Burns/Renshaw and Patterson v Pucovski v Labuschagne to see who makes way for the big guns.

[lemmon]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

I think they've decided Siddle is going to and playing in England, and will select this team accordingly. If Renshaw had done anything at all in that Aus A game he would've been in the same boat.

Happy to be proven wrong.

I get that Siddle had a pretty good County Season...but so did Steve Magoffin and he's been dominating over there for years. It's a poor standard of first class cricket and the pitches are nothing like what we've seen in recent tests over there.

If we're looking for that 'line and length, keep it tight, nibble it around a little bit' bowler, I think Jackson Bird is a far better option, and Chad Sayers would be a pretty good pick too. Even Trent Copeland has been thrown out pretty quickly but has an outstanding Shield record.

[Happy Days]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

I get that Siddle had a pretty good County Season...but so did Steve Magoffin and he's been dominating over there for years. It's a poor standard of first class cricket and the pitches are nothing like what we've seen in recent tests over there.

If we're looking for that 'line and length, keep it tight, nibble it around a little bit' bowler, I think Jackson Bird is a far better option, and Chad Sayers would be a pretty good pick too. Even Trent Copeland has been thrown out pretty quickly but has an outstanding Shield record.

Yep agree - I would much prefer Sayers if they're going for that "type" of player.

[Bornadog]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

Head and Cummins named as vice captains.

[Sedat]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

Not sure if anyone else stayed up to watch the Saf v SL test in Durban but that was an insane finish - the Lankans put on 78 for the last wicket chasing 304, with Kusal.Perera making 153no in probably the best individual 4th innings I've ever seen in test cricket. Right up there with Lara making the exact same score against Australia in the Caribbean in that awesome 1999 test series. But being away from home against an elite Saffer bowling attack in bowler friendly conditions, I'd say Perera's knock was even better than Lara's.

Test cricket is, and will always be, light years ahead of every other format.

[Bornadog]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

Not sure if anyone else stayed up to watch the Saf v SL test in Durban but that was an insane finish - the Lankans put on 78 for the last wicket chasing 304, with Kusal.Perera making 153no in probably the best individual 4th innings I've ever seen in test cricket. Right up there with Lara making the exact same score against Australia in the Caribbean in that awesome 1999 test series. But being away from home against an elite Saffer bowling attack in bowler friendly conditions, I'd say Perera's knock was even better than Lara's.

Test cricket is, and will always be, light years ahead of every other format.

Wow that is a super effort

[comrade]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

After their destruction in Australia, Sri Lanka winning the series in SA 2-0 has to be the most unlikely result in Test cricket ever.

Their entire squad had 21 centuries between them, Amla has 28 on his own!

[Remi Moses]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

What an incredible upset
That’s why sport is great

[Twodogs]

Re: Australian test squad v Sri Lanka

Test cricket is the best and most dramatic form of sport that has ever been developed. The theatre of that last wicket partnership was some of the most dramatic sport I have ever seen.