Australia's test side - Are we ready for the changes that are coming?

[lemmon]

Re: Australia's test side - Are we ready for the changes that are coming?

Looked up the shield averages, it's the same old names up there at the pointy ends granted only 4 games.

Anyone have any intel on Whiteman. That's one name I didn't know.

I've been a hugeee fan for a long time (wrote about him as my cricket man crush on this forum back in 2015).

He's an elegant left-hander who plays around the wicket and scores at a good clip. I didn't think he was particularly suited to opening the batting but it's been his best spot - even more impressive when he bats so much in Perth.

As GVG mentioned, he used to take the gloves for WA and was up there with Peter Nevill in terms of quality behind the stumps. He had some bad finger breaks, missed a heap of cricket and now plays as a specialist bat.

Six or seven years ago I thought he had the talent to bat 4 for Australia and keep wicket, Kumar Sangakarra style. It just hasn't worked out for him due to injury, but the last few years he's carved out a consistent first class career and is captaining WA.

[GVGjr]

Re: Australia's test side - Are we ready for the changes that are coming?

Our obsession with white ball cricket is really going to impact the develop of the Sheffield Shield cricketers which then impacts the test team.

As an example I don't think Cam Green has played any Shield cricket yet and within a couple of weeks we will play the West Indies in two tests and many of the test cricketers haven't played in the shield. They are professional cricketers but I'm not sure they are being set-up for success.

[lemmon]

Re: Australia's test side - Are we ready for the changes that are coming?

A lot of the next cabs off the ranking are currently in action for the PM XI against the West Indies.

Renshaw and Harris both made half centuries and Handscomb is also looking very comfortable. This is a pretty good attack too that includes Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph.

[GVGjr]

Re: Australia's test side - Are we ready for the changes that are coming?

Renshaw backs up with a century in the 2nd innings. Handscomb with 75 as well.

Murphy bowled very well. What are your thoughts on him Lem?

[lemmon]

Re: Australia's test side - Are we ready for the changes that are coming?

Renshaw backs up with a century in the 2nd innings. Handscomb with 75 as well.

Murphy bowled very well. What are your thoughts on him Lem?

Really good talent and the Australian selectors love him (though I don't think the Victorian selectors feel the same way).

I think he's the kind of offie who's really benefited from Nathan Lyon's success - before Lyon you'd say his craft wouldn't work on Australian pitches and he'd struggle to crack the next level.

Reminds me of Graeme Swann in the way that he sets batsman up and gets them in flight. He's really intelligent with his pace and variation - gets a lot of players out playing on the back foot to balls they should be coming forward to because he's varying his pace and flight so well.

Not a big spinner of the ball and has a good arm ball but that's about it variation wise. His radar can be a bit hit or miss as well - has days where he settles in outside off-stump and doesn't look threatening enough. He's not a particularly tall guy either but manages to find good bounce on Australian wickets (Nathan Lyon is a deceptively tall fella and releases from a high point, which I think has a lot to do with his success).

He'll go to India but I can't see them playing him alongside Lyon. Think he and Tanveer Sangha are the most promising young spinners coming through.

[Axe Man]

Re: Australia's test side - Are we ready for the changes that are coming?

I think after the ODI world cup next year quite a few of the older guys will be done with 50 over cricket. If they aren't going to be there in 2027 they might as well step aside and that will provide the opportunities required for the next generation to play more regular international cricket.