3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

[azabob]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

If they do it's the end of test cricket.

Dog act G!

Been over a hundred years of test cricket without it being a problem, let them back up its risky.

So are you for or against "mankad"

[Stevo]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

How serious is the talk about Morris making his debut?

[Bornadog]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

How serious is the talk about Morris making his debut?

There has been some talk, but it will depend on the state of the pitch

Selectors meanwhile offered no clues as to which fast bowler might replace the injured Starc, with Morris seemingly an outside chance to debut as the seasoned Hazlewood targets a return to action on his home patch."It's a blessing to have Josh (Hazlewood) returning while Lance (Morris) offers a genuine point of difference with his raw pace and skill," Dodemaide added.
"This squad will cover all bases for when we get to Sydney and assess the conditions closer to the Test match."

[GVGjr]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

How serious is the talk about Morris making his debut?

Sounds like it's a strong possibility.

Why Australia should unleash ‘Wild Thing’ Lance Morris at the SCG

In a few years’ time Lance “Wild Thing’’ Morris could be a feared force around the cricket world … or he could be gone.

Or at least not what he is at the moment.

With Test cricket’s fastest and most furious bowlers you never know what fate awaits them which is why you should pick them when they are young, fast, fit and fearless – as West Australian speed sensation Morris is now.

Hopefully Australia will choose Morris as a like-for-like replacement for Mitchell Starc for the Sydney Test and put him in a five-man attack with Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Ashton Agar and Nathan Lyon.

This would require Alex Carey to bat at No.6 but that is a small inconvenience for the luxury of having a look at two fresh bowlers.

It’s hard being an express bowler because things tend to go “pop.’’ A blown gasket is never far away.

Tearaway Jofra Archer is back playing for England and might play some of next year’s Ashes series.

But he has played just 13 Tests and many who follow him closely in England will be surprised if his total passes double that amount before the riches of T20 cricket take him down a less physically stressful path.

The buzz about Morris around the Sheffield Shield ranks is loud and clear. He’s fast and dangerous.

Even umpires are talking about him saying they have seen nothing quite like his fierce pace for a few years.

Australia needs to see what he has got because pace alone is never quite enough.

Brad Williams was the fastest bowler in Australia for a while yet he played just four Tests in 2003-04.

Morris’ Wild Thing nickname came in honour of South Australia’s pacy sling king Shaun Tait.

Tait’s best work was exceptional but although playing a major role in Australia winning the 2007 World Cup he played just three Tests.

Brett Lee was a rarity for the way he bowled express pace for 20 years and some teammates feel he was even quicker at age 18 than he was 10 years later.

That’s why a lot of former players like choosing raw quicks when they are young because they are often at their quickest before nagging injuries and the grind of professional cricket sets in.

The push to play Morris has been accentuated since Anrich Nortje roughed up David Warner with some 155km/h thunderbolts in Melbourne, reminding the cricket world of the virtues of cricket’s fastest and most furious men.

Sydney is the perfect Test to unleash the Wild Thing.

[Sedat]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

Does anyone think this might be the test where a 'mankad' is initiated? Would anyone of our bowlers be willing to add this too their resume?

Playing in the Jika league in the 90's, our captain and opening bowler had no hesitation doing at least a couple of mankads every season, and there was never any warning given. It definitely caused a ruckus with the opposition but it didn't stop our captain - if anything it encouraged him to do it more often.

[GVGjr]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

Playing in the Jika league in the 90's, our captain and opening bowler had no hesitation doing at least a couple of mankads every season, and there was never any warning given. It definitely caused a ruckus with the opposition but it didn't stop our captain - if anything it encouraged him to do it more often.

If someone does take advantage of the new rules it will be huge news. Might be more trouble than it's worth.
I think the umpires need to call one short if the non striking batsman is out of their crease when the ball is bowled and the batter has scored off the delivery.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

If they do it's the end of test cricket.

Dog act G!

We should open another thread, but no its not. Give a warning, then do it if they persist. Nothing dog act about it.

[GVGjr]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

Part of me wants to see us play Morris so that we can gauge what he might offer us as a test cricketer but it just doesn't seem right to drop Boland if that is what they're planning.

Some genuine challenges for the selectors.

Agar or Renshaw to replace Green
Morris to replace Boland

[Bornadog]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

Part of me wants to see us play Morris so that we can gauge what he might offer us as a test cricketer but it just doesn't seem right to drop Boland if that is what they're planning.

Some genuine challenges for the selectors.

Agar or Renshaw to replace Green
Morris to replace Boland

Isn't Morris seen more of a replacement for Starc?

[GVGjr]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

Isn't Morris seen more of a replacement for Starc?

I think the speculation is Starc and Boland out Hazelwood and Morris in. Agar or Renshaw for Green.

[lemmon]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

I think the speculation is Starc and Boland out Hazelwood and Morris in. Agar or Renshaw for Green.

I think for Morris to play they have to bring Agar in for Green. I can't see him debuting as part of a four-man attack without the security of a genuine fifth bowling option.

[lemmon]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

I've found a bit of the media chat about variety in the attack strange this week - particularly the idea that Boland and Hazelwood can't play together.

Apart from being right handers that aren't express, I think Boland and Hazelwood are very different bowlers and would have no problem with the two playing together - if anything it's Cummins and Hazelwood that are similiar types.

Hazelwood gives you more pace, more bounce, predominantly attacks the outside edge and bowls a shorter length - does a bit more with the new ball too. Boland is a little slower, skiddier from a lower trajectory and is attacking stumps and pads. He gets really good seam movement but is largely ducking into the right hander's pads and stumps. I reckon he'd be super dangerous on pitches that has the ball reversing.

I think Boland will be a weapon in India but I don't think I'd be using him in an Ashes tour where I'd be looking more to Neser and Hazelwood. I also think Boland bowls a very hittable length that Stokes and McCullum would target.

[jeemak]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

Would we be having the conversation around bringing in Morris if the batting was better? Or are we being a bit cute when we've got two proven quicks who have played for a long time and a quick who's made a ridiculous start to a career at our disposal who should by rights just play anyway?

It's kind of oxymoronic because against this batting line up you just need to hit a decent line and length and they'll succumb to the pressure. With Cummins, Hazelwood and Boland you're going to get that, as the inconsistent tearaway is the guy who's going out injured.

I won't bother getting started with why we think we need two spinners this test. It's not a Mumbai dust bowl, it's the SCG and it's going to rain most days out of five.

[lemmon]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

Would we be having the conversation around bringing in Morris if the batting was better? Or are we being a bit cute when we've got two proven quicks who have played for a long time and a quick who's made a ridiculous start to a career at our disposal who should by rights just play anyway?

It's kind of oxymoronic because against this batting line up you just need to hit a decent line and length and they'll succumb to the pressure. With Cummins, Hazelwood and Boland you're going to get that, as the inconsistent tearaway is the guy who's going out injured.

I won't bother getting started with why we think we need two spinners this test. It's not a Mumbai dust bowl, it's the SCG and it's going to rain most days out of five.

It's an interesting conversation. I think the selectors are doing some future proofing with Morris and the injury to Starc gives them the opportunity to advance that a little further (if he plays).

I think they take a horses for courses approach and are looking at developing a stable of fast bowlers that all offer different skill-sets that can be called upon for different conditions. Neser and Richardson give you good out-swing options, Boland is a workhorse that bowls a fuller length, Hazelwood moves it off the seam and attacks the outside edge. Cummins is the side's best player and Starc is well-suited to all conditions (except the UK).

With Pattinson retiring, I think the selectors have identified that we're lacking someone with express pace and the ability to intimidate batsman. Starc is tasked with that at the moment (we saw that with the mindless bouncing of Nortje before we wrapped up the match), but it's not really his forte. I think they like Morris as the 'enforcer' option that can be plugged into the third seamer role when the pitch suits.

I don't mind it but think the timing is strange with tours to India and England on the horizon - I'm not sure Morris makes either touring parties for mine, so find it a weird time to drop someone like Neser out of the squad for him.

Does this also mean that Agar is now the second spinner for India, or is he a bowling all-round option?

[GVGjr]

Re: 3rd Test Australia v South Africa - Sydney January 4 to 8, 2023

It's an interesting conversation. I think the selectors are doing some future proofing with Morris and the injury to Starc gives them the opportunity to advance that a little further (if he plays).

I think they take a horses for courses approach and are looking at developing a stable of fast bowlers that all offer different skill-sets that can be called upon for different conditions. Neser and Richardson give you good out-swing options, Boland is a workhorse that bowls a fuller length, Hazelwood moves it off the seam and attacks the outside edge. Cummins is the side's best player and Starc is well-suited to all conditions (except the UK).

With Pattinson retiring, I think the selectors have identified that we're lacking someone with express pace and the ability to intimidate batsman. Starc is tasked with that at the moment (we saw that with the mindless bouncing of Nortje before we wrapped up the match), but it's not really his forte. I think they like Morris as the 'enforcer' option that can be plugged into the third seamer role when the pitch suits.

I don't mind it but think the timing is strange with tours to India and England on the horizon - I'm not sure Morris makes either touring parties for mine, so find it a weird time to drop someone like Neser out of the squad for him.

Does this also mean that Agar is now the second spinner for India, or is he a bowling all-round option?

With 2 of our regular quick bowlers and our preferred backups in Boland and Neser already the other side of 30 and the captain getting close to that age range as well the selectors must keep an eye on bringing players through.
Morris, J.Richardson and Meredith are around the mark from a pace perspective and they make the most sense but we do also have some additional depth with Abbott and Steketee offering us a bit.
Time will tell if they can continue to develop.

From a spin bowlers perspective we don't have a lot of depth. Some questions on if Swepson has it. Agar is a decent alternative and probably should be the 2nd spinner for India but he does seem to lack the control and variations at the test level.

Kuhnemann might surprise when they are looking to tour. Murphy is quickly earning a good reputation and there is a bit of buzz about Dooley.