The Australian cricket non-official thread!

If you are being serious Chris, (which I'm not sure if you are :p ) then you are overlooking all aspects of his innings and just looking at runs made. His calmness and sensibility at the crease today among other things, make his hundred well deserved.

Yeah kind of joking, Kind of not. Either way, well done to him for scoring but I don't think he deserves to be in the test team.
 
Not sure I would've called this years Adelaide pitch one of the 'most batsman-friendly wickets on Australian turf ever'. If anything that was the first pitch in VERY long time to actually support the bowlers and provide an even contest which we all so desperately wanted. You also have to remember that 6 innings and no half centuries nowadays doesn't result in a drop unless you are new to the squad. They obviously think Marsh has potential, and you could see that in the way he played yesterday. On Klinger, age is also an important factor. They want to try people who could potentially be there for up to 5 years, and I don't think they see that in Michael Klinger. Shaun's father might not have averaged 38, but he's still his son. Family ties are always an advantage in any sport. Cricket, AFL, Soccer, you name it! I just think you're being a bit harsh on him mate..
 
Not sure how much more dire you need to be - 4 tests (at home), 3 ducks, ave of 2.67 and 17 runs - to be dropped.

I can't think of him doing anything remotely wonderful to justify his test recalls other than the fact the bloke is related to a former player and he's on the central contract list, so they're never going to pick players out of that pool. At 32, he's not really the future either.

But that said, a ton is a ton, so well done.
 
I think there are a lot of similarities between Shaun Marsh and his former Western Australian teammate (and Australian player) Marcus North, in that they are both "nervous starters", yet are technically proficient and graceful when in full flight. Marsh hardly put a foot wrong yesterday and he looked assured right from the start of his innings.

This is why the West Indies' post-lunch tactics were so bloody maddening yesterday - there was no pressure at all on the batsmen, save for Jason Holder's spell to Marsh when he got the ball to lift and angle away from him.

The weather has cleared in Hobart, so let the run-fest continue!
 
Not sure I would've called this years Adelaide pitch one of the 'most batsman-friendly wickets on Australian turf ever'. If anything that was the first pitch in VERY long time to actually support the bowlers and provide an even contest which we all so desperately wanted. You also have to remember that 6 innings and no half centuries nowadays doesn't result in a drop unless you are new to the squad. They obviously think Marsh has potential, and you could see that in the way he played yesterday. On Klinger, age is also an important factor. They want to try people who could potentially be there for up to 5 years, and I don't think they see that in Michael Klinger. Shaun's father might not have averaged 38, but he's still his son. Family ties are always an advantage in any sport. Cricket, AFL, Soccer, you name it! I just think you're being a bit harsh on him mate..
Talking about Brisbane and Perth mate.
 
Don't see Burns as a long term opener. I am a QLD'er and love having him playing for Aust. but picking him as an opener is doing his future prospects harm.

Good match at the Gabba but since then has not looked great when challenged with a good outswinger and has a big gap between bat and pad.
 
It will be interesting to see what the selectors do when Usman Khawaja is fit again re: the batting line up. I like the left hand/right hand opening combination so I would slot Khawaja back in to No. 3, bat Smith at No. 4, Voges No. 5, Nevill No. 6 and Mitchell Marsh at No. 7 - therefore no spot for Shaun Marsh (who was replacing an injured player after all).

I'd still like to see a young twenty-something bastman knock the door down with a mountain of Sheffield Shield runs, although on current evidence I'm not sure who that person is. Cam Bancroft seems to have stalled and players like Cowan, Bailey, Klinger and Ferguson are POSSIBLY seen as "too old" by the selectors.
 
It will be interesting to see what the selectors do when Usman Khawaja is fit again re: the batting line up. I like the left hand/right hand opening combination so I would slot Khawaja back in to No. 3, bat Smith at No. 4, Voges No. 5, Nevill No. 6 and Mitchell Marsh at No. 7 - therefore no spot for Shaun Marsh (who was replacing an injured player after all).

I'd still like to see a young twenty-something bastman knock the door down with a mountain of Sheffield Shield runs, although on current evidence I'm not sure who that person is. Cam Bancroft seems to have stalled and players like Cowan, Bailey, Klinger and Ferguson are POSSIBLY seen as "too old" by the selectors.
As bad as this might sound, if Joe Burns doesn't make a good score in the 2nd innings, I'd be exploring options of maybe having Khawaja opening and drop Burns. I really don't know what they can do now, I mean the person we expected to be dropped has just made 182! A huge predicament for the selectors, will be interesting to see what they do.
 
What about Mitchell Marsh?

Nah I don't think so, they need him to share the load with our main bowlers.

Speaking of other players having a bowl, I would like to see Adam Voges throw down some of his left arm orthodox. One of my favourite early memories of cricket was watching a T20 at the MCG on the tv, Voges got on a hat trick and Clarkey brought the whole field in, I'd never seen anything like it! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! But then Ishant Sharma got forward and just blocked the hat trick. :(
 
It will be interesting to see what the selectors do when Usman Khawaja is fit again re: the batting line up. I like the left hand/right hand opening combination so I would slot Khawaja back in to No. 3, bat Smith at No. 4, Voges No. 5, Nevill No. 6 and Mitchell Marsh at No. 7 - therefore no spot for Shaun Marsh (who was replacing an injured player after all).

I'd still like to see a young twenty-something bastman knock the door down with a mountain of Sheffield Shield runs, although on current evidence I'm not sure who that person is. Cam Bancroft seems to have stalled and players like Cowan, Bailey, Klinger and Ferguson are POSSIBLY seen as "too old" by the selectors.
I don't understand how Callum Ferguson and Michael Klinger can be denied Test caps for being 'too old' especially as Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges were picked. Also, agree with me or don't but shouldn't both of them have been selected for Australia earlier? Also, does anything agree with me with the idea that Rod Marsh MIGHT be favouring Western Australians?? Just a thought...
 
I don't understand how Callum Ferguson and Michael Klinger can be denied Test caps for being 'too old' especially as Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges were picked. Also, agree with me or don't but shouldn't both of them have been selected for Australia earlier? Also, does anything agree with me with the idea that Rod Marsh MIGHT be favouring Western Australians?? Just a thought...
It won't be long before Michael Klinger gets his go I reckon, whether it be Test, ODI or T20. I can't really see Callum Ferguson becoming a Test player, he's always appeared to me as a stronger limited overs player. I would love to see Cowan come back (maybe a bit of bias in that thanks to some close links with him) and George Bailey has had is chance, although it might have been short, he once again seems like a player more suited to limited overs cricket.

On the Rod Marsh statement, I think it's hard not to be a bit bias when you're chairman of selectors. However it is not really our place to tell him what he can and can't do, after all, it's working!
 
It won't be long before Michael Klinger gets his go I reckon, whether it be Test, ODI or T20. I can't really see Callum Ferguson becoming a Test player, he's always appeared to me as a stronger limited overs player. I would love to see Cowan come back (maybe a bit of bias in that thanks to some close links with him) and George Bailey has had is chance, although it might have been short, he once again seems like a player more suited to limited overs cricket.

On the Rod Marsh statement, I think it's hard not to be a bit bias when you're chairman of selectors. However it is not really our place to tell him what he can and can't do, after all, it's working!

I don't agree about the fact 'that it's working', because to be honest New Zealand probably should have won both the second and third tests and would have definitely won the third if not for the DRS stuff-up with Nathan Lyon. Australia should always, always be able to beat New Zealand, wherever and whatever the conditions.
 
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