The Ashes 2017/2018

[Lightning McQueen]

Bancroft to bat 6. Keep Wade. Renshaw stays as opener.

Would rather 3 others before Wade.

[The Bedge]

Bancroft to bat 6. Keep Wade. Renshaw stays as opener.

Would rather 3 others before Wade.

Would rather play one short before Wade.

[The Bedge]

We are always going to pick an “all rounder” at 6 and it is not going to be another spinner.

More I think about, the more I think you're correct.

3x seamers and a spinner over 5 days is too thin, need a 4th seam option.

[Lightning McQueen]

Bancroft to bat 6. Keep Wade. Renshaw stays as opener.

Would rather 3 others before Wade.

Would rather play one short before Wade.

Would rather this guy, used to go alright at home.

[Lightning McQueen]

We are always going to pick an “all rounder” at 6 and it is not going to be another spinner.

More I think about, the more I think you're correct.

3x seamers and a spinner over 5 days is too thin, need a 4th seam option.

F*** the allrounder though, we can eek enough runs out of our bowlers.

[The Bedge]

We are always going to pick an “all rounder” at 6 and it is not going to be another spinner.

More I think about, the more I think you're correct.

3x seamers and a spinner over 5 days is too thin, need a 4th seam option.

F*** the allrounder though, we can eek enough runs out of our bowlers.

It's not about the runs, it's about taking 20 wickets and bowler work loads - if England have a good test and bat 2 consecutive days, you'd think Lyon will bowl the best part of 70 overs and Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc 30-35 each.

Australia will want someone who can bowl 5-10 overs an innings if need be, who is also capable of picking up a wicket.

[Lightning McQueen]

It's not about the runs, it's about taking 20 wickets and bowler work loads - if England have a good test and bat 2 consecutive days, you'd think Lyon will bowl the best part of 70 overs and Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc 30-35 each.

Australia will want someone who can bowl 5-10 overs an innings if need be, who is also capable of picking up a wicket.

Well why not have another wicket taking seamer like Bird or the Chadd to ensure they don't bat the two days, we need to win the test, not rely on England losing it.

FWIW, I think if Hilton plays, we'll have at least two players that bat below him score more than him.

[Booney]

We are always going to pick an “all rounder” at 6 and it is not going to be another spinner.

More I think about, the more I think you're correct.

3x seamers and a spinner over 5 days is too thin, need a 4th seam option.

That's 5th bowler barely gets used though, they certainly don't bowl 15 or 18 overs an innings very often. If Lyon can't plug away at one end for 20 overs straight as the three quicks rotate through 4 or 5 over spells at the other end something is wrong with them all.

If desperate times call then Smith or Warner can throw an over or two down prior to a break to give Lyon a few overs off going into lunch or tea or give the three quicks the same respite.

Our fascination with the all-rounders position baffles me and I know I'm not alone.

[am Bays]

We are always going to pick an “all rounder” at 6 and it is not going to be another spinner.

More I think about, the more I think you're correct.

3x seamers and a spinner over 5 days is too thin, need a 4th seam option.

That's 5th bowler barely gets used though, they certainly don't bowl 15 or 18 overs an innings very often. If Lyon can't plug away at one end for 20 overs straight as the three quicks rotate through 4 or 5 over spells at the other end something is wrong with them all.

If desperate times call then Smith or Warner can throw an over or two down prior to a break to give Lyon a few overs off going into lunch or tea or give the three quicks the same respite.

Our fascination with the all-rounders position baffles me and I know I'm not alone.

And given that Smith has shown his faith in Cartwright by bowling him a massive nine overs over two tests it's clear what he thinks of his skills in that area (an extensive spell of four overs in Sydney)

If we are worried about workloads we are fortunate that we have the likes of Bird and Sayers (or Copeland if they want to keep it in the NSW family (where Bird is originally from)) who can be rotated in and out and not lose any bowling potency.

We need runs for our bowlers to bowl at, pick our best six batters, our best keeper, three of our best five fast bowler and then a spinner. Then wait to collect the Ashes on Jan 7 if not earlier.

[Corona Man]

We are always going to pick an “all rounder” at 6 and it is not going to be another spinner.

More I think about, the more I think you're correct.

3x seamers and a spinner over 5 days is too thin, need a 4th seam option.

That's 5th bowler barely gets used though, they certainly don't bowl 15 or 18 overs an innings very often. If Lyon can't plug away at one end for 20 overs straight as the three quicks rotate through 4 or 5 over spells at the other end something is wrong with them all.

If desperate times call then Smith or Warner can throw an over or two down prior to a break to give Lyon a few overs off going into lunch or tea or give the three quicks the same respite.

Our fascination with the all-rounders position baffles me and I know I'm not alone.

Couldn't agree with you more Boon... don't pick an allrounder (or try to invent one) just because you can. Pick the best 6 batters, a keeper and the best 4 bowlers for the conditions. Simple. If you get beaten with that combination then it's because the other mob have a better team, not that we don't have an allrounder.

[Trader]

We have had an obsession with the All-rounder for a while, however this grew further following the 2012 Adelaide Test.
James Pattinson bowled 9.1 overs then broke down in the first innings.
Without a genuine all-rounder, Clarke, Hussey, Warner and Quiney were all forced to bowl overs as a result (21 between them).

In the second innings, Siddle bowled 33, Hilfenhaus 34 and Lyon 50 as a man (on debut) by the name Faf du Plessis survived 376 balls and destroyed our hopes and dreams.

There was just a 3 day break to the third test, which both Siddle and Hilfenhaus then missed (and Pattinson). We lost the third test by over 300 runs and lost the series as a result.

Since that game, we have almost always played an all-rounder.

[am Bays]

Take this with a piece of the proverbial: http://amp.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/cricket/the-ashes/ashes-2017-peter-nevill-snubbed-from-shock-australian-lineup-for-first-test-20171116-gzmzl1
"
Peter Nevill is set to be a shock omission from Australia's team for the first Ashes Test at the Gabba, with Matt Renshaw also expected to be dropped to accommodate the in-form Cameron Bancroft.

Nevill had been strongly forecast to return to the side a year after he was dropped for Matthew Wade in the wake of Australia's disastrous defeat to South Africa in Hobart.

However, while NSW's Australian contingent have remained in Brisbane after the completion of the Blues' Sheffield Shield match against Queensland Nevill flew back to Sydney on Thursday with the remainder of the state team.

As for the vacant No.6 position in the batting order there were suggestions on Thursday that Shaun Marsh was to win a recall after losing his Cricket Australia contract in the winter, with selectors having weighed up whether to pick a specialist batsman or a player who could also provide Smith with a fifth bowling option.

Australia (likely squad): David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

[bennymacca]

Tim Paine!?!?!

Would rather him than wade I guess.

Can’t believe they will pick marsh over renshaw effectively

[bennymacca]

Chief writer on cricket.com.au has gone with this

Possible Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Cameron Bancroft (wk), Hilton Cartwright, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird (likely 12th man).

[daysofourlives]

Herald sun running with

Warner
Bancroft
Khawaja
Smith
Handscombe
Marsh
Paine
bowlers

[daysofourlives]

Cant believe they are going back to Marsh although not surprised

[daysofourlives]

I think the selectors will be salivating at Shaun Marsh making a 60 in the first shield game, cant really not pick him now. I think after 16 years in the system he is finally ready to reach his full potential.

you forgot one of these........

I like to keep people guessing

Turns out i got it right the 1st time, **** me

[daysofourlives]

Hows this for a stat, Darren Lehman has scored a sheffield shield century more recently than Tim Paine.

The selection of Paine has Mark Waugh written all over it, massive gamble.

[Brodlach]

Does Paine even keep for Tassie? Thought Wade did

[am Bays]

Does Paine even keep for Tassie? Thought Wade did

Not this year so far but was for the last few games of 2016-17

Some of his better work:



Look for the edict coming from CA to Tasmania, Paine keeps now