Australia v England, 1st Test, Brisbane, 23-27 November, 2017

skully wrote:I think Paine got the job via default.

The NSP had to select Bancroft (sheer weight of runs) but clearly believe opening and keeping at Test level is impossible. And they had already decided to flick Weed and ignore Nifty (perhaps because of the large number of Spivs already guaranteed a spot).

Who did that leave?

I still think playing Bangers as a no. 7 keeper and either retaining Wrench (not really a preference) or picking Li'l Rhino would've been a more progressive call.

Look, it's only the Poms.

"Only the Poms" were good enough to beat us last time.

Too many times of late.

JGK wrote:

Big Dog wrote:Geeves's take on the alleged  selection of Marsh & Paine.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australia/geeves-the-decision-to-recall-shaun-marsh-for-the-ashes-stinks-to-high-heaven/news-story/f01978306ca566ea39c1d62e40098a73

Geeves is a gem.   He's nailed the Tozzie coach.

or excused the Twozzie captain

As i've said before, Paine is still the best gloveman in the country. He doesnt need to score runs, we have Marsh to do that.

Hehehe. Nothing to see here.

So over the first three rounds of the Shield, Bog's average is even worse than No Shows and way worse than lil boof, Fergie etc. This is the eighth time he has been recalled to the test team. His selection is an indictment of the NSP fools.

Rust Fingers has been regularly dropped from the cellar dwelling Twosies over the past few years.

Bangers deserved selection but not at the expense of Renshaw. He should keep and bat at 7. It seems from the presser that Seasick is very keen on Rust Fingers. With Wade out of the frame I expect Seasick Steve vetoed Snivel.

Only our bowling will keep us competitive. Of the six batsmen only Bancroft and Uber K are in form. The gcspoc and Sneaky Pete must be on notice. Presumably the woeful Bog will be given a full series, irrespective of the inevitable failures with bat, dropped catches and runs given away in the field. He is undoubtedly the second worst number 6 we've had since his lamentable brother.

So over the first three rounds of the Shield, Bog's average is even worse than No Shows and way worse than lil boof, Fergie etc. This is the eighth time he has been recalled to the test team. His selection is an indictment of the NSP fools.

Rust Fingers has been regularly dropped from the cellar dwelling Twosies over the past few years.

Bangers deserved selection but not at the expense of Renshaw. He should keep and bat at 7. It seems from the presser that Seasick is very keen on Rust Fingers. With Wade out of the frame I expect Seasick Steve vetoed Snivel.

Only our bowling will keep us competitive. Of the six batsmen only Bancroft and Uber K are in form. The gcspoc and Sneaky Pete must be on notice. Presumably the woeful Bog will be given a full series, irrespective of the inevitable failures with bat, dropped catches and runs given away in the field. He is undoubtedly the second worst number 6 we've had since his lamentable brother.

And our bowlers have a history of fragility. We're gonna need some help from the curators.

skully wrote:"Only the Poms" were good enough to beat us last time.

In Pomgolia.

The aberration of 2010-11 apart, when the Aussies were all over the shop, how many Tests have the Poms won in Oz since 2005?

Well I think if you're strategy is based around the other mob being hopeless you're looking for a black eye

For strategy, read desperation.

OK I can understand that I think

PeterCS wrote:For strategy, read desperation.

Desperation = Rust Fingers

Abject despair = Boggy Marsh and his eighth recall.

Utter desolation = the NSP.

According to the news tonight, Stokes might fly in as early as this week with some possibility he won't be charged by the police.

Will not know who to boo more I - Stokes or the NSP, though doubt K jnr has the balls to turn up to Melbourne, besides I am sure he will be off at the dogs somewhere.

Its been raining in Brisbanal for the past few. The ball will hoop around around. Renshaw may well be missed. Wonder if Sayers or Bird should play ahead of Purple or even Lyon.

Seasick and gcspoc could roll afew overs.

horace wrote:Its been raining in Brisbanal for the past few. The ball will hoop around around. Renshaw may well be missed. Wonder if Sayers or Bird should play ahead of Purple or even Lyon.

Seasick and gcspoc could roll afew overs.

won't happen

For all the yelping about the XI, I reckon it's not far from the best we could've chosen, when you consider all the NSP's caveats, i.e....

1. Weed and Nifty shall not be chosen.
2. Bangers is on fire and must be chosen.
3. GSC, Ooze, Tweek, Wank and the 4 bowlers are locks.
4. Pick the best credentialled middle order player at 6.
5. Out-of-form Wrench had to go.

When these points are your starting point, the only contentious points are who to play at 6 and keeper.

If Bangers opens then he doesn't keep - this is Test cricket not backyard cricket. I would've been just as happy to see him play at 6 or 7 and pick Li'l Rhino as opener. Retaining Wrench would've been a drain on the team watching him fight for form.

No. 6 was a multi-player toss up. Of the contenders I would've been happy with Bog, Li'l Boof or Fergie. Bog got the nod. He does have considerable experience and some success at Test level and this is a home Test series (FTB stuff).

The keeper position I discussed above. Paine got it by default.

So all-in-all, I can see how the NSP came up with the XI. Doom and Tweety are mere afterthoughts.

Having defended the NSP, I reserve the right to bag the shit out of them if Bog and Paine (Major/Ima?) go badly.

All woofing apart, the England batting looks very brittle, Woakes has landed and maybe Jimmy too. But no great pace there to speak of. And in the absence of Stokes, too few options. Ball? - meh squared.

With home advantage (a big factor of late - one odd exception apart, 2010-11), and despite problems of their own, Australia should win this series with a wee bit to spare. I am not a betting man, because things are so unpredictable, but a series outcome of maybe 3-1 seems about the most likely, from here. It could be a Hawaii as the barkers and chancers proclaim, Poms might even come good and win for all I know: but I'm talking balance of probabilities, form, past form to an extent ~ and possibly proven quality too. Vince and Malan in particular are huge risks, thrown in with little to show.

Red wrote:According to the news tonight, Stokes might fly in as early as this week with some possibility he won't be charged by the police.

I find that hard to believe. Stokes (allegedly) hit his victim 15 times. If that's self-defence I'm a Dutchman.

More rain in Chip Central leading up to T1. Doubt the Test will last 3 days. When play is possible the ball will hoop around, unless Purple is bowling. Hope Bancroft has a good debut, but the cards are stacked against him. Oz may regret not having Renshaw.

For Oz my early predictions are-
Uber Koala will score most runs for Oz with fighting knocks in both innings
Sneaky Pete will fail first innings but top score in the second
gcspoc will make a mid 20s score and a gozzer
Mrs Robinson will fail in both knocks with top score in the teens
Seasick Steve, Bog and Rust Fingers will have double fails
Rust Fingers will take six catches, but miss two with Healy saying they were forgivable.
Starc and Cummins will each make useful runs and take the lions share of the wickets unless Dorothy plays.
Bogs and Rust Fingers collective five missed chances and other fielding errors will help Pomgolia get over the line.

Seasick Steve, at the post match presser, will say we have to do better and praise Koo, Second and Rust Fingers for the quality of his glove work

Boof will be quiet. Hohns will say class is permanent and form is temporary. He will add that Mitch Marsh's form warrants him being on stand by in case his brother's strained hamstring does not come up in time for T2.

Stokes will be motm, just ahead of Anderson.

In an odd twist kfc says there is no connection between their product and childhood obesity and early onset juvenile diabetes.

Elmer will leak runs.

I have always eagerly anticipated Ashes series, irrespective of the relative strength of each team. This time it feels different. I am despondent about our team and the state of cricket in general.

That said I will watch each ball if I can. I am really hoping I will sit on the edge of the chair as I have done in the past.

This is hopefully just me and everyone else is enthused.