Australia v England, 5th Test, Sydney, 4-8 January, 2018

I know it's really early to be thinking about such things, but I'm already wondering if the traditional Australian selection ploy (two spinners in a squad of 13) will occur for this match, and if so, who that second spinner might be.

I suppose the candidates most seriously looked at by the panel would be Holland, Agar, Fawad Ahmed, Swepson, Zampa, and the lamentable O'Keefe, God forbid.

Given that there are no more Shield games before the 5th Test, only whiteball trash from the Babel belt, it is likely that only Agar, Zampa and Swepson will get much of a chance to impress ... so will it be Agar in place of Mitch Marsh, or will it be Zampa/Swepson in place of Starc/Bird?

I'm still bitter that this starts on the 4th.

JGK wrote:I'm still bitter that this starts on the 4th.  

it seems to be getting later and later.

JGK wrote:I'm still bitter that this starts on the 4th.  

I'm not!!!

I have scammed pairs of tickets for Days 1 & 2 so my littlest bro & I will be living the dream for 2 days. Staying in a hotel nearby the G on the Thursday night to make the most of a boys' cricket experience.

It gives me time to have 2 weeks in Port Mac before scooting back to Sydney for the start of this Test.

Oi Skully. There is only one "G" and it is not in Spiv Central.

horace wrote:Oi Skully. There is only one "G" and it is not in Spiv Central.

Pat Cummings'd.

And JGK's bitterness at the failure, just this once, of the Rest Of Australia to revolve around the greater convenience of the Worlds Biggest Theme Park is likewise noted for the minutes.

Well done Fred. The Spiv Central Test is now a mere footnote to the summer, to be scheduled in the spot least injurious to the Tower of Babel. It could start 4/1 or 1/4 for all its significance to rest of Oz.

Phurt!! A couple of bitter Vile Vomits spruiking Bleak City over the mighty and beautiful Harbour City.

Lol. the G is sold out for Boxing Day. Weather will be sunny in the high 20s. A lazy crowd of 90k plus is expected.

Your point? That Melbournians would turn out to watch two flies crawling up a wall, such is the boring nature of living in Bleak City?

...and ....as skully has bragged.... dubbers only go to the cricket when they get free tickets

All cricket fans hang out for Boxing Day. For many it makes the ennui of Xmas tolerable.

The scg is a pleasant oval, but prolly the right size for tests there, tho it is rarely full. Oddly enough in winter the quaint oval transforms to a place of great deeds (and better attendances)

embee wrote:...and ....as skully has bragged.... dubbers only go to the cricket when they get free tickets

Spot on Embee. Clearly, you've stopped being possessed by the bnlg. Welcome back.

skully wrote:Your point? That Melbournians would turn out to watch two flies crawling up a wall, such is the boring nature of living in Bleak City?

I've been to Melbourne for four weddings and a funeral (true story), on each occasion I went to sporting events, A farking Vic/SA shield match FFS I was that farking bored. I've seen a number of midweek races, a Cox Plate, a Blue Diamond. I don't like spivs as a general rule but they have a harbour and some history. Port Phillip Bay don't cut it Fred, sorry.

embee wrote:...and ....as skully has bragged.... dubbers only go to the cricket  when they get free tickets

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Why would one pay to sit on hard seats, pay exorbitant prices for weak beer, put up with flies, sun and heat, not to mention the inevitable dickhead crowd members nearby, when you can watch a multi-camera coverage in complete comfort at home?

horace wrote:All cricket fans hang out for Boxing Day. For many it makes the ennui of Xmas tolerable.

The scg is a pleasant oval, but prolly the right size for tests there, tho it is rarely full. Oddly enough in winter the quaint oval transforms to a place of great deeds (and better attendances)

Bleak City is so bleak that locals claim a letter of the alphabet as their own for their mausoleum.



















Of course this is all tongue-in-cheek. I actually love Melbourne and find it a fantastic place to visit.

skully wrote:

JGK wrote:I'm still bitter that this starts on the 4th.  

I'm not!!!

I have scammed pairs of tickets for Days 1 & 2 so my littlest bro & I will be living the dream for 2 days. Staying in a hotel nearby the G on the Thursday night to make the most of a boys' cricket experience.

It gives me time to have 2 weeks in Port Mac before scooting back to Sydney for the start of this Test.

Where are you sitting?

JGK wrote:

skully wrote:

JGK wrote:I'm still bitter that this starts on the 4th.  

I'm not!!!

I have scammed pairs of tickets for Days 1 & 2 so my littlest bro & I will be living the dream for 2 days. Staying in a hotel nearby the G on the Thursday night to make the most of a boys' cricket experience.

It gives me time to have 2 weeks in Port Mac before scooting back to Sydney for the start of this Test.

Where are you sitting?

If he's drinking weak beer on a hard seat I'd suggest he's sitting in the wrong place.

And I still think that roo on the coat of arms looks like a deformed wombat.

JGK wrote:

skully wrote:

JGK wrote:I'm still bitter that this starts on the 4th.  

I'm not!!!

I have scammed pairs of tickets for Days 1 & 2 so my littlest bro & I will be living the dream for 2 days. Staying in a hotel nearby the G on the Thursday night to make the most of a boys' cricket experience.

It gives me time to have 2 weeks in Port Mac before scooting back to Sydney for the start of this Test.

Where are you sitting?

Tickets were won in a Gillette contest and have to be collected from Gate 5 on the day, so I'm guessing we'll be sitting with the great unwashed.

skully wrote:

JGK wrote:I'm still bitter that this starts on the 4th.  

I'm not!!!

I have scammed pairs of tickets for Days 1 & 2 so my littlest bro & I will be living the dream for 2 days. Staying in a hotel nearby the G on the Thursday night to make the most of a boys' cricket experience.

It gives me time to have 2 weeks in Port Mac before scooting back to Sydney for the start of this Test.

You haven't heard? The Poms have conceded the 5th Test. Would have pulled out of MCG show too, except too late - punitive fines.

PeterCS wrote:

skully wrote:

JGK wrote:I'm still bitter that this starts on the 4th.  

I'm not!!!

I have scammed pairs of tickets for Days 1 & 2 so my littlest bro & I will be living the dream for 2 days. Staying in a hotel nearby the G on the Thursday night to make the most of a boys' cricket experience.

It gives me time to have 2 weeks in Port Mac before scooting back to Sydney for the start of this Test.

You haven't heard? The Poms have conceded the 5th Test. Would have pulled out of MCG show too, except too late - punitive fines.

Hehehe!

Jumbo warming up?

lardbucket wrote:Jumbo warming up?

They've trotted out Tim bloody Bresnan again????

Hopefully Aus takes the same XI into Sydney.

I'd reckon England will give Mason Crane a go.