Australia v England, 3rd Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December, 2021

So CA have announced that Aus will finish this series with the same 16 man squad.

So what's the XI for the MCG look like?

I reckon Harris has the backing of his team and coach. Cummins will shirley return. Unless Koo has a niggle then I reckon it'll be a straight swap - Cummins for Neser. Word is that Hazy is still sore. In any even, JRich would be unlucky to miss out after bagging a Michelle. So our bowling attack could well be Koo, 2nd, JRich and Elmer.

For England, is it time to punt on Jonny for Pope? I would've thought Bairstow would like the MCG deck. Within the ranks, I can't see anyone who can take Burns or Hameed's spot. And shirley Wood comes in for someone? Can England afford to go in with no spinner again? 4 seamers + Stokes seems ridiculous. So Leak FFS or Porgy?

Guesses at the England XI (or the Aus XI if you have thoughts)?

And how many Melbournians will be allowed to turn up?

Burns
Hameed
Malan
Root
Stokes
Bairstow
Buttler
Bess
Robinson
Wood
Anderson

Woakes’s bowling hasn’t justified his place, even if his batting has. Though picking him as a batsman would be a wake-up call for one or two! Playing Bess will at least mean we don’t have a ridiculous tail, though no confidence he will bowl any better than Leach. Wood obviously plays and I think Jimmy gets the nod out of the two oldies. The openers likely to get one last shot before Crawley potentially comes in for the two dead rubbers.

Port side of Titanic, meet deckchairs previously situated on starboard.

Root was surprisingly forthright in his criticism of the bowlers for bowling too short. I guess nothing needed to be said about the fielding or batting.

Wood is an automatic inclusion for Broad. Aside from Root and Malan, Woakes is the only bat to have topped 40. If Pope is dropped I would bat him at 6. Surely they cannot return to Here's Jonny. Bess or Leachto provide the spin option.

Cummins for Neser should be the only change for Oz.

La Ninia's cooler weather may have made pitch preparation interesting. I hope it is not another road.

Clearly Joss Buttler is one the best 4 batsmen England has at their disposal and must be in their XI.

However, is he the best available gloveman? He took some screamers this Test but also dropped some regulation catches.

Is there an argument for Buttler at 6 and Foakes at 7 with the gloves?

skully wrote:And how many Melbournians will be allowed to turn up?

isn't it supposed to be 80k? or did they change it again?

skully wrote:Clearly Joss Buttler is one the best 4 batsmen England has at their disposal and must be in their XI.

However, is he the best available gloveman? He took some screamers this Test but also dropped some regulation catches.

Is there an argument for Buttler at 6 and Foakes at 7 with the gloves?

There possibly is, but I don’t think Foakes is currently in Australia…

beamer wrote:

skully wrote:Clearly Joss Buttler is one the best 4 batsmen England has at their disposal and must be in their XI.

However, is he the best available gloveman? He took some screamers this Test but also dropped some regulation catches.

Is there an argument for Buttler at 6 and Foakes at 7 with the gloves?

There possibly is, but I don’t think Foakes is currently in Australia…

did the Lions team fly home already?

Nath wrote:

beamer wrote:

skully wrote:Clearly Joss Buttler is one the best 4 batsmen England has at their disposal and must be in their XI.

However, is he the best available gloveman? He took some screamers this Test but also dropped some regulation catches.

Is there an argument for Buttler at 6 and Foakes at 7 with the gloves?

There possibly is, but I don’t think Foakes is currently in Australia…

did the Lions team fly home already?

I think so, other than those playing BBL who are the nominal standbys now.

Well I guess they'll persist with Buttler in the gloves then.

Surely they cannot be thinking of Crawley or Bairstow?

Stokes must be playing with a very bad knee. His bowling and batting continue to disappoint. Watching him play reminds me of Freddie in 06/07 labouring on a dodgy ankle. Like Robinson he could drop a few kilos. it would suck a lot of air out of the contest at the G but may need a rest for Sydney.

horace wrote:Surely they cannot be thinking of Crawley or Bairstow?

Well, given they’re the backups in the squad, they’re considered as (slightly) better options than playing with 10 or 9 men. Though it’s a close-run thing.

In other news, BT have axed the partisan Aussie commentary feed at viewers’ request and will now provide their own from a London studio. David Gower is heading to Australia to head a studio team.

As for their rivals and Gower’s former employer, Sky have another massive hole to fill with Bumble calling it a day. Probably jumped before he was pushed given his intervention in Racistyorkshiregate, but with Holding also having retired they’re very short of experience and personality. And who will get the plum job of yelling excitedly while chasing men and women in animal suits around an obstacle course at Edgbaston next year?

RIP Bumble's broadcast career. His humour and incite will be missed.

And what a sad turn of events that there is absolutely no-one who can give Ollie Pope a rest.

Lawrence is there, no?

Not saying he's the Messiah (or even a very naughty boy) - he knows only too well what a duck looks like.

But Pope surely has to go. He looks absolutely hapless & popeless - errr, Hopeless.


Get Cook out there in place of Burns.

They should have at least asked Cook before the series if he was up for it, IMO.

Come to think of it, maybe Strauss, Atherton, Stewart, Gooch, Broad sr. and Boycott (and his granny with her stick of rhubarb) as well.

Poms in BBL squads

George Garton
Tom Abell
Ben Duckett
Harry Brook
Jordan Thompson
Reece Topley
Joe Clarke
Laurie Evans
Tymal Mills
Tom Curran
Chris Jordan
James Vince
Sam Billings
Alex Hales
Saqib Mahmood

They should probably ask Josh Inglis if he wants to play for them

Vince, maybe.

A poor man’s Ian Bell/an old Ollie Pope.

Can someone tell me why Saqib isn't in the test squad?

Lack of imagination. Poor prior planning.

He's from...ahem...Yorkshire.

Vince and 2pac to open at MCG. might be amusing for a while.

But Silverwood said he would pick the same sides again at Brisbane and Adelaide. He seems
determined to sink his own ship.

skully wrote:He's from...ahem...Yorkshire.

HOW VERY DARE YOU!

(Brummie by birth, Red Rose by adoption. RED.)

They’re confusing him with Uncle Saj…

Big Merv was just on the Ch 10 Nooz saying he had strong mail that Purple is definitely out of this Test, and both JRich and Ebba pulled up sore.

That might make the Aus attack Koo, 2nd, Scott Boland and Elmer.