So, future prospects for Oz test cricket

for the immediate series against the Bannies and the next Ashes

definite/vacant selections for the 1st Test against the Bannies (barring injury) appear to be

1. Warner
   Vacant opener
   Vacant first drop
   Clarke
   Smith
   batsman who bowls a bit/
   vacant keeper
   Johnson
   vacant spinner
   vacant quick
   vacant quick

contenders for opener - Klinger, Rogers, Burns
contenders for first drop - Klinger, Phews, Doolan, move smith or clarke up the order
contenders for 4 or 5 if clarke or Smith move to 3 - Ferguson, Cooper, Carters, Voges
contenders for 6 - schoolgirl, Marsh, Maxwell, Cooper, Voges
contenders for keeper - Neville, Wade and Whiteman (haddin to retire)
contenders for spinner - Ahmed, Boyce, Zampa (no more Lyon or left arm orthodox - none of them are any good)
contenders for 2 vacant quick spots - Beerdork, Pattinson, Cummins, Coulter-Denial, Siddle, Harris

Are there other other contenders?

Harris walks back into the team if he can actually walk.

I'd love to see Hartley get a crack but I suspect his chances are gone.

Watto will go straight to 3.

Marsh did enough to stay at 6. They won't drop the horrendously out of form Pup and Rogers still has enough brownie points to get a couple more goes.

Harris is a bit of a waste against gun shy bannies...lets save him up for one last go at the poms

Hartley is very brave but losing form with the gloves ...had a poor match v the jellies

re twatto...shirley he has to bowl 10 overs an innings to earn his spot

Do we need both Marsh and Schoolgirl - too similar I would have thought.

Rogers has to move on

so are there other contenders that I missed?...apart from my expectation that BD will make cases for moo, bailey, fork and Doherty

also do people agree that Lyon needs to prove himself in Shield cricket before he is ever considered

Personally I hope to see Burns and Cooper being given a go this summer and that Cummins can also get a game or two

maybe Handscombe down the line, as long as the Vics hierarchy stop putting the gloves on him

I'd love to see Silk or Burns get a go at the top with Warner. I reckon Smith is ready for 3. There's plenty of good young prospects around for the no. 5 spot (easier to fill than 1, 2 or 3). Maybe Puddle is still worth a go at 6. Hartley or Dunk at 7, and the bowlers pick themselves, Midge, Cot, Rhino and Elmer.

Not Cot.

He's gone.

Injured, or just past it?

past it...Elmer has surely gone Fudd for the last time...Dunk needs a go as Tassie keeper - time on Paine's career?...Silk does not make enough runs

skully wrote: and the bowlers pick themselves, Midge, Cot, Rhino and Elmer.

2 out of 4 at least. not so convinced. hopefully we can get Bird, Hilfy or Hazelwood up and going.

As long as they look at FC form first. If they fark with the team just to try to find a winning WC side (which is the way the whole summer's shaping) we may as well pile on India as well. There's enough decent form amongst batmen out there if you exclude the tried and tested (marcus north).

North has retired

Well I was using him more figuratively, but wasn't aware he'd retired.

Hijack Hussy just won at Flemington. Maybe that was a tip.

horace wrote:Personally I hope to see Burns and Cooper being given a go this summer and that Cummins can also get a game or two

Before he breaks down again?

From the XI that WA put out on the weekend I'd say that only Rimmington and Hogan were no chance for Oz Test cricket

Voges and Klinger would be stop gap selections ...but if they are better than the alternative then pick them

Marsh ...if his head and hammies are ok

Harry and Bangers are long term prospects ...would like them to have big seasons at Shield level

Whitey ...good long term option as keeper ...probably needs another season at shield level

NCN and Dorf ...bowling well ...taking wickets ...both striving to improve ...good signs

Agar ...needs more bowling ...and for them to stop trying to make him a top order batsman

Beer and Turner ...main chances from outside the team

I like Dorf. Been impressed whenever I've seen him (admittedly mostly in white ball cricket).

embee wrote:

Beer and Turner ...main chances from outside the team  

I have always hoped than no-one named A Turner would ever play test cricket for Australia again. The last one was a shocker. Not only was his batting poor but he somehow managed to wreck Jeff Thomson career when fielding.

JGK wrote:I like Dorf.  Been impressed whenever I've seen him  (admittedly mostly in white ball cricket).

I like him too. Certainly wouldn't be out of a place wearing a baggy green. Coulter-Nile impresses me as well.

Rainbird might get a look in if any other bowlers crock themselves. He's obviously got the selectors eye having been selected in the development squad.

Big Dog wrote:Rainbird might get a look in if any other bowlers crock themselves. He's obviously got the selectors eye having been selected in the development squad.

Haven't seen him bowl but he does seem to get wickets.

Sandhu is another good young Aus fast bowling prospect. Tom Cooper must be there or there abouts for a middle order spot. He's been pretty consistent for a couple of years now. Peter Nevill should get a look-in as the keeper. He's very underrated, which is surprising for a NSW player. Maybe the Aus team for the first test against India could look something like-

Warner
Rogers
Watson
Clarke (c)
Smith
Marsh
Nevill +
Johnson
Coulter-Nile
Starc
Lyon/Ahmed/Zampa


There are whispers that they want to give a leg spinner a go.

Coulter-Nile is crap. Struggles to take wickets in ODI's. In Test cricket he would be just another journeyman trundler.

Big Dog wrote:Coulter-Nile is crap. Struggles to take wickets in ODI's. In Test cricket he would be just another journeyman trundler.

I tend to agree.