God help me - the Test Cricket thread

[ElwoodBlues1]

If Paine gets the flick it will be back to Smith imo, a lot of people like Carey including the media but the NSW mafia will want Smith as will the core playing group.
Don't see Langar wanting Carey either who is his own man I believe and not one of the boys club.

[LP]

LP - don't get me started on Mark f***** Waugh,  the protected golden calf of NSW cricket.  I'd sooner listen to Trump's advice on cricket.    The bloke who got chances while the careers of other talented players were quashed.  If he was so good,  why did he end with the mediocre average of 41 - because he wasn't as good as the hype!

It's not really Waugh's fault, I concede it's easy to focus on him, but he's a product of the system much like Hird was at CheatsFC. Waugh cannot see it so when confronted he denies a bias, but that is because it's the only world he knows existing within NSW Cricket like a goldfish in a bowl!

The roots of rot go much much deeper than the players.

[Professer E]

LP,  I reckon the other brother has a very big say in which strings are pulled to make the puppets dance.

[capcom]

Bumrah knocking the bails off - I've seen players suspended for less.  Pathetic.

And where did he learn that?  Langer

[Professer E]

Was Steve Waugh captain when Langer was playing?

[capcom]

Fairly sure he was Prof.  Langer's actions were disgraceful and designed to be hidden in a blatant attempt to cheat ... pity the video picked it up and condemned him.

EDIT ... Ponting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afQvCaPd...F&index=24

[crashlander]

With the 3rd test done and dusted, I have a comments, some of which have been mentioned before:

[1] Very disappointed with the Australian attack and the way we fielded on the last day. Catches win matches and we can only blame ourselves for that. Really, we should have won.
If we fielded like we had during the first innings, it would have been over around lunchtime.

[2] Paine's keeping: I think Paine has done an excellent job as Captain, but he isn't getting any younger and his keeping is on the downslide. As he is in the team primarily as a keeper, this must limit his future.
I don't think he is the best tactician we've had as Captain, but he is better than Smith in that regard.
We have think seriously about replacing him sooner rather than later. His replacement is already playing Shield cricket.

[3] Smith was not a great success as a captain, even though he was the world's dominant batsman at the time. I would not give him the captaincy if Paine were to be replaced.

[4] I would not give Warner the Captaincy either, even though he does appear to have more than a little tactical nous.

[5] The captaincy issue is a serious one. Labuschagne is about the only undroppable candidate in the team, but I have no idea if he has leadership qualities at all. There are a few off field people who don't appear that impressed with him: I honestly don't understand why. But if he were to be in line as a future captain, then he needs to gain experience in that role at state level ASAP. If he doesn't get a go, I wouldn't want to make him Captain. He needs to show the skills of captaincy and he hasn't had a reasonable opportunity as yet.

[6] Wade might make a good captain: he does have experience in the role and some success at it. However, he is barely scoring enough runs to remain in the team. Big issue there.

[7] Pant's health. I have been reading about how badly Pant was injured that he was replaced in the field by a MUCH better keeper.  Then he comes out and bats as he did. That looks rather suspect. If he was fit enough to bat for extended periods, then he was probably fit enough to keep wickets.

[8] Jadeja, who has a broken hand, was apparently padded up and waiting. Desperation? Guts and determination? other?

[9] The racism row now looks to be not a molehill that's been made into a mountain. Racist taunts are not welcome and are not the sort of thing to appear in modern Australia. But the comments now appear to have been anything but racist.
What does that say about the think skin of the Indians?
I can say that I say worse things about umpiring 20 to 30 times per game in the AFL. I get very emotional and complain bitterly when we've been robbed. Would I have been evicted from the SCG?
And what about the supporters in India. Not speaking much Hindi or Urdu (or Punjabi and Maratha or Tamil or the rest), what are they calling out?

[Professer E]

Parachute Finch in,  he can open and captain. Right hander.

Warner has shown his colours,  will never captain again.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Its interesting that Carey is seen as a future captain and keeper but doesnt have the runs at 1st class level to back it up IMO.
If you are going on form you would go with Josh Inglis as your keeper/bat and you would be opening with Sam Whiteman both keepers, both English expats and both playing for WA.
The player who would probably qualify as the next captain is Moses Henriques IMHO.....but again he is from NSW. Henriques is of a steady nature and what I would call a handy player rather than a brilliant one but from what I have seen has some nous as a skipper and the respect of the players he commands at NSW and in the BBL.

[Professer E]

Henrique's days at test level are gone. His selection would be NSW nepotism at its worst.