The BaggyGreens Thread

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Definitely some shit performances.

But the difference between the pitch at the end of day 2 and the pitch on day 3 is laughable. They put a steam roller over it.
 
Woke to an expected Saffer choke but no they are now probably in the box seat after our aging pace trio failed to remove Markram. I said before the Saffer innings that to win one of their top 4 had to ton up. And one has.
 
Gutsy half ton by Starc but another boundary riddled opening spell from him got the Saffers off to a flyer and gave them the confidence and belief that they could win this. All they had to do was keep their heads as the deck was now a featherbed with the sun drying any remaining moisture. They lucked in as it could easily have been Australia batting instead of them.
 
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Zman said:
Time blood some young un's for the future, Sam Konstas for Usi is compulsory first up.
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Agree and the Windies may be the place to do it. But biased Bailey and McDonald wont wanna part with our oldies just yet, not give them a sniff at WTC points due to us playing Test rookies. I think Konstas will be the only under 20 chosen.
 
Well deserved world champs Saffers. They had the best of the conditions on day three and made the most of it. We need to now face the fact that CRACKS ARE NOW APPEARING IN OUR MUCH VAUNTED ATTACK, that even 12mths ago would have found a way to win this even on a featherbed. Lyon wicketless for the match is yelling out that his time has been and gone. Selectors need to give his successor some Test game time in the Windies.
 
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Fair to say the 'choker' tag has been removed and that this Saffer team will now play unaffected by any mental factors. Guys like heroes Markram, Rabada and Bedingham still have a few years left to mentor the youngsters such as Jansen and Stubbs and any newcomers. As for their next gens they are being nurtured by playing Youth Tests against India, England and prob us next. Who said Test cricket is no longer relevant in this day of T20, as these Youth Tests will help perpetuate the pure game over the coming decades.
 
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Why TF were Bailey and McD experimenting with this guy at #3 in a bloody World Test Champ final bout. Hello you drongos to my knowledge Green has NEVER batted at First Drop in first class cricket and with Usman going cheaply in both inns the big man was virtually opening and again he has NEVER opened either. HE IS A LOWER MIDDLE ORDER BAT!!! Smudge sh've been at #3.
 
Richie said:
Why TF were Bailey and McD experimenting with this guy at #3 in a bloody World Test Champ final bout. Hello you drongos to my knowledge Green has NEVER batted at First Drop in first class cricket and with Usman going cheaply in both inns the big man was virtually opening and again he has NEVER opened either. HE IS A LOWER MIDDLE ORDER BAT!!! Smudge sh've been at #3.
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Green had batted at 3 in FC cricket before and got out to none other than Marnus.

Smith made runs at 4 in the BGT so a lot of people wanted to keep him there, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Personally I would rather have had him at 3 and put Green at 4 but . Hate them if they do hate them if they don’t.

I don’t think the selectors could have made the right decision regardless of what they did. There would be people complain about it.
 
doc8176 said:
Green had batted at 3 in FC cricket before
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A one off. Talking about a majority of his FC career. If you wanna experiment with a player make in a meaningless series against less than top quality opposition or if with a player in WTC Tests then by jeez pick one that has batted extensively in that position in FC. Dead set didnt our useless selectors see that before throwing Green to the lions. It aint rocket science,

Smith made his legend at #3, still has his uncanny hand/eye and his never say die resilience and temperament. Green will develop all those traits as his career progresses. But the main thing he lacks NOW is the experience of Smithy to handle the all important first drop.
 
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Where now for Marnus Labuchagne. Is now failing at #3 so doubt he'll return there. Went better than ok in tuff conditions in this match so may have the temperament to open. But he aint no longer a spring chicken and selectors may wanna add new blood to Konstas with another promising youngster in say, Harry Dixon, once Ussie retires with a view to the long term. Yet again they could go with an experienced, in form specialist shield opener.
 
Richie said:
Where now for Marnus Labuchagne. Is now failing at #3 so doubt he'll return there. Went better than ok in tuff conditions in this match so may have the temperament to open. But he aint no longer a spring chicken and selectors may wanna add new blood to Konstas with another youngster in say, Harry Dixon once Ussie retires with a view to the long term. Yet again they could go with an experienced specialist and in form shield opener.
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I was under the impression Dixon is a limited overs opener but more of a middle order bat in long format. Like Shaun Marsh.
 
doc8176 said:
I was under the impression Dixon is a limited overs opener but more of a middle order bat in long format. Like Shaun Marsh.
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Um. He and Konstas opened every match in the '23 Junior Ashes. I think Vic selectors wanna ease him into shield down the order, but no doubt from me that he can handle opening in red ball. A resilient Konstas and an aggressive Dixon would make an imposing Test opening partnership imho.
 
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Kellaway is another promising one that looks like he could open in test cricket, just needs to find a way to get off strike. He seems to get bogged down sometimes.
 
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