It seems to be the case that Australia will field the same XI for Sydney as they have all series, but I feel that as long as Bailey can hold his own for that match there is a very good chance that the same side will take to the field in SA.
Posted Jan 2, 2014, 2:17 AM UTC
[deleted]
Short answer: Yes.
Long Answer: Of course teams have played the same 11 for more than 6 consecutive matches. What a silly thing to say. A better question would be when was the last time a team played the same 11
Ok apparently it has never happened to Australia.
Well apparently it's only happened 4 times in Australian test history that the same XI has played 5 consecutive matches, and I haven't heard anything about it happening for 6 consecutive matches.
Really? Ok I retract my earlier comment but Really?
Well I'm not 100% sure whether it's happened for 6 tests before, but on only 4 other occasions has an Australian XI played at least 5 (but not necessarily 6) consecutive tests: 1995 vs WI, 1989 ashes, once pre WW2 and once pre 1900. There have also only been 3 other occasions (for all nations) where the same XI has played all 5 tests in a 5 test series:
EDIT: One way of putting into perspective how difficult the feat is is by looking at caps. Even if you ignore unforced changes by selectors due to pitch conditions or player form, 11 players playing 5 tests without any injuries (an injury in the 6th wouldn't affect the record) is equivalent to one player playing 55 consecutive tests without injury. For most players that's more than their entire career.
I think Bailey will struggle to hold his place in the side, unfortunately. I like Bailey, I think he has potential to be our "finisher", like Mike Hussey was & Michael Bevan was before him. But Bailey needs a big score in Sydney to cement his place in the side. I also think Watson will struggle to hold his place. He did score some runs, but he constantly gets dismissed the over before lunch, or tea, or stumps, struggles to stay fit when required to bowl. If Faulkner is fit I would replace Watson with Faulkner. I think that kid has a big future!
For South Africa I'd probably bring in North at 3 and White at 6, with Hughes, Watson, Bailey, Pattinson and Faulkner making up the rest of the squad. But that's what I would do, personally I have no idea as to what the selectors will end up doing. I'd like to believe that Boof is pretty rational and selects players based on FC runs and wickets, but he's already thrown us two curveballs with the Agar selection and picking Doolan in the squad for the 5th test.
As for Watson, I doubt that they'll drop him before the 1st test in SA. Even if he does badly in Sydney he could very well redeem himself in the ODIs, and we know from the Johnson/Bailey call ups that the selectors do value strong ODI form.
North? As in, Marcus North? Really? That's pretty left field. I was a North fan, but he's been gone for too long now and age isn't on his side either (I know, I know... Rogers is older, but that's another story).
I don't think Cameron White will ever play another test match for Australia. He deserves to be in the shorter formats, but he had plenty of chances at test level & didn't take them.
I like Hughes, I think he was a little unlucky not to be playing in this series. I think he'd be well suited to #6, like he did in the recent Ashes series in England. I think he came in at #6 and batted with Agar. Agar would never have made 98 if he didn't have Hughes at the other end. Hughes has also been scoring plenty of Shield runs recently, so that definitely helps his cause.
I used to be a big Watson fan, and would defend his place in the side whenever I could. But now, I just feel, unfortunately for Watto, that he breaks down too often when he's needed to bowl some overs, that & he hasn't scored a lot of runs recently, but as I mentioned in my earlier comment, he has a habit of getting out just before lunch/tea/stumps. He's running out of chances to keep his place in the side, in my opinion.
Looking forward to Pattinson's return, he was sensational in the BBL the other night!
North was killing the batting averages and aggregates this season prior to his family bereavement.
I, personally, still don't think he's worthy of a recall to the test side.
I think that is the best team that we could field in South Africa based on current form, and we should roll with it. Obviously there are a number of players in that side who aren't long term options but an away series against the #1 side in the world isn't the time for rebuilding.
Say what you want about Marcus North, but his runs this shield season speak for themselves. I also like the idea of bringing him into the side now because Hughes/Rogers are just going to get torn to shreds by Ajmal in the UAE, so we'll need a solid right handed batsman that can play in the top 3. I think Warner, North and Watson would make for the best top 3 for that series with O'Keefe brought in for Siddle.
As for White, well he's only 30 and he's a better batsman than Bailey. I don't particularly want to select him, but do you really think it would be a good idea to blood the likes of Burns, Doolan or Maddinson against Steyn and Philander? I think the time for rebuilding is the series against India in Australia. This is the lineup that I'd want to see for that series:
Very fair, and some very valid points you make there. I just don't like picking players, that used to be in the test squad some years ago. Doolan has been on the cusp of making a national squad for some time now. Definitely one for the future, whether or not, he is ready now, is a whole different story, but I like what I see in Doolan.
The time out of test cricket for White & North, are pretty much the only reasons I wouldn't select them. I like them both as players, but they haven't played a test match in how long?
White can't even get picked in the ODI side, you're absolutely crazy.
Well it's not what I predict to happen, but he's made 556 runs at an average of 50.5 this season so I don't see how selecting him to replace Bailey is 'absolutely crazy'...
If White gets selected for the test squad ever again I'll drink a 6 pack of XXXX Gold.