Red Kat

I’m a big fan of Patterson after seeing him bat last week.

I missed Dickwella who averages 30.55
For completeness Bangladesh have
Rahim 37.54 when keeping
India's Pant 49.71

Interestingly all of those who I have noted when keeping have played as specialist batsmen but have higher averages when keeping. de Kock has only 1 test as a specialist batsman but it still brings his overall average down slightly. Bairstow only averages 28.9 as a specialist batsman. 

Pattinson, Tremain and even outsider Dan Worrall are now in the Ashes frame after David Saker hinted that our premier bowling cartel are no longer certainties to tour. 

Is there a message there. No Starc. Cummo and ET opening. 

Cummins with 5/11 but that didn’t look out

I doubt no Cummins, Baggers.

He has performed!

I’ve just tuned in.

Good to see Cummins have some deserved rewards!

5-13, are very good figures.

Baggers, from seeing players perform live, Riley Meredith has far more potential than any of those plodders who have taken a plethora of Shield wickets at a lower level.

5-13 for Cummins is deserved in this game in Brisbane.

At Bellerive last week, Patterson, ,Pucoski, and even Neser, stood out for Aus when viewing live.

Meredith has stood out too!

I mean Pattinson, Tremain and Worrall, relatively, have looked innocuous, live at Bellerive.

Neser has looked potent too, particularly as an all rounder.

Richardson has been impressive, makes the ball swing and has been a vast improvement on the current Hazlewood.

If Meredith can sustain his express pace, and 146 kph outswingers, an attack of Lyon, Cummins, Richardson and Meredith (express bowler replacing the inaccurate Starc), backed up by all rounders, Labu and Neser, the attack looks good.

Last night, Kurtis Patterson looked impressive.

Add Pucowski, and the best Aussie batters from Bellerive, play in the Aussie team.

Sad to see Kumara out for the series.

He has bowled very fast at times.

Given the pace of Starc, he is struggling!

Cummins is so damn good

City Sam

He seems to have improved by dropping his pace.

Brett Lee did a technical review of Cummins now, compared to his debut when he was quicker.

Amazing!

Did you see Lakmal try to take on Starc at 145kph plus!

We’ve won a Test!

A win by an innings and 40 runs margin to Australia.

Some impressive debuts from Richardson and Patterson.

Great bowling from Cummins, and good batting from Labuschagne and Head.

We have easily beaten a very weak Sri Lankan team, especially the batting in Australia conditions. Good to see Cummins and Richardson take wickets, however the most telling thing to come out of the test to me is the inability of Starc to take wickets. This is a opportunity to take a lot of wickets cheaply, his failure to do puts a huge question mark over his place in the side for the second test and the Ashes beyond. Time to give Tremain a shot in the second test.
The batting is still a concern but the top 6 does not need to be changed for the 2nd test. For the Ashes there is sure to be changes, perhaps Warner in for Burns and Smith in for Patterson.

I might be biased, but the last wicket was a superb stumping from Paine.

He is one of the best keepers in the world and emerging as a terrific Test captain, even though he brings on the spinner too early for Baggers’ liking!

Test Fan

 I disagree about Tremain. He is a plodder. Sri Lanka handled him easily at Bellerive.

 Starc is very fast, with a current loss of radar , but is a threat in comparison.

Some of the blokes on here need to get along to see live cricket. Averages are one thing, but performances against higher level opposition are paramount.

 I still want Pucoski to play in Canberra. He is a class above anyone in the top six ATM, based his performance  on Bellerive against SL. Richardson is undoubtedly good, but Meredith is more lethal with 10 kph more velocity on each ball bowled.

For mine, keep Hazlewood out of the team ATM, as there are better options. Selectors have selected him based on what he was in 2017, not 2018. His strike rate of 72 is ordinary for the whole of 2018.

Terrific catching from Burns and Patterson too.

Im not a fan of going for the guy because bowls faster. Give me the guy that bows 130-140 and does gets the ball doing as much as Richardson was getting it to do as opposed to the guy who bowls 150. Furthermore, with the balance of the team we have one bowler that can get a bit wayward in Starc. You really need the other two to have great control and thats that Cummins, Hazlewood and Richardson give. Ive been very impressed with Richardson in the ODI series and now and I definitely think hes a good choice at fourth seamer. If Sayers gets a county deal and does well there I think hes perfectly suited to English conditions and would much rather take him than a 150 tearaway type bowler. 

Youve been very vocal about Pucovski but I dont think its happening. Khawaja is too good a player still to drop and muck up his confidence before the Ashes and if anything he needs to bat and get a good knock. 

Harris, to me, need a big one in Canberra. Hes great at starts but not sure hes got the technique and temprament to make a big ashes knock.

I think seeing bowlers live makes the difference.

Everything you say about Richardson makes sense. We have only seen him on one pitch though.

Sayers only bowls 120 kph, even though he has a very economical action. At his slow pace, he has little margin for error in length.

Much more erudite people than me are calling for Pucovski's selection.

He looks very good, better than any other Aussie, apart from playing short pitched balls. Steve Waugh wasn't a good player of short pitched balls either in terms of attacking them.

I am with you DC. Pucovski must be blooded in Canberra. The Aussies hold all the momentum after that thrashing.. the Manuka deck is flat and made for a good batsman. perfect place to debut.

For mine Harris has  to prove that he is able to concentrate for more than 40 runs.

No mention of canning Starc and bringing in Tremain. Mr Teflon survives again.

Ussie needs a big score otherwise he could find himself left off the plane to England. 

You misunderstood DC. I was saying that Paine opted to open the attack without Starc. is that a message?
You keep maintaining Tremain is a "plodder"  Does this speak of plodding. He has earned his chance.

Most wickets

Player	Mat	Inns	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5	10
CP Tremain	10	20	349.4	83	1075	51	7/82	10/143	21.07	3.07	41.1	2	1
(Victoria)

Im not a fan of going for the guy because bowls faster. Give me the guy that bows 130-140 and does gets the ball doing as much as Richardson was getting it to do as opposed to the guy who bowls 150. Furthermore, with the balance of the team we have one bowler that can get a bit wayward in Starc. You really need the other two to have great control and thats that Cummins, Hazlewood and Richardson give.

With you RedKat. To me a bloke that builds pressure with nagging areas is a far more vital commodity. That is not to say that an express man such as Meredith  does not have  a place in our attack. He is ideal for extracting something from dead tracks. I am also very impressed with what Richardson brings to the table. He is multi skilled. Swings it, seams it and mixes his varieties cleverly.. and he is not short on pace. Reckon he could be the trump card in England for us. He is in my Ashes X1 for Starc. 

I so hate it when we purists are denied two days of cricket when there is an early finish. Further pain in the bum for those lucky to purchase tickets. It also denies our blokes vital match practise with still a test to go to round out the summer. What is the answer to appease all.. Play a two dayer between the opposing sides?