From the  discussion  after the game, I think Starc will have plenty of Tests to come.

He just bowled one of the fastest average speeds in a Test series for all time for any nation (since speed guns have been introduced) against SriLanka.

Agree with the rest fo the post, Test Fan.

It is sad, Baggers.

I have 2-3 home  Shield games to watch live. I'll report on them in the Shield thread.

I note your point this forum can be dead in between Tests, but we have the Ashes coming up. Do they start in June, July or August?

I'll keep posting.

Well done to the Australian team on a comprehensive 2-0 win in the series. The opponent was not the strongest but they still needed to be defeated and the team did it very efficiently with plenty of good performances. Starc perhaps saved his place in the team heading into the Ashes but he is going to have to do well in the first couple of tests to hold his spot.

Always a tinge of sorrow with the last test of the summer done and dusted. We do tho still have five Shield matches to complete before we are served a steady diet of circus/pyjama cricket.

Good points DC.

DC you can only play the opposition put up. We did that with a great deal of ruthlessness.

I think the series win should be celebrated because a decent portion of this  SL team, were in the team that beat us easily last time in Sri Lanka.

I know Herath retired, but who else did from the successful SL team who played against us at home ?

Maybe a few of the bowlers knew about the ball tampering intention of Warner and disapproved.

One thing I found interesting in this ball tampering saga, is that according to the bowlers they did not notice same.
Surely if the ball has been roughened up out of context a bowler would notice.
If they did would they say anything?

A series win is something we have not had for a while!

I'm not sure Warner will be selected again. When Warner last played Test cricket, Lehmann was coach, not Justin Langer. 

Langer  ruled WA cricket with a very firm hand, suspending  the Marshes, Tom Triffet and a few others for lack of discipline.

Paine is captain, and by all accounts is the cool head, mature father figure and  leader supportive of teammates  they've been looking for in a time of crisis. There is no hope of Smith replacing him whilst he is good enough with the gloves. It could even be Cummins or Head, not Smith as next captain.

On the ground there has been a lot of funny banter, with  no personal sledging in the two home series. I like the way Paine thanked the Aussie  fans for continuing to support the team, and, the Sri Lankan team for being opponents in an enjoyable series.

Team culture has changed. I'm sure Smith will return as a batter, and batter only, but Warner may have to prove himself at Shield level. Some of the bowlers, all from NSW, have said a year ago they never want to play with Warner again.

Good win to Australia.

I thoroughly enjoyed the game being played at Manuka Oval.

We had something like four centurions for the game - amazing!

A confidence building win all the same boys. Starc should be MOM as this was more a batsman's deck.

Cummins named Man of the Series. Starc MOM

Series Report Card.
Burns 7
Harris 3
Khawaja 6
Lubuchagne 6
Head 9
Patterson 7
Paine  8
Starc 7
Cummins 8
Richardson 6
Lyon 5

Aussies just mopping up now. 

Not a lot should be read into this series win. 

One scribe said 6'-5. Doubt that.. he is shorter than both Starc and Hazlewood.
Yes he does have long levers. Expect it helps to nullify spin. As for pace his greatest attribute is he plays very late.. has so much time. Bowlologists will tell you that is the best way to play the moving ball.
Patterson announced himself in 2011/12. when he became the youngest century making Shield debutant. Not long after he was one of our best in the U19 WC in Townsville. Has up till three years ago. been in and out of the Blues side. Mostly thru poor selection policy imho.

I did not know much about Patterson before this & am quite impressed.
Does anyone know how tall he actually is.
I think of Hayden taking that huge stride down the pitch & nullifying any spin.
My question is, with Patterson's height, stride & reach would this help him nullifying swing & seamers in England?

This is all supposition. CA is not picking the side until after the A tour..such is its doubts over our incumbents. So as I see it there are no certainties at this stage.
Renshaw still in my reckoning.. CAs too I am thinking. If he handles the Dukes in the final Shield matches and ends his long form loss then I see him making the A side. Warner and Smith will be picked on white ball form unless both are picked in the As.  I like Patterson.. reckon he will be a long termer.

Who will be in the A side that can put a in strong claim for Ashes selection. I would also be taking note of those that perform best against the Dukes in the remaining Shield matches...and those that have previously performed well with the English pill. Would like to find some stats on this.

Dont apologise. You are in another country.. so different time zone too.

Makes you think what the outcome could have been against India had Starc been in this type of fettle. He was not..we lost a series we could have won.

He still does not make my Ashes squad.

Don't forget Smith can bowl a bit as well as Head. I agree that that looks like a good top 6. Harris has lost his way and probably will give way to Warner.

reckon warner burns khawaja smith patterson should be undropable. All have 40+ averages both in tests and first class

Wish the 6th batsmen could be maxwell or white for a batting allround but perhaps head can keep an end tight for 5 overs an innings?

I have been looking at Ashes probable selections and wonder how much attention
we give to the stats coming from this match, in picking players.
Bad stats are very bad & how much weight do we give to players scoring tons.
I assume that players ignored in the India & Lankan test series are out.
1 & 2 - Warner in; other opener; Harris not done enough & Burns 1 good innings & 1 failure,
Renshaw does not seem to be in consideration.
3 - Khawaja; will probably go, but has only had this 1 ton? and would need to perform.
4 - Smith
5 - Head; has consistently put together partnerships.
6 - Open for an allrounder or does Patterson slot in - If Khawaja fails, then Patterson or Head would go to 3.
7 - Paine
8 - Cummins
9 - Starc; I still see Starc going.
10 - Lyon
11 - Hazlewood will be selectors favourite over J. Richardson
12 - Labauscane
13 - J. Richardson

sorry been non stop travelling for my job

starc is getting better speed, bounce and swing which is his job. Accuracy is a bonus

hopefully he's getting his tail back up

could be our most lethal bowler ever. Already has 2nd highest strike rate

state of play. Australia is a country mile in front of the game. Lankans again with huge scoreboard pressure plus a fired up (all too late) Starc. I am tipping Richardson to have a big day.

Thanks for that DC,
These are the stats that we are often not aware of & can change your perception knowing them.
Sorry to see Baggy Greens go, hope he will be back

deleted

So I will give him credit for doing his best under very trying circumstances.
Precisely. They did put in a v/c with an eye to the future..Mitch Marsh.  He did skipper the 2010 U19 to a WC victory and has done a good job with WA this year. Until he finds a way to use what is between his ears when batting he will continue to languish in the mediocrity category.

Yes very fiery from Starc DC. It was tho a month too late. We needed him to be doing this in Melbourne.. when India took away the series from us. Then back it up in Sydney. But he went missing in action. Lets face it this is being termed the weakest Lankan team to ever tour our shores. They certainly have no clue against the short ball.

That was pretty fiery bowling and extremely fast from Starc.

No I'm not.

I'm saying  the  state selectors in Tas were idiotic not selecting Paine as keeper .

They thought not enough runs were being scored by the Tassie top six, so they used Doran and Dunk to keep wickets instead of Paine. Greg Chappell urged  Paine to stay involved. As soon as Dan Marsh was sacked as coach and Adam Griffiths replaced him, Paine was told he was a big part of future team plans.

We also have  new selectors. The last idiotic selectors also gane Alex Doolan the captaincy when George Bailey was absent. He  really struggled. Paine would have been the perfect Tas captain, as well as the best keeper in the country in Bailey's absence .

Under the tutelage of  Griffiths, Tasmania has improved immeasurably.

Not in the least. Three of his wickets were gifted thru poor execution. The other two were tail enders.