Ashes squad hopefuls.

[K]

Kerry Packer tried to pick Michael Hussey for 2005 Oval Test

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... -oval-test

In place of Martyn. Hussey is quoted as saying he feared he'd be asked to open in place of Hayden.



[What did Martyn score in that match? They could have dropped the entire top 7 if there were 7 reasonable replacements... Well, maybe not Ponting, but the other 6.]

[Jezza]

^ Martyn scored 10 runs in the first innings. Didn't bat in the second innings.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/2143 ... tland-2005

[piedys]

Martyn was always the Jarryd Blair of the Australian Cricket Team

[K]

That Ashes series was when John Buchanan was revealed as the Emperor with No Clothes.

[K]

...
(Late last year, he was touted as a possible successor to Strauss.
Has that position been decided yet? When will/did Strauss finish?)

They named Giles in December.

J. Liew was less than impressed:
https://www.wisden.com/stories/opinion/ ... gland-warm

Liew implies the field was very weak. ECB's Harrison claimed the field was "very strong"!

Why do so many cricket positions here and overseas seem to go to weak candidates? Is it nepotism? Or not quite nepotism, but an obsession that they must have played cricket at at least first-class level?

[K]

The tabloid's Chapelli headline shrieks:

Stop Treating First Drop like a Leper Colony

It sounds like Ian wants Smith and Root to bat at 3.

(We have to hope that Smith hasn't lost it because of his time out of the game.)

[Donny]

Today.

Wade 77, batting at #4.

Patterson is 57 n.o.

Harris scored 95.

[Donny]

Yesterday.

Burns 60.

Labuchagne 59.

Renshaw 27.

[Donny]

Cam Bancroft did his chances no harm with a marathon century.

He carried his bat for 138* from 358 balls.

[K]

He may have been a bit lucky.
"Bancroft, dropped on 36 off a hook shot and adjudged not out off a controversial catch at slip on 43..."
I see video of the dropped catch. Should have been taken. I don't see video of the the other incident.

[Donny]

Doesn't matter. It's the 138 n.o. that will be remembered.

[K]

By now no one knows what the selectors will or won't remember, which is what matters to the players. What matters to us is which of these players can defend the moving ball.

[Donny]

Patterson scored 134.

[Donny]

In SS round 7.

Head 50 & 50.

Burns 60 & 80.

Labu 59 & 36.

Bancroft 138* & 52* (still batting).

Holland 2/120 & 5/72.

Tremain 3/93 & 2/39.

[Donny]

Harris 95 & 100* (still batting).

Maddinson 108 & 29.

Bancroft still going. 73* from 226 balls. WA 6 wickets down.