Edited 01 Sep 2019 17:42, 2 years ago, edited by djf01

I cannot subscribe to the view that he has been a failure as a keeper. His work in taking Lyon, who is the most difficult bowler in the side to keep to, has been excellent.
He hasn't made a lot of runs. Who has?

I agree.  Wade couldn't do that job.  But that said, I think there are times when Paine has had lapses of 15 to 20 minutes where he has kept poorly.  It's reason keepers are often not made captains.  It's a similar deal with bowlers.  If they bowl themselves to exhaustion, they start making poor decisions as captain.

There are six blokes in the team whose job is to make runs, and it is unfair to single out Paine's batting when the specialists have failed.

Perhaps.  But I do think he has batted poorly.  His first class record is poor.  His test career was revived after a moderate score in good batting conditions in a practice match that meant nothing to anyone other than the selectors watching.

I think Paine is a pleasant batsman to watch because of how straight and generally orthodox he plays.  He can be a sweet timer of the ball too, easy on the eye.  

But his batting footwork is very poor.  He lifts his front foot at the point of delivery, and the only movement he can make is to prop forward.  his back foot shots are played from the crease, after making two movements: forward *then* back to get into the correct shape - but not position - to play.  On a really flat pitch where he can get away with playing on the up, this isn't such a problem.  

On the plus side he does fight hard for his wicket, and I think that's a very important attribute for the captain.  But I must say, I don't think his batting has been of an acceptable quality for a wicket keeper.

There is no doubt that the entire team choked in the last Test

I don't believe that is the case at all.  I don't think the team did choke.  It's not like they fell apart and played poorly.  There were half chances not taken.  But they went for them.  England were just lucky.

, and Paine, because of his position, has to wear some of the blame for it. That's his black mark. For the preceding matches he has done a serviceable job for a man without captaincy experience.

Personally, I think the only change for the 4th test should be Smith in for Harris.  

But I think it's the selectors who will choke, and make 3 or 4 changes, and we'll lose.

I think Khwaja will be the one dropped, but IMHO there is a much greater argument to drop Warner.  He took some great catches in the 3rd test.  But Warner also missed some important ones - notably Stokes before he was 60.  But Khwaja will be dropped to retain Harris, because Coach/Selector Langer has a heavy Western Australian bias, as well as a strong "no dickheads" bias, which naturally means a bias against people who aren't "good blokes".

I think soft wickets in the meaningless practice game will see Starc included, and Australia will bleed runs as a result (unless Warner sandpapers the ball for him, then we'll win).  As will Marsh's 50.

I think Cummins will be "rested".

Wade might be dropped for M Marsh, to cover for Starc's loose bowling.

This is the team I'd select for the 4ths test

Warner
Khwaja
Labushang
Smith
Head
Wade
Paine (c) wk
Pattinson
Cummins
Lyon
Hazelwood
Bancroft (12 th)

Starc will come in for whoever bowls the most overs for the 5th test at the Oval, Siddle in the unlikely event it's a greentop.

But I think our best available team is:

Warner
Khwaja (c)
Labushang
Smith
Head
Wade
Carey (wk)
Pattinson
Cummins (vc)
Lyon
Hazelwood
Bancroft (12 th)

But I'm it on taking on faith Carey is a decent enough keeper.

Edited 01 Sep 2019 17:38, 2 years ago, edited by djf01

I cannot subscribe to the view that he has been a failure as a keeper. His work in taking Lyon, who is the most difficult bowler in the side to keep to, has been excellent.
He hasn't made a lot of runs. Who has?

I agree.  Wade couldn't do that job.  But that said, I think there are times when he has had lapses of 15 to 20 minutes where he has kept poorly.  It's reason keepers are often not made captains.  It's a similar deal with bowlers.  If they bowl themselves to exhaustion, they start making poor decisions as captain.

There are six blokes in the team whose job is to make runs, and it is unfair to single out Paine's batting when the specialists have failed.

Perhaps.  But I do think he has batted poorly.  His first class record is poor.  His test career was revived after a moderate score in good batting conditions in a practice match that meant nothing to anyone other than the selectors watching.

I think Paine is a pleasant batsman to watch because of how straight and generally orthodox he plays.  He can be a sweet timer of the ball too, easy on the eye.  

But his batting footwork is very poor.  He lifts his front foot at the point of delivery, and the only movement he can make is to prop forward.  his back foot shots are played from the crease, after making two movements: forward *then* back to get into the correct shape - but not position - to play.  On a really flat pitch where he can get away with playing on the up, this isn't such a problem.  

On the plus side he does fight hard for his wicket, and I think that's a very important attribute for the captain.  But I must say, I don't think his batting has been of an acceptable quality for a wicket keeper.

There is no doubt that the entire team choked in the last Test

I don't believe that is the case at all.  I don't think the team did choke.  It's not like they fell apart and played poorly.  There were half chances not taken.  But they went for them.  England were just lucky.

, and Paine, because of his position, has to wear some of the blame for it. That's his black mark. For the preceding matches he has done a serviceable job for a man without captaincy experience.

Personally, I think the only change for the 4th test should be Smith in for Harris.  

But I think it's the selectors who will choke, and make 3 or 4 changes, and we'll lose.

I think Khwaja will be the one dropped, but IMHO there is a much greater argument to drop Warner.  He took some great catches in the 3rd test.  But Warner also missed some important ones - notably Stokes before he was 60.

I think soft wickets in the meaningless practice game will see Starc included, and Australia will bleed runs as a result (unless Warner sandpapers the ball for him, then we'll win).  As will Marsh's 50.

I think Cummins will be "rested".

Wade might be dropped for M Marsh, to cover for Starc's loose bowling.

This is the team I'd select for the 4ths test

Warner
Khwaja
Labushang
Smith
Head
Wade
Paine (c) wk
Pattinson
Cummins
Lyon
Hazelwood
Bancroft (12 th)

Starc will come in for whoever bowls the most overs for the 5th test at the Oval, Siddle in the unlikely event it's a greentop.

But I think our best available team is:

Warner
Khwaja (c)
Labushang
Smith
Head
Wade
Carey (wk)
Pattinson
Cummins (vc)
Lyon
Hazelwood
Bancroft (12 th)

But I'm it on taking on faith Carey is a decent enough keeper.