The Ashes
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In Aus, ODI 2 underway. Finch has just hit his 2nd hundred in two games, and is rebuilding the innings with the People's Champion Mitch Marsh. Fuck all for Warner and Smith for the 2nd game in succession.
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Ouch, 2 in 6 balls. That's a hell of a jinx
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And another, 8 balls later.
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How do you pronounce the new guy Richardson's christian name?
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Starc is the man
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@mariner4life if only he could bowl 13 overs
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@nta Or 23 overs.
Odd team picked by Australia - Cameron White batting at seven but not required to bowl? Marsh barely required to bowl.
Meanwhile rookies Richardson and Tye the support acts for Starc.
Was all this injury enforced or are they resting Hazlewood and Cummins and trying to force as many allrounders into the team as they can?
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@chris-b Hazelwood and Paine out due to illness. Didn't take a spinner (Zampa) maybe due to wanting more batting after the last shit show.
Didn't fucking work. Also: why take The Bear back in? Better future prospect in Darcy Short who is doing up the BBL with bat and can bowl handy leg spin.
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@nta The Bear? - that's got to Cameron White.
I'd forgotten all about him, but he's never really shone at international level so surprising that they're back at that well again.
Batting line-up seems like it needs another anchor in there - other than Smith. Plenty of people who can hurt you badly on their day, but maybe not enough that they can bat around.
New kid Richardson looks useful, not so sold on Tye - might be tricky but seems to lack a yard of pace. Looking for 20 overs out of Head, Stoinis, Finch, Marsh, White might be too many.
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Shows how different the formats are today, with the advent of T20 producing specialised short-form players. I wouldn't even call this a turnaround from the Ashes as they're so different now.
@NTA agree, Short has been fucking killing it in BBL, absolutely amazed (and so was he by the sounds of it) they went with White.
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Better Australian team today with four good specialist bowlers and lots of options to make up the fifth - Stoinis, Marsh, White, Smith.
Cricinfo is listing White to bat at three, which (if true) seems a bit odd to me. I guess they may be trying to match England and have him play a Hales' role. Won't need to do much today to match that!
Overall, I'd probably have looked for the best specialist ODI batsman to bat at three. I think with Williamson and Taylor, we've got those 3-4 spots pretty much right. Smith is half the equation for Oz - not sure White is the other half - Head may not be either.
Otherwise, that's a pretty strong team.
