2025-2026 Summer of Cricket

I remember a us university computer science centre came up with a program to compute the most dominant sportsmen statically across all sports and eras. They got a shock that the number 1 by a long way was Bradman. It was calculated that Pele would require 3 times the international goals to be his equal and Jordan, who averaged like 36 points a game, would have to average 63 to become as dominant as the Don.
 
Brendan Doggett is now expected to make his debut.

Michael Neser has been added to the squad.
 
Owey said:
I remember a us university computer science centre came up with a program to compute the most dominant sportsmen statically across all sports and eras. They got a shock that the number 1 by a long way was Bradman. It was calculated that Pele would require 3 times the international goals to be his equal and Jordan, who averaged like 36 points a game, would have to average 63 to become as dominant as the Don.
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This Shohei Ohtani guy over in the states is the only guy leaping out to me as comparable, and it's purely because he's elite at both batting and pitching.

A bit like if there was an all rounder who could bat as good as Kane Williamson and bowl as good as Kagiso Rabada.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
This Shohei Ohtani guy over in the states is the only guy leaping out to me as comparable, and it's purely because he's elite at both batting and pitching.

A bit like if there was an all rounder who could bat as good as Kane Williamson and bowl as good as Kagiso Rabada.
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Jacques Kallis: 13000+ test runs and just shy of 300 test wickets. Criminally underated in the best of the best chats.
 
Battler said:
You'd think they'd play both Green and Webster now, Weatherald might have to wait a week or two.
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I cant see that happening, doggett needs to come straight in as a like for like in place of hazelwood.
Personally i hate idea of green at 3 and marnus opening, despite both showing they are capable in doing so.
Green and webster both arent going to cause to much trouble to a top order early on, you need a bowling who is gunna get the ball seaming around when its new.
i actually think they will give the new ball to doggett and keep scobo for first change.
 
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EASBay17 said:
Jacques Kallis: 13000+ test runs and just shy of 300 test wickets. Criminally underated in the best of the best chats.
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It’s because he wasn’t a genuine match winner often enough. Very handy bowler and a great batsmen. But his inability to score quickly or stand up on the biggest stages are what holds him back. The baseball guy seems like the exact opposite. The bigger the occasion the more he steps up.

Don’t get me wrong Kallis was an all time great cricketer but guys like Botham, Hadlee and Sobers affected the outcome of more games than he did.
 
Yeah I agree Kallis is underrated - I have him ahead of Tendulkar all time as a cricketer - but I was hypothesising a guy who was elite at both batting and bowling. Kallis was an elite batsman and an okay bowler.

Ohtani is likely the second or third best batter in MLB and is usually regarded a top ten pitcher. It’s pretty remarkable.

Ian Botham in his prime was on that level of being a top player at both batting and bowling I believe, but couldn’t maintain it over a long period. It may be close to impossible to be on that level at both skills over a whole career.
 
EASBay17 said:
I cant see that happening, doggett needs to come straight in as a like for like in place of hazelwood.
Personally i hate idea of green at 3 and marnus opening, despite both showing they are capable in doing so.
Green and webster both arent going to cause to much trouble to a top order early on, you need a bowling who is gunna get the ball seaming around when its new.
i actually think they will give the new ball to doggett and keep scobo for first change.
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100% Doggett comes in for Hazlewood, I just suspect that the selectors are going to be cautious with Green's lack of bowling. Not saying it's what I'd do, but I reckon that's the way they will go.
 
Battler said:
100% Doggett comes in for Hazlewood, I just suspect that the selectors are going to be cautious with Green's lack of bowling. Not saying it's what I'd do, but I reckon that's the way they will go.
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Green got through 16 overs last shield game which is the max he would generally bowl across a test match and he was express too. Unfortunately for webster his been short of runs, i cant see him getting a start over weatherald especially we have lost a decent bat at 8 with cummins, by all reports weatherald also had a very good 2hr net against the aussie quicks yesturday whilst the rest of the top order opted to just have a net against the wangas.
 
EASBay17 said:
Green got through 16 overs last shield game which is the max he would generally bowl across a test match and he was express too. Unfortunately for webster his been short of runs, i cant see him getting a start over weatherald especially we have lost a decent bat at 8 with cummins, by all reports weatherald also had a very good 2hr net against the aussie quicks yesturday whilst the rest of the top order opted to just have a net against the wangas.
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I hope they go this way.
 
It very much looks as though Weathearld will open, Labuschagne at 3, Green at 6 and Doggett to also make his debut.

This the best possible lineup that could be picked from the selection squad

Only 3 sleeps to go.
 
So keen. Good luck to the debutants. Pretty easy start against England though. Moral victories aside they suck.
 
mozza said:
So keen. Good luck to the debutants. Pretty easy start against England though. Moral victories aside they suck.
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Im certainly not riding them off. Strong batting lineup when they put it all together, as quick a bowling lineup as you will see out here also. We are going to lose 15 overs a day of consistency with the bowling attack if doggett doesnt get it right. If we manage to get the win though it will break the poms knowing we still have the the hoff and el capitan to come back into the attack.
 
I’m definitely not writing off England, as much as I’m hoping that we will smash them, but Australia will need to play well to win. England have 2 world quality batsmen in Root and Brook, their keeper Smith is also an excellent batter. Stokes has proved be an extremely dangerous batsman but Pope and Crawley are weak links in the batting lineup.

England have 2 express fast bowlers in Archer and Wood, it remains to been seen how many tests they can play and if the back up bowlers can perform under Australian conditions. England lack a decent spin bowler.

We have 3 world class batsmen in Labuschagne, Smith and Head, a promising all-rounder in Green, a new attacking opener in Weatherald who deserves his chance. We are a stronger team with 2 specialist openers, Labuschagne at 3 and with Green at 6. Our tail may be a weakness.

Starc is in good form, Boland has been devastating in the past in Australia, Doggett is an excellent prospect and I’m excited to watch him bowl, then we have Green and the GOAT Australian off spinner to round out our attack.

I predict Australia will be victorious but it may be reasonably close, we shall see.
 
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Want a good long hard match with ebb and flow and in last session of last day Aust wins, want the debutants to excel with Labs and Smith to make at least one very good partnership.
Wish list made, “”””COME ON AUSSIE COME ON”””
 
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