Btw, In this BG series (India v Aus) what do you guys think about Marsh. Seems hes failed on too many occasions to be given chance after chance. Took a couple of good catches in Melbourne but its almost like the selectors are looking for an excuse to keep putting him in the team.
Scores: 6, 9, 5, 2, 4, 0, with a 47 his only shining moment in second innings of the first test.
I watch Tasmania play 5 home games a season in the Shield. So I see all other states play. We have a pretty good view from the Tas Cricket Members, not quite right behind the bowling arm, but close enough and elevated. Richie ( Baggers) has viewed from this vantage point too.
Beau Webster is out and out the only all rounder to replace Marsh - as I've been saying for over a season. Last year along with McSweeney, he was the highest scorer in the Shield. Not this season, because he has played two Aus A games. In all Shield and Aus A games in the last 2 seasons Webster has averaged over 50. In a few innings he has blasted 187 runs of 187 balls in one Shield knock. Another about 140 off 140 balls.
It is only the last 2 seasons where he has has found consistency. So he can be the most brutal batter in the country - against attacking fields, playing conventional shots - pulls and hooks; cuts; on, straight and off drives; mid wicket clips; leg glances - not cross bat swipes, tennis forehands, cow shots, ramp shots and slogs so often played in white ball cricket.
Added to that, Webster would bolster the slips field. He is better than Smith as a slips fielder.
Then last season Webster took 30 wickets at 29 in the Shield. He took quite a few wickets in the Aus A games including Nitish's dismissal on 3 occasions. He has only bowled pace for about 4 seasons. Previously he bowled off spin. So he bowls both medium pace and finger spin. Plus he can bowl a lot of overs - unlike Marsh or Green.
The mainstream media has finally become aware. In the last 2 seasons Webster's all rounder's figures in the Shield are the best since Gary Sobers. Mark Waugh is also waxing lyrical about Webster's credentials to replace Marsh.
Aaron Hardie has been a plodder for WA in the Shield in game I've watched him. Talented, but he needs to deliver over a sustained period.
Some other good West Aussies have been Cam Gannon ( only problem he is age 35 and is a reformed chucker). Joel Paris is a fantastic left arm swing bowler at Bellerive. A couple of years ago, Jhye Ricardson was brilliant at Bellerive in the Shield, but his body can't withstand 5 day cricket ATM. He might not have even played one Shield game this season.
Ditto other Test aspirants- Spencer Johnson, Josh Inglis and Glen Maxwell - they need to earn their stripes and play Shield in back to back games as a prerequisite to Tests. I've never seen any of them play Shield in Tassie season after season!
Top wicket takers in the Shield after 6 games this season are pace bowlers, veteran Jackson Bird, former Tassie bowler, and Fergus O'Neill, who I think is a lot younger.
Shaun Abbott is good with the new ball but runs out of gas quickly. His efficacy wanes very quickly after the shine goes.
Brendan Doggett has one of the smoothest bowling actions of any pace bowler in Aus. I'd be inclined to look at Doggett and O'Neill as Starc's replacements.
In the case of spin, it might surprise many, but Matt Kuhnemann, since moving to Tassie, is the top spinner in terms of wickets in the Shield this season. Being a left arm finger spinner, he offers turn in the opposite direction to Lyon, who is still producing the goods.
ATM Matt K is ahead of Swepson, Rocciocioli and Murphy. He has bowled on a previous spinner's graveyard at Bellerive too. He has had a lot of control and and bowled sustained long, tight spells, taking wickets and containing batters.
I've watched Henry Hunt from South Aus, aged 27, also an excellent outfielder, play some good innings as an opener for South Aus. HH has made 3 tons this season. IMO he should replace Labu - who despite making 70 was awful, and looked like getting out all the time , snicking and missing a lot. He has averaged in the 20s in the last few years in Tests. Or HH could replace Usman, also averaging 20 in 2024. And bring back 25 yo McSweeney at number 3 instead of Labu.
Haven't seen Konstas play live - yet. Reports in the members claim all round Aus in cricket circles, he is a once in generation player. Thankfully, they've selected him to join Dad's Army!
