You'd imagine, I don't know, it didn't look like a team – that could fundamentally crumble with the weight of expectation because they proved it late in that test that they just kept on, they kept their foot down, which some of these teams that are lower ranked teams, they get to the top of the mountain and get a nosebleed, so to speak.

Yeah, you're spot on.

I think that's why I expect this next test to be another tough battle because I think what we saw was that, you know, after day one, everyone probably thought, oh, Australia will bounce back, have a better day too, because they generally don't, have too many poor days together.

We saw it last year in Perth.

You know, first day the Ashes got rolled and then bounced back on day two and ended up winning the test in two days.

But in this occasion, you know, Bangladesh were able to just keep stringing partnerships together.

Every time Australia got on a little bit of a roll, you know, they took three for 11 around tea on day two, and everyone probably thought, oh, Bangladesh might get rolled here and only have a lead of 120, 130, and then Australia can get back in the test.

But have we got to reset what is acceptable at shield level to get into the Australian team now – given franchise cricket squeezes the calendar so much or we should still be holding the no you've got to average at least 40 to get into this test side

You'd imagine, I don't know, it didn't look like a team... that could fundamentally crumble with the weight of expectation because they proved it late in that test that they just kept on, they kept their foot down, which some of these teams that are lower ranked teams, they get to the top of the mountain and get a nosebleed, so to speak.

Yeah, you're spot on.

I think that's why I expect this next test to be another tough battle because I think what we saw was that, you know, after day one, everyone probably thought, oh, Australia will bounce back, have a better day too, because they generally don't, have too many poor days together.

We saw it last year in Perth.

You know, first day of the Ashes, got rolled and then bounced back on day two and ended up winning the test in two days.

But in this occasion, you know, Bangladesh were able to just keep stringing partnerships together.

Every time Australia got on a little bit of a roll, you know, they took three for 11 around tea on day two and everyone probably thought, oh, Bangladesh might get rolled here and only have a lead of 120, 130 and then Australia can get back in the test if they've done that well.

But have we got to reset what is acceptable at shield level to get into the Australian team now, given franchise cricket squeezes the calendar so much? Or we should still be holding the, no, you've got to average at least 40 to get into this test side.

What represents proportional reaction in a moment like this?

Yeah, I think, you know, there's been a lot of talk around will there be change, and obviously Andrew McDonald alluded to, you know, some of the guys that haven't made the most of their opportunities, particularly those at the top of the order, um, Marnus being one of them, over an extended period of time, and obviously Weatherald now, who's six tests into his test.

Knowing how this team operates, it, it doesn't feel like they'll panic.

They'll think of it, yes, as one bad performance.

I guess w- the reason it's coming for them, though, is that, you know, a lot of people that have been watching this team for a period of time now know that there's vulnerabilities, and teams are starting to expose it more frequently.

Obviously, England didn't do that last year in the Ashes because they had a flawed game plan.

Uh, they were underprepared and they played poorly, and Australia were able to win.

Would you bite the bullet on Jake Weatherald now, acknowledging that he can't be the opener in South Africa, and whoever you're going to open with there should get a look at it in Mackay?

What represents proportional reaction in a moment like this?

Yeah, I think, you know, there's been a lot of talk around will there be change, and obviously Andrew McDonald alluded to, you know, some of the guys that haven't made the most of their opportunities, particularly those at the top of the order.

Uh, Marnus being one of them over an extended period of time, and obviously Weatherald now, who's six tests into his test.

Knowing how this team operates, it doesn't feel like they'll panic.

They'll think of it, yes, as one bad performance.

I guess the reason it's coming for them, though, is that, you know, a lot of people that have been watching this team for a period of time now know that there's vulnerabilities, and teams are starting to expose it more frequently.

Obviously, England didn't do that last year in the Ashes because they had a flawed game plan.

Would you bite the bullet on Jake Weatherald now, acknowledging that he can't be the opener in South Africa, and whoever you're going to open with there should get a look at it in Mackay?

What did you notice yesterday and how can the Australians re- uh, remedy these issues that they've got?

Look, there's been a lot said.

I know Steve Smith's come out overnight saying that these conditions in Australia in the last season or two have probably been the hardest he's ever experienced.

And don't deny that.

Yes, there was tricky conditions at times when the cloud cover came in.

But I think, you know, when you do get those conditions, one, you've gotta trust your technique, but you've also gotta have the temperament to realize, "Okay, today might not be the day where I can go out there and smack a hundred and fifty or two hundred and get a really big hundred.

It might be I've gotta guts it out and try and scrap for thirty or forty, 'cause if I do that in the top order in the engine room, that'll help four, five, six be able to maybe get, like Steve Smith, a seventy-odd to get us to two eighty, three hundred." And then all of a sudden the first innings doesn't look anywhere near as bad as it does.

But if those two players don't work out, what's next for this Australian team? That is a m- massive open question.

What did you make of the batting performance?

Look, I think it's a combination of things.

I think we discussed before the toss, actually, that we thought both teams would probably bowl first in those conditions just because we thought there would be a bit of movement.

There was formula grass, although it did look a good wicket.

and I can understand in the end why Pat Cummins decided to bat because you know if you get through that first hour or two it felt like that wicket was going to flatten out and play pretty well which when the way that they played out it felt like that given the way Bangladesh batted in the last session but I just think you know Bangladesh deserve a lot of credit I think young Hassan Mahmood bowled really well particularly with the new ball like he didn't get the rewards immediately but you know he got the reward for bowling a seven over first spell and got the wickets in his sixth and seventh and He could have easily been dragged off, given the heat, and he didn't.

And I think he deserves a lot of credit for his career best sixer.

I thought he bowled a really good line, in particular to the lefties early.

What are the answers for this performance on day one with the bat?

No.

It, it's more a case of can you identify what a pretty good first innings total is to give your bowlers something to bowl to? And it might be that, you know, 280 or 300 is a good first innings total.

So then as a batter, your mindset's gotta be, "How can I get myself to 30 or 40?" And if everyone can have that same sort of mindset and chip, chip in together, you'll end up getting to that target and potentially get helped out by the bowlers who are, are handy with the bat.

But it just doesn't feel like that's the case at the moment because when the ball does a little bit, which let, let's...

It did a little bit yesterday, but I wouldn't say it was a, an unbattable wicket.

Um, obviously Steve Smith played on it, and he still managed to get 70 odd.

So I think, you know, it, it's, it's not unplayable, but also it's challenging, and I think that's probably gonna be the question for these batters is- Are you prepared to knuckle down and put a high price on your wicket and eke out an ugly 30 or 40? And that's probably the question I'd have for them because, you know, that, it just doesn't look like that's the case at the moment.

Um, what can we expect, uh, in day two in the top-end test?

Now he needs to really, uh, develop and nail that down.

Yeah, and I think he, he's identified that, too.

I think he's realized that, you know, he had a few opportunities in the Ashes where he got starts, got in good partnerships with Travis Head, and that was a positive from the Ashes, that Australia did get off to pretty good starts when you, you compare it to what England were doing and, and particularly Duckett's struggles.

But I, I think now individually, he has to convert those starts into something more substantial, and, and that's the challenge for him.

Uh, there's no doubt he's gone away and gone about it in the right fashion.

He spent some time in England playing county cricket, working on his game at Leicestershire, made some runs there, and he's made a few tweaks, which I think we'll see.

They'll be visible to see with his stance and, and his trigger movement.

So the, it's a really big period in his test career, isn't it?

Simon Katich on the need for Marnus Labuschagne to make runs now.

You know, we talked about him leading into last summer.

He did everything right for Queensland, made runs.

You know, he sort of tried to go back to how he played in his pomp.

And he's talked about that leading into this series.

He's probably learned a lot from having the break and gone back and analyzed what made him successful.

And a lot of it was being really patient in the channel and letting bowlers come to him.

Now he needs to really, uh, develop and nail that down.

Yeah, and I think he, he's identified that, too.

I think he's realized that, you know, he had a few opportunities in the Ashes where he got starts, got in good partnerships with Travis Head, and that was a positive from the Ashes, that Australia did get off to pretty good starts when you, you compare it to what England were doing and, and particularly with Duckett's struggles.

But I, I think now individually he has to convert those starts into something more substantial and, and that's the challenge for him.

Uh, there's no doubt he's gone away and gone about it in the right fashion.

He spent some time in England playing county cricket, working on his game at Leicestershire, made some runs there and he's made a few tweaks which I think we'll see.

They'll be visible to see with his stance and, and his trigger movement.

So the, it's a really big period in his test career, isn't it?

Mm.

Uh, and that's something that they'll miss because the rest of their attack is pretty much medium pace.

So, you know, if it's a good surface, which everyone's expecting up there, then, you know, expect the Australian batting lineup to enjoy those batting conditions, as the CA XI did the other day.

You know, a couple of the middle order boys, you know, Jake Doran and, and, uh, Teague Wiley made good runs.

So did Curtis Patterson, so... and, and Josh Philippe.

So, you know, in that respect, that's probably the area where they've had concerns away from home because their spinners, Mahidul Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam have been very good at home in spinning conditions.

But in overseas conditions, particularly in South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia, they've had a, you know, a tough time of it.

Yeah

Mm.

Uh, and that's something that they'll miss because the rest of their attack is pretty much medium pace.

So, you know, if it's a good surface, which everyone's expecting up there, then, you know, expect the Australian batting lineup to enjoy those batting conditions as the CA XI did the other day.

You know, a couple of the middle order boys, you know, Jake Doran and, and, uh, Teag Riley made good runs.

So did Curtis Patterson.

So, and, and Josh Philippe.

So, you know, in that respect, that's probably the area where they've had concerns away from home because their spinners, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam have been very good at home in spinning conditions, but in overseas conditions, particularly in South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia, they've had a, you know, a tough time of it.

Yeah

Yeah.

Look, I, I think he's a wonderful young player, and he's got a big future, and he's a wonderful ball striker.

But the lack of awareness.

And the other thing that stood out to me was he was in a partnership with Joe Root, England's all-time leading test run scorer, 94 runs they were on, and Joe Root is not looking like getting out.

So your job is to stay there with him for as long as possible, and then try and shield Will Jacks from the second new ball, and that all went out the window in a brain fade, and that's all I can say it was.

And hopefully he learns from it and he's better for it.

But-The danger is, you know, he did it in Adelaide when he was well set on 62 and he tried to slog Mitchell Starc, and I know that situation's a little bit different, but to get out to Marnus Labuschagne today in those, um, in that sort of circumstance was, yeah, unforgivable.

And can you explain in any way, shape, or form why Travis Head is feasting on our opening bowlers a- a- and why the England bowlers have been unable to build pressure?

Yeah.

Um, particularly in that first spell before lunch when, you know, they were in a tricky little position.

Australia win that, get another wicket, they would've gone in four down at lunch.

But I think, you know, the fact that they were able to play a lot of one-day shots off the back foot running at backs sort of past point and down to third man, which are their trademark shots, it just felt like they gave the stumps away a little bit too much and were a fraction short rather than getting them driving.

But yeah, I think, you know, credit deserves to go to the two for digging in.

Uh, and they're both class players.

Mm.

Uh, just looking at how he's bowled today, it feels like he knows it's a one-on-one shootout with Beau Webster, who's done nothing wrong to miss out except for probably didn't start the Shield season with the volume of runs he would've liked to, to win that battle with Cameron Green.

What, what is he like to coach? What will he bring to this England team?

Well, for a young guy, I think what he brings, he's 6'4", he's got height.

I was surprised he didn't play at the Gabba given that I thought England got their selection spot on in Perth, playing the battery of four quicks and then having Stokes as the backup so they could use them in short bursts.

And obviously when Wood went down, they had to change that dynamic.

They probably saw the wicket at the Gabba and felt like they needed at least a spin option in Jacks.

But yeah, I was surprised he didn't play up there purely because there is pace and bounce, and um, it doesn't surprise me he's been picked here.

I was surprised it was at Atkinson's expense because I think Atkinson's a better bowler than, uh, Brydon Carse.

So what would you do then?

No.

So look, that, that's their prerogative.

Obviously, the conditions in Canberra are completely different to what they're gonna get at the Gabba, uh, next weeks, and given it's a, a pink-ball day-night test.

You know, Mitchell Starc's record in that is outstanding.

I, I think from Zak Crawley's perspective, it's all around shot selection.

I mean, he can play.

It's just that, you know, he can get runs and big runs when he bats well, but obviously when he doesn't, it can look ugly.

In amongst all the, the joy, Simon Katich, of, of what they did in that, uh, first test match, how much in the, in the days since, so in the couple of days since, has there been discussion and analysis of Australia's batting and what they need to do?