Hauritz is still Australia’s best spin option
Roar Rookie By Stevie G, 16 Nov 2010 Stevie G is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- Ashes, Australian Cricket, Cricket, England cricket, Graeme Swann, Nathan Hauritz, Xavier Doherty
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Australian bowler Nathan Hauritz celebrates dismissing Pakistan's Mohammad Aamer. AAP Image/Julian Smith
Pressure continues to be applied to Australian off spinner Nathan Hauritz in the lead up to the Ashes as the Australian selectors name Xavier Doherty and Steve Smith in their extended Ashes squad.
Hauritz had a below par showing against the Victorians at the SCG last week as David Hussey and Andrew McDonald put him to the sword.
His performances in India were placed under a lot of scrutiny and sections of the cricket world have questioned his place in the Test side.
Hurwitz is by far Australia’s best option in the longer form of the game at the moment.
His record is improving, and when compared to other frontline spinners over the last 18 months, it measures up extremely well. Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne were freaks and their average in the low twenties is not the norm and nor should spinners be expected to average in that realm.
Test wickets are very flat and offer very little for spinners in the majority of Tests played around the world. Being a Test spinner is tough.
England spinner Graeme Swann is the only spinner in the last 18 months to average less than 30. In 19 Tests, he has taken 86 wickets at 25.90 and second is a long way behind.
Four other spinners in this period have taken over 40 wickets.
Harbhajan Singh sits second with 50 wickets at 39.66 and Hauritz is just behind him with 49 scalps at 35.75 – both players have played 13 matches.
New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori is next best with 45 wickets at 37.00 from 11 Tests. Bangladesh’s left arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan sits on 40 wickets in 10 Tests at an average of 32.42.
Other frontline spinners average in the thirties, including Pragyan Ojha (India), Danish Kaneria (Pakistan), Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan), Sulieman Benn (West Indies) and Murali.
The pressure is on Hauritz as he faces up against Swann, the world’s leading spinner. But at least he has the knowledge he is around the mark when compared with other spinners.
His record in direction comparison with Murali’s reads well as their averages, strike rates and economy rates are very similar over the last 18 months.
Hauritz has played more Tests but Murali’s record doesn’t humiliate Hauritz.
The selectors are every chance to leave Hauritz out of the Brisbane and Perth Tests due to team balance but it’s in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney where he needs to have an influence.
He had a solid Ashes in 2009, and if he can combine a low economy rate with trying to take wickets during the crucial moments in the series, he could be extremely affective for the Australians as they battle to reclaim the Ashes.
November 16th 2010 @ 8:23am
Black Diamonds said | November 16th 2010 @ 8:23am | Report comment
Surely you jest?
Hauritz’s Best Bowling Figures are 5/53 in an innings – which innings?
Well, the infamous 2nd Innings of the SCG Test against Pakistan of course.
If you strip that “fake” result out of his bowling his average balloons near to 40 – hardly good enough for our best spin bowler.
And surely not an average that should see him selected again any time soon.
November 16th 2010 @ 8:54am
Black Diamonds said | November 16th 2010 @ 8:54am | Report comment
Actually, you’ve quoted the average of the last 18 months as 49 scalps at 35.75. If you take out that last innings against Pakistan, it reverts to 44 scalps at 38.64.
Given our standing in the cricket world and where we’d like to be, I can’t accept that an average that close to 40 is acceptable for our leading spinner.
November 16th 2010 @ 8:00pm
Timmuh said | November 16th 2010 @ 8:00pm | Report comment
Its not anywhere near what we would like, but there is no better option. The real question is whether to play a spinner at all, given that there is not a single Test quality spinner in the country. If one is played, it has to be Hauritz, despite all his faults.
November 16th 2010 @ 12:59pm
Sports Writer said | November 16th 2010 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
I really can’t see how anyone can compare our poor excuse for a Test spinner to the likes of Swann, Singh….and Murali!!
Are you serious?
If you are looking for someone who could replace Hauritz as a spinner try Doherty, Smith, Krejza, O’Keefe…or my grandmother.
She may not be able to bowl any faster than 70kph but at least she can tweak a ball…unlike our boy Nathan
November 17th 2010 @ 10:31am
Greenie said | November 17th 2010 @ 10:31am | Report comment
Doherty shouldn’t be near the test team, his first class record is atrotcious.
Smith is a batting allrounder, shouldn’t even really be mentioned as a possibility.
Krejza is overated as all hell. How he even was selected in the first place, I don’t know.
Honestly, I think that Australia needs to play to it’s strengths and those strenghts are our fast bowling stocks. A strong, 4 prong pace attack would be much more benefical to Australia’s cause compared to 3 with a medicore spinner.
November 17th 2010 @ 5:07am
Jay said | November 17th 2010 @ 5:07am | Report comment
the fact that hauritz has never ripped apart an attack i wouldnt have him. I would like to see how many game changing wickets his come up with, or wickets where he has deceived the batsman rather than miss hitting a long hop or half volley.
i think the majority of his wickets are pretty cheap and his not a game changer. go with some one else (bring back funky)