The ending is just the beginning repeating
Columnist By Brett McKay, 29 Nov 2011 Brett McKay is a Roar Expert
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- Australia cricket, Ben Cutting, Cricket, David Warner, Mitchell Starc, New Zealand cricket, Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke leads Australia looking for a clean sweep over India at Adelaide Oval.
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Just as once-great eras end, new eras begin. Sunrise, sunset, and all that. A new era is upon us in Australian cricket, and its first public outing begins Thursday at what will hopefully be a return to tradition with a green ‘Gabba deck in Brisbane.
It matters not that the trans-Tasman rivals are struggling in the longest, purest form of the game; Australia is not all that flash either.
A lot has happened since my keyboard last had bemused words punched through it regarding cricket. There were a lot of bemused rugby words for one.
At the same time, reviews were commissioned, reviews were handed down, reviews were rather surprisingly adopted in full. A rugby man was put in charge, selection panels were overhauled, and just-extended coaching arrangements were cast aside like yesterday’s news.
The captain stood down and was succeeded by his long-anointed protégé. Cheering and jeering emanated in equal quantities.
The Chairman of Selecting Lawyers was advised he had to make a choice, and the law won. This time, the cheering had no competition. “We think we’ve done a good job” was still ringing in dumbfounded, Ashes-less ears.
About the only thing left unchanged was the abundance of strong opinion. Sadly, two of the strongest purveyors of such opinions departed this mortal world, and left the discussion of cricket in this country all the poorer. Cricket discussion on the other side is the big winner since the arrival of Messrs Verma and Roebuck.
But life goes on, and cricket schedules a stop for no-one.
As was the case when I first discovered Test cricket in the early to mid 80s, we may or may not be currently at rock bottom. The papers screamed “Our Worst XI” back in January, but even that “worst” got past 50 every time it batted (though sure, it fell short of 100 a couple of times). If Cape Town was not rock bottom, I shudder to think how much worse it can get.
Michael Clarke is making a good fist of this captaincy caper, happily.
I’m not as surprised about this as others might have been; I’ve always thought he did a good job with the (c) next to his name when he deputised in the past. Even better, his batting is flourishing with the extra responsibility.
His predecessor hasn’t been having such a happy time of it though. Just as Phillip Hughes can pretty much just concentrate on short balls going across his body, Ricky Ponting’s final days in Test cricket will likely be spent playing balls out of the block-hole on middle and leg.
South Africa unashamedly bowled Ponting yorker after yorker in Johannesburg, which when considered alongside his ability to survive another onslaught on the final morning, actually makes his fighting second innings all the more impressive. Even before the injuries took hold, it was always going to be enough to keep the wolves at bay.
Speaking of wolves, back when the proverbial hit the fan in May, after Simon Katich was left off the list of Cricket Australia contracts, I found myself almost on my own in agreeing with the move.
In fact, in among all the Ashes post-mortems, I suggested that while it would be incredibly tough on three able and willing servants of Australian cricket, maybe then was the time to make the hard call on Ponting, Katich, and Mike Hussey.
Katich’s only fault in all this was to be injured at precisely the wrong time in his career. 36-year-olds can afford injuries even less than they can afford run droughts.
Nevertheless, it was the right call and as much as plenty of you won’t like to admit it, all this talk of recalling Katich is an exercise in futility. And even as much as the opening combination is still a work in progress, Katich is clearly no longer part of the solution.
The Ponting equation is not so simple. If following the Ashes series, or even prior to the South African tour, was the right time to move him on, suddenly injuries within the camp mean he’s needed more than ever.
Ponting said when he stood down as captain that he wanted to play on, and assist bringing younger players through. Maybe he could or should still do that once his playing days are done; indeed, he was essentially doing that in South Africa.
He surely couldn’t be any worse a batting mentor/coach than the former teammate who currently holds that job.
At the other end of the career scale, David Warner’s is about to start. I’ll happily admit that he’s converted my opinion of him as a batsman, and his first class run onslaught over the last six months have shown me that he’s not just a clear-the-front-leg Twenty20 slogger, but rather a proper Test-ready batsman.
He’s done everything asked of him, and though I do feel for Ed Cowan a touch, I sincerely look forward to seeing Warner bat in Brisbane.
And Warner’s not alone, of course. Young quicks Ben Cutting, James Pattinson, and leftie Mitchell Starc have all been named too, and are in line for their debuts. I say “in line” because I think only two of them will play, with Nathan Lyon staying in the XI for his sixth consecutive Test, something of a triumph for post-Warne spinners.
Cutting certainly deserves a Baggy Green based on his current Shield form. But much as I like Pattinson as a bowler, I have a sneaking suspicion the hierarchy might go with Starc as a like-for-like for Johnson (in the sense that they both hold the ball with their left hand, not that Starc also sprays it around like a loose hose).
New Zealand will not be the easy-beats that various pundits have assumed. Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, and Jesse Ryder are all coming off hundreds in the tour match against Australia A – Ryder’s particularly brutal – and will be looking to do well against their traditional rivals.
In fact, New Zealand always punches above their weight when it comes to lining up for the Trans-Tasman trophy. Never mind that they haven’t seen the trophy since Sir Richard Hadlee was accused by Australian crowds of being a banker, the Black Caps will still back themselves in this series against a suddenly green Australian side.
Whatever the result, it’s just great to see the international cricket season starting on home soil again. Actually, forget “whatever the result”; I’ve had quite enough of New Zealand beating Australia of late, thanks very much.
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November 29th 2011 @ 9:03am
Chris said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:03am | Report comment
I’m still bewildered by the axing of Simon Katich. Of the three ‘oldies’ in the team, if you were going to make the decision on form at that time it should have been either Ponting or Hussey who got the chop.
Ponting’s language is getting more defiant by the day, so it’s clear the selectors are going to have to make the hard call. There are any number of batsman who are all in much better form over the past twelve months who should be given their chance (and let’s be honest, Katich is one of those batsmen). Ponting’s intransigence is holding back the development of younger players, not assisting them. What better way to blood a new payers than this summer with a could of Tests against the Kiwis and then a series against India? Before we know it we’ll be on the verge of another Ashes series and Ponting will still be hanging around like a bad smell, promising that he will spend every waking hour in the nets and a good score will be “just around the corner”.
And before anyone pulls out the inevitable “Australian cricket owes Ricky Ponting” line, give me a break. The man has been paid millions to play sport – if anything, Ponting owes Australian cricket! As he’s not qualified to do anything else, of course he’s going to try and hang on for as long as he can. But that’s what we have selectors for – to pick the best Australian team they can. Not run a retirement home for washed up millionaires.
November 29th 2011 @ 9:22am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:22am | Report comment
Chris, that was why I said back in January that the right thing might be to move all three on. If all three were fit, I don’t know that I could have made a call on just one, or on two of them, and so maybe the right thing was to drop all of them. But with Katich injured at the time, that made the decision easier.
That all said, I was still genuinely surprised when he didn’t make the CA Contacts list, which seems like a bit of a contradiction, I realise..
November 29th 2011 @ 9:46am
Tommy said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:46am | Report comment
No doubt CA will be fine long term, but that is exactly what they should now be thinking about – the long term. It didnt matter Hussey did so well in the last Ashes series down under did it as they still got spanked anyway. All it did was save a bit of face – instead of getting completely destroyed they just got destroyed. They coulda been blooding another up and coming batsman – and lets be honest – with Australias Grade and State System, there is never going to be a shortage of quality players. Hussey, Ponting and Haddin have to go IMO and see how Johnson mans up to his extra responsibility, if he doesnt there are 4 or 5 lads with the hunger to do that as well ! I remember all this when AB took over, they took some short term hits but evenually won long term until recent times.
`Lose the battle but win the War` is one proverb CA could take heed from at the moment In my opinion.
November 29th 2011 @ 9:53am
Bayman said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:53am | Report comment
Chris,
I’d suggest to you that after the debacle known as the Ashes series somebody’s head was going to roll. I’d also suggest that in that atmosphere Katich was the soft target.
Of the three older players in the team one, Hussey, had a career saving summer and his dropping suddenly became less justifiable. Another, Ponting, was the incumbent captain with the reputation of Australia’s best batsman since Bradman. The selectors were probably always thinking along the lines of removing him from the captaincy but retaining him as a batsman in the hope that the absence of responsibility will free him up. A flawed view as it turns out.
The last remaining senior citizen was Katich who timed his injury to a nicety. Achilles problems in thirty-five year olds are notoriously career ending. Removing Katich from the list of CA contracted players was the easy call given someone had to pay to show that the selectors, and CA, were not tolerating the Ashes failure – especially given the coach and the selectors were getting, or giving themselves, ringing endorsements.
Certainly, the “Clarke” incident has not helped Katich especially with Ponting’s removal from the leadership. Katich himself believes it played a part and I’ve no doubt he’s right. It doesn’t mean Clarke himself had a direct role but I’ve also no doubt there are some at CA who believe that a team containing both Clarke and Katich would be too unstable. Clarke was a definite so Katich was gone.
November 29th 2011 @ 10:19am
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:19am | Report comment
“Katich was the soft target”.
That about sums it up.
Doesn’t make it the right call though, Brett. And I’d say if anything it’s been proven wrong because we’ve barely had an opening partnership past 20 since Kat left, Hughes is still all over the place and clearly not up to it, and Ponting is still not scoring runs, and is getting out the same way.
Ponting should have made way, but the selectors didn’t have the gazunas to do it.
And I reckon the new ones don’t, either. I am extremely concerned at their comment that Haddin’s place was not discussed. Why not? Not even considered?
November 29th 2011 @ 10:24am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:24am | Report comment
James, I’m with Bayman on this, Katich’s injury made it the right call. Everything else may have contributed (the Clarke business, and so on), but at the end of the day, they had a 35yo opener with Achillies problems. It’s great that he’s come back this season for NSW, but his injury allowed youth to be injected into the side, and it was an opportunity they had to take.
For the record, if Poniting’s thumb had been a longer term injury, he would’ve been in trouble too. And he and Hussey better stay fit this summer…
November 29th 2011 @ 10:39am
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:39am | Report comment
Brett Bayman said it was the easy call and Katich was the soft target.
He didn’t say it was the right call.
He might now – but he hasn’t yet.
Youth being injected into the side made us worse. Hughes even dragged down Watto’s batting. It’s got to be the right older guy being stood down and the right youth, and Hughes was never that. He’d just failed 4 times in a row (or was it 6?) against England, who had worked him out (it’s not hard).
November 29th 2011 @ 10:45am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:45am | Report comment
yes true James, I was reply to your “Doesn’t make it the right call though, Brett.”
Reading between Bayman’s lines though, and having had a few conversations with him in person, I think he’s essentially saying it was the right call though. I will grant you that it doesn’t look like the right call at the moment, but in time, it will.
And yes, youth took the team backwards a bit, but that’s to be expected to a degree when you’re replacing 50+ Test veterans with 22yo rookies. But again, in time (hopefully not too long a time) it will be the right move..
November 29th 2011 @ 10:51am
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:51am | Report comment
How much time, Brett? If it’s the wrong call for 2 years, then it’s made us worse for 2 years, then that’s unacceptable.
November 29th 2011 @ 11:23am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:23am | Report comment
it won’t take two years though James, surely. Between Warner, Marsh, Hughes, Khawaja, and Cowan, I’m pretty confident the top 3 will be settled by this time next summer, maybe even before.
November 29th 2011 @ 11:25am
Bayman said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:25am | Report comment
jameswm,
At the time of the demotion of Katich I had no doubt he was unlucky – but I also had no doubt he was the only possible of the three older players given the circumstances.
Had it been my choice – and only one was going – it would have been Ponting but I would have had to know, without doubt, that Katich had and would recover from that injury.
Had it been my choice – with a free rein – I would probably have bypassed all three of them. I most definitely would have taken the short term hit for the long term gain.
The Katich/Clarke “affair” carries deeper scars than we can know. The two of them in the same team requires stronger management than we can imagine – and I’m not convinced that strength was present at the time. It might be now with Arthur, Marsh and Bichel involved.
Clarke was in the wrong at the time. He knows it and Katich knows it. Katich’s reaction, at that time, was always going to have repercussions. Katich knows that now and he is bitter about how things turned out. Too much water under too many bridges. His recent press conference following an SCG Shield game was evidence of the pain Katich still carries about his treatment.
To outsiders, me included, those comments were non-productive and not designed to win him any friends at CA. For Katich’s sake, I wish he hadn’t said them. For Katich himself, however, it was a purge of sorts. For him it needed to be said to release the angst. I’m quietly confident he doesn’t give a toss for the feelings of those at CA which should make the disciplinary hearing most entertaining.
Personally, I wish it all could have been different. Not for nothing is Katich known to some regular SCG friends of mine as “Simon the Likable” (after a character in Get Smart, I believe).
We love to see him doing well now and we cheered his two hundreds this year – a sort of “stick that up yer, CA!” It doesn’t change the fact that he has lacked a bit of consistency this year nor that he is done and dusted as far as Australia is concerned.
Never say never – but in Katich’s case it’s as close as you can get. Right or wrong. If Katich is ever picked again it will be the last resort.
So james, on balance, I think the call was right. I just don’t think they went far enough!
November 29th 2011 @ 9:34pm
jarrod said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:34pm | Report comment
do people seem to forget that katich in his last 10 innings scored one 50 at an average of 23 while hughes has scored an 88[in a team that lost 10/124] and a 120 odd [to save the series against sri lanka] in his last 5 innings, the other three times he’s been out was to dale steyn, remember the best ranked fast bowler in the world in bowler friendly conditions on his home deck? give the guy a break he’s doing a hell of a lot better then kat was in his last few digs in the baggygreen
November 30th 2011 @ 10:32am
jameswm said | November 30th 2011 @ 10:32am | Report comment
Jarrod – talk about selective statistics – in the 9 tests before those 5, Kat scored 79+ in the 1st innings 7/9 times, plus a 50, with one failure, plus a second innings 50 and two 2nd innings tons, averaging about 65 in that time. Hughes, for example, averaged about 25 in the corresponding period.
November 30th 2011 @ 10:46am
jarrod said | November 30th 2011 @ 10:46am | Report comment
its his last 10 innings hows that selective stats? i dont care what he did before that you pick on most recent form (ponting not included ha) don’t get me wrong the kat was unlucky to miss out on a contract no doubt, however hughes is holding his own and his last 10 innings hughes is averaging 33 to katichs 23, just sayin the young kids doing alright
November 29th 2011 @ 9:42am
Chop said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:42am | Report comment
They were calling Sir Richard a Banker….I wonder how they knew about his financial capability or lack thereof….
Unfortunately I think that the captancy (and standing down from it) have bought more time for Ponting than he probably deserves which is why Katich got screwed over by the ‘expert’ selectors who did a good job destorying not only Katich’s career but the careers of many a spinner post Warne.
In some ways i think the new selectors have made a great start picking the new young quicks (even if by default). I hope all 3 play because Siddle bowling gun barrel straight won’t do the job against India and I’d like to see if the 3 newbies are up to the task.
November 29th 2011 @ 1:35pm
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
That would certainly be the test of the young quicks’ mettle, Chop, throw ‘em all in the deep in!
November 29th 2011 @ 9:58am
sledgeross said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Interesting times Brett. A few points if I may;
I dont think Katich should have been sacked, but agree that he should not be recalled as it would make a mockery of the whole situation.
Agree with Starc, I have a suspicion that they would want a tall left armer who can swing the ball (unlike Tough-Sticker Mitch). Also feel Pattinson may be the unlucky bowler left out, given Cutting home ground knowledge. Surely JP should be next cab off the rank though. As I mentioned last week, I would have been happy with Hilfenhaus being recalled. He’s one of the few bowlers who can swing the ball consistently and even when hes not taking wickets, hes locking down an end.
Cowans an old school opener, but if Chris Rogers only played one test, then poor old Ed might struggle, especially given the stigma given to tassie and south aussie batsmen playing on home decks that are batsmen friendly.
Glad to see Warner given a chance. Noone probably remembers but I was predicting him to be a test player of teh future, albeit as a Gilchrist/Symonds type batsmen at 6 or 7.
Nice pic too Brettles!
November 29th 2011 @ 10:20am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:20am | Report comment
Sledgie, I think we’ll find ourselves in a situation where by the end of next summer, all three of these young quicks, Cummins, and even Josh Hazelwood and Mitch Marsh will have played 8-10 Tests each at least. All this talk about rotation seems to be pointing that way, and a tour of the Caribbean next March will be another ideal opportunity for the young punks.
Warner’s done everything asked of him, and so it will be interesting to see him in this company. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him bat in whites! And watch this space on Cowan, especially if Hughes continues his roller-coaster form and Shaun Marsh’s back troubles don’t resolves themselves.
And you like the pic?!? Would you believe it’s “as seen on TV”!!
November 29th 2011 @ 10:40am
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:40am | Report comment
Brett it’ll be very interesting to se what happens if Warner gets a ton and invigorates everyone, and Hughes fails twice. Or if Punter fails twice.
I’d bowl if we win the toss.
November 29th 2011 @ 11:27am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:27am | Report comment
indeed it will. I’m of the opinion that Hughes is under as much pressure as Ponting at the moment, in fact it might even be more. If Hughes fails in Brisbane twice, you couldn’t say he’s a certainty for Hobart. Ponting would be though..
Not sure about the toss, I have to admit I’ve not seen the ‘Gabba deck at all. This time last year, it looked green as the afternoon before, but by the toss, it’d lost its colour..
And what would you think about Cowan/Warner as an opening combo (below)??
November 29th 2011 @ 12:27pm
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
Better than Hughes/Warner. But I think Khawaja can be one of the openers and Marsh 3, so it only leaves one spot open.
November 29th 2011 @ 1:18pm
Red Kev said | November 29th 2011 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
After the Australia A game, I like Cowan-Warner to open. I’d then put Marsh and Khawaja in the top order and Clarke and Watson in the middle order. There’s no room or time for keeping Ponting and Hussey beyond the New Zealand series in my opinion (7 tests against India and teh West Indies – that time together is what the new team needs).
Note that I’ve always listed a cricket team in pairs: openers (1-2), top order (3-4), middle order (5-6), lower order (7-8), tail (9-10-11).
November 29th 2011 @ 6:00pm
zenboomerang said | November 29th 2011 @ 6:00pm | Report comment
Brett, the Gabba has been looking green and fast in recent matches and had branches growing out of it a few weeks ago…
This pitch is being prepared as the fastest for 15 years so it could be unlike anything we have seen in recent Tests.
I am loath to leave out Lyon as it will take some spin, but 4 fast bowlers could have a field day… depends on who wins the toss and bats first… wish we had a batsman with a good spinners arm… aka Maxwell type player in our squad…
November 29th 2011 @ 7:18pm
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 7:18pm | Report comment
Cheers Zen, be interesting to see what it looks like on Thursday morning..
November 30th 2011 @ 10:41am
jarrod said | November 30th 2011 @ 10:41am | Report comment
November 29th 2011 @ 10:22am
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:22am | Report comment
I’d still prefer to see Warner at 6 Sledge, with Watto at 5. But with those two there, we lack top 3 players. Marsh and Khawaja I guess, and Hussey would possibly be my other.
I’d rather have Cowan opening than Hughes. Cowan is a Sydney boy of course.
And I reckon Starc will carry the drinks, unless he bowls off his brain in the nets.
November 29th 2011 @ 10:13am
DHE said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Simon Katich may of been baited into by the questions of the press, but his most recent reaction was appalling and I would not someone with an attitude like that in my team no matter how many runs they were scoring or wickets they were taking. At 36 and as a state captain he should be more mature than that, and to be honest I think the attitude he evidenced there justified his being the first old hand to make way.
Besides which I don’t buy that Clarke worked behind the scenes to have him pushed out because of one dressing room incident.
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November 29th 2011 @ 10:23am
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:23am | Report comment
DHE – did you read that story how Clarke had the “SImon Katich Stand” sign pulled down in Sri Lanka?
November 29th 2011 @ 11:39am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:39am | Report comment
DHE, I agree to an extent. Katich earnt a lot of praise and sympathy and even respect for his comments back in May when he lost his CA contract, but his comments after the appointment of John Inverarity (and he wasn’t even baited really, he was just asked if thought his chances of recall had improved after Invers has said “the door was closed on no-one”) probably undid a lot of any goodwill he may have had on his side..
November 29th 2011 @ 1:18pm
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
Kat’s comments were blown out of proportion. He was honest and frank as usual.
November 29th 2011 @ 1:23pm
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 1:23pm | Report comment
He was certainly honest and frank, James, but from the bits of the presser in question that I saw, the quotes that came out were as he said them. They didn’t need to be blown up, becuase his comments did that anyway..
November 29th 2011 @ 10:23am
Matt F said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:23am | Report comment
It’s quite an (to use one of Mickey Arthurs favourite words) “exciting” time for Australian cricket at the moment.
Like you I never had an issue with Clarke as a captain. He always seemed pretty switched on and agressive tactically, whenever he filled in, and was always trying new things to get wickets. Moving Mitchell Johnson up the order in the ODI game last summer was a masterstroke. I think he and Mickey Arthur can work really well together.
I agreed with the the selectors rejuvinating the side, didn’t agree that it should have been Katich (though could see why he was the easiest one to get rid of) but also don’t think he should come back. He’s made 2 centurines but hasn’t scored over 30 in the Shield after that and we have too many inconsistent players already in the test team! It would also defeat the purpose of the rejuvination process. Clearly it will have to be the selectors who drop Ponting as he seems very adamant that he’s not going anywaher on his own accord.
I’m really looking forward to our new debutants (when was the last time we had 3, maybe even 4, debutants in one match?) and I think the selectors are showing good signs so far. It would have been very easy to go with the “safer”option of Hilfenhaus, especially with the amount of inexperience already in the team, but they haven’t and they deserve credit for this. I’d still like to see Wade at some point this summer but I can’t blame them for keeping Ponting and Haddin given the forced changes they had to already make.
I can’t remember the last time I’ve looked forward to a non-Ashes summer like this year.
November 29th 2011 @ 11:43am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:43am | Report comment
Matt, Jesse Hogan in yesterday’s Age answers your last question about the debutants:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/nine-new-faces-find-the-baggy-green-fits-20111127-1o1ir.html
“In the unlikely event Warner, Pattinson, Cutting and Starc are all chosen, it would be the biggest injection of new players in a Test since January 1978.”
November 29th 2011 @ 12:06pm
Matt F said | November 29th 2011 @ 12:06pm | Report comment
Thanks for that Brett. Now I know why i couldn’t remember the last tim it happened. I wasn’t alive!
Quick question on your display photos. Which one is the evil one?
November 29th 2011 @ 12:17pm
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
November 29th 2011 @ 10:26am
Bayman said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:26am | Report comment
Brett,
As you say, one day you’re up, the next you’re down. The trick is how long the one continues over the other. Historically, Australia’s downs tend to be shorter than most countries and in that regard I don’t think much has changed.
Like you I am looking forward to this summer like very few for some time. The reason, of course, is the newcomers. They won’t all make it although they may contribute along the way. It is exciting to see what Cutting, Pattinson and Starc might do. Not to mention Warner.
Hussey and Ponting are both in this next team but both are near the end. The team will be completely different a year or so from now to that which lost the Ashes. Times like this are always, for me, the most exciting. Down times are always more interesting if not more satisfying. The difficulties just make the successes all the more sweet.
I love to see new players succeed – whether at Test or state level. That is why I have enjoyed watching Hughes, Maddinson, Warner and, now, Patterson come through for NSW. A mate in Adelaide told me two years ago about young Ben Dougall saying he had what it takes. He hasn’t done a lot yet but he has now played first class cricket for SA. I look forward to watching them all in the next few years as Australia climbs the ladder again.
As you say, we are now entering another cycle of achievement – but it’s all been done before and will be done again.
November 29th 2011 @ 10:49am
jameswm said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:49am | Report comment
So Bayman how’s this side for 12-18 months’ time?
1. Khawaja
2. Cowan (not Hughes)
3. Marsh
4. Clarke
5. Watson
6. Warner
7. Wade/Paine
8. Pattinson
9. Cummins
10. Harris/Starc
11. Lyon
Bit of a long tail – consider:
- Faulkner coming in at 8; and
- Warner opening in place of Cowan, and someone else batting 6.
November 29th 2011 @ 11:40am
Bayman said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:40am | Report comment
james,
You’re probably not that far off the mark. I reckon we can say with a degree of certainty that, after this summer, we will not see Ponting, Hussey, Johnson or Haddin again. It remains to be seen if it’s after one Test or six that the change occurs.
The batting may be slightly different but all those you mention are in the mix. What cannot be predicted is the development of guys like Maddinson, Patterson, Mitchell Marsh etc. who may force themselves into the mix in the next twelve months or so. Not to mention Lynn and one or two others.
Personally, I’m excited at what’s coming in the next year or two. I reckon we’ll be doing ok.
November 29th 2011 @ 12:19pm
Red Kev said | November 29th 2011 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
I agree with Bayman but think more needs to be made of this point:
“after this summer, we will not see Ponting, Hussey, Johnson or Haddin again. It remains to be seen if it’s after one Test or six that the change occurs”
Australia are about to have a 4 test series against India then a 3 test tour of the West Indies.
Those 7 test matches are a fantastic opportunity to give the new players an extended run at test level – given them 10-14 innings to genuinely establish themselves and then a break for the selectors to re-asses. See which batsmen and bowlers need to be sent back to Shield cricket with clear feedback on their shortcomings; and see who can cope with the heat of test cricket.
The two-test series against New Zealand is a bit of an abberation and I understand that injuries have hampered the transition, but Australia cannot afford to keep guys like Ponting, Hussey, Haddin and Johnson in the team any longer. The selectors need to bite the bullet / rip the bandaid off. If any of those four are still playing against India it will be a colossal mistake by the new National Selection Panel.
November 29th 2011 @ 9:05pm
Lolly said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
Have you seen any young Australian batsmen look any good against spin? I haven’t. Shaun Marsh isn’t bad, but he’s not great and he’s not young. Usman Khawaja looks shaky against decent spin from what I have seen. Given this, I can’t see how you can wish to drop both the old guys – who can play spin – against India. Punter should go if one is to go, but if I was Huss, I’d watch my back. He hasn’t got the continual litany of ‘best batsman, blahdeblah,’ as a Greek chorus around him.
November 29th 2011 @ 4:48pm
Jiggles said | November 29th 2011 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
James that 11 excites me so much. To be honest I think Australia may be on the verge of something good if that team can get settled. Don’t ask me why but I can just feel it in my ‘waters.’
November 29th 2011 @ 10:13pm
jarrod said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:13pm | Report comment
i’m just gonna throw a side up there you’ll probably hate it but gives the batting enourmous depth and good swing options in england….
1 warner/hughes
2 marsh
3 khawaga
4 clarke
5 watson
6 paine/wade
7 Glen.Maxwell (averages 55 with the bat, 40 with the ball which is better then lyon(42) and beer(47),if its moving around don’t need a specialist spinner but he still gives you a spin option)
8 Mitch Marsh (bats in the top 6 and has bowling average of 27,moves it both ways& his bowling will suit conditions in england beautifully)
9 J.Faulkner/L.Butterworth ( both average 30 with the bat and bat 6/7 respectively & average 23,25 with the ball respectively, both very good swing bowlers who have been scoring good runs of late as well)
10 cutting/pattinson (speak for themselves really but both good enough to probably bat at 8 as well)
11 cummins/harris – no need for explanation these two, harris will still be going
lyon as your spinner obviously in the squad if you need him, still the likes of hazlewood, starc, A.Mcdermott, NCoulterNile to come through and even hilf/sidds/johnson if they’re back in form – in the mix as well
battings hard to tell, there’s not much after these guys, maybe cowan/G.Baily as back up, fergy if he’s scoring runs and maybe a roughy like patterson/maddinson/lynn or someone who might come through in the next 18 months, whoevers the form guys are coming through
November 30th 2011 @ 9:05pm
Lolly said | November 30th 2011 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
I’m a biased West Aussie but I’ve thought that about Mitchell Marsh’s bowling as well. He’s a bit young yet and injury prone but I suspect his bowling would be just the ticket in England. I wish he’d go and play County Cricket.
November 29th 2011 @ 10:41am
WoobliesFan said | November 29th 2011 @ 10:41am | Report comment
Interesting article. You’re obviously a Clarke fan.
A few points :
1. “The captain stood down and was succeeded by his long-anointed protégé. Cheering and jeering emanated in equal quantities.”
I think you’re being kind to Clarke….it was more jeering than cheering.
2. “Katich’s only fault in all this was to be injured at precisely the wrong time in his career. 36-year-olds can afford injuries even less than they can afford run droughts. ”
Serious? Nothing to do with Katich calling out Michael Clarke for his lack of respect for cricket tradition and his teamamtes?
3. “The Ponting equation is not so simple. If following the Ashes series, or even prior to the South African tour, was the right time to move him on, suddenly injuries within the camp mean he’s needed more than ever.”
You can’t keep looking for reasons to keep holding onto old grumpy….he’s done….we need to let him go, because lord knows, we can’t leave it up to him.
November 29th 2011 @ 11:52am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:52am | Report comment
Wooblies, I like Michael Clarke as a cricketer and as a Captain, yes, but I’m not some kind of TeamMichael extremist, if that’s what you’re alluding to.
On your points:
1. the cheering was for Ponting, the jeering for Clarke..
2. serious-ish – no doubt all that off-field stuff played a part (and as Bayman mentions above, we’ll probably never know the full story), but at the end of the summer, Katich had a major injury to deal with. Had he have been 26 instead of 36 – heck, even had he’ve been 33 – he would still have been included in future plans. But Achillies injuries for 36yo’s are notoriously diffiuclt to regain full fitness from..
3. injuries in the squad right now DO mean Ponting’s needed more than ever, I don’t think that’s that hard to understand..
November 29th 2011 @ 2:20pm
WoobliesFan said | November 29th 2011 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
No need to get logical.
November 29th 2011 @ 2:48pm
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 2:48pm | Report comment
what were you hoping for if not logical answers? Sarcasm??
November 29th 2011 @ 9:35pm
WoobliesFan said | November 29th 2011 @ 9:35pm | Report comment
My point was you made good points.
……………………….except for Ponting……if Warner makes a sizzling debut and Watson get healthy, then the selectors will have to take to the guillotine.
November 29th 2011 @ 11:01am
sledgeross said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:01am | Report comment
No offence Brett, but I would have thought your melon better suited to radio
Always good to be on tv though!
Hazlewood has been around “the longest” (or been in the publics consciousness the longest) but had some bad injuries but roared back into contention with a good perfomance against the WACAs at teh SCG this weekend.
James, glad to see we agree about Warner, but he will bat the same no matter where he bats. I suppose he can win a game batting at either 1 or 6, both are key positions.
As an aside, if Pattinson does play, would this be the first time two brothers have represnted different Test playing nations?
November 29th 2011 @ 11:53am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:53am | Report comment
Good question re the Pattinsons – where’s Kersi??
November 29th 2011 @ 6:54pm
JohnB said | November 29th 2011 @ 6:54pm | Report comment
If you go back far enough, Albert Trott represented both England and Australia, and his brother (George I think?) played for Australia. Possible that someone played for India pre-partition and their brother played for Pakistan afterwards?
On Ponting – he went well against them in the 2 test series before the Ashes and they are still the 2nd ranked test team in the world – I think there must be an argument for retaining him as part of the best available team to win that series, given there will be some number of quite inexperienced batsmen in the lineup already.
November 29th 2011 @ 7:07pm
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 7:07pm | Report comment
John, I put this question out to my modest Twitter following today too, and so far yours is the only answer, so you get todays prize…
(“Tell him what he’s won, John…”)
November 29th 2011 @ 7:23pm
JohnB said | November 29th 2011 @ 7:23pm | Report comment
After writing the original response, I looked at the list of players who’ve played for more than one country to see if any other family names stuck out. There was a Gul Mohammed who played for India and Pakistan, but he doesn’t appear to be a member of the famous cricketing family. On the other hand, one Frank Hearne played for both England and Sth Africa (Hearne was a very well known name in English cricke). Two of Frank’s brothers played for England (both as one cap wonders and both v SA on tour, in games that weren’t regarded as tests for many years after the event!).
I can’t think of other examples like the Pattinsons (where neither brother played for 2 countries) but not impossible there are other Sth Africa/England or Australia/England examples from the early days of test cricket.
And I’m assuming second prize is two of whatever the first prize is?!
November 29th 2011 @ 7:36pm
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 7:36pm | Report comment
I can send you an autographed copy of last Sunday’s Sun-Herald?!?
On a serious note, I had a thought (but haven’t looked this up) that maybe the brother of a pre-isolation South African Test player might have then gone to England?
OK, now I’ve looked it up. This list seems pretty conclusive, and indeed metions the Hearne brothers that you mentioned (and supports my theory too): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_International_cricket_families
CricInfo also has a simliar list, mentioning the Trotts and Hearnes: http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283744.html
November 29th 2011 @ 11:05am
Ryan O'Connell said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:05am | Report comment
Brett, when talking about how tough NZ will be, I would add in Dan Vettori’s bowling. He always bowls well against the Aussies, and the Aussies have always struggled against quality spin bowling. He could, nay will, cause some troubles.
November 29th 2011 @ 11:58am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:58am | Report comment
quite true Ryano. Vettori’s a quality bowler full stop, but he and McCullum especially always seem to save their best for Australia..
November 29th 2011 @ 7:49pm
JohnB said | November 29th 2011 @ 7:49pm | Report comment
No disrespect to Vettori, who’s been a very effective test cricketer for a long time, but Australia have handled him well enough in the past few years – after a very good couple of tests in 1999/2000 (14 wickets at 15.57), he had 2 solid series in 2001/2 (13 @ 33.84 across 3 tests) and 2004/5 (10 @ 34.1 in 2) but then in the return series in 2004/5 8@49.62 (3 tests), 5 @ 39.4 in 2 in 2008/9 and 7 @ 45.57 in 2 in 2009/10. He didn’t have a happy time in the one off test for the ICC v Australia in 2005/6 either (1 @ 111).
It may also be worth noting when one of Vettori’s NZ sides last beat Australia in a test. Of course, if NZ ever needed motivation to try to beat Australia, that might provide it!
November 29th 2011 @ 11:33am
Brett McKay said | November 29th 2011 @ 11:33am | Report comment
Interesting comments from Welsh winger Shane Williams ahead of his final Test match this Saturday, against the Wallabies in Cardiff:
”I would have liked to play for Wales until I was 50 but I know that’s not possible. Going out on my own terms is very important and I would be gutted if I was dropped, not picked again and didn’t have the chance to leave with a bang. I would rather retire than be retired.”
Contrast these with, say …. well, you know..
November 29th 2011 @ 1:25pm
Rhys said | November 29th 2011 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
As the song says Brett, “you gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em”. You’d think someone with the nickname ‘Punter’ would understand that.