Debutants win in November, but how will they go in December?

 
Kersi Meher-Homji Columnist

By Kersi Meher-Homji, 30 Nov 2011 Kersi Meher-Homji is a Roar Expert

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Debutants win in November, but how will they go in December? + enlarge image

Mitchell Johnson and Patrick Cummins wag Australia's tail to a two-wicket win against South Africa in the second Test at the Wanderers. Picture: AFP

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What a month for three Test debutants from different countries at Test level this November. In the two-Test series between Australia and South Africa, debutants Vernon Philander, 26, from South Africa, and teenage sensation Pat Cummins, from Australia, won all the awards between them.

Opening bowler Philander was the Man of the Match in the first Test in Cape Town and was Man of the Series in the two Test series.

In consecutive innings, he took 3-63 and 5-15 in Cape Town and 1-47 and 5-70 in Jo’burg.

In all, he captured 14 wickets at 13.95.

Fast bowler Pat Cummins made an even more dramatic debut in the Jo’burg Test, claiming 1-38 and 6-79. He also scored an unbeaten 13 in a crisis, hitting the winning runs to enable Australia to win the thrilling Test by two wickets to draw the series 1-1.

He was the obvious Man of the Jo’burg Test.

Thus, the debutants ruled the roost in the Test series.

But wait, there’s more.

In the India-West Indies series, India’s spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, 25, dominated with the ball in all three Tests and hitting a century too in the third and final Test in Mumbai. He won the Man of the Match award in the first Test in Delhi and in the third Test in Mumbai, and the Man of the Series award, as well.

A grand slam, indeed.

His performances: 3-81 and 6-47 in Delhi; 2-49 and 2-137 in Kolkata and 5-156, 4-34 in Mumbai. In the Mumbai Test he scored 103 runs as well. What all-round excellence from someone playing in his first Test series.

Add to this 18 year-old Kurtis Patterson’s stirring first-class debut on Sunday.

In the Sheffield Shield match for NSW against Western Australia at the SCG, Patterson became the youngest player to hit a century (157) in his first-class debut adding 221 glorious runs with Simon Katich.

Now to the first Test starting tomorrow (1 December) in Brisbane against New Zealand. It includes four newcomers, three of whom will make their Test debuts.

There are three quickies: Ben Cutting, 24, from Queensland, Victorian James Pattinson, 21 and Mitchell Starc, 21 from NSW.
I predict that Cutting will be made 12th man.

Another debutant is dynamic opening batsman David Warner, 25, who has a penchant for hitting sixes. Will he tamper his tall hitting with defensive strokes or go the whole hog for tall hit,s a la Sehwag?

His Twenty20 debut for Australia on the MCG on 11 January 2009 against South Africa will be hard to emulate. He spanked 89 runs off 43 balls with 7 fours and 6 sixes. He became the first Australian since John Hodges and Tom Kendall (way back in 1877) to represent Australia before playing a first-class match.

One hopes Warner’s Test debut is just as scintillating.

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