The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Should Australia have persisted with Jason Krejza?

Roar Rookie
12th January, 2013
Advertisement
Australian bowler Jason Krejza, center, is congratulated by teammates Ricky Ponting, right, and Mike Hussey for dismissing Indian batsman Ishant Sharma, unseen, on the second day of the fourth and final cricket test match between India and Australia in Nagpur, India, Friday, Nov. 7, 2008. AP Photo/Gautam SinghAustralian bowler Jason Krejza, center, is congratulated by teammates Ricky Ponting, right, and Mike Hussey for dismissing Indian batsman Ishant Sharma, unseen, on the second day of the fourth and final cricket test match between India and Australia in Nagpur, India, Friday, Nov. 7, 2008. AP Photo/Gautam Singh
Roar Rookie
12th January, 2013
30
1553 Reads

I have just finished re-watching Jason Krejza’s 12 wicket’s on debut against India, and it really got me thinking. Why did this guy not get a longer run in the team and granted the persistence to develop his craft?

Sure, his 12 wickets went for a lot, and in both of his two Test career he went for about 4 to 4.5 an over through fairly extensive spells, which is far too high for a front-line spinner.

But if you look at his 12 wickets against India (in India), each and every one was a lovely piece of bowling and evidence of classic off spinner’s dismissal.

Krejza took 12 wickets against a batting line-up including a few handy players of spin, including Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Ganguly and Dhoni.

Each of his wickets were him bowling the batsmen out, and none of which were them trying to attack him and therefore gifting a wicket. He bowled with vigorous spin, bounce and looked a nightmare to face.

Krezja’s next and final Test for Australia was against another fairly decent batting line-up, the South Africans on the not-so-spin-friendly deck of Perth. Krejza bowled 50 overs and returned a very modest 1- 200.

Since Shane Warne’s retirement the Australian selectors have seemed to prefer spinner’s who can contain, tie up and end and pick up a couple of wickets here or there. Nathan Hauritz and Lyon fall into this category.

We haven’t had a spinner who could be seen as a potential match-winner; someone that could rip through a batting line-up in the second inning’s of a Test match.

Advertisement

In Shane Warne we were so very lucky in that he could not only win a match but he could also contain and frustrate the opposition. There will probably never be another Shane Warne again.

Nathan Lyon shows definite promise and is obviously well respected by both team-mates and selectors.

However, just as the majority are calling for patience and persistence with Nathan Lyon, surely the same should have been granted to the potential and promise shown by Jason Krejza?

close