Just who is Ashton Agar?
Columnist By David Lord, 14 Feb 2013 David Lord is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Ashton Agar, Cricket, John Inverarity
Australian chairman of selectors John Inverarity isn’t my cup of tea, but he may well have struck gold in left-arm spinner Ashton Agar.
A 19-year-old Melbourne-born player of Sri Lankan descent, Agar played for Australia against the President’s XI in Chennai over the last two days.
On Inverarity’s recommendation, the selection panel has sent Agar to India to fast track his development after only two Sheffield Shield games for Western Australia.
On debut against NSW at the SCG last month, Agar took 3-103 and was unbeaten on 34 after a first dig 10.
At the Gabba last week he had match figures of 5-138 off 47 overs and cracked 53 with six fours and a six in a state record 10th wicket partnership of 94 with Michael Hogan who finished with 43 not out.
But little did anyone expect Agar to play in Chennai under the stand-in captaincy of keeper Matt Wade
In the drawn two-dayer, Agar took 1-27 off his eight overs, and was stumped seventh ball for a duck.
But Agar was the most economical of the four spinners used – Nathan Lyon 3-69 off 13, Glenn Maxwell 1-20 off four, and Steve Smith 0-34 off four as well.
Although Inverarity will take the credit for Agar being in India, the 193 cm (6ft 4) spinner has two other strong believers in Greg Chappell and Justin Langer. Langer describes Agar as a young Daniel Vettori.
If Langer is on the money, Ashton Agar could be the dream answer to Australia’s spinning problems.
Time will tell. But the signs are encouraging.
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- Explore:
- Ashton Agar, Cricket, John Inverarity
February 14th 2013 @ 7:45am
Robert said | February 14th 2013 @ 7:45am | Report comment
Oh David,i’m disappointed you didnt mention Haddin’s dropped catch last night,no surprise though.If it was Wade you’d be all over it like a cheap suit.
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February 14th 2013 @ 8:31am
David Lord said | February 14th 2013 @ 8:31am | Report comment
Robert, what has Brad Haddin’s dropped catch got to do with Ashton Agar?
February 14th 2013 @ 8:00am
Red Kev said | February 14th 2013 @ 8:00am | Report comment
How is pulling Agar from the remaining 4 games of the shield to make him bowl in the nets in India helping his development? Agar like Zampa is one to watch for the future, but the key word is future – they’ve barely played any cricket yet – let them work out and get worked out by domestic batsmen for crying out loud.
Why does Stephen O’Keefe, a far superior SLAO bowler to Doherty and Beer not get a gig?
February 14th 2013 @ 8:26am
Jamesb said | February 14th 2013 @ 8:26am | Report comment
O’keefe should’ve played last nights t/20. Windies were batting against similar fast bowlers with roughly the same pace. Australia had no variety in attack, eg: the use of a spinner
February 14th 2013 @ 8:29am
David Lord said | February 14th 2013 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Morning Red Kev and Jamesb, your comments are valid and fair across the board. But seeing John Inverarity has shown so little vision since he sat in the selection chair, he deserves a salute for recognising Ashton Agar so early and playing him over the last two days in Chennai, not the nets. Let’s give credit where credit is due, it probably won’t happen too often in the chairman’s case.
February 14th 2013 @ 9:30am
Red Kev said | February 14th 2013 @ 9:30am | Report comment
Fair point Mr Lord.
I guess I am annoyed that SOK missed out again, although I heard from Taylor on the commentary last night that he’d split the webbing between his fingers on his hand again.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:12am
Matt F said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:12am | Report comment
Yep O’Keefe is injured, though this happened after the test squad was announced. It does explain his absence last night though. Regardless I still can’t believe they didn’t select a spinner for last nights T20. Aaron O’Brien had a very good BBL and should have come in
February 14th 2013 @ 10:46am
jamesb said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Thanks guys, I probably missed the part where Tubby said SOK is injured.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:18am
jameswm said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:18am | Report comment
Kev Agar won’t miss all 4 remaining Shield games will he? Just read he’s heading home this weekend. I think overall it was a good call by Invers.
What about Beer? WA can’t support two SLAOs at the WACA surely?
February 14th 2013 @ 10:22am
Red Kev said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:22am | Report comment
Beer is injured.
News to me that Agar is flying home – that makes much more sense now, he was over there to net bowl before the main squad arrived (I thought he was ‘on tour’ just not part of the squad). I am now in agreement with D.Lord – very good call from Inverarity.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:24am
jameswm said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:24am | Report comment
I’m not 100% sure but I think that was part of the plan all along. Net bowler for the first part of the tour.
If Beer’s injured, I hope Agar plays all the remaining games. He’s 19 and Zampa 20. Maybe there’s some light in the horizon. I like Fawad too, I wonder if he’ll get a look in. Is he qualified yet, does anyone know?
February 14th 2013 @ 11:57am
Disco said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:57am | Report comment
Bear in mind that Fawad is 33.
February 14th 2013 @ 1:13pm
jameswm said | February 14th 2013 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
33? I think he’s 30, meaning a good 5-7 years left in him.
OK, just googled and found two articles, one saying he’s 33 and the other saying 30. He might be one of those ageless types, like Radike Samo in rugby.
Cricinfo says he’s nearly 34. OK, sort of rules him out really.
February 16th 2013 @ 4:11am
Jamiej said | February 16th 2013 @ 4:11am | Report comment
Imran Tahir clone if you ask me…
February 14th 2013 @ 11:20am
Disco said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:20am | Report comment
I quite agree.
February 15th 2013 @ 2:50am
Jake said | February 15th 2013 @ 2:50am | Report comment
Red Kev
Ashton is flying home this weekend, thus will be playing in the remaining Shield games. Pretty sure he’s playing for Aus A next week so he might miss 1 Shield game though. The plan was never to keep him in India for the entire tour,
February 14th 2013 @ 9:14am
Sailosi said | February 14th 2013 @ 9:14am | Report comment
Ashton Agar is a find. Wonderful flight and good pace. Almost a throwback to a Bishan Bedi, Ravi Shastri type left arm ortho. Very excited.
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February 14th 2013 @ 9:19am
Robert said | February 14th 2013 @ 9:19am | Report comment
It has nothing to do with Agar.But i couldnt pass up the chance to stick the boot into you and your golden boy.
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February 14th 2013 @ 10:10am
jamesb said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:10am | Report comment
Agar has shown more in 10 days , compared to Doherty;s 10 years of first class cricket.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:22am
Disco said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:22am | Report comment
Except X-factor.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:17am
Matt F said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:17am | Report comment
While it has been a promising start, and he is highly rated, let’s not get carried away too early. Dan Cullen and Cullen Bailey were both very highly rated early in their careers and now neither of them can get a state game. Let’s give him time to develop over the next few years and have a better look at him then
February 14th 2013 @ 10:25am
jamesb said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:25am | Report comment
good point Matt F.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:58am
Disco said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:58am | Report comment
Perhaps Nathan Lyon can be added to that list.
February 14th 2013 @ 12:26pm
Matt F said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
Lyon’s test average is comparable to many off-spinners that have represented Australia at test level so no he can’t be added to that list, at least not yet. We simply don’t produce off-spinners who average mid 20′s in test cricket
February 14th 2013 @ 10:34am
David Lord said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:34am | Report comment
Prediction Matt F and Jamesb, Ashton Agar will go close to being on the next Ashes tour. If not then, by the return five Tests at home. And he will be an integral member of the Test side for many years to come.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:34pm
Richard said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:34pm | Report comment
Big call! How is the guy mentally, we don’t really know yet. If they throw him into the bear pit at this age and he gets mauled badly it could set him back. Still, lets see how he goes 19 year olds are generally pretty resilient.
February 14th 2013 @ 10:59am
jamesb said | February 14th 2013 @ 10:59am | Report comment
David, going by memory, I think Dan Cullen took 40 wickets at an ave of 30 in one Shield season. But for some unknown reason, he has slipped off the radar.
There were big wraps on Cullen too.
As for Agar, we all predict many things. You hope that one day some of those predictions come off. I think the fact that Agar been a tall spinner, could work to his advantage. He would get bounce and hopefully turn. If Agar does that, he could well be in the Australian side for many years to come.
I reckon if he takes wickets for WA and continues his progression, I’d select him to Ashes in England as the second spinner. Agar would be a ‘safer gamble’ compared to someone like Maxwell. I do want O’Keefe selected, but I don’t think the selectors know he is around.
Agar also looks like he can handle the bat as well.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:00am
Sailosi said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:00am | Report comment
Matt F, you could tell with Dan Cullen immediately he wouldn’t last. Unfortunately he bowled orthodox right arm off spin. In the last 20 years it’s really only been Graeme Swann who has been consistently successful with this type of bowling. As for Cullen Bailey, well some things in life can’t be explained.
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February 14th 2013 @ 11:19am
Matt F said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:19am | Report comment
That doesn’t change the fact that they were both highly rated at some point and then failed to deliver on their supposed potential. Dan Cullen even played a test match, admittedly against Bangladesh. All I’m saying is that we should give Agar time to show what he can do before proclaiming him as the next great spin bowler when he’s only played 2 first class matches. It’s a solid start to his career, and I hope he can develop into a very good bowler, but it’s way too early to be making such predictions
February 14th 2013 @ 12:00pm
Disco said | February 14th 2013 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
Another example would be Adil Rashid who was hyped massively based on his early Yorkshire performances, but then got stuffed around by the English selectors and is now well down the pecking order even in limited overs cricket.
February 14th 2013 @ 11:19am
Disco said | February 14th 2013 @ 11:19am | Report comment
He’s not Steve O’Keefe. Therefore he’s deemed OK to tour with a Test squad.