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After the Test squad to tour South Africa was announced, there have been a few mixed reactions as to who should be in the squad and who shouldn’t.
So it was no surprise when I turned up for trainging last night the conversation continued.
The usual names we have all been debating popped up again, with Cameron White, George Bailey, Shaun Marsh, Alex Doolan and Phil Hughes all chopped up and tossed around. Everyone had their own personal best XI.
One of the older blokes, still stretching after a half hour of fielding drills, raised an old, tired and sometimes pointless argument, “Why do so many blokes from NSW get picked?”
Immediately, we told him that NSW has the strongest grade competiton in Australia, providing a stronger talent pool of players to pick from.
NSW produce quality cricketers and they go on to represent Australia.
We were all in agreeance, besides our grumpy, 28-year-old Victorian accountant wicketkeeper, “It’s a conspiracy, once you get your baggy blue, you get your baggy green”.
This started a verbal war for about 20 miniutes before I raised a point that left everyone, including myself, silently thinking for about five minutes.
Just for a bit of fun I said, “What if tomorrow, Cricket Australia decided that two players from every state must be selected in the team, effective immediately, therefore ending the age old debate that there is a NSW bias?”
But there is one problem, who do you pick? If over half the team comes from NSW, which two do you pick and who do you get from other states?
Currently the Australian team that everyone believes will be picked for the first Test in South Africa is:
1) Chris Rogers (Victoria)
2) David Warner (NSW)
3) Shane Watson (NSW)
4) Michael Clarke (NSW)
5) Steve Smith (NSW)
6) Shaun Marsh (Western Australia)
7) Brad Haddin (NSW)
8) Mitchell Johnson (WA)
9) Ryan Harris (Queensland)
10) Peter Siddle (Vic)
11) Nathan Lyon (NSW)
12) James Faulkner (Tasmania)
Just looking at that team means it is going to be hard to cut players!
So let’s start with the two representatives from NSW.
Clarke is first picked since he is the skipper; he makes my first choice for NSW easiest but a tough decision for my second choice.
I’m going with a left field view here and choosing Lyon. An outstanding spinner and I need him to lead “Under the Southern Cross”.
Victoria will be represented by Chris Rogers and James Pattinson. Rogers for being the slow paced, patient opener at the top and Pattinson because I belive he is a better bowler than Siddle fully fit!
Queensland will be represented by Ryan Harris, one of the most economical and best bowlers in Test cricket currently.
The other selection will be Joe Burns. Although he has yet to play Test cricket, Joe is an outstanding batsman and will flourish in years to come, but in this senario I’m throwing him in with the lions.
Jackson Bird and James Faulkner will fly the flag for Tassie! Bird because he is another outsanding bowler and Faulkner because he adds the allrounder dimension to the Test team.
South Australia will see Phil Hughes earn a Test recall and he will open the stick with Rogers.
Michael Klinger will join the side and will bat number three for me.
Finally the two WA representatives will be Mitchell Johnson, for his fiery pace and handy batting, who will be the spearhead of the pace attack.
Sam Whiteman will be the keeper, not bad behind the sticks and can hold his own with the bat.
So here is my Test team under the new rules:
1. Rogers
2. Hughes
3. Klinger
4. Clarke (c)
5. Burns
6. Faulkner
7. Whiteman
8. Johnson
9. Harris
10. Pattinson
11. Lyon
12. Bird
Feel free to rate my team and tell me who I may have got wrong or who I maybe got right (on the odd ocassion).
Make your own Test, ODI or T20 team as well in the comments section.
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