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Looking over the squad for the upcoming Test series in the UAE, the composition of the batting line-up strikes me as skewed. It seems as though there is a generation missing from the team, an age period lacking in our batting line-up.
Currently, we have four batsmen picked for the squad over 33 – Chris Rogers (37), Brad Haddin (36), Michael Clarke (33) and Shane Watson (33), who withdrew through injury.
There are also three players 26 and under – Glenn Maxwell (26), Phil Hughes and Steve Smith (both 25). This leaves only two players, David Warner (27) and Alex Doolan (28), in the age range considered the prime of a batsman’s career – the late 20s and early 30s.
Who are the current players in this 27-32-year-old age bracket that haven’t developed into Test cricketers? Let’s analyse a few of the players that haven’t nailed down a spot in the prime of their batting life.
Cameron White – 31 years old (4 Tests, 146 runs @ 29.20, 5 wickets @ 68.40)
The former Victorian captain has been in great form in the recent Matador Cup, hitting two centuries and being a lone-hand in the Victorian top-order and putting his name up for the 2015 World Cup squad.
White’s first-class career has spanned 14 years, early on it seemed he was Australia’s next leg-spinner, the four Tests he played being in India in 2008, were as a spin-bowler. White’s career has stalled with a lack of consistency hampering his chances of a Test recall.
Shaun Marsh – 31 years old (9 Tests, 493 runs @ 32.86, 2x 100s)
Marsh’s run with injury has seen a quality batsman cut down in the prime of his career. After making an excellent hundred on debut in Sri Lanka, Marsh has had continual back and hamstring problems.
Similar to White, his limited-over form has been excellent, being one of the world most dangerous T20 batsmen, but his failure to convert starts in the five-day game (10x 100s, 25x 50s) has hampered his development.
Callum Ferguson – 29 years old (no Tests)
A batsman with an excellent ODI record (30 ODIs, 663 runs @ 41.43), Ferguson was just hitting his straps in late 2009 when he suffered a serious knee injury, requiring a reconstruction. Since then he has only played five ODIs for Australia and has struggled to regain his form.
In first-class cricket he has reached fifty 39 times, but only converted these to hundreds nine times, a common trait among the players in this list.
Peter Forrest – 28 years old (no Tests)
Another batsman who was called in the ODI side but didn’t cement his place (15 matches, 368 runs @ 26.28, 1x 100). Since Forrest moved to Queensland for more opportunities than were on offer in New South Wales, he has been a solid member of the Bulls middle order but still hasn’t gone on to bigger things.
A first-class average of 35.97 is underwhelming but last season’s Sheffield Shield form, where he hit 823 runs at 68.58, with three centuries, could be a stepping stone to bigger things this summer.
Usman Khawaja – 27 years old (9 Tests, 377 runs @ 25.13)
A hugely divisive figure among cricket enthusiasts, and Roar commenters, Khawaja has not taken his opportunities at Test level. His 5392 first-class runs at a reasonable average of 40.23, show he has potential, but like Ferguson, White and Marsh before him, his inability to convert fifties into hundreds (13x 100s, 29x 50s) keeps him from being a top-class batsman.
Last season’s Shield haul of 551 runs at 50.09 showed improvement, but he once again only converted one of four fifties into hundreds. He is on the younger side of this group and you feel a good season will see him get another opportunity at Test level soon.
Aaron Finch – 27 years old (no Tests)
Our T20 captain and limited-overs battering-ram has exploded onto the international scene, his bludgeoning bat and smart cricket brain have him set to become one of Australia’s key players in the upcoming World Cup. But the transition from colours to whites has been a hard one for Finch, who has struggled to find his spot in the Victorian batting order, and it would seem it’s still undecided whether he is suited to the top or middle-order in the red ball game.
An average of 29.16 and only three centuries are poor stats for such a powerful batsman. Hopefully he can find his role and produce some scintillating cricket for Victoria and push for a baggy green in the future.
Tim Paine – 29 years old (4 Tests, 287 runs @ 35.87, 16 catches)
The Tassie keeper has never really kicked on after scoring 215 when opening the batting for Tassie in his first season. It’s still his only first-class century. Seen as the incumbent keeper to Brad Haddin, injuries and form have seen Paine slip behind Matthew Wade, Peter Nevill and possibly Sam Whiteman in the keeping pecking-order.
The overriding theme of these batsmen, who are all very talented and capable, is the lack of conversion. The inability to get hundreds and bat for an extended period of time has hurt all their chances of playing Test cricket. But with a few of our current batsman moving into the twilight of their careers, a good Sheffield Shield season could catapult one of these men into the Test team sooner rather than later.
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