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The Australian Test side is moving towards another period of upheaval in the next 12-18 months, with several players likely to retire their baggy greens. While this is not an unusual occurrence, it does provide us with an opportunity to pause and appreciate a recent shift in selection approach.
A few years ago, an elder statesman of the Australian team was dropped while still in strong form. The national selection panel at the time cited a desire to move in a more youthful direction as their primary motivation for unceremoniously dumping Simon Katich.
Fast forward to 2014, and we can see a very different approach to senior players being employed by Rod Marsh and his fellow selectors.
Our current Test side features three men over the age of 35 in Chris Rogers, Ryan Harris and Brad Haddin. Two of them, Harris and Rogers, are still putting in very strong performances in the current series against India.
Add to this the international T20 selection of Brad Hodge and Brad Hogg, 40 and 43 respectively, in recent years, and the average age of our national sides may be on the rise.
Numbers aside, these players bring a range of attributes to the team that are often missing when fielding a group of youngsters.
Australian captain Michael Clarke proved some insight on why the Australian team values its senior players during his Boxing Day Test commentary debut. Discussing Chris Rogers and his role in the side, Clarke was quick to comment on the stability and patient approach Rogers provides.
Along with his role of keeping opening partner David Warner calm and focused at the crease, Rogers’ ability to ‘bat time’ should not be understated when assessing the strengths of the team. Add this to his vast experience in a range of conditions, and it’s easy to see why the selectors chose to provide Rogers with a late career stint in the Test side.
In the bowling department, Harris is arguably the first man picked in the team. While Mitchell Johnson haunted the dreams of the English side last summer, it is Harris who has been the mainstay of the attack in recent years.
With the best strike rate in the history of Australian Test cricket and a thirst for wickets that shows no sign of abating, the selectors will no doubt continue to pick Harris until his knees give up the ghost.
These old guns provide the rare double of outstanding performance and a capacity to mentor younger teammates that is invaluable to their development and the ongoing regeneration of Australian cricket. Recognising and harnessing these attributes shows a level of intelligence and forward thinking that is not always present in the sporting world.
Picking the best players available seems an obvious and logical approach, yet often alluded Andrew Hilditch and his cohorts. Like all new regimes, Rod Marsh and the national selection panel cannot undo the mistakes of their predecessors. We can only hope that their current ‘age is no barrier’ policy will continue to be employed long into the future.
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