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With Brad Haddin in the twilight of his cricketing career, the National Selection Panel will soon be required to select his replacement. Fortunately for Rod Marsh and his fellow selectors, the dominant batting form displayed recently by state keepers presents them with plenty of options.
The return of Sheffied Shield cricket brought with it the familiar inconsistent batting performances expected from Victoria. While the Bushrangers’ batting order looks strong on paper, a collapse of 5/77 left diminutive skipper Matthew Wade with plenty of work to do.
Fortunately, he was up to the task, smashing a career best 152 to guide the Vics to 260. While a dominant double century from Chris Lynn ultimately led to a crushing innings loss for the Bushies, Wade also posted a half century in the second innings. These fighting displays reiterate why the nuggety little man is held in such high regard by state and national selectors.
After dismissing Victoria for a below par score, Queensland were looking to press home their advantage by posting a big total in reply. The chances of this were not looking strong, however, when early strikes from James Pattinson and Peter Siddle saw them slump to 4/33.
Fortunately for the Bulls, Lynn’s heroics were accompanied by a determined 123 by stalwart Chris Hartley. Their partnership of 273 put the game out of reach for the Vics, before Hartley was finally dismissed.
While older than the other candidates often mentioned on these pages, Hartley’s exemplary glovework and underrated batting could see him behind the stumps in the Brisbane Test this November.
Last, but certainly not least, we head to Tasmania, where New South Wales also found themselves in a spot of bother. Slumping to 5/66 in response to Tassie’s first innings total of 272, the Blues were merely looking to avoid a first innings deficit when Peter Nevill strode to the crease.
From this perilous position, an innings victory was certainly not a consideration for either side. However, Nevill may have been carrying a Wade-sized chip on his shoulder, spending the recent Big Bash League season on the sidelines after Wade’s defection to the Renegades.
The resulting onslaught saw NSW declare at 9/576, with Nevill unbeaten on 235. Seeing off lethal early spells from Jackson Bird and Ben Hilfenhaus, Nevill then set about forcing his name in front of the National Selection Panel.
Flights to the West Indies and the UK may now be tentatively booked in Nevill’s iPhone calendar for later this year, as he continues to battle Wade and Sam Whiteman to succeed Haddin in the national side.
Regardless of who the selectors choose as Haddin’s replacement when he finally decides to retire, the return of Shield cricket has brought with it further evidence of our state keepers’ fighting qualities.
All the glovemen mentioned above are worthy successors to Haddin. Rod Marsh and his fellow selectors ultimately find themselves in the enviable position of being utterly spoilt for choice upon Haddin’s departure.
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