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For the first time in recent memory, the current round of Sheffield Shield matches starting around the country today will have genuine interest among cricket fans, and with actual media coverage almost guaranteed.
There’s a long and very worthy discussion to be had that this should be the case for every Shield games, but alas, the professional game has changed the cricket landscape and this isn’t the time to have that discussion.
Simultaneously, this is both the best and worst time to be a highly-talented state batsmen.
Make some runs today or in this game, and there will be an Australian selector watching. You might’ve wondered if the selectors knew who you were a week ago, but be assured today that they’re watching.
But, fail today or in this game, and there will be an Australian selector watching!
It will just be the one selector, however. With Rod Marsh’s sudden decision yesterday afternoon to bring his June finishing date as Chairman of Selectors forward to ‘immediately’, it means that Mark Waugh, Trevor Hohns, and coach Darren Lehmann will be on their own at each game.
In their statement, Cricket Australia said that they would, “hold an extraordinary meeting [last night], where a decision on an interim appointment is expected to be reached. An announcement on this appointment will be made in due course.”
You would hope that “due course” is sometime before Sunday, when the third Test squad is expected to be announced. But stranger things have happened in Australian cricket circles this month.
On the weight of names being thrown up, there’s a million options as far as batsmen go. Or so it seems.
It’s Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson v Peter Handscomb, Cameron White and Glenn Maxwell at the SCG, and with Peter Nevill fighting off Matthew Wade, too (unless the limitations of Wade’s ‘keeping have finally been recognised).
Joe Burns is batting to save his spot at the ‘Gabba while Usman Khawaja should be safe. South Australia’s Travis Head and Jake Lehmann are hoping to put their name up in lights while teammate Callum Ferguson fights to reignite his. I wonder if any thought was given to playing this game with a pink ball?
And over in Perth, Adam Voges will be batting to save his Test career. I happen to think his time in the baggy green is done regardless of what he does in this game, for whatever that’s worth. Cameron Bancroft and even Sam Whiteman can bolt into contention, and you’d like to think George Bailey would be firmly in the middle order frame, too. We shouldn’t forget Mitchell Marsh, either. If he made runs and took wickets, he’d have to be back in the conversation.
Of the bowlers, it appears to be a bowl off between Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe in Sydney, and Joe Mennie and Chadd Sayers for SA in Brisbane. I wouldn’t drop either Lyon or Mennie, but I’m not silly enough to suggest they’re not under pressure. Blaming bowlers for clear and obvious batting failures is a bit futile, personally, but I accept that that might not be a widely held view.
So how many changes will the make?
In all honesty, how can anyone be sure? I’ll surprised if it’s as many as six, as has been suggested, but I won’t be surprised if it’s more than just a couple of batsmen.
At this point, and with the crisis deepening by the day, it’s literally anyone’s guess.
Short term gain for a hundred bucks and change
What’s the quickest and cheapest solution that will aid Australian cricket?
Six hoses.
I’m serious! The simple addition of moisture to the first class decks around the country will very quickly establish which talented young state batsmen are prepared to add some graft and resilience to their game.
And it’ll hardly cost anything; the Bunnings website says you can get a decent hose for $17.94, so let’s just get six and ship them around the country. Heck, Bunnings is a CA ‘Commercial Partner’, right up there with Milo and Weet-bix, so they might even be able to get mates’ rates.
Clearly, a generation of flat decks hasn’t helped anything, so get some juice into the wickets and throw the batsmen into the deep end. They’ll either adapt and find patience, or they won’t have to worry about needing their passport.
And it’ll aid the young bowlers, too, who will quickly learn the right lengths to bowl in seaming conditions, and hey, we might even remember how to make the ball to move in the air.
All for $107.64. Simples.