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Any young boy who dreams about his cricketing future has the vision of someday pulling on the famous baggy green.
Every Test player who has had the honour of wearing the baggy green now has a number to signify their place in Australian cricket history. This elite group is represented by a mere 450.
But the list of cricketers who never were lucky enough to fulfil their dream of donning the baggy green is just as long.
For this piece, I have focused on those still playing the game and or those who have retired within the last ten years. These players never got the chance to join the elite 450 before them.
1. Michael Klinger (Vic)
2. Michael Di Venuto (Tas)
3. Jamie Cox (Tas)
4. Jimmy Maher (Qld)
5. David Hussey (Vic)
6. Dan Christian (SA)
7. James Hopes (Qld)
8. Chris Hartley (Qld)
9. Damien Wright (Tas)
10. Ashley Noffke (Qld)
11. Dirk Nannes (Vic)
The opening partnership is crucial. These players are responsible for blunting the new ball attack while having the ability to set a foundation for the middle to lower order. That is why I have gone for Michael Klinger and Tassies Michael Di Venuto.
With a combined total of over 36,000 first-class runs in both Australia and England, these two would have walked into most international teams at some stage of their careers.
With an overall first-class record of 18,614 runs at 42.69 and possessing the capabilities of batting in the top four, Jamie Cox had the game to match it with the best.
An elegant left-hander, Jimmy Maher scored over 13,000 first class runs at a tick under 40. With all the shots in the book and a temperament to match, Maher would have been a useful man to walk in at no.3.
Over 15,000 runs at just over 50, the David Hussey can count himself desperately unlucky to not have been one of the 350 players to have played Test match cricket for his country.
A regular in the shorter formats, if given the opportunity, he would have no doubt forged himself an impressive career in the baggy green just like his younger brother.
In the spirit of the current debate around all-rounders, I have thrown two of the mainstays of domestic career in recent years. James Hopes and Dan Christian in their own rights have been very steady cricketers for their respective states. Both have played short format cricket for their country as well.
Averaging a tick over 30 with the bat and 26 with ball, Hopes would have been a useful man to come in at six or seven. With the ability to counter attack with the bat while keeping things with the ball, throw in captaincy experience, Hopes was more than a handy cricketer.
Dan Christian can hit the ball as hard and long as anyone who has played the game. A valuable extra seam option, Christian, who still plays for Victoria, is perhaps in career-best form with both bat and ball and is more than capable of competing at the highest level.
One of the toughest gigs to get is that of Australian wicketkeeper. Rarely do you see many changes in this position and rarely do these changes occur often, but if given the chance, Chris Hartley, a hard-hitting left-hander, would have been a solid performer in all conditions with both gloves and bat.
Unfortunately for him, he was stuck behind some useful glovemen in Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin.
My fast bowling unit is made of Damien Wright, Ashley Noffke and Dirk Nannes.
Both Wright and Noffke averaged around 28 with the ball and were useful with the willow as well. Both hit the pitch hard and can keep a McGrath line and length on a good day but both also had their issues with injury as well which didn’t help their ambitions of reaching the top in the longer format.
Admittedly neither would have scared an opposition line-up but both had more than enough ability that would’ve troubled many international batsmen.
Speaking of scaring the opposition, my final member of the XI is Victorian Dirk Nannes.
More recognised as a shorter format specialist, Nannes had the ability to generate some frightening speed with the ball while at times being a little unpredictable. Think Shawn Tait.
Either way, you knew you were in a contest if you had this man steaming in at you.
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