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In the past few months, nay, few years there has been a steady stream of debutants meander through the Australian Test team.
The ever revolving door has entertained some with more touted potential, like Usman Khawaja. Some with more glorious debuts like Marsh and Krejza, yet few have had the composure and calmness of Ed Cowan. It is the hallmark of the very best Test match warriors.
Many of the 70,068 in the stadium joked throughout the first session and afterward about the slow rate of his play. However, it was refreshing to see Australian batsmen prepared to graft something out. Three times he chose to leave balls from Sharma and Khan, in the first session that could’ve been driven. On the fourth occasion he pounced and produced his first boundary in international cricket.
The bowling he came up against in the first two sessions was nothing astounding. Yet he wasn’t phased by the first short rain delay like Warner was; he succumbed fishing for a shoulder high delivery after one ball, his concentration easily bothered. Then came Marsh, who after six balls and no runs fell to a seaming Yandev delivery caught at backward point attempting to drive.
Cowan, on debut in the Boxing Day Test, still stood at the other end.
India’s worst period of the day came after lunch. Ponting and Cowan accelerated the score and reached their 100 partnership. The usually devastating Khan bowled with little penetration. He was too short and the MCG wicket sat the ball up accordingly as the Tasmanians scored freely behind and just in front of square.
Like he did with Warner, Cowan used his temperament to compliment the flashier and less composed Ponting. Although the former captain did play his best innings in a while, he was far from solid. He was hit second ball on the helmet by Sharma, on the elbow later on, and then dropped by Gambhir. Whilst he showed considerable determination to get his score, it was the unperturbed Cowan who provided the ying to Ponting’s yang, keeping the Indian’s working hard to draw out a chance.
Sharma, in the lead up to tea and then after, produced a great spell of bowling finally pitching the ball up and applying pressure to Ponting and Cowan. Ponting subsequently fell to Yadav whilst Cowan remained at the crease.
Cowan eventually fell after Clarke’s cameo (which lacked Cowan’s patience) and Hussey’s unfortunate duck. Cowan himself was unlucky to go for 68 with hot spot or snicko showing nothing on his bat when caught behind by Dhoni of Ashwin.
Cowan’s placidness and aplomb are demonstrated in these statistics. He made 68 runs from 177 balls. In comparison, Warner made 37 off 49 whilst Ponting made 62 off 94. Furthermore, he saw more wickets fall at the other end (five) than any other Australian player on debut since Greg Blewett saw four in 1994, according to ABC statistician Ric Finlay.
These statistics, his willingness to leave, shot selection and time spent at the crease are marvelous things to see from a batsman on debut.
Cowan is the batsman this fragile lineup has been looking for. Hopefully he continues in this fashion and lays for Australia for many years to come.
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