- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Ricky Ponting’s elbow injury has come at the worst time for player and team. A misfiring batting lineup have looked solid against the West Indies, yet failed repeatedly to grasp the initiative. The second innings collapse in Perth has inspired no faith that Ponting’s troupe are up to the job without him.
That’s the glass half-empty scenario anyway.
Ponting’s likely absence means there will be three significant aspects to the Australian team on Boxing Day.
First, it means a well-deserved reprieve for Michael Hussey. The critics, now including Shane Warne, believe Mr Cricket has reached his end.
After a stellar period in one day cricket, Hussey is no more or less guilty than his batting colleagues for the failure to dominate the West Indies. Yet his role becomes suddenly crucial to ensure Australia doesn’t take on a fragile look in the middle order.
The second, and most obvious, is that Michael Clarke will become Australia’s 43rd Test captain on Boxing Day.
Love or loath him, Clarke has been the most imperious batsman on the team during the last two years. One can look to several fighting centuries in India, along with a wonderful Ashes tour to know there’s more to Clarke beyond the commercial exterior.
But the captaincy comes with responsibility. In Ponting’s absence, Michael Clarke must assume number 3 position. Our best batsman cannot be shielded behind teammates that still bear question marks. A solid outing at first drop will kill off any doubts of whether he is our next full-time skipper.
But the other scenario is who will be the new batsman called into the Australian team. Here are the potential options:
1) Phillip Hughes
By far the most popular choice. His sense of timing can’t be questioned either, given his century against Victoria in the Shield. Yet his recall in these circumstances makes no sense.
His ridiculous axing in England has to be used constructively. It now means Hughes has the wonderful opportunity to go back to domestic cricket and hone his game without the limelight intruding. Failures for NSW barely register a blip. Failures for Australia will reverberate around newspapers and blogs worldwide, which may lead to further disturbing the natural progress of a wonderful talent. The same path has been walked by Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden, and they turned out all right.
2) Brad Hodge
For all of Hughes’ great sense of timing, Brad Hodge has none. Ricky Ponting falls crook, and Hodge rules himself out before the selectors can.
Yet even if Hodge is tempted to overturn his decision for a dream farewell at his beloved MCG, the selectors must resist. Success or failure won’t matter, as Hodge will automatically be out once Ponting returns. Picking a 35-year-old sends a poor message to our younger alternatives.
3) David Hussey
At 32, the younger Hussey still has time to carve out a meaningful contribution for Australia. With an average of 55, and with 36 first class tons, he is by no means a dud choice. A Boxing Day Test debut is a likely possibility.
4) Michael Klinger
The darkhorse of the pack. While his overall figures aren’t much to write about, his form for South Australia has been outstanding since his move last season. At 29, time is on his side, and he can be a useful spare batsman for the Test side.
5) Other possibilities
Phil Jaques
Shaun Marsh
Cameron White
Chris Rogers
Adam Voges
At any rate, Ricky Ponting is the last remaining vestige of the dominant Australian era. His absence will be a true insight to the team’s future prospects.
The Australian selectors must not waste a golden opportunity to plant the seeds for future success.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.