Australia is ranked number three in Tests and could drop another place to four. England is ranked number four and could supplant Australia come the Ashes in November. Ponting is his own worst enemy; he has been loyal to his team almost to a fault. He has been like the erstwhile CEO of BP, trying to plug the oil leak off the Gulf of Mexico.
He could have taken the easy way out in the last two years and maybe his form as a batsman would not have suffered.
But the easy option has never been Ponting’s way.
He has not suddenly lost his powers. He has always been a slow starter. All batsmen are susceptible early in their innings’. Ponting could have taken the Lara and Tendulkar route of playing as a batsman only.
In the end, Ponting is displaying the same loyalty that Allan Border did.
Ponting will stay loyal to his team just as he had with Symonds. He is not going to publicly criticize Johnson. The decision has to be taken out of his hands.
Are the Australian cricketers just playing for their wages? Have they become comfortable with their contracts which guarantee the top players a million dollars?
The days of a Bradman Baggy Green fetching $300,000 are as distant as the Morse code.
There is nothing to stop the selectors picking players who are not contracted. Simon Katich needs a new opening partner. If we discount Philip Hughes, who is coming back from injury, then the next best performed in the Sheffield Shield is Michael Klinger. He scored 886 runs last season with a top score of 207 not out.
His average of 63.28 also shades Hughes at 56.05.
Klinger is just 30 and is mature enough to handle the elevation. Playing just for the baggy green and match payments will ensure the hunger is there.
We are crying out for a consistent and aggressive number five and, ironically, the best performed batsman in the Shield was David Hussey. He scored 970 runs at the excellent average of 57.05, including three hundreds.
Significantly, his strike rate of 77 was the highest among the top 10 batsmen. He also hit more sixes (18) than any other player in the Shield.
A straight swap. David for Michael.
Cricket has a long memory and it was in the fourth test against England in Adelaide, 1991, that Mark Waugh made his debut. You guessed it. At the expense of his twin, Steve!
Cricket Australia, surprisingly, took David Hussey off the current contracted list so he would be doubly hungry.
Our bowling stocks need freshening and the two that scream for recognition are Ben Cutting and Trent Copeland. Cutting was the leading wicket taker with 46 from 11 games. Copeland only played 5 matches but took an amazing 35 wickets at an average of 17.57 and more importantly a strike rate of a wicket every 40.1 balls.
Hilditch, Boon, Cox and Hughes need to make some hard decisions. And most of these revolve around the bowling.
Hilfenhaus picks himself. Johnson needs a spell and more miles in the legs. Bollinger has lost the fizz and should be in the squad but not the second pick.
Peter George and John Hastings must be given a run in the two tests against India. George has grown up bowling on the flat Adelaide pitch and knows how to put the hard yards in. Hazelwood is already in the squad and is adequate cover for the other three.
Siddle needs to prove his fitness and learn to bowl a good length more consistently.
Nathan Hauritz is our best spinner and will slot straight back in. Haddin has not played for two months and will be rusty. Paine should play the next two Tests and Haddin should go to India as the backup.
In two years time we will need a number one, three and five to replace Ponting, Hussey and Katich.
The contenders are Hughes, Khawaja and Ferguson. Hughes is coming off an injury so he should not be picked for India. Ferguson also is on the comeback trail and has played a few second XI games but not enough to replace Hussey. But we are not talking about Michael here.
The starting XI for the next Test should be: Katich, Khawaja, Ponting, Clarke, David Hussey, Watson, Paine, Hauritz, Hilfenhaus, George and Hastings. Smith the 12th man. The other four in the squad should be George Bailey, Hazelwood, Trent Copeland and Haddin.
In two years time the Test XI could look like: Hughes, Khawaja, Clarke, Bailey, Ferguson, Smith, Paine, Johnson, Hilfenhaus, George, Hazelwood.
Siddle could make a comeback and Mitchell Marsh may be the next long term captain.
There is a cosy relation between Cricket Australia and some sections of the media. A lot of this could be to do with the access to players. Some of it may be due to parochialism. The old NSW versus Victoria debate.
Cricket Australia is quick to remind us that the Sheffield Shield is the strongest domestic competition in the world. It is time for them to pick the players that have form on the board.
Australian cricketers have some of the best award conditions of any workplace. The contracted players get paid even if they are not playing. Either due to injury or loss of form. These conditions are better than any paid maternity or paternity leave.
Time to perform or move on.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
WClarke,sorry I missed this and you are right the Indian bowling looks weak.But India lifts another 25% against Australia and someone like Ishant Sharma only has to see Ponting to start firing up. Ditto for Harbhajan,injured or not. The backup is not great but Harbhajan on the field is enough to enrage the Aussies.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Lolly, just to prove I am heartless even Dravid must perform. He is hitting the ball well and is getting out when set..run out and playing an indiscreet shot. I am betting Rahul D is India's best whe they play Australia and South Africa. He will lift for the Aussies. Laxman proved he is one for the ages with his knock yesterday. All serenity when those around him were burning their bridges.
Lolly
Guest
No, neither do I. It needs fresh air to breathe as a sport. With a minor caveat for Dravid, I'd let him play on crutches if he wanted.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Lolly,In this age of big money I cannot blame players for wanting to extend their use by date. My point is that selectors should only pick on form. Short term loss of form in younger players is lack of experience. With older players it can be terminal. This is what selectors are paid to do. Players like Ferguson and Smith and others I have mentioned have been identified for more than the last two years and can only improve by playing International cricket. The Shield can only teach them so much. All these guys have been playing the A games and playing against the next generation of South Africans,Indian and Sri Lankans for some time. India has the same problem and their Selectors too are reluctant to jettison the older players.I don't want Test Cricket to become a home for the aged.
Lolly
Guest
Anthony, I see the same problem with Marsh as with Ferguson. Can either of them concentrate for extended periods? Their Shield records are very similar, loads of 50's, not many 100's. Which looks even worse for Marsh as he's an opener or 3. But give them another solid year at Shield cricket and hopefully they'll have turned corners. As the talent is there with both of them, the rest is all in the head.
Anthony
Guest
James, I do agree Ferguson has done a great job in ODI's, but most of these digs are with no slips, gaps to push and run and no pressure to bat for extended periods against bowlers who can bowl more than 10 overs. Good one day player, but so was Bevan.... Where is Shaun Marsh in all this?? Surely the one of the most technically sound of the non-test playing Ltd overs players?? Could he do a M Hussey and make the transition from opener to middle order, at a younger age?? Me thinks so
Lolly
Guest
I don't think they are apathetic, I think the selectors are frightened and are taking a very conservative approach in the hope that it will work out. This conservatism seems far more risky to me than bringing in young blood, but I'm not an Aus selector. We'll have to hope that North and Hussey turn up trumps as we are stuck with them. And that the GABBA and the SCG don't turn on the overcast conditions as they did last summer. If they do, that's 2 tests we'll lose.
Lolly
Guest
That's my problem with Watson, Vinay. Why would you want a player with so much pressure on him in terms of the requirement of concentration in the field with bowling and being in first slip to then come out and open the batting? And this particular player has a horrendous injury record. It makes no sense. His opening this year has hardly been effective in any case.
jameswm
Guest
Sorry Anthony I can't agree on Ferguson. The guy bats at his best in difficult circumstances in the one-dayers. On the tough decks, when the others can't get the ball off the square, he looks like he's playing on a different wicket. These are the signs of CLASS, as he's done it since he was an international rookie. The guy does not have the rigid technique of a Ponting or Watson - he has touch and soft hands, and an adaptable technique. I fully believe he'd be a fantastic test player and once fit I'd bring him in for North or Hussey.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
FP,Actually I have not changed my stance on Ponting as a player or Captain. I am however saying that the selection decisions should be taken out of his hands. As Sheek so pertinently said sometimes loyalty can be blind. The selectors should be selecting on form. And this is now a generational thing. Like our population we have an ageing team. Smith has been a good addition and Khawaja to partner Katich would be a good move. Ferguson has not done anything of note in the longer forms and David Hussey for Michael would be a good stop gap. George Bailey and Klinger must be a show in my book. But it is the bowling that is crucial. Hastings,Copeland,Cutting are the future along with Hazelwood. Harris and Hilfenhaus have the best form on the board and we cannot risk a misfiring Johnson..I still believe he has talent and can bowl consistently fast. India are vulnerable to good offspin as Ashley Mallett proved more than 40 years ago and Randiv the new Sri lankan. Hauritz has the chance to show how far he has come.There is none else.
Fisher Price
Guest
Hmmm. Seems we have some deniers here!
Fisher Price
Guest
Punter's paws - bang on. Little Hitler.
Fisher Price
Guest
Ponting's preferred X!: Hayden, Langer, Ponting (c), M Hussey, Symonds, Haddin, Johnson, Smith, Hauritz, Lee, Siddle.
Fisher Price
Guest
Seems as though North is secure. Of course, M Hussey is untouchable. Pah!
Fisher Price
Guest
Selectors just wish to please the almighty Ponting (who is not a captain's rear end). Good post Vinay. Pleased to see someone addressing the apathetic approach Cricket Australia has to its work.
WClarke
Guest
Vinay, a thought provoking article. There are lots of good players coming up (Copeland, Cutting) but they probably need another season of Shield cricket. I don't agree with wholesale changes for the next series in India. The bowling to me isn't the real problem - it's the middle order. The only player who should genuinely be on the chopping block is North. M Hussey is hanging on, but should play in India and Brisbane at least. The potential replacements - Hughes if he scores a mountain of runs in England (back as opener, with Watson moving to 5 or 6), Khawaja, or Smith as a 'project player' a la S Waugh in the 80s. I don't think that 'older' players like D Hussey should be selected - not a reflection on their talent, but more because we need to groom young players for the decade ahead. On that note I agree Paine should be the keeper - a better long term bet than Haddin. In the bowling, Johnson is frustrating but he has match-winning ability and should be persevered with for now. In '08 he bowled commendably in India although his stats weren't great. I wouldn't drop Bollinger- a couple of off tests doesn't mean he's 'lost it', and he showed enough last summer to deserve to keep his spot. Hilf/Harris for the other pace slot and Hauritz should be the spinner. BTW how much do we have to fear from the Indian bowlers anyway? They have been quite poor in SL. Indian batting is the big threat as always, but judging by recent results our batsmen may be able to gain some confidence against an attack which is inconsistent at best and nonthreatening at worst. This Indian series may not be the horror series its being depicted as by some writers.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Anthony, three changes(at most four) and one of them just a batting position swap. More generational than wholesale. David Hussey scored a double ton in a county game this week..the ball moves more in the UK than here. Ferguson,if you notice I am talking in two years time...and if he does not perform than so be it.
Anthony
Guest
Vinay, whoa! Nice article, but drastic wholesale changes just for the sake of changes will do nothing. The continuous calls for Dave Hussey to be in the test team are totally misguided. His defensive technique to the moving ball is average at best, same for Ferguson. Wonderful ODI players, but their whites are for Sheffield shield only.
jameswm
Guest
Otherwise you agree! That's 3 of 8 you disagree on! I know what you mean on Watson and I used to think the same. But it doesn't happen too often. I'm not too worried about fiddling with the batting order. Khawaja opening and Watto to 5 is OK - we'll see how they go. But Huss and North are safe.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Jameswm, for an opener Watson gets trapped on the crease a lot and I think he is intimidating more in the shorter form of the game. He should play but for balance at no 6 and either Khawaja or Hughes to open with Katich. I am still not discounting Klinger as a two year option if Hughes cannot use his Hampshire stint to become prolific. I know Johnson has talent but getting miles in the legs should be in the Shield not in a Test Match. Harris if fit should be the partner for Hilfhenhaus. George to open in India and Bolly to play shield and work on his outswinger to the lefty. Otherwise I mostly agree,