Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting celebrates after reaching 100 on the second day of the first cricket test match between England and Australia in Cardiff, Wales, Thursday July 9, 2009. AP Photo/Jon Super
Australian cricket needs a big dose of youth. It needs young legs and uncluttered brains. The team resembles a marriage where a lot is taken for granted. There are too many unwashed dishes in the kitchen sink. Some of the kids have been spoilt and given too much too soon.
Superstars do not come straight out of the womb. There is no microwave shortcut to excellence. The X-factor is overrated and is a myth. Sport is like the real estate market and long-term gains are measured in decades and not years.
The great Australian teams (leaving aside the Invincibles and before) of the mid fifties, seventies and nineties were all YOUNG teams.
Ian Johnson captained Australia in the 5th Test Match in Sydney in 1955. England won this series 3-1 against an ageing Australian side. Johnson was 38, Miller was 36, Lindwall was 34 and Maddocks the keeper was 30. Peter Burge was the youngest at 23 and the rest including Benaud, McDonald and Harvey in the mid-twenties.
In 1956 Australia took much the same team to England and lost the series 2-1. They did, however, promote Harvey to 3 and Burge to 4. And Archer at 23 injected some youth.
In 56-57 Ian Johnson again led the team to India and they won 2-0 largely due to the batting of Harvey and Burge and the bowling of Benaud who took 5 wickets in an innings three times. It was a three Test series.
In December 1957 Australia appointed Ian Craig as captain for the South African tour. Ian was just 22 going on 23 and led Australia to a 3-0 series win. Benaud was again the star scoring a century at the Wanderers, taking nine wickets at Newlands, another 100 in the fourth Test at the Wanderers and five wickets in the final innings at Port Elizabeth.
Unfortunately Ian was laid low with Hepatitis and missed the next two seasons.
The Australian selectors had seen enough and Benaud was appointed captain for the 1958-59 Ashes series. England had the Ashes and nothing but a win in the series would reclaim them.
Benaud was just 28 and the selectors also gave Norm O Neill his first Test Cap at 21. In a low scoring match Benaud took seven wickets and O Neill scored 34 and 71 not out to lead Australia to an 8 wicket win. Benaud had arrived and the oldest in the team was Ken “Slasher” Mackay at 32 and Grout just 30.
Australia recalled Bobby Simpson, just 23, and duly won the second test, also by eight wickets (Simpson had earlier debuted in South Africa in 1957). Though Simpson did not have a successful Test, the selectors had shown their preference for the agility of young minds and bodies.
The third Test was drawn and for Adelaide the selectors chose Gordon Rorke instead of Meckiff. Rorke was a 21 year old tearaway and blasted the England middle order picking up Cowdrey and Graveney and reducing England from 3 for 180 to 5 for 183. This ultimately aided Australia’s win.
Australia recalled Meckiff for the fifth Test in Melbourne and alongwith Rorke they both terrorized the English. Australia also had Davidson and Lindwall and this perhaps was one of the most lethal quartets in Australia’s history.
Australia reclaimed the Ashes 4-0 and youth was the major factor.
Fast forward to 1976 and the Australians had Ian Chappell, the captain, and Redpath the only two players the wrong side of 30. Gilmour, Thomson and Lillee were 25, 26 and 27. Turner, Yallop, Cosier and Greg Chappell all between 23 and 28.
The early eighties saw the retirement of Marsh, the Chappells, Lillee and Mallett. For the next four to five years Australia struggled under Border.
Things changed with the injection of youngsters like Steve Waugh, Dean Jones, Boon and Geoff Marsh. This was followed by McDermott and a chubby Shane Warne in 1991.
The rest is history and Australia has ruled right up to 2007. It is time to inject youth into the household. Time to have babies and see them grow.
The selectors have been like Victorian prudes who have lost the keys to their chastity belts – all starch and makeup hiding the creases and double chins.
Ponting’s loyalty to Johnson and Michael Hussey is admirable but it is counter-productive to Australia’s success. This is not the time to select on a wing and a prayer.
Johnson has talent but it must be consistent. He has to be replaced. And if he is good enough, which I think he is, he will come back. Many of our greats have been dropped. Michael Clarke was dropped. Steve Waugh was dropped. Bobby Simpson was dropped.
Seniority must not be mistaken for continuing excellence. Ponting has a lot to offer Australia but I believe it is as captain and batting five or six. I also believe he should play his last ODI at the next World Cup and see out his career as a Test player only.
His new two-year contract is just reward for a great batsman and he must now see how best he can serve Australia.
It is not hard to envisage another Tasmanian, in George Bailey, captaining Australia in two years time. One would hope it is before he becomes the Old Bailey! Michael Clarke may have something to say about this.
Neil Harvey and Doug Walters scored their first Test centuries when they were 19. McDermott was the same age as Hazelwood when he played his first Test. Vettori at 18 was three years younger than Steve Smith. Ponting himself was 20 on debut. Greg Chappell was 22 and captained Australia when he was 27.
They have identified Khawaja, Smith, Hughes, George, Hazelwood and Bailey. These players must play sooner rather than later.
The selectors need to go back 62 years and inject some youth come November at the ‘Gabba.
The Ashes depend on it.
But more importantly Australian cricket depends on it.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Oracle,I would love to see Cameron White captain the T20. Clarke is a very accomplished Test batsman and I think his best is in front of him and in two years time he will make a good Test Captain. He is a brilliant fielder and is prepared to try his hunches. Even Siddle,I would rest for the Indian tour to see what George is made of.
Oracle
Guest
Very well put Vinay, pity not in the daily's. Must say though, Cameron White should not only be in the side ahead of Marcus North, he should also be the next Captain. He is one of the most explosive middle order bat going around( and a great cricket brain) , and should be in all Australian Teams, and certainly T20 captain, where Clarke should NEVER play. I really like the fact that you are for Tim Paine ahead of Haddin, with Matt Wade right in there as a batsman/keeper for the shorter forms of the game. Glad to see someone have the intestitude to question Mitchell Johnson's place, as an erratic fast bowler. Hilfy, Siddle and Doug The Rug to start with, plus Steve Smith, Watson and the underbowled Katich plus White and you have a good attack. Make Johnson earn his place via results, rather than reputation. As if Hilditch will take any notice of common sense. He is originally from NSW and picks his sides accordingly.
Chaos
Guest
D Hussey? He's no spring chicken.
Lolly
Guest
And me, I want him to captain Aus in the next 5/6 years or so. And be in the ODI team in 2 years and the test team in three. Ha, ha, no presure on the lad at all. But having heard him interviewed a few times, he appears to have something between the ears to go along with the talent.
Jason
Guest
Of course the easiest way to reduce the average age of the side would be to drop Ponting. I'm not a big fan of youth for youth's sake but when the other factors are basically equal, the youth should be a deciding factor. Hence, North should be dropped for Smith at the very very least.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Lolly,this is where the selectors and coaches have to smarten up. Rest the key players and give the young guns a go in ODI's and Twenty20. Especially with the World Cup around the corner we need to see if guys like Christian,Hazelwood,Cutting and the likes can cut it.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Cricket Burble,Pakistan is an exception rather than the rule. They had no choice but to bring in the young batters. Umar Amin may not cut it but Azhar Ali looks the goods and a season playing County or Grade in Australia will be the making of him. I am not sure of the standard of the domestic competition in Pakistan but I think it would be below the top five countries. My statement about youth was not 11 green baggy's but an injection. I take your point about experience and this is valid. But ultimately expierience is not enough if the legs are failing.
Lolly
Guest
I agree about rotating the players especially in series against lower-ranked squads. How are young players expected to get experience if they aren't played and have to wait for injury? It's not arrogant, it's planning ahead. Look at the Kookaburras. Charlesworth deliberately got younger players in the CT and rested more experienced players as he wants a large pool to choose from for the Olympics. Cricket selection is too protected. For starters, having the same wicketkeeper for all formats is ridiculous. Wickies take a real beating physically, why put so much stress on them?
Lolly
Guest
I think Pakistan for all their flaws in management are trying to get a more cohesive team together, that is why they have an inexperienced batting lineup. It's not just that they won't pick older players, it's down to the politicking that goes on whenever certain players are in the squad together.
Brett McKay
Expert
Middie, I'll just throw in a quick answer here too, that cricket is getting more aggresive than perhaps it has been. Case in point: young Victorian superkid, Alex Keath. Last summer, Keath was part of the Australian U19's side that won the 19s WC in NZ, and was a fairly major contributor with bat and ball. But he was also already on the priority pick list for the new Gold Coast AFL side, and was considered in the top handful of young players in the country, for that age. Fearing another lost cricketer to football, Cricket Victoria (and with blessings and/or assistance from CA) ignored standard practice of rookie contracts, and put a three year senior contract in front of young Keath, rumoured to be in the vacinity of $150K a year. In short, they made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Yes, he took it, and was a late call-up to the PM's XI in Canberra in January, about ten days after the U19s WC Final.. Interestingly, Keath's U19s captain, Mitchell Marsh, is/was also a very good AFL footballer, but has chosen the path of his brother (Shaun) and father (Geoff) into cricket. And it's working, because he's already played in the IPL this year, is fast becoming a key player for WA, and is now lumbered with the expectation from Vinay and myself that he'll be in the senior Australian side within a few years...
Cricket Burble
Guest
I'm not sure that I can agree that younger players brings in a younger audience. Great players bring in the audiences - both young and old - whatever their age. You mention England's rugby team too, but their oldest squad won the 2003 World Cup, and they were able to do so without playing any where near their best because of a combination of skill and experience. When the ref kept giving penalties against the English front row in the final (seemingly for no reason other than they were too strong for the Australian front row), Clive Woodward brought on one of his oldest players as sub, Jason Leonard. His instructions were 'use your experience to avoid any penalties at the scrum, even if that means not scrummaging'. Leonard helped England win the game by leaning only rather than scrummaging properly...would a young player have been able to do the same? I doubt it. Pakistan got it right introducing Aamer to support (and ultimately lead) their brilliant bowling attack, but look how they've messed up their attempts to bring in youth into their batting. Younger isn't necessarily better!
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Midfielder, this is a hard question. It would entail covering opportunity,ability,socio-economic,parental and cultural. I will concentrate on cricket and I believe the most important here is cultural and family. Children of British, Indian,Sri Lankan and Pakistani background will be influenced to gravitate towards cricket. One of the big problems cricket faces is time-poor parents. As children get older the form of cricket gets longer. Other sports like Soccer,League,UNion and AFL take up less of the parents' time. Elite sportsmen make a choice around 16 and then dedicate to one sport. So it depends on how much the parents support their kids and how much time they are preapared to dedicate in ferrying their children to sport. The other consideration,Midfielder,is that the 3 forms of cricket do give more opportunities for selection to the national team. We have largely a different team for the one dayers from the Tests. In the end you have to be the best in your chosen sport to attract the best money. I would say that Ponting, Clarke and Hussey are paid MORE than the top player in any of the football codes. This is talking just about playing related money..not sponsorships and speaking engagements.
Midfielder
Guest
Vinny I read a sports report earlier this year pertaining to the competition for the best young sports people... The argument went something like this by 2012... AFL 18 teams planing to move to 20, NRL 16 teams playing to move to 18, A-League 12 teams planing to move to 16, RU 5 teams planning to move to 6. The planned teams should all emerge by 2018. Add Basketball is now back. Summary 53 professional football teams now expanding to 60 teams by 2018... now add basketball... The Australia team is the only team young people see... and the squad make up changes not that often.... The writers point was Cricket at best may offer 3 places per year on average to move into the Australian squad... On the same basic of 3 players the football codes offer almost 160 places and need say 160 new players for the expansion teams ... Meaning over the years 2013 to 2018 the Football codes will need 160 players by 6 years plus the get the new teams in place so at least 1, 140 places cricket in the same time will want 18 at Australia squad level... Meaning does cricket in the same numbers get the best or the same quality it once did... I ask in passing many many moons ago a young player called Jeff Thompson was playing football at a senior level and choose cricket ... less moons ago the Waugh Twins at 15 played for NSW in football and were playing junior rep football for an NSL club... they also played state cricket and choose cricket over football.. would the choose cricket today over Sydney FC, Rovers , Central Coast etc... Your tho's would be appreciated on how you think cricket will get the best people ... as this is commonly referred to as a English problem is is now becoming an Australian problem
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Lolly, The teams are so close that I think it will be a cracking series. I like the way Prior and Swann are contributing and Morgan is tough as nails. Collingwood loves the fight. I think a lot will hinge on how Broad and Anderson adapt to the Kooka ball and the harder pitches. I still remember Harmison bowling that first ball all those years ago and it was so wide it hit fourth slip.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Cricket Burble,I agree a title like INJECT YOUTH BUT DO NOT OVERDOSE would have been more appropriate. I also think the last Ashes played in Australia was something of an aberration. Still had some champions like Gilly, McGrath and Warne. They have gone and were at the end of their tenure rather than the start. That is where they should have started the doses of viagara.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Viscount,injecting youth does two things to a team. Firstly it makes the Senior Citizens aware they are not as quick as they thought. This will then get them to either improve or realise they cannot compete anymore. Secondly the young player,now exposed to an elite level,can make a quantum leap in performance. The two players that come to mind are Eoin Morgan and Duminy. Both have thrived in the Test atmosphere. Duminy is currently in a slump but we know he is a talent. We may never have known this otherwise.Perhaps the England and Australian Rugby teams also need more of the young ones. Finally,what I believe is very important the young players bring a younger audience to the game and this is critical to Cricket's nourishment.
Lolly
Guest
It could be a damp squib in terms of quality, but I think there is a chance of the Aussies having their pants pulled down and have thought that since last summer. I've got to the point with Marcus North that I'd rather Hilfy and Bolly scored runs in India than him. The team really needs some young faces in it. Paine and Smith were good additions to the series in England, it certainly wasn't their fault that the second test was a loss.
Lolly
Guest
Do stop pointing out the CA contract list. I laugh every time I see Adam Voges name there.
Cricket Burble
Guest
I definitely agree with the comments that some have made that Australia need the best side....age is irrelevant. Your article would be all the stronger if the title was something like "Australia desperately needs to make 2 or 3 changes if they're to play their best side" (or something similar but more catchy! If those 2 or 3 players that you think should be in the team are 10 years-old so be it, likewise if they're 40. Age is a complete irrelevancy. The side that started the last Ashes series in Australia had an average age of very nearly 33 and they made a mockery of The Ashes as a meaningful contest.
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
Smart article. The age profile of a team, and the balance between chiefs and indians, is easily overlooked by fans looking in from the outside but is vitally important, imo. Andrew Strauss, when he took over as England captain, identified the fact that England had become, in his words, "top heavy" with senior players and sought to redress the balance by introducing younger players into the team and encouraging them to assert themselves. Likewise, Victor Matfield is on the record stating that the influx of people like Heinrich Brussow and Morne Steyn into the Springboks in '09 upped the enthusiasm levels of the squad and played played a big part in their stellar year. I think you make an important point, Vinay.