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Shaun Tait is fast. Shaun Tait is also fragile. He has been in that lonely place we call depression. In his own words getting up every day was an effort.
With a little help from his friends he is now in a much better place.
In July, just two months ago at Lord’s, Tait unleashed the fastest delivery recorded by an Australian at 161.1 kmh. Only marginally “slower” than Shoaib Akhtar’s 161.3.
Andrew Strauss looked at his uprooted stumps in the same rueful manner as Mike Gatting after being duped by Warne.
Nasser Hussain declared: “It’s too quick for everyone, a joy to watch as long as you don’t have a cricket bat in your hand.” Mike Atherton called it one of the fastest spells ever.
England opens their Ashes campaign on the 5th of November against a WA XI at the WACA. Six days later they play South Australia in a three day game at the Adelaide Oval.
Tait should be picked to play and asked to bowl a short spell when England bat. He should be there to bowl four overs at most. Enough to leave the smell of cordite lingering in the English psyche.
November was the month of Guy Fawkes’ failed Gunpowder Plot 405 years ago. It is still celebrated in Australia but without the fireworks which were banned in 1971. There is no such ban on Tait, also affectionately known as The Wild Thing.
Ponting would love to have Tait in his arsenal come the 25th of November at the ‘Gabba. The Wild Thing also loves to bowl with the new ball. Something that Johnson is not comfortable with.
Tait has a CA contract and Ponting should spend the next month convincing this young man to play in the Ashes. Tait could light up the ‘Gabba with his pyrotechnics: no more than four over bursts, one with the new rock and maybe two more with the old ball. Reverse swinging Yorkers are Tait’s speciality.
Tait will be in South Africa playing for South Australia in the Champion’s League in September. He will be match fit. He should not be picked to play the two Tests in India. This will be a hard tour and India at home is difficult to beat.
This tour has been appended only to fill the coffers of CA. It does not consider the players. A whistlestop journey to India is not the ideal preparation before the Ashes. It is like asking Edmund Hilary to climb Everest on successive days.
Instead, Tait should spend his time with Greg Chappell and Troy Cooley, fine tuning his body and mind.
Tait is a vastly different bowler to the one who played at the WACA in 2006-07. He now knows that two and four over spells suit his body. Ponting also realises this is the most effective way to use his talents.
Tait is the only one of his kind.
Akhtar is over the hill. Steyn is 5-10 kmh’s slower. Tait owns the speed gun and is in the Usain Bolt class where speed is concerned.
Tait, Hilfenhaus, Johnson (if in form) and Watson will strike fear into English hearts. Hauritz and Smith will give Australia six bowling options without weakening the batting. I would select Watson to bat in North’s spot at six and Khawaja to open.
If there was one person to tip the balance in Australia’s favour it would be Shaun Tait. Strauss will be hoping otherwise.
Tait is sticking to his line that he is retired, but it would not be a surprise to see him run in from the Vulture Street end on the first morning.
As far as the English are concerned, Trott and Morgan have struggled in the recent loss to Pakistan at the Oval.
Trott likes to drive without getting his feet into position. Morgan is good through midwicket but has been found wanting when the ball is seaming away from him.
Pietersen is out of form and also struggling in the “charisma” stakes with Morgan. He has scratched around like an ageing gigolo and is vulnerable. Has he really got over losing the England captaincy?
If England are not asking all these questions of themselves they certainly will if they know Tait is waiting.
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