Forgotten opener, WA veterans snubbed in central contract shake-up as CA name 23-player list
Cricket Australia have dropped Marcus Harris from their men's contract list, leaving the race wide open to become the Test team's next opener. Selectors…
18 year-old pace sensation Pat Cummins officially made his debut in the crucial Test starting in Johannesburg overnight after performing credibly in the shorter form of the game for NSW and Australia, impressing with his speed and wicket-taking ability.
However, with just nine wickets at 46 from the only 3 first-class matches he’s played, Cummins doesn’t have the runs on the board (a Cape Town pun that I missed) to suggest he’s ready for Test cricket.
While Cummins took one wicket from fiften overs at an economy of 2.53, with some claiming he out performed Mitchell Johnson, it’s the selection itself that makes a mockery of Australia’s first-class structure.
Australia’s dominance over the last generation has been based on the rich battle for places in the side due to exhaustive competition at state level.
Players have come from left field to be picked – Colin Miller for example – but only after exceptional performances over an extensive period of time.
While showing wicket-taking ability in the ODI series last month, Cummins won’t be able to rely on batsmen hitting against the clock at the Bullring.
It’s apples and oranges.
And with an average of 30 and economy rate of over a run-a-ball, what is it other than raw potential that convinced the selectors that the teenager was the third best bowler available?
The selectors’ decision is patronising to the current batch of Australian professional cricketers.
By overlooking Trent Copeland (with 100 first-class wickets at 23), they have shown that they believe their eye is a better barometer than our first-class system.
I wish Pat Cummins the best of luck in his Test debut. If I got selected (with my comparable first-class experience), I wouldn’t give it back either.
And I wish the selectors better fortune in their next jobs.
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