“Unblinkered”. It’s the one word uttered by new Australian coach Mickey Arthur that should give cricket fans across the continent hope. It’s true that the most impressive part of Arthur’s first news conference was brief.
Yes, there was plenty of diplomatic dancing around issues like the future of Ricky Ponting, Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin.
If he can teach the top order to play with a bat as straight as that then it would be a step in the right direction.
And sure he was charming, entertaining and kept busting out a grin that would make a dentist happy.
But what did we actually learn from his appearance in-front of the microphones?
It would be harsh to expect him to roll out his grand vision for the revival of the Baggy Green in one 20 minute session so thankfully we were given one golden nugget to hang on to.
“Unblinkered” is a word to get excited about.
If Arthur comes into the role with an “unblinkered” eye it should mean performances in the Sheffield Shield actually matter.
Five wicket hauls and centuries that translate to impressive batting and bowling averages at the end of a season will hopefully turn into international call-ups.
If we never hear phrases like “earmarked from a young age” and “project player” again it can only be a good thing for the game.
Reputations should mean absolutely nothing from this day forward.
Everyone needs to be judged on their merits and nothing else.
The weight of runs and wickets in Shield cricket should be the only criteria for a Baggy Green and not someone who has immense potential.
There is of course the exception to every rule. Pat Cummins appears to be a once in a generation player and to deny him his chance would’ve been foolish.
In Arthur, Australian cricket has someone who knows the domestic scene and what it currently has to offer.
He has actually seen Ben Cutting bowl, Matthew Wade bat and keep wicket and Trent Copeland frustrate a batsman into making a mistake.
His time as coach of Western Australia should’ve held more weight during the interview process than his experience turning the Proteas into a force.
That’s not to say his time in an international dressing room was irrelevant, but more a reflection of the lingering transition period Australian cricket finds itself in.
Haddin, Ponting and Johnson are still under huge pressure to retain their spots through to the end of the summer.
It’s nice to know that Arthur has seen some potential replacements in action with his own eyes.
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.
India have announced their 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad which is set to be played in the USA and Caribbean. The 15-man…
The Aussie's dismissal summed up Lucknow's night, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders by 98 runs.
As wife Alyssa Healy watches on, Mitchell Starc was back in form, taking three wickets in an over including the dangerous Tim David, to…
Joe Root was showing some brotherly love, giving his younger sibling Billy a chance in their county match.
Australia have reclaimed top spot in the ICC's Test rankings, replacing India. Despite not playing since winning 2-0 in New Zealand in March, Pat…
Yashasvi Jaiswal was looking comfortable at 67 off 40, until this moment when he hit the ball into his own stumps!
