The case for Tasmanian Tigers opener Ed Cowan to be selected for Australia in the Boxing Day Test Match is starting to prove extremely hard to ignore.
There are strong whispers that Shane Watson will return from injury and regain his place in the Test team. However, the word is that he will not have sufficiently overcome his hamstring injury enough to bowl, which means if he’s chosen, it will be as a specialist batsman.
If that’s the case, one would presume he’ll return to his customary role of opening the batting, at the expense of the out-of-sorts Phil Hughes, as the primary reason for all the talk about Watson moving down the order was to ease the burden on his responsibilities, and consequently his body.
With David Warner cementing the other opener’s spot after his brilliant century against New Zealand in Hobart, it will no doubt leave specialist opener Ed Cowan still waiting to earn a baggy green.
Yet if Watson cannot bowl, he surely cannot be 100% healthy, and therefore shouldn’t be selected.
You cannot carry players as passengers in five day cricket. If Watson’s hamstring is not ready for him to bowl, then it’s equally not ready for him to bat all day; a quality you would hope your opening batsman is capable of.
The sentiment about only choosing healthy players is backed up by new Cricket Australia General Manager Pat Howard, who has stated that selected players need to be “100% fit, not 90% or 80%”. By that rationale, if Watson is unable to bowl, he unequivocally cannot be 100% fit, and therefore shouldn’t be selected.
Which leaves the door open for Cowan.
Frustrated by a lack of opportunities brought on by the Blues depth, the New South Wales-born opener moved to Tasmania following the 2008/09 season. In his first season with the Tigers, Cowan played every Sheffield Shield match, and scored 957 runs at 53.16, good enough to place him second on the competition tally. His impressive season included a career best 225.
Cowan’s progress caught the eye of the national selectors and he was selected to play for Australia A in June 2010. Cowan rewarded the selectors faith with a century against Sri Lanka.
This season, Cowan is averaging 54 in the Sheffield Shield, and has scored three first-class hundreds, including 145 versus New Zealand when he was once again selected to represent Australia A.
If the Sheffield Shield is truly considered the breeding ground for the national team, and Australia A is truly the second XI for the national team, then Cowan must be selected. Otherwise, his non-selection would make a mockery of both the Sheffield Shield competition and the Australia A concept.
Cowan has paid his dues. He has a great technique. He has a traditional opener’s temperament. He’s been successful in the Australian second XI. He’s in-form. Australia have serious issues at the top of the order.
How much longer can this collection of facts be ignored without joining the dots?
jamesb
Guest
Brendon like i said in a prevoius thread, some players do get off to slow starts in test cricket. Players like S.Waugh, McGrath, Warne. I'm mean who could forget Warnes debut....1/150. Averaging 30 after 6 tests, whilst its not spectacular, i don't think he's failing either. For some reason, he is at a phase right now that he keeps getting out in the twenties, which I'm sure is frustrating for Usie. Like many people have said, he does have the technique and the temperament to make it big in test cricket. Just persist with khawaja, for 2 reasons, he does have ability, and we don't have the batting depth ATM, especially the opening position.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
You've got me excited, Brett. It does seem like a lot of effort just to co-ordinate some media access for Warner or Khawaja, doesn't it?
Brett McKay
Expert
go to page 2, mate, go to page 2!!
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Brett, it may not be Aust A, but it is a game against the international side (albeit not at full strength) that Australia is playing in less than a weeks time.
Brett McKay
Expert
Ryano, I reckon you've nailed this column with your timing.. CA Media Release this arvo has the following info regarding annoucement of the Test team tomorrow. Inverarity will speak from Perth at 1300 EDT, Clarke will speak from Melbourne at 1400 EDT, and then there's this: "..the media manager on duty for the CA Chairman’s XI will coordinate with media in Canberra at lunchtime or close of play (depending on match situation), for opportunities with players in the Chairman’s XI selected in this squad." Now, they'd hardly be pulling this together in Canberra just to hear from Warner and/or Khawaja again, would they.... I reckon you've got your man..
Brett McKay
Expert
first up guys, it's certainly not an Australia A side, aside from the 'bat-off' the rest were picked so as to not disrupt the BBL. Jason Behrendorf would've got the call-up on the basis that he was home in Canberra for Christmas. Good kid, but it's his first full season at Shield level... Also, this isn't a First Class game, hence the 13-a-side. Anyway, on Cowan, he did it easy this arvo, he was about 28* when I arrived and I don't recall him offering a chance before I left as he brought up his ton. There was a run out chance on 96, but he was good. Seriously, did it on his ear. He surely can't do any more than he has..
Brendon
Guest
Best team? With Khawaja? Seriously?
Brendon
Guest
In sport, just like in politics, narratives form and get repeated without people actually analysing what they're parroting. The story goes that Hussey has been in terrible form forever and that Watson has been scoring runs like a machine. "He's one of our best batsmen" (with a career test average of 38) In sport, just like in politics people like to rant and rave based on their own emotions and bias and without regard for facts. People were calling for Hussey to be dropped after the 1st test in South Africa - a match where Watson also failed in both innings.
Brendon
Guest
Pitches will be nice and dead like they were in 2007-08 to keep the Indians happy. Remember how terrible the WACA pitch was that year?. Its kinda stupid that we wont play the tougher touring team this summer at Fortress 'Gabba. But you know that CA's boss, the BCCI, doesn't take kindly to pitches with any green on them.
Brendon
Guest
Maybe in ODI's but his form in tests has been horrible. 95 runs in 4 innings in South Africa. Yes, he was there for the collapse in Cape Town. Unlike Hussey he had a stinker of a series in Sri Lanka. His last 5 tests were terrible, averaging just 20.22. Yet the armchair idiots have been crying for Hussey's head, a guy who has a career average of 50, but are silent about Watson, a guy who has a whopping career average of 38.
jamesb
Guest
my test team after ponting, hussey and haddin are gone: E.Cowan D.Warner S.Marsh U.Khawaja m.Clarke S.Watson M.Wade J.Pattinson P.Cummins J.hazelwood N.Lyon others: P.Siddle, M.Starc, B.Cutting, J.Burns, C.Lynn, P.Nevill, T.Paine, G.Maxwell, M.Marsh, J.faulkner, S O'Keefe, C.Boyce, K.Patterson?, P.Hughes? You'd think Johnson and Harris would be close to the end.
Fisher Price
Guest
And with more first-class experience behind him.
jameswm
Guest
Yes some timely writing! He's scoring like Hughes did 3 years ago, except with an orthodox technique.
jameswm
Guest
cricinfo doesn't say he's out. Hardly an Aust A bowling attack though. And some odd choices like Doolan and Boyce and Lalor and Behrendorf. Surely Hogan and Hazlewould wood be ahead of them. If Watson is to come back - my call is they'll drop Khawaja and bat Ponting 3 and Watto 4. Clarke seems to prefer 5.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Ed Cowan is currently putting the exclamation mark on this piece. A hundred for Australia A.
Matt F
Guest
The scores of his last five first class innings have been 134*, 145, 65, 145* and 109 (he's just got out) at a handy average of 199.33! 2 more runs and he'd have cracked the 200 average. Maybe that's what the selectors are waiting for! On this form he'd go close to outscoring our entire first XI by himself!
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
They're going to look like fools if they don't pick him now. What's the point of even having Australia A if they don't?
Matt F
Guest
100 up for Cowan. I'm not sure how he can't be picked now, though I'm sure that they'll find a way.
Aaron
Guest
Top read Ryan, top read. Being a Tigers fan I've probably noticed him more than others, but this kid can seriously play the game. Technique is rock solid, as you point out his temperament is that of a typical gritty, focused opener, and he plays all around the wicket. Further, his form this season has been as good, if not better, than all the specialist batsmen selected ahead of him in the Test team! Dead set all of them! Let's hope they play him at Hughes's expense (the guy just needs runs & confidence at Shield level), with Watson to miss.
jameswm
Guest
At least it was off a spinner this time. Cowan really not hurting his chances. Khawaja got to 20-odd and got out. Shame for him. Cowan could take his spot, if Watson comes back. That'd be tough on Khawaja.