Shaun Marsh is under pressure to score runs. Instead of the glorious first Australian summer he would have hoped for, he has accrued 14 runs in three Test matches, and many are questioning his ability to play on wickets which offer the bowler interest.
Australia has plenty of top order batsmen on the fringes of the side if things go awry. Ordinarily if Marsh continued to falter and another player was in form, the change would likely be made.
But none of them are in form. None of them are playing first-class cricket.
Thanks to the all-conquering, fan-pleasing circus which Cricket Australia calls the Big Bash League, not a single Australian player outside the Test side is playing first-class cricket.
This, in a summer in which Australia’s far from settled side was challenging (or at least it was supposed to be a challenge)the world’s second best Test playing nation.
Usman Khawaja was dropped for Shaun Marsh. Khawaja did not score enough runs to seize his opportunity, whereas had so firmly seized his in Sri Lanka. The selectors had no other option.
From first Test, where he showed poise and assurance against rampant English bowlers in Sydney, Khawaja gradually lost form, and seemed to lose confidence.
His innings were increasingly timid; many will point to his seven from 50-odd deliveries on the first morning in Hobart as evidence of this frailty. Simply, Khawaja needs to go back and play first-class cricket.
But he cannot. Instead, he is asked to walk out to the middle of Sydney Olympic Park and embrace agricultural strokeplay. Instead of refining small flaws which Test cricket exposed in his technique, he is asked to forget about technique altogether.
Khawaja’s style, mentality and approach are all crafted to Test cricket. He has the quality for it too, we should not doubt it. But he is still raw, and he has still not quite worked out his game.
The Sheffield Shield is the place to do it. It’s the place Michael Hussey spent ten years toiling and refining and improving, so that by the time he was finally chosen for his first Test cap, his all round game had reach aldente. One wonders how Hussey’s career would have turned out if he had played his first Test at 20, rather than 30.
Darren Lehmann is another example, so too is Damien Martyn who, like Khawaja was dropped after debuting before he was ready and had to work his way back with consistent first-class runs.
Simon Katich, so unfashionable and frequently the sacrifice, was able to bash (not Big Bash) the door to the Australia team down with a prolific and lengthy series of first-class performances.
The Sheffield Shield has so often been Australia’s secret weapon in this way, as quality cricketers hone their craft against others of equally high ability.
Phil Hughes needs it too, but instead he’s playing Grade cricket and waiting for sanity to be restored.
I just cannot escape the suspicion that these players who seek to force their way into the team and not getting the opportunity to do so. It has often been said in the past that it is hard to get in the Australian team, but impossible to get out once you’re there.
Where once that was the case because of the remarkable quality of the side, now it has developed because the Test eleven are the only cricketers in Australia playing in a format or a standard which remotely approaches the five-day pinnacle.
Surely, for players like Khawaja and Hughes who wanted to re-emerge before the summer was out, this two month red-ball hiatus must feel like wasted time. They must be frustrated.
For the fans, it is baffling. Cricket Australia pledges itself to improving the Test team with the creation of the Argus review, then handicaps it so severely by turning off the tap of first class form for two crucial months of the season.
It either shows a calamitous lack of common sense at the game’s headquarters, or reflects an invasion of corporate interests ahead of sporting, which is more total than we imagined.
sheek
Guest
Jason, You're right on the money. Conventional wisdom says your best bat is at 3 or 4. But that's what it is, conventional. It's not definitive. Greg Chappell was a great 4, but he was less effective at 3. The great Graeme Pollock never played at 3 for South Africa. And as you say, Viv Richards was happy oscillating between 3,4,5 during his career. Different players get comfortable playing at different positions. If Clarke is happy playing at 5, leave him there. That said, he will probably move to 4 when Ponting finally leaves the team.
Jason
Guest
Not necessarily. Greg Chappell, Border, Lara, Tendulkar, Waugh, Kallis, Pietersen, Inzi and Mo Yo are all current or recent "best players" who mostly didn't bat at 3. Even Viv split his time between 3,4 and 5 and going back a bit, Hammond batted more at 4 than 3. England's best batsmen in any particular era have generally been openers. I think you should just bat the players where they will be most effective. For great players like Ponting, Sanga and Bradman - No 3 was the best spot for them.
sheek
Guest
Gleeso, There's nothing worse than the recently converted zealot. Stop blaming The Roar. All the contributors to The Roar all entitled to their opinions, & if they're unpalatable to you, you just have to either cop it sweet, or use constructive argument & overwhelming logic to convince us otherwise. I'm not against BBL per se, but I do question the underlying motives of CA, & their accuracy. Much of the world's history came about through 'unintended consequences'. It might not be the intention of cricket authorities to destroy test cricket, but if they handle the implementation of T20 unwisely, then the destruction of test cricket could be an 'unintended consequence'. But I agree the structure is a problem that needs to be sorted out. Assuming the tests are still played from about late November to early January, then obviously the Sheffield Shield must also be played during that time. It may no longer be feasible to have two full rounds of SS (10 home & away games). perhaps a single round of 5 home & away games, plus an extra local derby (NSW v Qld; Vic v Tas; SA v WA). That's just 6 matches plus the final. In the early 80s, Greg Chappell suggested the SS be truncated from 10 to 7 matches. You play everyone once, then split into two pools (pool A - Qld, NSW, Tas; pool B - Vic, SA, WA). You play an extra two matches, plus the final. This is another option. The best place for the BBL might be Jan-Feb, to coincide with the peak holidays period. Previously, the one-dayers worked well in this window. As for the one-dayers, I don't know where they go. But yes, the scheduling needs to be worked out far better than the example of this season.
dc
Guest
Jase thanks for your comment... Why would you hide your best batsman at 5? If you are three down for zip, you have to resurrect the innings. At 3 you can influence and create a big total. Clarke has shown he can do this by scoring a triple ton. I thought the best batsmen in the team went in at 3? no?
Jason
Guest
Why would you play Clarke at 3 if he is more effective at 5? This notion that your best batsman needs to bat at 3 is a rubbish. Your best No 3 needs to bat at No 3.
Brett McKay
Expert
scratch that James, he's been ruled out of the semi, but could/should be right should Sydney make the final...
dkiwi
Guest
Michael Clarke should man up and play 3 for Australia, and Hussey at 4. That means the selectors can simply pick no 5 on form. I would put Watson at 6. I rate Cowan, he will come good.
jameswm
Guest
Yeah saw that Brett and I'm happy with that. It's not like it's been raining runs with Lumb, Smith, Henriques and Thornely. It's bits and pieces here and there. Rohrer and Nevill have been their best bats when I've watched. Maddinson improving. I'd be tempted to open with Watson and Maddinson, though I guess they like Lumb to open. Maddinson can bat 3 I guess, and I'd have Rohrer 4, Nevill 5, Smith 6 and Henriques 7 (with McCullum/Thornely, SOK, Lee and Magilla to follow). It was a travesty the other day when Smith, Henriques, Thornely and McCullum came in and fumbled around while Nevill waited patiently - then came in and showed them all up.
Gleeso
Guest
Haha...the anti-BBL brigade getting carried away? Never. :^D
Gleeso
Guest
Ah, I remember the McDonalds Cup with the dodgy uniforms. I think the lack of coverage on free-to-air has really led to the decline in domestic 50-over. I also remember Greg Matthews and Steve Waugh walking out to the crease in Mercantile Mutual games to their favourite song blaring from the loudspeakers. So to people thumbing their noses at the Big Bash...it's nothing new.
Brett McKay
Expert
SMH reporting today that Watson could come in as a bat only..
Lucy
Guest
Great article, though don't agree that selectors had no choice to dump Khawaja and bring in Marsh. It really is beyond comprehension the way CA are treating Shield cricket with such disdain - after all, the strength of our domestic system has long been admired by other nations in the overall framework of national team development and selection etc. I'm sure I saw somewhere that England put a lot of emphasis on prioritising and strengthening county cricket as per the traditional Australian domestic structure as a means of retaining the Ashes during their recent campaign.
jameswm
Guest
Maybe that means McCullum will play. Shudder again. At least SOK and Magilla give us some good overs, with Bing. Smith isn't a bad T20 bowler but they don't bowl him much.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I agree with the scheduling situation but think we're looking at it from an out of date paradigm. What I'm starting to realise is that selectors have no intention of using first class cricket as their barometer for selection. They pre-determine their top 25 and pick from that group - the fact there's no shield makes it easier for them to justify their selections. Extended periods of form may get a shield player into the top 25 group for selection but it's no longer the guide the selectors use. As for Marsh, his first class record clearly suggests that we're getting exactly what we should have expected. A great looking hundered followed by an extended period of ordinary scores. What will make it dificult for selectors is that when he's on he looks fantastic but when he's not, he's really not. I think we'll see a Marcus North style career for Marsh. A string of failures that have everyone questioning his spot and then a good looking 100. It's a shame because I'm a fan of Marsh and think he has more potential than that but that's certainly the way it's playing out.
jameswm
Guest
I assume Shield games will be taken into account, Disco. They are kidding themselves if they aren't looking at Haddin's spot. Kev - given that they take a spare batsman on tour, if Punter steps down, they'd add Watson and Khawaja.
formeropenside
Guest
Victorians in shorts was crime against fashion and humanity.
Chris
Guest
Not sure if anyone actually watched Khawaja's innings for the Sixers the other night, but he displayed all the classic cricketing shots - there really wasn't too much bash 'n barge from him. So claiming that the BBL prevents players from getting some "proper" practice in is just not true. I'm not syaing it's ideal, and I've posted my ideal schedule multiple times on The Roar before, but I think the anti-BBL brigade are getting a little carried away at the moment. And the reality is that once the selectors made the decision to pick Marsh for the Indian series, he was always going to be safe. So even if the Shield had continued on and Khawaja had scored back to back centuries I can't see the selectors dropping Marsh after a couple of Tests. Same with Haddin's form (or lack thereof).
Red Kev
Guest
That would mean being a Pakistan-born Australian Muslim called Usman Tariq might affect the chances you are given - you can't suggest that, I'm sure being called Marsh has nothing to do with it. Having a national coach who believes the sun shines out of your proverbial though ... I'm sure that has plenty to do with it.
Jason
Guest
The McDonalds Cup was around before then and was reasonably popular. At least, Ch Nein used to show it live. I still recall that great Stephen Wundke catch.
Bearfax
Guest
NO! I wont believe that. No way would the name Marsh influence commentators and selectors. I do beleve however that pink elephants fly, that there is a tooth fairy and that my mother didnt drop me on my head when I was a baby.