Ricky Ponting peeled off an unbeaten 162 for Tasmania against the Vics at the MCG yesterday.
The 37-year-old former skipper took 242 deliveries to bring up his 78th first class ton, which included 20 fours and a six, to take his Sheffield Shield average this season to 145.
And it wasn’t a shabby attack Ponting faced: every one of the seven the Vics used has played for Australia in some form.
James Pattinson (0-89), Clint McKay (1-64), Peter Siddle (0-99), Andrew McDonald (0-30), John Hastings (2-58), Glenn Maxwell (1-22), and Cameron White (0-56).
An ideal knock for Ponting to warm up for the South Africans, but Jackson Bird is also hot.
In only his 14th first-class game, the 25-year-old paceman NSW didn’t want has taken 71 wickets at 20.
His debut against South Australia at Bellerive in November last year gave no indication of what was in store with 1-54 off 7 and 1-34 off 10.
But by the end of last season in just seven games, Bird had taken 48 wickets at 15.75 and been voted the Australian Sheffield Shield Player-of-the-Year by his peers.
Unheard of recognition.
No Australian bowler is within cooee, yet the pacemen’s pecking order for Test berths is long if all of then are fit with Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Siddle, and Pattinson.
But sooner than later the national selectors cannot possibly ignore a 135kph paceman who makes every batsman play just about every ball, working on the proven old theory of “you miss, I hit”
Among the 71 wickets are two games of 10-wickets for the match, five 5-wickets in an innings, and three 4-wicket hauls.
Strike rate 40.9, economy rate 2.94.
Keep an eye on him – Jackson Bird – who a bit over a year ago was trundling for Manly in the Sydney first grade competition with the NSW selectors not at all interested.
sajjittarius
Roar Rookie
I can only speak from my alma mater's point of view, but up at Toowoomba Grammar School we had Martin Love & Wade Seccombe come through the GPS ranks - while they weren't world-beaters they were pretty handy for Queensland at the very least. Current Western Australian coach Lachlan Stevens was also a TGS boy who made the First XI for four consecutive years.
Curtley Ambrose
Guest
forget ponting, hussey and khawaja pick peter forrest. his astonishing average of 32.95 just says it all
Curtley Ambrose
Guest
i'd pay big money to watch boof in a UFC fight with the brown nosed gnome's taekwondo!
Aaron
Guest
the ability to pass the selectors' favouritism test at stage 4 is one hell of a rare talent. only the best pass that
LongHopCassidy
Guest
Standard Australian selection policy: 1. Pick promising media-hyped player, age 18-23. 2. Wait for them to be mercilessly exposed by seasoned internationals. 3. Drop them. 4. Make them fight for their spot in domestic cricket and only pick them again by sheer weight of runs/wickets. 5. Wait for their character-building period to kick in and they start playing with maturity and consistency. Ask them to take their baggy green off eBay. 6. Admire their glittering career. Congratulate self on foresight. 7. Give them ideas/common phrases on the 'toughest period of my life' chapter in their autobiographies: "I learned not to take everyone's advice and just back myself", "Cricket is played 90% between the ears", "I just wanted to feel the baggy green on my head one last time", "(Name of partner) was amazing throughout the whole ordeal", "Trannies at the Bourbon and Beefsteak are frequently underestimated", etc. 8. Rinse; repeat. References: S. Waugh, Ponting, Langer, Hayden, Lee, Martyn, Lehmann, Kasprowicz, Clarke, Symonds, Watson, Bracken, Katich, Hilfenhaus In the works: Hughes, Khawaja, Smith, Cummins (currently at stage 2), Pattinson (stage 2), Starc (stage 2)
Neuen
Guest
135k's becomes 75 to 80 km/h when it hits the pitch
Neuen
Guest
Almost as ridiculous as Philanders numbers. 63 in 10 tests
jamesb
Guest
"Victoria’s last world class test batsman was Dean Jones…" TBF to Victoria, Brad Hodge should've played more test cricket, but yeah the Vics are struggling to produce batsmen
Disco
Roar Guru
And Forrest lasted his usual 11 balls. I wonder if Khawaja gets in and then feels pressure to up his scoring rate, seeing as when he was in the Test he was criticised heavily for scoring too slowly.
Richard
Guest
Interesting, four of those you mentioned play for Tasmania. Forget NSW, Tasmania is the hatching ground for future Test players, or so it would seem ATM. Not to mention Bailey and Paine. Doolan is matching it with Ponting in his last innings. Are they on drugs down there( only joking)..We could do with another Boon right now.
Richard
Guest
Ponting is the bench mark for these guys and at 37 he is still keeping them at bay. I know he is a once in a 50 year cricketer but it looks like we are in an average period given that we are reduced to talking endlessly about Khawaja and Hughes et al. I'm hoping there is someone else lurking, a youngster yet unknown who might emerge in the next few years.
Richard
Guest
It takes more than batting talent to make it in the Aussie set up. You need commitment, great fielding ability fitness and a huge competitive nature . No doubt those on the inside have looked at Khawaja up close and found him wanting in one or more of these areas for the time being. He has the talent, its up to him if he is going to step up in the long term.
Richard
Guest
Johnson is history
Rellum
Roar Guru
He looked comfortable, be that seems to be his main mental problem. Once he gets in he relaxes to much and plays a silly shot.
lolly
Guest
Glad NCN is in the squad at any rate. I suppose Hastings will be opening the bowling with him. They are keeping any of the real test bowling prospects away from the SA batsmen which is ok.
Jason
Guest
Ussie out for his usual 20 something. Forrest only 16.
Rellum
Roar Guru
The way Kemp has started Khawaja will be in shortly
Red Kev
Guest
Well Khawaja has just been handed a rolled-gold opportunity to show his class. Queensland need 222 runs in fewer than 3 hours to take outright points against South Australia. Let's see what he's got...
Rellum
Roar Guru
I have been watching the stream at work and Hartley has been very poor behind the stumps today. Last he was so much cleaner with his hands and feet, well as I remember it.
Disco
Roar Guru
And no Johnson named in this team...