It’s funny that on the eve of the Melbourne Cup, Cricket Australia was looking for a stayer to replace Shane Watson for the first Test against South Africa starting in Brisbane from Friday.
The form guide is creased and torn and the tarot cards have that pre-loved dog-eared look about them, but in the end Victorian opener Rob Quiney was first past the post.
If the selection panel had chosen someone who had only performed in three or four Sheffield Shield games this year they would’ve been accused of being short-sighted and cheapening the value of the baggy green cap.
Instead, they’ve picked someone on the merits of their performances against the red ball over the last 12-18 months, who might not have performed consistently this year. We wait today for the unjustified cries of incompetence.
Unfortunately no-one fitted into both categories so Quiney, the reigning domestic player of the year, is the winner of the race that stops the nation.
He topped the Sheffield Shield scorers list last season with 938 runs at an average of 49.36 and in the 2010/11 campaign the Victorian was the second highest scorer with 724 runs at average of 42.58.
That means, for the last two years, at 30, Quiney has been the best batsman outside of the Test team in Australia.
The downside is that in five innings so far in the 2012/13 campaign Quiney has scored just 68 runs.
His saving grace, however, has been 119 against Queensland and 53 against Tasmania in the domestic one day competition. That was followed up by a well made 85 against South Africa for Australia A at the SCG over the weekend.
So, while his recent shield form might not have screamed “pick me”, his form in all competitions was still solid.
The other names mentioned in the selection debate had a similar problem.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is the leading run-scorer in the competition, but the next five were sub-par last season.
Callum Ferguson, Alex Doolan, Mark Cosgrove, Usman Khawaja and Moises Henriques all averaged 34 or below last season.
The Cup is the toughest race to pick, unless your daily sporting intake includes a betting slip and copious amounts of Sky Racing, Sky Racing World or TVN.
Well, last night chairman of selectors John Inverarity had to take a punt on who would replace Watson (calf).
There was no mention of how Ricky Ponting’s hamstring was faring.
Quiney’s call-up was an important part of clarifying what type of form is important and relevant to the selection panel.
Doolan scored an unbeaten 161 against the Proteas at the SCG for Australia A, and is averaging 82.5 in the Sheffield Shield this year for Tasmania, but only averaged 29.64 last season.
Quiney made a half century, but his Sheffield Shield form this season has been more miss than hit.
Still, sustained efforts over the last 12-24 months matter more than Doolan’s recent eye-catching form line.
He should slot straight into Watson’s position at first drop as well.
The all-rounder will more than likely be back for the second test, so it would be nice to see how Quiney handles the pressure of batting at the top of the Australian order before probably being shipped back to state cricket.
Then again they could just play Watson as a batsman, and while that would be absolute lunacy, it would fit the narrative of his career nicely.
>> Listen to Rob Quiney’s reaction to being called-up for Australia.
Deccas
Guest
yet their fast bowlers are still getting shoehorned in to the test team and test group. pick the odd one out hazlewood (30) starc (30) cummins (30) Mcdermott (20). They are all born around 91 and all have been given time around the australian test team now that hazlewood is taking over from cummins minus the most talented one. And poor jackson bird he could take a hattrick in every shield match this season and not get a look in.
Oracle
Guest
Andrew McDonald is a terrific and vastly underrated cricketer. Australia rarely lost a match when he was in the side.
jameswm
Guest
Yeah - it'd look a whols lot more secure with P Hughes in there, wouldn't it?
jameswm
Guest
Bludger the NSW guys were in the test team based on their prior Shield performances - like Haddin, MClarke etc. Mexicans;)
jameswm
Guest
That's what I'd have done I think. MacDonald's frankly as good a bat as Quiney, and gives you the bowling. And that top 3 looks awfully shaky.
Gordon Smith
Guest
Rogers played for WA at the time.
Oracle
Guest
I'd love to see Rob Quiney get a 50 minimum and shut you all up He absolutely deserves his chance, and you should backing him, unlike those who said Haddin should be in as a batsman, yeh rightt. Tough intro, but Quiney has been the Shield cricketer of the Year, so his peers obviously rate him.
Adam-15
Guest
No huss made his debut against the west indies in 2005 opening for the injured langer where he scored 1 and 29. In the 2006/07 ashes he batted at 4.
pope paul v11
Guest
Hazel Wood has been drafted into the squad. What is the point of that? Are they going in with 5 fast bowlers?
Bludger
Guest
By your rationale, just save the money and ditch the Shield. Just pick the best of Sydney district cricketers.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Maybe we should be asking the Shield bowlers who the form batsmen are these past two seasons. I'm fairly sure Quiney's name would be up there. Give the bloke a go! He deserves a chance. I'm not even going to enter into this 'not from NSW thing,' because that would be petty. LOL.
Brian
Guest
very risky the saffers usually like the fast stuff and if plan b is warner or Clarke your very reliant on plan a i think Lyon will play
Craig2
Guest
His average as an opener is 43.6 I think - more than decent.
jamesb
Guest
Bludger the shield has been the best of the rest comp for a few decades now. If anything Cricket Australia has sadly not giving the shield comp the respect it deserves, and has found a new toy in the big bash. NSW have never had close to a full strength line up for majority of a season in the last few decades. The Vics have only had one or two players at a time, compare with NSW 5 or 6 players at various times. The reason why Hughes was picked was that he peformed better than the likes of Quiney or white. Sure D.Hussey and Hodge were unlucky but so was someone like Bevan. If anything Bludger, I thought McDonald ( a victorian) was a better selection than Quiney. The selectors may have missed a trick there.
Rixy
Guest
-- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Rixy
Guest
What I rated as odd was the comments from the selection panel about Andrew McDonald. I have to admit I haven't been following him that closely but they gave him a big wrap. You would have thought with an injury to the all rounder he would be in. Not so. What's his chances this summer if he can't get in when Watson is out? He will never make it as a specialist batsman or bowler. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Lukeling
Guest
Yes that top 3 is very disturbing. I hope I am surprised & they fire but it just seems very remote.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
Cowan, Warner and Quiney... We might as well give Steyn the top 3 before the proper batsmen try and save the day...
Brett McKay
Expert
DJW, Quiney's only opened for Victoria for the past two seasons though. Prior to that he kind of floated around the Victorian order. I think he's bated pretty well everywhere..
sittingbison
Guest
I expect Watson to be out for all the summer tests. Calf strains are notorious slow healers (not much blood down there), and Watson himself is a known slow healer anyway. I have a problem with weight of runs from two seasons ago being any measure for selection. I agree that looking at careers as a whole its useful, but not as any indicator of form this season. My other problem is picking a guy in his 30s. Sure it might be for a single test bla bla bla, but this is the perfect opportunity to select a tyro and see what he's got. It wont destroy his career, its clear he is a fill in, but it will give an inkling to his temperament much more than 20/20. Don't select guys like Hughes and Kawaja, failure COULD kill their careers as they are known quantities. Let them get some runs in Shield, if Ponting or Hussey succumbs or if say Cowan fails dismally, then its their chance for a longer career.