A few years ago we were lamenting our bowling stocks, and now we seem to have too many! So how can we revitalise our batting stocks to give us too many talents to choose from?
Our bowlers are now competing for just a few spots. We have Pattinson, Siddle, Starc, Johnson, Harris, Cummins, Bird and Hilfenhaus in the mix, not including the often injured Watson.
Craig McDermott has been credited with the bowlers pitching it up and making batsmen play. But obviously the stocks are there and just needed polishing.
Now how can we turn the batting around as quickly?
The competition for batting spots 10 years ago (short period of time culturally in cricket) was massive: Hodge, Law, Love, Maher, Did Venuto, Rodgers etc could not get a game for Australia, despite piling runs on year after year.
How can we get six batsman in the Test team and another 15 Shield batsman of similar quality ready to go again?
I believe the stocks are there, but the mental side could be honed; Justin Langer is talking about this with Western Australia.
The other approach is to have a clean out at Shield level. For example, Cameron White is not a top four batsman; he can bat at seven or just play Ryobi and Big Bash, while a young promising player can learn to bat all day. Keep experienced longer format players like Rodgers for them to learn from.
I worry that like the English we will have too many Mark Ealhams – good County/Shield cricketers that bat and bowl well and are handy at Shield level, but not so practical at the next level – White, Smith, Henriques, Maxwell are examples.
Any ideas on how Australia can replenish its batting stocks in the years to come?
Dadiggle
Guest
Di Venuto went on to play for Italy if I am not wrong. Frankly if have pitches favoring batsman this will happen.
Red Kev
Guest
Looks like Haddin has just been "Informed Player Managed" out of the Ryobi Cup game today. So Nevill takes the gloves and Maddinson comes in to bat.
TheGenuineTailender
Roar Guru
It looked like Nic Maddinson was going to be the next big thing, that hasn't worked out yet. We've got Joe Burns coming through nicely and if Kurtis Patterson ever manages to get a game from NSW he'll be giving himself a good chance to develop even further. We're certainly not having batsmen come out of our ears as we did 10 or 15 years ago. Maybe we need to be pro active about it and CA needs to set up a proper batsmen production line. A centre of excellence purely designed to produce the next generation of test match batsmen, rather than the current system which just seems like a finishing school for players who can't really improve a hell of a lot more.
Red Kev
Guest
I agree with Pies&Beer - We have a good batting lineup - the NSP just have to pick it. Grandpa Brigade (I wouldn't select them): Rogers, D.Hussey Class: Warner, Watson, Hughes, Khawaja, Clarke Possibles (above 40 average): Burns A touch below (below 40 average): Doolan, Bailey, Cowan, S.Marsh Allrounders (I wouldn't select these either): McDonald, Henriques, O'Keefe, Maxwell
Pies&Beer
Guest
We have batsmen, we just don't select them
peeeko
Roar Guru
like most people i don't watch much shield cricket. Batting and bowling (not spinners)averages are a lot lower than ten years ago, is this because batters are worse and bowlers better or are pitches being prepared differently- that is- green tops to suit fast bowlers?