George Bailey is the 30-year-old batsman who has captained Australia in two forms of cricket, yet could probably walk down a crowded street unnoticed.
His ascension to the top job seemed to happen before anyone really knew who he was but after an unbeaten 125 that helped lift Australia out of a precarious position against the West Indies yesterday, is that all about to change?
Bailey is part of a generation of state cricketers who, outside of the Big Bash League, ply their trade in front of largely empty stadiums.
Their feats go unnoticed until suddenly they’re thrown an international cap. Bailey’s rise was stranger than most.
It’s not often, well never since the start of the game, that a player would make his international debut and be named captain at the same time.
It’s almost as if Bailey has had to go to extra lengths to justify his place in the Australian side since being handed his first cap and told to go and lead the team as well.
He has been seen as the poster boy for the B-team. It was an incredibly unfair tag, but one that seemed to stick.
Acceptance could only come through actions.
Any doubters left among the masses after yesterday’s century probably won’t ever be convinced of his credentials.
In Bailey’s 20 international matches he has scored four half centuries, two scores in the 40s, one century and just three single-figure scores.
He has also recorded five and a half thousand first class runs at a tick under 40.
In Bailey’s first full season as captain of Tasmania he led them to the domestic one-day title and scored 538 runs at an average of 59.77.
In the Sheffield Shield last year he scored 697 runs at an average of 58.08.
This year his return hasn’t been as profitable.
In four Sheffield Shield matches he has scored 169 runs at an average of 28.16 while racking up 196 runs in 5 domestic one-dayers at 39.20.
It makes for a man who should be far from anonymous.
Yet Bailey didn’t make the 17-man squad to travel to India with selectors banking on Steve Smith to act as a back-up batsman.
You can’t help but feel they’ve left themselves an experienced batsman short.
The chance to be that man on the subcontinent has passed for Bailey, but the rest of the Sheffield Shield season now shapes as a chance to make a statement ahead of the Ashes.
Yesterday, he came to the crease with Australia at 2/25 and when he left the hosts had 266 runs on the board.
It was a breakthrough knock that should’ve got the selectors thinking.
Here is a man with a sound technique who has consistently scored runs at international level.
Is it time he was given the chance to swap the coloured clothes for the whites?
We could do a lot worse.
Richard
Guest
could not agree more
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Well whatever happens Mr Bailey will be able to afford to pay someone else to flip his burgers for a while and NINE might be in danger of losing the Cricket once and for all - makes me think that the curse is rebounding :-)
lou
Guest
He has played some very good innings when Aus has been under the hammer before. In that dire seires in England he was easily the best batsman.
lou
Guest
They don't usually play well in the Ryobi - they've been the joke of the competition for the past few years. Any time they are actually in the running, they fall apart under pressure.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Goodo. He's been dropped.
Matt h
Guest
I thought that sort of comment would get you banned from the Roar :-)
Matt h
Guest
How is his batting a myth. He has a test century and 90
Matt h
Guest
Apart from Symonds and maybe Chappell?, all of these players with inferior averages got dropped and had to fight their way back into the side
JamieJ
Guest
Johnson. They can both be inconsistent with the ball and have off days when the ball doesn't swing, but Johnson is quicker and more threatening on those days. Also, Faulkner's batting's never quite delivered. But, give Faulkner a few years to tighten up the line and he'll be a gun.
aussie1st
Roar Pro
I took what he mentioned in part 1 to mean keep consistency in the 11 you pick for each format i.e. no rotation crap.
Varun
Guest
Good team but I would have Hughes and khawaja in the top 6, good to see Cowsn not in that list
Varun
Guest
Marsh shouldn't be bought into the test team but he is good at the shorter formats
Varun
Guest
Khawaja will first become a test star and then go on to ODIs, watch out for him in India
Paul
Guest
Great article Luke - he has been much maligned by many people in the media & cricket circles only becasue he was picked as the Aussies 20/20 captain. He deserves to be judged on his batting efforts first and captaincy second but blame CA for their terrible decision making currently on show. George has demonstrated similar qualities to Steve Waugh over the last 12 months and that is when many batsmen before him get out cheaply putting the team in a dire position George has a tendancy to put up a rear guard action and slowly rescue the situation. On Sunday it was a magnificant 125 but most other times it was a timely half century usually with a tail ender at the other end. I always admired Steve Waugh the way he would stand up in the toughest of situations to turn what looked like a definite loss for the Aussis into a winning position. I'd like to see him rewarded with a spot in the Test Team - we need a solid player to replace Michael Hussey and you know what - Michael Hussey was 30 when he was selected into the position he made famous. So I think George Bailey has matured at the right time to be seriously considered for the Australian Test Team.
Bearfax
Guest
Dont tell me he's got Mundine's complaint. What is it with these champions in their twilight who lose touch with reality.
Disco
Roar Guru
Well said.
Disco
Roar Guru
I just think Johnson is a liability with the ball and his batting is a myth. Not that I'd have Faulkner in the Test side either.
aussie1st
Roar Pro
This is the first time I've really taken notice of Bailey. I hope this is not just a one off and Bailey can be our next Hussey/Bevan as boy we need it with these collapses we have had recently.
aussie1st
Roar Pro
Agree on Maxwell opening, that is exactly what I have been looking for from a batter. Warner was meant to be that answer but he has become more sensible. Maxwell should have opened yesterday, would have been good seeing how he went setting up a total.
Johnno
Guest
A different Johnno talking about Starc, not the original Johnno, me.