- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Ed Cowan is key to Australian cricket’s chances in 2013, and should be retained in the first team for many years to come.
As with most Australian openers, he’s had a slow start to his career: Matthew Hayden’s first 13 Tests produced an average of 24 and Justin Langer’s 33.
Cowan currently sits on 32. Not a fantastic average, but not as bad as the Australian cricketing community’s high expectations may suggest. This is worth riding out.
Cowan averages 76.1 balls faced per innings compared with David Warner’s 53. This does not excuse the 10 run difference in averages, but it will be much easier for Cowan to increase his average than for Warner to increase his patience at the crease.
As a far too emotionally invested cricket fan, the more balls Hughes and the middle order watch before batting on day one, the better.
Cowan is crucial to the balance and maturity of the side. At present we are running with a team of hot-headed young blokes.
Cowan is the level-headed, intelligent thinker the Australian side so desperately needs. He will be crucial to the mental stability of the side through the next six months on tour overseas.
He is the consummate, measured professional among the aggressive, less patient generation of Warner, Hughes, Wade and the young quicks.
Also, Cowan’s form in England in the past 24 months has been great: 12 innings for 500 runs at 46. This experience will be incredibly valuable.
The biggest challenge for Cowan is obviously Shane Watson. Though with a selection policy so geared to long term success, who would back Watson? He’s broken.
He can’t see out a Test summer, but insists on playing all three forms and the IPL. It’s ridiculous.
If he is serious about playing Test cricket for Australia, he should do what most older and more injury-prone cricketers do: stop playing short form games. If he doesn’t want to do that, he should be ready to get injured – again.
Experience in England is key. The ability to see out the English opening bowlers is going to be crucial, especially with the increasingly shallow middle order.
Cowan’s level head, maturity and patience will be a must for the side moving forward. Micky Arthur will not be throwing him out lightly.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.