It has been announced this week that Traeger Park, Alice Springs, set against the backdrop of the iconic MacDonnell Ranges, is to host an Ashes tour match in November this year.
Presently in England, batting for Middlesex, it was left to another rugged Australian, Chris Rogers, to stake a claim for inclusion in the eagerly awaited contest. Yet intriguingly, alongside him was a more unfamiliar name that may one day feature in the white heat of an Ashes contest.
The only question is which country will Sam Robson eventually opt for – Australia or England?
The 23-year-old Sydney born right handed opener has played cricket for New South Wales Under-17s, Under-19s, the Australian Under-19 team, the University of New South Wales, and Eastern Suburbs.
He has also played First Class cricket for Middlesex since June 2009 and currently averages a fraction under 40. In addition, he has five First Class centuries to his name in that time, which includes one of the wettest summers in UK history.
Robson has also secured a historical footnote (and one for inclusion in pub quizzes) by making the earliest First Class hundred ever seen in Great Britain – which he achieved before March was out last year for Middlesex against Durham University.
In August 2011 I watched a young Robson hitting a century alongside three-time Ashes winner and England legend Andrew Strauss (who scored a career best 241* in the same innings), for Middlesex against Leicestershire.
The Paddington-born right handed opener also showed his bravery that day by reluctantly retiring hurt on 101 after suffering double vision after being hit on the helmet by a bouncer from Wayne White.
An outstanding fielder as well, he finished the 2011 season with an impressive 885 runs at a First Class average of 59.
Last season, in miserable weather, he suffered a dip, but still managed 814 First Class runs at an average of 30.14. He then went back and played grade cricket in Sydney for Eastern suburbs over the winter.
It appears to have helped him. Robson has started this season well, scoring 131 in the match in a Middlesex victory at Trent Bridge, the field of the first Ashes battle of 2013.
He has also just passed 3,000 career First Class runs with his century in the London derby between Middlesex and Surrey, in the 263rd instalment of this ancient fixture first played in 1850.
To put the length of this long standing contest into context it was to be another ten years before the ranges, named after Sir Richard MacDonnell, the Governor of South Australia at the time by explorer John McDouall Stuart, had even been located by white settlers, whose 1860 expedition reached them in April of that year (Disappointingly for a Middlesex man Surrey lead the way in the overall head-to-head with 93 wins to 75).
After being skittled by Surrey for a disappointing 166 in their first innings, including a fluent if abridged 21 by Rogers, and a battling 36 by Robson, Middlesex were asked to follow on by new Surrey captain – if not a new South African one – Graeme Smith.
Even as the pitch became far more benign, it was Rogers and Robson early seizing of the initiative in the second innings that saw them set a new record for the highest ever first wicket partnership for the ‘Middle’ against their arch South London rivals, the ‘Re’.
This surpassed the previous record of 232 set by ‘Plum’ Warner and James Douglas five years before the Titanic sank.
Rogers seems to think Robson will side with England, being reported as saying that his partner at the top of the Middlesex batting line-up has already made up his mind, and that it is Australia’s loss. However, Middlesex literature lists him as “not qualified for England,” even if he is well on the way to finishing his qualifying period to play for England if he choses.
Robson is a little more equivocal on the matter, not yet declaring his preference for either side. He is quoted as saying he merely wants to “contribute to some Middlesex success.”
But a Paddington born Aussie with an English mother and a British passport will always have options open to him in both hemispheres if he plays well.
What’s it to be Sam?
Incidentally Rogers looked in great nick too it has to be said in scoring his 29th century in county cricket (one for Leicester, five for Northamptonshire, 15 for Derbyshire and now eight for Middlesex).
In his first match since being recalled to the Australian cricket team after a gap of five years, as Robson’s partner in the trenches, he hit 214 in the same innings as Robson scored his 129. It was his ninth First Class double century.
With the second Test of the eagerly awaited Ashes to be played at his home ground of Lords, Rogers’ timing couldn’t have been better. The vagaries of the St John’s Wood slope can be difficult to read, as many an uninitiated player has found to their cost.
While we’re on the subject, Ashes fever is growing over here. The Guardian online has already started a ’20 great Ashes moments’ (no prizes for guessing that a certain SK Warne is at number one for his ball of the century).
Despite the race for fourth place in the Premier League, Sky Sports are trailing the contest already, and as for tickets, forget it! They all went long ago, with Trent Bridge and Old Trafford selling out their first four days one cold morning last winter.
Wise heads are rare in counselling everyone to concentrate on the two Test series against New Zealand starting a week Thursday at Lords before looking towards Australia.
The English players, of course, are keen to stress at the moment that the Kiwi series takes precedence. A few may even believe it.
Not that they’d toe anything other than the party line. They even affected a mild bemusement at the gang of four miscreants being ‘sacked’ by Mickey Arthur for breaches of team protocol prior to the Mohali Test in your 4-0 loss to India.
In my experience it’s always best to be wary when teams say they only concentrate on themselves and don’t pay attention to what’s happening elsewhere – as it’s simply not true.
You know for a fact Andy Flower and Alistair Cook et al will have studied recent Aussie travails in minute detail. They will also have taken great satisfaction (behind the scenes at least) in what happened to you guys in India.
Many think it will be walkover.
But what do they know of the Ashes who Ashes only know?
Everyone else understands it’s going to be a far closer series than a lot of people believe, as Australian born cricketers and Australian people in general simply don’t do capitulation.
Just ask Chris Rogers and Sam Robson.
national identity
Guest
Bob...how much Alan Jones do you listen to? Your backward thoughts have no place in this society. I also was born overseas to British parents. We moved here when I was 13. 12 years later, I am a naturalised Australian and support both countries in whatever sports. I consider myself to be just as Australian as I do British.
Max Power
Guest
You took the words right out of my mouth (fingers?) Jo. He had a very, very long list of players in front of him (Katich, Khawaja, Hughes, Cowan, Warner, Tom Cooper (who had a phenomenal junior record) plus others) and this was a decision he made 3-4 years ago. There was an article about this in the Herald two years ago about his decision to become eligible and play for England. However, if he is going to change his mind then Brad Haddin is the man to do it, he convinced Sam to leave UNSW to play for Easts despite Sam's old man Jungle being an absolute UNSW club legend. And as a useless piece of trivia, Chris Rogers' dad John captained Sam's old man Jungle in UNSWCCs first ever first grade premiership.
Jo M
Guest
Max, Sam did come through the Australian system. He played NSW Under 17 and 19 and Australia Under 19 and you would assume he was in the Emerging Blues up to Under 17 age group. His father runs the indoor nets at the SCG. As for NSW not picking him, unfortunately for him there were others ahead of him. Until the last couple of years, there was Katich, Hughes, Khawaja and I can't think of the others. Cricket NSW put a lot of money into him playing in all those teams, as they have with my son and a whole lot of others we know. He has the right to play for who he wants, but sometimes I think that if people leave they should have to repay the money that has been paid out for their training, touring and all the rest that goes along with it.
aussie1st
Roar Pro
Does sound like he is lost which is a shame as he looks to be a talent. Would love to grab him back but that ain't going to happen unless as mentioned he gets called up to the Aussie side.
Seamus
Guest
I strongly believe that national identity should be associated to where you grew up. Having taught in many international schools, I observed that once students reach 16, cultural and behavioural norms are embedded into their character, despite parents being from different countries. However, the journalist raises a very interesting point; sport is about passion and not political or national boundaries. If a sportsperson has a strong sense of identity to a particular nationality that has in some way influenced their life, why not represent this nationality on the sports filed?
Ash Lemson
Roar Rookie
Surely you would want to play for the country you grew up in. I think we need to offer him a baggy green and a contract and let him and his great mate Rogers open the batting (its better than Cowan and Warner).
Bertie
Guest
Binny, Actually, having just read a Fairfax article, I think you are right about it not being possible for Robson to play for Middlesex as a British player while playing Test cricket for Australia (how did Jacques do it, if he did it, then?). But I still reckon that if he were offered a Test spot with Australia and told it can very well be permanent (and it should), then he could be swayed. Look at Australia's top order compared to England's, England's is much stronger (Rogers excepted, and he's not gonna be there forever). It might take Robson another six years to crack the England Test XI, but he can make a permanent spot for himself in the Australian Test XI now. It's a simply but very compelling argument that John Inverarity MUST put to him.
Bertie
Guest
Binny, I'm not sure you're right. Phil Jacques, who has represented Australia at Test level, is, I gather, playing County Cricket as a non-overseas player (he holds a British passport). In any event, if I were John Inverarity, I'm absolutely certain I could convince Robson to play for Australia. He's not about to become some bits and pieces fill-in for Australia. Given Robson's history, form and ability (and given Australia's abject lack of other options), he has it in himself to become Australia's number one opener. I think he is better than Cowan and Warner. And I don't think his County (or Shield) options will be curtailed in any way by playing for Australia.
Blair
Guest
As a Kiwi, would love more batsmen with the qualities of Robson to be exhibited in our batting line-up. Should be a fantastic Ashes series again!
Binny
Guest
That would be correct if he qualifies for England, but if he plays for Australia...
James
Guest
england has hyped this up no doubt but any argument that relies in any way on an article in the sun is kind of like the comparing someone to hitler rule whereby you lose right away. its the sun for goodness sake, the most tabloid yellow journalist of the english tabloids.
James
Guest
yeah calling england out on this just makes you seem like a sore loser. most everyone who represents a country that is not the one of their birth does it because they have come to love that country and have made a life and a family there. really people who move to another country and make a life there by choice should be more worthy of representing that nation than ones who were there simply thru fate of birth.
James
Guest
you dont suddenly love another country than the one you were born in just randomly. i dont know when it happened, lived continuously in australia except for half a dozen trips to england during school holidays but somewhere around grade 6 felt more affinity towards england than australia and since then always supported england regardless of if they were playing australia or not, was horrid watching the ashes for 10 years haha. it wasnt a wish to get out of australia, its just more affinity towards england. it does matter where you were brought up but whats more important is if you for some reason not mercenary like but because you just love and support the country of your parents and have visited and fallen in love with then should be able to choose that. i think representing a country is based on citizenship and wish to represent them not birth or where you were brought up, children dont understand in any real way about nation until at least teenage years and then most dont care until midway thru highschool so saying someone was educated and brought up in a country and so should represent that country is naive. i dont understand really how these things are even open for debate. one person gets to decide and thats the person doing the playing, who do they want to hit or kick a ball for? we should respect their choice because we cant understand it ourselves without actually being them.
Russ
Guest
This is the key point. He is a professional, and he wants to play cricket (and earn money) as a professional. He is almost certainly a better chance of playing international cricket as an Australian at this point in time. But he has never played first class cricket in Australia. Because, with only six teams, Australia just doesn't have enough opportunities, and certainly not compared to England's 18 counties and various minor-counties and leagues with pro-cricketers. Young (19-20y/o) players can't be expected to be on the fringe of national selection, which just about any state cricketer is these days. But the system is setup in a way that they need to be. Better opportunities are what tempts good cricketers across to the AFL, and it is what has tempted good young cricketers across to England. Given how flush CA is with cash these days, there is ample reason to aggressively expand the professional playing base.
Paul
Guest
As a Kiwi living in Australia I'm interested to hear about the hype for The Ashes series, and lack of it for the two tests against NZ. I suspect that this is mostly due the fact that the English public, swayed by media sensationalism now believe that an Ashes victory is inevitable. Another classic case of an England sporting team being built up to the point where anything less than a crushing victory is deemed a catastrophic failure, and the press will be there with daggers should the inconceivable happen. As for the NZ series, the Black Caps will be seeing this series as matches four and five of a finely balanced 5 match series. May be England cricket fans should look at this way as well, as the Ashes series may be a done deal by the time the final two tests roll around. I was in England the last time NZ won a series against England (1999). The day after the Black Caps won the final test the front page of The Sun newspaper had a full page picture of some stumps in flames and the heading "England Cricket R.I.P."
Max Weber
Roar Pro
Fairly certain that the requirement to be a domestic player is British citizenship, which Robson can get next year. He wouldn't take up an overseas slot in that case (similar to Thorp, Allenby, Walters, etc?).
Binny
Guest
As a middlesex supporter and a massive fan of Sam it is clear that he is a great talent. However, will a young player who has cemented down an opening position for us potentially relinquish it for an occasional game for Australia? By playing once it is unlikely any county will sign him as an overseas player! Therefore I am certain he will remain affiliated with England, whether or not he plays regularly.
Simon Gill
Guest
Always going to be full of debate the more intergrated the world becomes. My son has an English father, an irish mother and was born in the west indies so plenty of choice for upcoming world cups!
twodogs
Guest
Why consider him at all? We got bucket loads of talent here. Just needs to be better directed.
Nick Richardson
Roar Guru
Trent bridge is a bit far, but Aus A is where he should play.