- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
So much has been written about the plight of Australian cricket in recent times. The country that dominated the cricketing world for close to two decades came tumbling down.
The retirements of legends revealed a festering wound that would take a long time to heal. Hayden and Langer retired more than four years ago but still Australia hunts for a confident opening combination.
The legendary Ricky Ponting retired recently with no replacement in sight. Adam Gilchrist bid farewell to the game as did the magicians SK Warne and Glenn McGrath.
No players will fill the shoes of those legends and no one should be expected to. Australia’s fast bowling stocks have been bolstered with the likes of James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and Jackson Bird. Provided that they remain fit.
It is with the blade that Australia struggles. Unable to provide consistent performances. This was revealed even more so when Mr. Cricket left the scene. Hussey papered over the cracks of the middle order.
Soon it will be entirely left to the new guard to once again deliver Australia glory. Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Ed Cowan have struggled to fill the roles vacated by their more illustrious counterparts.
Steve Smith on the other hand has seized his second opportunity with both hands and will seemingly be an important piece to the puzzle in years to come.
However, Australia’s troubles may be solved quite soon. Whilst I don’t expect to see them in the Baggy Green this summer, Nic Maddinson and Jordan Silk are definitely on the rise.
You may have heard the name of Silk before. He featured in a Test match against Sri Lanka last summer, taking a catch off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.
I would deem that Maddinson should be offered the first bite of the cherry. He’s played 27 First Class matches, scoring 1,863 runs at an average of 40.50. He has five centuries and eight half centuries to his name with a top score of 181.
Maddinson also holds the record for becoming the youngest player ever to score a century on first class debut for New South Wales.
If he plays this coming summer in the Sheffield Shield and provides more consistent performances I’d be more than willing to accept his selection in the Australian side for the 2014/15 summer.
Jordan Silk will perhaps need a little more time at first class level rather than rushing him in to provide a stop gap solution. Silk has played just three first class matches but as two centuries and a half century to his name.
He has scored 347 runs at an average of 57.83. I believe he should play out the following two Sheffield Shield seasons before being considered. Australia’s fault in recent times has been in rushing players into the team on the back of a handful of good performances and then dropping them when they don’t perform to expectations.
Chris Rogers, whilst age isn’t on his side, can provide the time needed to develop these two players into the match-winners Australia needs. So many team totals are built on confidence at the top of the order.
Rogers can be the mentor for these young players. He’s played a lot of first class cricket and has extensive experience. He is the epitome of hard work.
However, until they are ready, we will have to work with what we’ve got. Shane Watson may have found his niche at first drop. Provided he stays fit he could definitely hold his place there.
Michael Clarke is the team’s best batsman and will be relied upon for the foreseeable future as the rock. Khawaja, Hughes and Cowan will need to do what people like Katich, Hussey and even Clarke did when they were dropped. Score runs at Shield level and force their way into the side.
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.