The inclusion of Callum Ferguson over Steve Smith, the withdrawal of Michael Clarke, the axing of Fawad Ahmed and the omission of David Warner from the ODI tour of India are signs Australia is at least heading in the right direction in terms of winning back the little urn.
Clarke’s decision to withdraw is solely based around his troublesome back, although had Indian cricket not currently been in turmoil, the decision may not have been so straight forward.
The BCCI has the capability to force teams to ensure that their best players are sent to serve advertising and marketing interests. Or perhaps someone behind closed doors has convinced the BCCI about excluding Clarke from the bilateral series; either way it is a win-win for Australia.
It will ensure that Australia’s best batsman is fresh and raring to go in time for the return leg of the Ashes ‘Down Under’. The reality is that if Clarke does miss an Ashes Test, the chances of Australia prevailing over England are low.
The decision to choose Ferguson is a golden opportunity for the Redbacks’ middle-order man, but all this talk about him playing in the first Test should be brushed aside.
Firstly, he has been selected to freshen up Steve Smith and allow the New South Wales man to play plenty of matches in Australia before the Ashes. Had Steve Smith been included in the ODI team, he would have had the opportunity of playing only one Shield match; now he has two.
Smith is a much better player of spin than Ferguson, he is a brilliant fielder, can bowl a few overs and has more experience playing in India than his South Australian counterpart.
Smith would have gained confidence from his hundred in the last Ashes Test, but it is a wise move by the selectors to exclude him from the ODI tour of India – it sends across a message of security to Smith and stability in the Australian top order.
Fawad Ahmed bowled beautifully in the first match of the season at Bankstown Oval two days ago; he certainly out-bowled Xavier Doherty, the man who has replaced him for the forthcoming tour of India.
Given Ahmed’s background, and his knowledge of the sub-continental conditions, he should have been a certain starter.
Once again, the selectors have touted Ahmed as the second-best spinner in Australia and want to preserve his confidence for the Ashes.
Touring India can be a tough place and had Ahmed been taken to the cleaners by the Indian batsmen, it could have severely dented the leg spinner’s confidence. After all Ahmed did get a taste of how well Indian batsmen handle spin in the Australia A ODI tri-series tour to South Africa in August.
In the three matches he played against India, Ahmed returned with combined figures of 3/170 from the three matches with an economy rate of 6.8 runs an over.
Despite the matches having been played in South Africa, the conditions were similar to sub-continent like flat pitches. Ahmed may not be a long-term prospect, but in terms of the Ashes this summer, he is seen as an asset that needs to be protected.
Warner’s exclusion seems to be based more around his attitude than form. Surely, if there was a way of getting Warner into form it would be to play him on the benign pitches in India.
Over the past year Warner seems to have taken everything for granted. Dropping him from the ODI tour is effectively a message to Warner that he needs to prove his value to Australian cricket once again.
Warner’s axing also allows him to avoid the spotlight and constant media attention that he would receive in India.
Warner will understand this and will be keen to try and outscore his competitors in domestic cricket in order to warrant a place in the Test team.
The selectors have devised an astute plan in the build up to the Ashes. Along with Cricket Australia they have realised that losing another Ashes series at home will have a catastrophic affect on the public.
And with that in mind, choosing between an ODI series against India and an Ashes series at home against arch-rivals England, Cricket Australia have chosen to prioritise the latter.
They may have got the scheduling wrong, but their approach to team selection seems to be on the right path.
62627
Guest
And the Australian team isn't aging? Their best players at the last Ashes were all well over 30 (Clarke, Harris and Rogers). Showing signs of improvement? Like I said the best players in this rubbish team are well over 30 and won't be there in 3 years. There's barley any real talent coming through and the young fast bowlers are made of glass. Cricket in Australia is in all kinds of trouble.
62627
Guest
Cameron White hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I feel sorry for those poor souls who have tickets for the 1st test. Is it too late to get a refund?
62627
Guest
I do love Cricket, that's why it hurts to see what it has become and watch it die a slow death. Why would I want to watch a team who's administrators who run it don't really give a stuff about trying to get the best out of it but instead only care about making money? I've got better things to do with my time these days
Avon River
Guest
Very good last couple of games on a tricky pitch and vs NSW inparticular he had to guide the Vics home solo after Wades demise. White appears to be learning his batting craft a little better and I only hope that transfers to the 4 day format. Short form cricket haz corrupted his development.
Nudge
Guest
Agree silver. He's had an Ian baker finch in the last 2 years but he looks to be coming out the other side
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
Cameron White is in good form at the moment in the Ryobi cup, experienced mature player. Good fielder, if his form follows into Shield cricket could be worth a look in at no 5 or 6
Nudge
Guest
62627, not watching cricket ever again. You obviously love your cricket
Gavin Heriot
Roar Rookie
Let's be honest, we are going to be the underdogs in this series, and prob the next..... Yes this is CAs fault. Very poor planning in regards to our National team, and domestic cricket. On the bright, we are showing signs of improvement.........and the strength and planning for English cricket will be tested in the next 2 years, their squad is aging....
Peter
Guest
You are right about grass roots cricket! I am 42 and have a child who is 11 and decided that it was time to sign him up for season of cricket and get him involved. Apparently there aren't enough under 12s to fill a team?! WTF!!!
Brendan Buckley
Roar Rookie
You can't say we are GOING to LOSE. Many of our batsmen are in form. Rogers is the most solid opener we've had since Hayden retired. Watson just hit a couple of hundreds international cricket, Clarke is always going to be good, apart from his back. Smith is in great form. We just need an opener and a no.6. England are not decided on their no.6 yet either. And we have Shield games to decide before the first test. Also Harris, Siddle, Johnson, Hazlewood, Coulter-Nile and Cutting are all bowling well, apart from Cutting, all have been playing some form of cricket somewhere in the world. A team that (I wish) looks like; Rogers, Warner, Watson, Clarke, Smith, Burns/Maddinson/Doolan/Hughes, Haddin, O'keefe, Siddle, Harris, Johnson/Hazlewood/Cutting/Coulter-Nile. This sought of team could win an ashes against; Cook- out of form, couldn't but a run in Eng. Root- will struggle on bouncy Aussie wickets. Trott- Also out of form. Pietersen- never known how he will play, Harris has his measure. Bell- won the shes for Eng, but he has many weaknesses. No.6- ??? Prior- Set a trap and he will usually fall into it. And the bowlers.
62627
Guest
I am actually relaxed because I know unlike a lot of suckers on here that I won't be going or watching any cricket this summer or ever again. CA lost me a very long time ago. Talk about a waste of time and money. I'm relaxed knowing CA will never get another dollar from me, unlike some going around.
Nudge
Guest
Gee man you need to relax.
62627
Guest
What a hilarious article. CA have done pretty much all they can to insure the Australian test teams loses as much as possible. They’ve neglected grassroots cricket for years now allowing it to pretty much die off. They’ve ignored and neglected the Sheffield Shield for years allowing it to turn into a joke while at the same time putting all their attention into T20 and the BBL. Shield, direct, club and grassroots cricket are all stuffed beyond repair because of years of CA neglect. They’ve done their best to insure Australia loses as many Ashes as possible when they agreed to move the next two Ashes forward while the Australian team was still rubbish. Then they agreed to the India tour a month from the first test this summer and you think they’ve done well? Let me make this very clear to anyone who maybe a bit uncertain in their own mind; Australia will lose this summers Ashes, I repeat, Australia will LOSE this summers Ashes and I bet my house they’ll lose again in 2015 and well beyond then. Don’t kid yourself just because they’re going to rest a few average players for the India tour this will somehow make a difference. That’s laughable! There’s nothing CA can do at this point to change the fate of the national team. Years of neglect and incompetence from CA have sealed the fate of the Australian team for the next two Ashes and for Cricket as a whole here. You’re right about one thing though, losing this summers Ashes again is going to have a catastrophic affect, a catastrophic affect on Cricket in Australia which has already been dying a very slow death for a very long time now. But it’s okay though, the national team losing over and over and first class dying doesn’t matter, CA think the BBL will save Cricket in Australia lol.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I do think that taking a mix of short form specialists and non-Test hopefuls is a good thing. However, I am concerned about reports of players - specifically Bailey - being told that good one day performances in India might lead to Test selection. Using limited overs as a sort of test to see how somebody copes at international level is one thing, but Test places must be earned through the Shield and First Class cricket. Bailey is one who desparately needs to perform in the Shield, and then maybe his ability to step up at international level might have in line for the South Africa tour. I hope the Fawad removal is not a short term thing to boost his chances for Brisbane, but trying to get as much long form cricket into him as soon as possible. He hasn't been around long enough, nor performed at anything much more than an adequate First Class level, to leapfrog O'Keefe or replace Lyon in the real game.
Bearfax
Guest
Hope you're right Gavjoshi. Too often in the past the shorter form of the game has been as an application process for test cricket. certainly Micky used it that way and his selection blunders culminating in an all rounder fest in India exemplifies that folly. There are some very good players who can play both, but especially amongst the batsmen there are one day specialists and longer form specialists and rarely should the twain meet. The coming tests should be with the following batsmen in consideration. Clarke, Rogers, Warner, Smith, Hughes, Khawaja, Watson (only as an all rounder), Maddison, Burns, maybe Doolan and Cosgrove if he loses 20kgs and David Hussey if he finds form again. What you have there are a couple of 50 odd average experienced batsmen and a bunch of developing young batsmen. Forget the 30+ aged batsmen who cant average 40 +. If they were going to be good enough they would have demonstrated it by now at first class level
Max Willis
Roar Pro
Brilliant article, spot on! Go the Aussies!
Nudge
Guest
Agree with this article. Spot on with everything