As the start of the 2013/14 Sheffield Shield is a mere nine days a way, you can see batsmen motivating themselves to fire up from ball one in the hope of a earning a coveted baggy green.
Considering the current batting woes of the Australian team, there is certainly the chance one or more Shield batsman could force themselves into the Test side should they start of well in the Shield.
Here are a few names to look for this season.
Nic Maddinson (New South Wales)
The youngster first came to prominence in the 2010/11 Ashes with a run of fine form for his state that had him touted as a smoky for the last Sydney Test.
Since that time, he fell down the pecking order, but has resurfaced with a move to the middle order that has resulted in a string of fine performances for the Australian A Team.
The other side of this move is that he has gained respect for the pureness of his ball striking.
However, he has been criticised for a lack discretion in his shot selection.
If, he could revisit the solidity he showed in his youth, and marry it with his new attacking style, he would be virtually a Test certainty.
Joe Burns (Queensland)
There are many things to like about this young Bulls batsman. He has a brilliant temperament and is one of the few young batsmen who plays the ball on its merits.
He has also managed the difficult task of scoring runs at the Gabba, renowned as being one of the toughest batting pitches in Australia.
Going against Burns is that he has experienced a period of bad form recently in the Ryobi Cup which could lead to him being left out of the Queensland Shield side to begin the season.
Jordan Silk (Tasmania)
The greatest challenge for this top order batsman who made such a contribution to Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield winning team is whether he can overcome the second-year blues.
If he can deal with that, he is a top order batsman that has already shown a gluttony for runs like all the fine top order players have. He is also equally adept at playing an old style dour innings or a more adventurous stroke filled one.
Kurtis Patterson (New South Wales)
This youngster stole the headlines by scoring 157 on debut with his dazzling stroke play standing out.
After this, he showed his focus was the baggy green by turning down a lucrative Big Bash contract with the Sydney Thunder to concentrate on the under 19s, and further development.
Sadly, since that amazing knock in 2011, he has been cut down by injuries, but come the start of this Shield season he will be fit and raring to fire.
Marcus Harris (Western Australia)
At the mere mention of this youngster’s name people will point to his Shield average of 28.63 and think I am on the far side of crazy.
But there is context behind that average.
He was thrown to the wolves in the Western Australian team when it was at its most shambolic. Despite this, he still was his state’s leading run scorer in 2012/13 at the tender age of 20.
I think this Shield season will see Harris make a breakthrough, putting himself firmly in the view of Test selectors.
Will Bosisto (Western Australia)
In this age of Twenty20 flash, and the shameful embrace of it, this young middle order batsmen is a real throwback.
He is renowned for his temperament and putting a value on his wicket.
He is tough as teak in the mind and is an old-style dour player that has a real appetite for runs. Think Michael Hussey in style.
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