I was sorry to see people such as Jordan Silk, Ed Cowan, Alex Doolan, Shaun Marsh and Marcus North fail with the bat in the Sheffield Shield.
Great knocks from Tim Paine, young Ben Dunk and Phil Hughes.
Great bowling from Chadd Sayers, Gary Putland and Kane Richardson for the Redbacks and Ben Cutting for the Bulls.
The Redbacks might be a smokey if they keep this line-up.
Greg Chappell is pulling the right strings to get kids experience against the Poms and in higher brackets.
I sense a desire from Greg to move younger players into positions of greater exposure and responsibility at an earlier age.
Sachin Tendulkar was 16 when he kicked off in first class cricket and while this is not India, the model is not broken. It can be transferred to any country which wants to adjust its thinking.
The belief systems around cricket are being questioned. There are old fables, old wives’ tales and old thinking still being applied.
It would nice to think the coaches, managers and general managers who work with the various states are thinkers outside the box, because the box is being turned upside down.
The application for the Test side is one of minimising the number of players who face England, while being cognisant of veterans and their injury potential, and so too with all young quick bowlers.
I would be extremely surprised if the mild conditions expected in Adelaide for next week’s Test don’t mean another all-out Australian assault.
It probably also means James Faulkner will be 12th man.
But Perth might be another issue.
Hard to imagine Shane Watson would not be able to bowl in Adelaide after his team have a full week and three days to be fit.
That would give Australia six bowlers to get England out twice. I don’t know how much bounce this track will have, but if it does, look out Poms.
I wouldn’t think Darren Lehmann would be keen to drop Steve Smith or George Bailey to play Faulkner, so unless Watson is hurt again, Faulkey looms as 12th man.
When they get to Perth, Australia might look to men such as Jackson Bird, Sayers, perhaps Nathan Coulter-Nile at his home ground.
They are unlikely to look to Kane Richardson or Putland just yet, but certainly Faulkner is close.
Australia’s selectors have been consistent with selections and methods of field placement, batting orders, bowlers and opportunity for the 12.
It’s lovely to see Mitch Marsh score well today, Sam Whiteman back up again and Sean Abbott do well.
Meanwhile Ashton Turner looked very able, and young Dunk looked the pick of the batsmen in the Shield.
Keep Dunk’s name close at hand.
w ch
Guest
Good comment Rob. I particularly liked how Rogers and Nevill rescued the day in the NSW innings against England. Showed character. And well done Arthur Pagonis, keep on contributing.
Rob na Champassak
Roar Guru
Ryan has had chances at first class level before with the Bushrangers, but he struggled down there. I have no idea why. But I can tell you that I'm not surprised to see him racking up the runs. I don't normally go out of my way to flatter schoolboy acquaintances so extravagantly, but I can affirm that he's mindbogglingly talented - not just at cricket, pretty much everything. And a nicer chap you couldn't hope to meet. I hope he continues to get a run in the Shield now that he's made a few runs. I have no doubt that he could succeed at virtually anything that he put his mind to. And he has put his mind to cricket, hasn't he? So, hopefully...
Marcus Halberstram
Guest
He went from the ACT to Victoria from what I can see. He made a mistake thinking Victoria would give him a chance when really they just seem to go with old guys down there. If he has come through Sydney grade cricket he has not come from no where. Sydney grade is a higher level than any other grade cricket in the world.
Bearfax
Guest
Yes. He seems to have come from no where and its a surprise that he hasnt had a chance in first class cricket before now at 23. Like to see him over a few more innings before pushing him for a test spot though. But there looks to be potential there. Who are NSW going to drop with Warner and Smith come back? Maddison and Patterson are looking good too.
Dan Ced
Guest
I hadn't really paid attention to Carters until I saw a bit of him against England recently. Looks good. I like Abbott too. Zampa impressed me in Ryobi, as did Sandhu. Whiteman impressed me in the 2 shield matches against the Redbacks but I only saw him with the bat not the gloves. Travis Head is an up and comer for sure, I've had my eye on him for a couple of years as a Redbacks fan. I know I write this almost every comment but I think Klinger should be in the test or ODI teams. Less flaky than Bailey, probably more experience. Captained the Redbacks for a while too. Bats patiently but showed he can up the pace in Big Bash.
Marcus Halberstram
Guest
Ryan Carters first class record this year is: 37* 94 (v England) 40 154 67 33 100 He is averaging 87.66 Do we drop Rogers for Adelaide and just bring him in?
Marcus Halberstram
Guest
Has everyone missed that Ryan Carters scored another hundred today? He is likely the leading run scorer in Shield and is 23.To me he has overtaken Nic Maddinson, Usman Khwaja (who is due for retirement I think) and Silk (but only because he is a bit older). Alex Doolan is falling away a bit also, could Carters now be above him? Is Carters a bit of a Michael Slater coming from no where?
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It's definitely open. If Haddin can get some decent form going and hold the spot for another 2 years or so, then I think there's a really good chance that the next Australian keeper currently isn't holding the gloves at first class level at the moment.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I was trying to think of the right word, I couldn't, and that one came to my head. Still not sure the right word for talking up old guys now as if they'd perform the way they did 6-8 years ago if they were picked now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The keeping spot will be an interesting one to watch over the next 5 years thats for sure!
Bearfax
Guest
Just as an addendum, a young talented batsman, William Bosisto, just three months over 20 years, who captained a recent Australian World Cup youth squad and averaged over 250 for the series (they couldnt get him out more than once in 6 games), began his first class career with WA this year. Has been seemingly dropped because of an unsteady start but he'll be back. But goes to show how tough it must be coming from the juniors to the big boys
Bearfax
Guest
Sam Whiteman seems a goer. Can hold the bat it seems. Is his keeping up to scratch?. Havent seen yet. As for young Doran we cant expect too much too soon. A couple of years yet, though congrats to him on his 17th birthday today. Noticed he is doing OK but not special at this stage for Aus in the Youth ODI matches (Under 19s) recently, so he's a bit of a way from first class cricket yet.
Bearfax
Guest
I'll accept the criticism guys. Chris said that picking them is 'sad'. My word is desperate'. But I acknowledge that Hodge is long gone, though I understand Katich is still doing good things in England recently
Scott Pryde
Expert
That order really isn't that strong - Rogers is getting on in age but is scoring decently at the moment although noting age and people like Silk coming through is probably only a couple of failures away from being dropped (even though Silk in my opinion needs more time in FC cricket... Kattich is past it even if he was dumped unfairly... He would have been finished by now anyway.. Hodge has retired and as Chris said, his batting has dropped of substantially in recent years, and is now not up to test standard, even if he was unlucky to have not been picked more in his prime... Warner, Clarke and Smith really make the basis of our batting order, and for now you might as well not have older players in, instead blood new players and realise that Australian Cricket might not win as much in the near future.... As for the keeper, like Hodge and Katich, Haddin is past it and its time to pick Wade or one of the young keepers coming through.... I think whoever they were to pick would only be able to hold down the spot for a couple of years anyway before naturally either Sam Whiteman or Jake Doran comes through and will naturally have an extended spot in the role....
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Hodge officially retired from everything but T20 a couple of years back. His batting also fell away in the last couple of years before that. (His 1st Class average of 48 is well below the mid-50s it hovered at the prime of his career, suggesting he really tailed off towards the end). As such, he probably hasn't been a remotely viable contender for about 5 years. He was certainly one to be considered very unlucky earlier in his career, but people still talking of him now is a bit sad.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Not sure that it's such a great opportunity for those guys though. A game like this can be a great opportunity for someone on the fringe of playing first class cricket, but for someone already firmly cemented in his states Shield side, it means missing out on a full Shield game in order to play a 2-day game against a largely second England XL. Picking those players would actually be sacrificing them for the chance to give England a practice game, rather than giving them an opportunity. If the whole schedule was different and you are talking about playing a 3-day or 4-day game and there were no Shield games on at the same time, then it might be different, but missing a Shield game for that wouldn't be good for anyone.
Bearfax
Guest
Love to see Katich and Hodge in the test side for Bailey and Watson but regrettably, for what ever reasons, these guys are on the outer and are not being considered. Add to that O'keefe and you begin to get a formidable outfit until the young blokes hit their prime. What a great bating line up though Warner Rogers Kattich Clarke Hodge Smith Yum
Felix
Guest
I like this idea a lot Scott, it's one that I've touted for a team in the A-League. Get a squad of excellent Australian/International youngsters playing in the A-League with a couple of old heads running around in defence to teach them the life of an international sports person. Imagine going and seeing the best of the available (keyword) emerging Brazil/Spain/Argentinian football talent. It'd be a spectacle. Anyway back to the cricket, I think the idea has merit - get a solid middle order batsman to steer the kids around, but let them go nuts. I think more exposure needs to be given to the younger players at higher levels without weakening state cricket. The current dearth of late 20 early 30 year old players is a direct result of how strong Shield cricket was 10 years ago. Kids like Doran would never be touted to replace someone like Lehmann, Law, Love etc. The states certainly won't back down and just allow youth in for the sake of having a look at them, for some of the older stalwarts of state cricket this is very much their livelihood and they want to be competitive. So one of the solutions is certainly to have those representative XI's stacked with youth to give them exposure to top class cricket.
Clavers
Guest
Bugger this youth policy. Simon Katich hasn't retired -- get him back in the team. And tell Pup to get down on his knees and bring Pup Symonds back from retirement. He can slot in anywhere. In fact, make him captain! That would be so much fun. :D
Scott Pryde
Expert
It's a good point that you make... All those players are performing in FC and Doran isnt just yet... Can't work out one to drop so maybe give Doran a few years