Looking over the squad for the upcoming Test series in the UAE, the composition of the batting line-up strikes me as skewed. It seems as though there is a generation missing from the team, an age period lacking in our batting line-up.
Currently, we have four batsmen picked for the squad over 33 – Chris Rogers (37), Brad Haddin (36), Michael Clarke (33) and Shane Watson (33), who withdrew through injury.
There are also three players 26 and under – Glenn Maxwell (26), Phil Hughes and Steve Smith (both 25). This leaves only two players, David Warner (27) and Alex Doolan (28), in the age range considered the prime of a batsman’s career – the late 20s and early 30s.
Who are the current players in this 27-32-year-old age bracket that haven’t developed into Test cricketers? Let’s analyse a few of the players that haven’t nailed down a spot in the prime of their batting life.
Cameron White – 31 years old (4 Tests, 146 runs @ 29.20, 5 wickets @ 68.40)
The former Victorian captain has been in great form in the recent Matador Cup, hitting two centuries and being a lone-hand in the Victorian top-order and putting his name up for the 2015 World Cup squad.
White’s first-class career has spanned 14 years, early on it seemed he was Australia’s next leg-spinner, the four Tests he played being in India in 2008, were as a spin-bowler. White’s career has stalled with a lack of consistency hampering his chances of a Test recall.
Shaun Marsh – 31 years old (9 Tests, 493 runs @ 32.86, 2x 100s)
Marsh’s run with injury has seen a quality batsman cut down in the prime of his career. After making an excellent hundred on debut in Sri Lanka, Marsh has had continual back and hamstring problems.
Similar to White, his limited-over form has been excellent, being one of the world most dangerous T20 batsmen, but his failure to convert starts in the five-day game (10x 100s, 25x 50s) has hampered his development.
Callum Ferguson – 29 years old (no Tests)
A batsman with an excellent ODI record (30 ODIs, 663 runs @ 41.43), Ferguson was just hitting his straps in late 2009 when he suffered a serious knee injury, requiring a reconstruction. Since then he has only played five ODIs for Australia and has struggled to regain his form.
In first-class cricket he has reached fifty 39 times, but only converted these to hundreds nine times, a common trait among the players in this list.
Peter Forrest – 28 years old (no Tests)
Another batsman who was called in the ODI side but didn’t cement his place (15 matches, 368 runs @ 26.28, 1x 100). Since Forrest moved to Queensland for more opportunities than were on offer in New South Wales, he has been a solid member of the Bulls middle order but still hasn’t gone on to bigger things.
A first-class average of 35.97 is underwhelming but last season’s Sheffield Shield form, where he hit 823 runs at 68.58, with three centuries, could be a stepping stone to bigger things this summer.
Usman Khawaja – 27 years old (9 Tests, 377 runs @ 25.13)
A hugely divisive figure among cricket enthusiasts, and Roar commenters, Khawaja has not taken his opportunities at Test level. His 5392 first-class runs at a reasonable average of 40.23, show he has potential, but like Ferguson, White and Marsh before him, his inability to convert fifties into hundreds (13x 100s, 29x 50s) keeps him from being a top-class batsman.
Last season’s Shield haul of 551 runs at 50.09 showed improvement, but he once again only converted one of four fifties into hundreds. He is on the younger side of this group and you feel a good season will see him get another opportunity at Test level soon.
Aaron Finch – 27 years old (no Tests)
Our T20 captain and limited-overs battering-ram has exploded onto the international scene, his bludgeoning bat and smart cricket brain have him set to become one of Australia’s key players in the upcoming World Cup. But the transition from colours to whites has been a hard one for Finch, who has struggled to find his spot in the Victorian batting order, and it would seem it’s still undecided whether he is suited to the top or middle-order in the red ball game.
An average of 29.16 and only three centuries are poor stats for such a powerful batsman. Hopefully he can find his role and produce some scintillating cricket for Victoria and push for a baggy green in the future.
Tim Paine – 29 years old (4 Tests, 287 runs @ 35.87, 16 catches)
The Tassie keeper has never really kicked on after scoring 215 when opening the batting for Tassie in his first season. It’s still his only first-class century. Seen as the incumbent keeper to Brad Haddin, injuries and form have seen Paine slip behind Matthew Wade, Peter Nevill and possibly Sam Whiteman in the keeping pecking-order.
The overriding theme of these batsmen, who are all very talented and capable, is the lack of conversion. The inability to get hundreds and bat for an extended period of time has hurt all their chances of playing Test cricket. But with a few of our current batsman moving into the twilight of their careers, a good Sheffield Shield season could catapult one of these men into the Test team sooner rather than later.
Matthew Green
Guest
I think the Australian Cricket team has to get rid of some of the oldies before the Ashes next year because if you gradually let the old guys go then the new batsman coming in will be under less pressure knowing the people around them have earns their keep and are in the team for a reason, I think of this in more of a long-term strategy sure doing this we are not guaranteed winning the Ashes 5-0 but nor are we otherwise so then afterwards when the likes of Haddin, Rogers, Harris retire that's three relatively young guys who have to come in under the pressure of knowing that there team is'nt as secure as they'd like it to be and sure with players like Smith, Johnson and Warner we could win test matches through this period but I think this is the smartest and best option for the board of selectors.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I have to agree. It's not unusual to have players who are a bit stronger at one or the other, but to be so good at the short form of the game and so bad at the long form is almost unprecedented.
Evan
Roar Rookie
Or did Arthur's dropping of Khawaja send him into a form spiral!
Pope Paul VII
Guest
He was only a bright eyed young thing playing less than 30 FC matches but Khawaja was ave about 60 domestically, had about 9 100s and was converting 50s to 100s at greater than 50% when Arthur dropped him following the Hobart debacle against NZ. Just shows you what a genius Mickey Arthur was, as he could tell that Khawaja was going to spend a few years in the gutter.
Muttonman
Guest
Dunk has today been named as the keeper for the T20's against South Africa.
Evan
Roar Rookie
Yes, I did. I agree that his keeping needs work, especially to spin. That's why I think Whiteman and Nevill have both jumped ahead of him.
Don Freo
Guest
Ludemann certainly went to SA and Wade does keep ahead of Handscombe...but he is bloody terrible. He takes the gloves because he is captain. Ludemann moved because Vic wanted Wades batting...not his keeping. Did you see his fumbled stumping yesterday?
Evan
Roar Rookie
In terms of keeping ability he would be behind Haddin, Hartley, Paine and Nevill. Considering Handscomb can't get a gig in front of him and Ludeman went to SA from VIC to get a go I think Wade is in front of them. I think if Haddin got injured today, Whiteman would be sent over to replace him in the test side right now. It will be interesting to see when they name the T20 team who gets the nod, as Haddin won't be back in time from the UAE to play that game. I think they might get Dunk to keep.
Evan
Roar Rookie
His "conversion rate" at first class level is 31%, compare that to our established batsmen right now - Clarke 48.8%, Warner 43.3%, Rogers 40.5%, Smith 36.1%, even whipping boy Hughes is 37.1%. I think the article showed that this is the major problem for most batsmen on the list - White 30.5%, Marsh 28.6%, Ferguson 23.1%, Finch 17.6%, Paine 4%. Forrest is the only outlier with 43.5% but he has got to fifty a lot less then the other (10 100's, 13 50's).
Evan
Roar Rookie
The Finch case just intrigues me Nordburg, the fact that he is such a good limited-overs player and can't get his red ball game together, we've seen Warner successfully do it but Finch can't. I also had Cosgrove and Bailey on my list to talk about but the article was getting a bit long!
Evan
Roar Rookie
Thanks Vibhor, I agree with the notion that age is no barrier, look at Mike Hussey!
Don Freo
Guest
The suggested pecking order of keeping possibilities is way off. Wade would be behind Whiteman, Hartley, Nevill, Ludemann, Carters, Dunk, Bancroft, Handscombe and certainly, Paine.
Don Freo
Guest
It's interesting when you see Sean Marsh's numbers in the context of other contenders. His run of about 7 failures before he was left out included 4 umpiring shockers, including 2 LBWs off the bat and twice caught in slip, once off the pad and once when it hit a pothole and missed everything. Take those shockers out and his average would be miles better and, chances are, he would have scored in those innings. Marsh is a gem and figures alone never tell a story. Today, he played his first grade game after shoulder surgery and hit 87...an unlucky number that reflects the luck of his career. Much more to be heard from Marsh and Khawaja.
Khan
Roar Rookie
Khawaja scored a century today and is leading run scorer following from his scucess last year in Ryobi
Dexter The Hamster
Guest
Exactly. About 2 to 1 is pretty good, and his record is marginally off this. I see this keeps him from being "top class".
Armchair Expert
Guest
I would of thought Cosgrove would of rated a mention way before Finch, and most of the others for that matter.
Craig Watson
Guest
Tim Paine lost two seasons with his finger injury... bit hard to be improving your cricket while sitting on the sidelines. Before the youthful looking Tasmanian was injured he was arguably our finest keeper/batsman. Four Tests with 287 runs at almost 36 av...16 catches.1 stumping . Very decent figures wouldn't you say. His ODI stats are also not too shabby. Paine's keeping is as immaculate as ever since his return.
jammel
Guest
To underscore the role I see Khawaja can play going forward, here's the top seven how I'd like to see them post-Clarke: Silk Warner Hughes Smith (C) Khawaja perhaps MMarsh, if he genuinely works out - otherwise someone like Lynn, Maddinson or Carters Whiteman
jammel
Guest
Interesting article. I don't think that some of this generation are truly "lost" though - e.g. Khawaja still has very good prospects of a long Test career ahead of him. He definitely isn't too old yet! I don't see the likes of Finch or Forrest in particular being Test batsmen.
Ruminate
Roar Guru
Pretty good analysis! I think that Cam Whites batting average of 29.5 in 4 tests was in India were not too many Aussies have done that well. Indeed, Shane Watson's is 31.7 and Dave Warner's is 24.3 there. After a drop in form, I think that he has been pretty good in th last too seasons. We've tried worse players at (Bailey) and whilst has done well in short forms, he really didn't get much of a go in tests.