For all the clangour that followed Shane Warne’s retirement, another bedrock of Australian cricket is proving just as difficult to replace.
First drop is the most important position in any batting order.
The majority of good Test sides have a great No.3 – over the past 80 years Australia were blessed with the likes of Don Bradman, Neil Harvey, Ian Chappell and Ricky Ponting.
Following Ponting’s demotion to No.4 in 2011, the coveted position has been a revolving door due to injury, form and batting-order reshuffles.
It’s a trend that is expected to continue next month, with Glenn Maxwell failing to fire in the recent Test loss to Pakistan.
Some were given the post reluctantly, some claimed it confidently and some were stop-gap measures in a single innings.
None of the 11 have come close to emulating the success of Ponting.
Since Ponting’s towering 150 in the opening Test of the 2009 Ashes series, Australia’s No.3 batsmen have produced 3365 runs and only four centuries from 60 Tests.
To put that in perspective, the previous 60 Tests netted 5787 runs and 20 centuries from No.3 as Ponting punished sides around the world.
This time last year, national cricket selectors agreed on one hugely important question regarding the opening Test of the Ashes.
Does Mitchell Johnson warrant a recall?
Leading up to December 4, when a four-Test series against India starts in Brisbane, they must reach closure on who is the team’s long-term No.3.
“Fortunately I’m not a selector,” declared Michael Clarke on Wednesday, when asked about the No.3 spot upon arrival in Sydney after his side’s woeful 2-0 Test series loss in the UAE.
“I’m not going there.”
Shane Watson, who has scored the side’s only two centuries at No.3 in the post-Ponting era, is set to return for the Gabba Test and performed the duties last summer.
Alex Doolan, dropped for Maxwell, is yet to play a Test on home soil and selectors may want to afford him that opportunity instead of casting judgment on a handful of starts in four Tests.
Clarke suggested last week the prospect of Steve Smith moving up to first drop was “a fantasy right now … he’s just just starting his Test career”.
Phillip Hughes and Shaun Marsh headline the other contenders.
In the opening round of the Sheffield Shield season, George Bailey came in at first drop for Tasmania and scored 15 and 11 while South Australia’s Callum Ferguson posted an unbeaten century at No.3.
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