When Australia select the two quicks to partner Mitchell Johnson in the first Test against India, their velocity appears certain to be a decisive factor.
Coach and selector Darren Lehmann has repeatedly emphasised the need for Australia’s Test pacemen to be able to rattle opponents with their speed.
With the first Test to be played on a flint-hard Brisbane surface against the notoriously pace-shy Indians, bowlers like prolific South Australian swing bowler Chadd Sayers are unlikely to get a look in.
Operating in the 125-to-135kmh range, Sayers does not fit the Lehmann mould. The Australian mentor made it clear late last year that bowlers in this bracket would probably be overlooked for Test selection.
“That’s a really big area for us in our bowling attack – you need to have speed against players these days,” Lehmann said.
“Gone are the days when you can bowl 125kmh. You need to be 140 if you possibly can. Speed’s a really big issue… we’re looking for blokes who bowl with some pace.”
Since the start of the 2012-13 summer, Sayers has taken more Sheffield Shield wickets than any other bowler, with 93 at an average of 21. He has achieved this sensational record despite playing roughly half his games on the flattest deck in the country at Adelaide Oval.
The 27-year-old earned robust praise from his coach Darren Berry and Queensland skipper James Hopes after making a spectacular start to the Shield season at Adelaide Oval.
Sayers grabbed a hat trick in the first dig and then destroyed the Bulls with 6-34 in the second innings. Berry suggested Sayers had “kicked the door down” of the Test selectors.
Hopes and Redbacks skipper Johan Botha both lauded Sayers for his ability to trouble batsmen even on lifeless decks.
It was this ability which persuaded some Australian cricket followers, including myself, to suggest he would have been a smart pick for the two-Test tour against Pakistan in the UAE.
But Lehmann’s pace-first mantra could well make all this achievement and praise null and void. It is hard to see a short, medium-pace swing bowler in Sayers being favoured ahead of the far more rapid and intimidating offerings of tall quicks like WA’s Nathan Coulter-Nile or NSW youngster Josh Hazlewood.
Last time India toured Australia in the summer of 2011-12, they were routed 4-0 in the Test by Australia. Their batsmen folded like tissue paper against an Australian attack boasting extreme pace.
Tearaway James Pattinson reached 153kmh in that series, while Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Starc all nudged 150kmh repeatedly. Together, that quartet took 65 wickets at 19 for the series.
Fast forward just over two years and Siddle was dumped from the Test team in South Africa early this year because of his lack of pace. After bulking up during the past Australian winter and apparently rediscovering his lost velocity, Siddle earned back his place for the Tests in the UAE.
However, after regularly bowling in the low 140s in the first innings of that series, his pace flagged to the point he averaged just 131kmh across the second Test at Abu Dhabi.
Combined with his horrible series figures of 2-217, he is all but certain to be dropped for the first Test in Brisbane in four weeks.
Starc’s return of 2-142 from his sole Test in that series was scarcely better but he was far more threatening than Siddle, with either the new or old ball, not to mention 10kmh quicker.
He deserves another chance, particularly on a lively Gabba pitch, which should be perfectly suited for the 197cm left armer.
Veteran spearhead Ryan Harris is set to return to Shield cricket and is keen to play in the series against India. But given his shocking injury record, will Australia want to rush him back for the first Test?
If he does play, the third seamer spot looks set to be a shoot out between the tall and rapid trio of Starc, Coulter-Nile and Hazlewood. Poor old Sayers may be left watching the action on TV.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Fortunately the Australian cricket team doesn't pick players on the basis of buggin's turn. Except under Greg Chappell.
VivGilchrist
Guest
Who else is he suppose to play against? Why not pick him. He may be good enough he may not. Philander picked up 100 odd handy wickets and won Tests for SAf before "the wheels fell off".
Paul D
Roar Guru
Problem is though Ronan, Sayers has grabbed all his wickets playing against our shield batsmen. There's absolutely no reason to indicate that international batsmen are going to find him as threatening as domestic players have. Trent Copeland, Peter George - there's a reason these guys never got much of a run. They are simply not threatening enough. As you say as well, there are plenty of other bowlers around who bowl quicker. Philander was the poster boy for crafty trundlers, and as you said in a comment, the wheels have well and truly fallen off. Sayers might enjoy initial success, but he'd soon get worked out and blunted.
Tatah
Guest
Jason do you agree with Boof's 'must bowl over 140' policy?
JGK
Roar Guru
Is Sayers any better than Trent Copeland was in fist first few seasons? Copeland averaged about 20 after his first 100 wickets or so.
JGK
Roar Guru
Has it?
VivGilchrist
Guest
So Sayers shouldn't be picked? He plays half his games on the most pace bowling unfriendly pitches in the country and has the best record. I know, let's pick Hazelwood because he's tall like McGrath. We can also select Zampa because he's a blonde leg spinner like Warne. All we need now is a big burly Queenslander to open, and a stumpy little Tasmanian with a mo at first drop. I love some of the selection criteria in these posts...
Aransan
Guest
I would pick McGrath ahead of Lillee, Thomson, Lee and Johnson in the one day arena even bowling at 125km/hr and he has to be rated above Lee in test cricket. Thomson's flame blew brightly for too short a time.
Mitch Buckley
Roar Rookie
Elise Perry plays womens cricket?
Dez
Guest
Who needs Mcgrath when you've got an attack consisting of Lillee, Thomson, Lee and Johnson.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
You are right. The way Siddle bowls could work quite well in English conditions.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Really a catch 22. They want pace, but last time I checked, pace doesn't exist in spin bowling. So, it is less of a rule but a requirement that non-spin bowlers, must be fast. This chucks out a lot of good bowlers in the Aussie circlet world. Accuracy is important with every type of bowling. I am more concerned about the lack of variety if we got with 140k+ bowlers for the entire series. Are we going to pick NO spinners? Seems ludicrous the whole thing. It isn't quite the rotation policy drama, but no one who has been noticeably (as in the media's spotlight) left out of the team yet...
VivGilchrist
Guest
Brett Lee was fast but averaged over 30. Devon Malcolm was fast but too inconsistant. Fidel Edwards averages high 30's. Pace is not everything. Think off it this way, a team has a bowling attack, do all three of them need to be express? They often talk about bowling in partnerships. Johnson bowls best when there is pressure from the other end. I honestly feel Sayers, is just a slower version of Harris. He piles on the pressure, keeps it tight, bowls straight and swings it. Imagine at the Gabba, two out and out quicks, maybe MJ and Ryano, and a swing bowler, Sayers, back up by Watto, Marsh, and any other spinner beside Lyon. As for the Ashes, think Aldermann, that's why we need Sayers in. He'll be perfect in England.
Ash
Guest
I think for a pace bowler to be picked, they need to have at least two of pace (140+), swing and accuracy. What was remarkable about MJ's revival was his newfound accuracy as much as anything. Why Jimmy Anderson was ineffective down under was because he couldn't hoop it around as much.
Gaz
Guest
If Sayers misses out this series he really needs to be on the plane to the Ashes (it's a while off) but he would have a great time in UK conditions. The same reason I though Butterworth would have been handy last UK tour as well. Hopefully Cummins can get on the plane for the Ashes as well. Either C-N or Hazelwood are good shows for the Gabba. Plenty of talent doing well but can we get the combo right?
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
And Shane Watson. They could have left Watson out of the first couple of one dayers so he could get some 4-day-cricket under his belt. Crazy the way he never plays first class cricket to get himself back to full match fitness before the a test seires.
Nudge
Guest
Fair enough Ronan. Just watching him in the last couple of games knowing that he still has about 40 percent of improvement left, and still being head and shoulders better than any other bowler on the field,has left wanting more. Be interesting to see what the programme for him will be over the summer.
Jason Gillespie
Guest
Chadd has certainly improved over the last 6 years from a decent grade medium pacer to a genuine first class medium fast bowler. Very pleasing to see. He knew in order to play 1st class cricket he needed to be able to bowl consistently quicker. Now while I don't believe he will ever get to be classed as a genuine quick, I think the fact he bowls to the fuller length and moves the ball off the straight will allow him to continue to be a success at state level. All he can do is continue to take wickets consistently and keep putting performances together to demand selection.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
S R Waugh bowled a vicious 128-130. Ellyse Perry is 120. Glenny McGrath was 134.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Unfortunately, both NCN and Hazlewood are missing both this and the next round of Shield games because of the ODI series against SA. Doesn't give them any chance to get themselves in red ball form for the first Test.