Queenslander Cameron Boyce has reminded everyone in Australia that leg-spin is a legitimate option in international cricket.
Watching South Africans Reeza Hendricks and Farhaan Behardien running down the pitch to Boyce’s hard-spinning leg-breaks, swinging wildy, missing by a long way, and turning to see ‘keeper Ben Dunk removing the bails excited many.
Australia, of course, has been crying out for a quality leg-spinner since the great man retired. I won’t mention his name because doing so guarantees every other spinner named in this article will disappear into his shadow for the rest of time. We shouldn’t forget Stuart MacGill was one of the all-time greats too.
Whether Boyce can become Test relevant is an unknown. His average of nearly 50 in First-Class cricket suggests not but he’s still young and clearly has talent.
The question on my mind, though, is that, at a time when Australia are looking for an excuse to pick a leg-spinner in any format, Victoria aren’t picking James Muirhead. Remember him? He’s the guy who was plucked from nowhere at the start of 2014 and started looking like a quality international bowler.
He excited everyone with his control, his calmness and, most importantly, his prodigious spin. He looked like he could perhaps be, if everyone crossed their fingers and toes, the stars aligned and batsmen started becoming scared of leg-spin again, the Test spinner Australia wanted.
People called for him to be picked in the Twenty20 World Cup. Some wanted him in the One Day team. Some even suggested he could be worthy of a Test. Most agreed he wasn’t ready for that.
Nathan Lyon’s and Steve O’Keefe’s troubles in the United Arab Erimates though, and Boyce’s media attention, has meant the selectors must at least be considering their spin options for the first Test in Brisbane.
Lyon deserves to be picked. He’s deceptively young, spins the ball hard, has performed well for a while now and improves each game.
But the Vics should be making very loud noises for Fawad Ahmed and James Muirhead. They should be telling everyone how good their two leg-spin bowlers are. As it stands they can only clamour for Fawad because he’s the only one getting a game.
Victoria has some excellent cricketers but surely there is room for two spinners in their Shield team. Alex Keath and Dan Christian are in the side as medium-pace all-rounders, which means the Vics could get away with Clint McKay and a second seamer to complement Fawad and Muirhead.
The two spinners complement each other too. Muirhead flights it and turns it more. Fawad is quicker and tighter. Victoria is blessed to have two of the nation’s finest leg-spinners and three of the best spinners if you count Jon Holland. They are all different types of bowlers and can function in the same team.
Muirhead bowled 17 overs for St Kilda this weekend, taking no wicket for 70. The previous week he took 5/18 though, on the back of 3/58 and 2/55. He’ll have the odd bad day but he gets quality batsmen out and could play for Australia in the near future. And he’s only 22.
Victoria must give Muirhead a chance. If it doesn’t, there’ll be another state that would love to give him one next year.
Shouts Chen
Guest
Any word on what's James Muirhead's bowling average in First Class Cricket?
Anthony
Guest
I actually happen to like this situation. Muirhead is experiencing the way things used to be in the Australian domestic setup. In order for a young player to get a game, they have to earn it. The experience of having to beat Ahmed for the spinner's spot is only going to make him better.
Don Freo
Guest
Agar is 12th man. Night cricket provides too much opportunity for the quicks to ever need a spinner.
Joel
Roar Rookie
So Agar is selected as a batsman then?
Don Freo
Guest
Spinners aren't needed for WA. Opposition teams never reach 200 because of the quality of our 6 quicks.
Joel
Roar Rookie
Ahmed for the moment does have better control and takes more wickets. Maybe Muirhead should look at WA. I hear they are in need of a decent spinner.
Don Freo
Guest
Not if a better one comes up.
Don Freo
Guest
WA has a great leggie in Ty Hopes...if we ever need one. Hard to believe Muirhead can't get a game in that attack. The Vic attack might be the worst pace attack in Shield cricket over the past 20/30 years. Surely, when they have 3 good spinners, one of those trundlers should go. Holland could go to NSW. No worthwhile left arm spinners there.
Francis Curro
Roar Pro
Aus need to pick a spinner and stick with it, rather than just keep throwing new ones in.
Camo McD
Roar Guru
I agree Michael, for the first time in decades the Vics seem to have very few quality pace bowling options. Fawad, who took 6 wickets in the 1st shield game, and Muirhead should both be playing every shield game now. As you say we have a few pace bowling all-rounders who can take some of the load if need be and I doubt there are many Shield batsmen around who are comfortable facing a quality leg spinner, let alone one from each end. Re Jon Holland, he seems to do OK in the limited overs stuff but I am perplexed that he continues to be rated highly by many despite receiving so many chances and never really performing. I hope he never plays Shield cricket for Victoria again. He has never taken a first class 5-for and has a worse bowling record than Brad Hodge! From the same number of games for example, Bryce McGain took 5 5-fors and twenty odd more wickets overall at a much better average.
deccas
Guest
There is no balance in victorias shield team at the moment, they are opening the bowling with Stoinis, a medium pace allrounder who bats at 3, have 2 other medium pace allrounders in keath and christian, Holland is a spinning allrounder, they have quinney and hussey as their only established batsmen and hastings and boland as thier established fastbowlers. Wade bats at 6... they will be stronger when white comes back but still, he isn't the long form batsmen they need. I just can't see them doing anything usefull with a team with more bit part allrounders than batsmen or bowlers
deccas
Guest
Ahmed is just a better bowler.
Craig Watson
Guest
Looks like the Muirhead should be looking for a new home state. Cameron Boyce will be away on international duty in the near future, perhaps Queensland could find a place for the young leggie. The Blues let Adam Zampa go a couple of years ago---an ideal replacement for him. Or he could join Ashton Agar at the Warriors. Michael Beer could not be far off retirement. Tassie could sure use his services to help out X Doherty. Plenty of options youngster if the Vics do not want you.
Nic
Guest
Vics prefer Ahmed so no room for Muirhead - simples
twodogs
Guest
Gday Michael, he who shall not be named had by comparison a modest shield average - 34 odd and a strike rate 73 odd. I like the look of Muirhead but the love affair for Ahmed seems to be a roadblock. JM turns it more, flights it more but gets hammered more. This will improve when his ability to land it exactly where required becomes 2nd nature. Geez, up here the blues could use a leggie. Probably also be a shoe in for higher honours.