ICC say McKay is our second-best ODI bowler, so where is he?

Clint McKay is ranked by the ICC as the 11th best bowler in ODI cricket – that’s Australia’s second best, behind only Mitchell Johnson.

Yet the paceman’s international career has evaporated in a matter of months, to the point where he will be left out of Australia’s squad for the upcoming World Cup.

Just 12 months ago, McKay was the world’s in-form ODI quick, having snared 87 wickets at the remarkable average of 21 in his first 49 ODIs.

The Victorian had been very impressive both in home conditions and on foreign soil. He was unerringly accurate, admirably frugal, gained consistent away swing with the new ball, and extracted disconcerting bounce due to his 194cm frame and lofty action.

Above all, he was dependable. That last attribute was crucial given that Australia’s two other favoured quicks at the time, Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc, could be unpredictable and, at times, expensive.

Johnson and Starc are natural strike bowlers who seek wickets as a priority. Their ability to dislodge top-order batsmen was a key element of Australia’s rise to number one in the ODI rankings – a title they gave up during the recent tour of Zimbabwe.

Mckay’s reliability gave that pair greater freedom to attack in such a manner. Skipper Michael Clarke knew McKay could be relied upon to stem the run rate if one of the Mitches lost their radar.

During Australia’s lacklustre series in Zimbabwe, it was patently clear that Australia missed such a bowler. When the South African batsmen got a roll on there was no one capable of halting their momentum.

An in-form McKay would also have been a godsend for the Aussies. The decision to drop him from the ODI side appeared to be a harsh one considering he had looked in good nick in his last outing when he took 3-36 from 10 overs against England in Adelaide in January.

He had labored though in his previous 10 matches, during which he took 10 wickets at the inflated average of 49. Those awful figures were largely the result of being caned during the phenomenally high-scoring ODI series in India in October and November last year.

McKay returned four wickets at 74 from six matches in India. But pacemen from both sides were mauled during that series, which was played on wickets which were outlandishly friendly to batsmen – the 10 fast bowlers who played combined to average 52 for the series.

Regardless, McKay was jettisoned for the tour of Zimbabwe, which was the first squad chosen by Australia’s new selection panel chaired by Rod Marsh and including Mark Waugh, Trevor Hohns and coach Darren Lehmann.

He was then overlooked for Australia’s squads for their ODI matches against Pakistan in the UAE and for the current five-match series against South Africa.

McKay’s demise became so exaggerated that he was even turfed from Victoria’s 50-over side in the second half of the recent one day cup and overlooked for the opening round of the Sheffield Shield.

The 31-year-old would have started the Australian summer confident he could force his way into the World Cup squad. He does, of course, boast an astounding ODI record in Australian conditions, with 60 wickets at 19 in home games.

McKay earned a recall to Victoria’s side in the second round of the Shield, taking 2-85 in their eight-wicket loss to Tasmania. But he was dropped again for the most recent round of the Shield.

It would take a torrential downpour of Shield wickets over the coming month for McKay to come into World Cup calculations. First he needs to get a game for Victoria.

The likes of Kane Richardson, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Coulter-Nile have stolen a march on the veteran and, unfortunately, may have ended his international career.