With Mitchell Johnson (33), Ryan Harris (35) and Peter Siddle (30) all nearing the end of their international careers, it’s time to start thinking about who’s going to replace them when they retire from Test cricket.
Australia is the luckiest country in the world when it comes to fast bowlers. There are so many young quicks going around and with with an ageing Aussie attack, it’s time for them to start impressing selectors.
They could have a look at what James Pattinson did the other night, knocking over the great Michael Hussey and Jacques Kallis for the Melbourne Renegades.
With guys like Pat Cummins, Jason Behrendorff and Gurinder Sandhu in the wings, who is going to fill the big shoes of the Australian pace trio?
Pattinson, the 24-year-old, right arm quick from Victoria has showed lots of potential in his 13 Test matches for Australia. He has had quite a few injury setbacks over his career but if he can stay on the park for longer periods of time, he can definitely become a full time member of the Australian squad.
Mitchell Starc has been in and out of the Test squad since his debut in 2011. He has shown that when he gets some rhythm and control in his bowling he can be devastating to opposition batsmen.
Still only 24, the 196cm left armer still has a long way to go in his career but he needs to learn to stay on the park for longer to work his way back in the international arena.
Josh Hazlewood already has a Test match five-for to his name and there’s nothing stopping him from becoming a great. With 99 first-class wickets at an average of 26.40, he has enough talent to be a full time member of the Aussie pace attack.
With 6/79 on his Test match debut, Pat Cummins looked set to have a huge career for Australia. The tear away quick has had far too many injury setbacks, but now looks fit and firing for the Sydney Thunder and at the moment looks not too far away from a Test recall.
Gurinder Sandhu and Jason Behrendorff have both shown that they can perform in the BBL and Sheffield Shield. They are great, young fast bowlers and both have what it takes to play at the top level.
With all these players under 25, which three are going to replace Johnson, Harris and Siddle as Australia’s next pace attack? Who do you think will be charging in for Australia in five years time?
deccas
Guest
People have written off the Faulks batting but he will come good. He is bloody young, and has some excellent performances with the blade behind him already, he gets criticised for his lack of centuries, but they will come, he has the ODI record for fastest century, and has the graft and grind required to bat for time at 6. I hope they leave him out of touring squads, he has been carried all over the world as a non-test playing specialist belter and its not the best thing for his development. Give him a season in the shield where tas have starting batting him at 6 and see where he comes in. I think he will improve. I am of the opinion that Aus should go full west indies with our fast bowling sometime in the next decade. Pattinson Starc Cummins each have the potential to be all time great fast bowlers and Behrendorf Sandhu Hazlewood and others could certainly get in. If any of Agar Faulkner Maxwell or Marsh come good we could put out a fast and furious attack to rival the great west indies.
matth
Guest
Is there any love for NCN, or have the others passed him by as well? For the record I think Pattinson, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc, Behrendorff as well. Given fast bowling injuries, we will do well to have three out of these five fit at any one time.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
"Behrendorf looks the best of the lefties and seems to have much better control while also looking dangerous. Think Bruce Reid crossed with Glen MacGrath :)" agreed
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
"This is the ‘A’ group in my mind, in no particular order: Pattinson, Hazlewood, Cummins, Bird, Starc and Behrendorf." Agreed. Joel Paris might be up there soon, too.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
That's a more persuasive argument, Gobbler. We shall find out in 5 years' time.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
How can Behrendorff and Sandhu be mentioned together like they are analogues? Behrendorff is arguably the best paceman in all three formats domestically this and last season.
Gobbler
Guest
He may do those things better than Siddle, but still my point remains. The Aus team doesn't want medium fast bowlers these days, and with a bunch of 145+ bowlers coming through, who all can bat a bit & and are great athletes, Bird will not be there in 5 years.
Gobbler
Guest
Exactly Ronan. Bird has missed his chance I reckon. Which is a shame as he is a good bowler. But good won't be good enough to get a gig over the new batch of quicks coming through.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Bird's batting could well hold him back. He is a genuine bunny - just 120 runs from 26 first-class matches and an average of only 10 despite 60% of his innings being not outs. When he's up against guys like Pattinson and Starc in years to come he'll have to be the clear better bowler as they're 25-30 average Test batsmen. Line ball selections will go against Bird because of that. We've seen repeatedly in recent years that having a strong tail can be the difference in not just one Test but across a whole series.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Lehman won't be Aus coach in 5 years time. It will be Jason Gillespie or Justin Langer. There's a difference between pace and penetration. Siddle was dropped because he needs pace to be effective because he doesn't do enough with the ball. Bird can swing and seam better than Siddle.
Gobbler
Guest
Exactly. Bird has very little chance of being selected in 5 years with the group he has behind him who are all younger and faster, not to mention better bats and also better fielders.
Gobbler
Guest
When did I say Harris is our fastest? Lehman has stated that he wants 140k+ bowlers in his teams. That would be Rhino & MJ. It's also why Siddle probably won't play again, as he is the same speed, if not faster, than Bird in the high 120's-mid 130's. You can't compare Bird to McGrath either. One of a kind he was.
Jameswm
Guest
Then you don't get cricket. You could just let the speed gun pick the bowlers. Harris is not our fastest bowler. Nor was McGrath.
Jason
Roar Rookie
Johnsons 33 and Harris is 35
Jason
Roar Rookie
Bird will be well into his thirties by then
Gobbler
Guest
The difference is MJ & Harris don't have arguably the best group of young bowlers in their prime snapping at their heals. Bird will have Cummins, Pattinson, Starc plus a few more all around 25-30 trying to get into the team. Would you choose a 33/34 medium pace bowler or anyone of the 150km bowlers in their mid to late 20's? Seems pretty straightforward to me.
Jameswm
Guest
He did, but too much water has passed under the bridge since then.
Jameswm
Guest
Nah not Wade. Not a good enough keeper
Jameswm
Guest
It was a rhetorical question.. Johno and Harris are at or over the age you're saying will put Bird past it in 5 years, and at their peak.
Gobbler
Guest
But he has played Test cricket before which may get him a few bonus points. He looked good too when he had the chance.