Australia is about to go through a rebuild of its batting line-up, and the numbers do not bode well.
With Michael Clarke gone, Chris Rogers having said pre-Ashes that he will too, and Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges doubtful commodities in the future, spots are up for grabs.
The selectors may well be taking off their thinking caps to scratch their heads.
There are several names being thrown up: Chris Lynn, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Callum Ferguson and Cameron Bancroft.
These are the performances of those whose name is being bandied about, and also some whom have tasted Test cricket and since been discarded, over the past five Sheffield Shield seasons:
| Player | Age | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | F/C career average |
| C Lynn | 25 | 29 | 1923 | 46 | 3 | 46 |
| C Ferguson | 30 | 38 | 2863 | 45 | 9 | 39 |
| U Khawaja | 28 | 28 | 1917 | 45 | 4 | 40 |
| J Burns | 25 | 42 | 3006 | 44 | 8 | 41 |
| M Klinger | 35 | 47 | 3125 | 43 | 8 | 39 |
| E Cowan | 33 | 42 | 3122 | 43 | 10 | 41 |
| R Quiney | 33 | 46 | 3324 | 43 | 8 | 38 |
| S Marsh | 32 | 30 | 1868 | 42 | 6 | 39 |
| J Silk | 23 | 19 | 1271 | 35 | 4 | 34 |
| N Maddinson | 23 | 40 | 2359 | 35 | 4 | 39 |
| G Bailey | 34 | 33 | 1808 | 34 | 4 | 37 |
| A Doolan | 29 | 43 | 2432 | 33 | 3 | 35 |
| C Bancroft | 22 | 22 | 1346 | 34 | 3 | 37 |
Cameron Bancroft has been mentioned by numerous Roarers as a replacement for Rogers at the top of the order. However, his career stats are light on.
In his first season with Western Australia, in 2013-14, he averaged just 22 from 11 matches.
Last season was far better, with 896 runs at 47, but to pick him on a first-class career average of 37 after 24 matches and expect him to perform would be a risk.
And therein lies the major problem for the selectors: there are few batsmen who have had consistently good seasons in Shield ranks.
With the exception of Lynn, whose first-class career is 35 matches old, no one else averages over 41.
In that regard things have certainly changed.
As a comparison, these are the Sheffield Shield records of past players at age 25, some of whom went on to play a lot of Test cricket.
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s |
| M Hayden | 46 | 4502 | 61 | 16 |
| R Ponting | 42 | 3888 | 59 | 14 |
| J Langer | 30 | 2756 | 53 | 7 |
| M Elliott | 30 | 2881 | 52 | 10 |
| D Lehmann | 67 | 5623 | 51 | 17 |
| M Bevan | 51 | 3790 | 51 | 14 |
| G Blewett | 30 | 2343 | 49 | 7 |
| D Martyn | 50 | 3527 | 45 | 10 |
| M Hussey | 55 | 4218 | 44 | 10 |
| S Katich | 26 | 1768 | 44 | 4 |
It is debatable as to why the current crop of Test aspirants, in the main, are well short of the above players’ records, especially as it only equates to their Shield performances by 25 years of age.
Many argue that it is the fact that latter-day batsmen have been weaned on a diet that includes the T20 game.
Others say that modern bats have seen a change in technique given the far larger sweet spot and power that is generated as a result.
Whatever the reasons, one thing appears certain – modern Shield batsmen lack the ability to compile runs heavily when you compare their averages to many players born in the era 1970-75.
Former Test captain Ian Chappell has lately bemoaned the fact that the Shield competition has lost the competitive edge for which it was universally admired.
His former vice-captain, Rod Marsh, is now the chief national selector and has made some interesting comments since the debacles at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge.
“I think our blokes have got to be more selfish. They’ve got to say ‘righto, no one’s getting me out and I don’t care if it takes me all day to make a hundred’,” he said to ESPNCricinfo.
“You’re allowed to bat all day, and I think our longest partnership in that game was something like 18 overs – that’s appalling in a Test match, I don’t care what you’re playing on. You should be better than that, and I’m sure all the batsmen are feeling exactly the same.”
The worrying thing is the next crop of batsmen who are shortly to enter Test ranks appear unlikely to give him what he wants.
Of late the selectors have opted to call up players like Chris Rogers and Adam Voges in their mid-30s as they have the first-class career numbers that batsmen under 30 do not seem to be able to amass.
Those players are now, however, going to be very much the country’s future in Test cricket.
Following their progress will be interesting and, dare I say, frustrating at times.
Scotty
Guest
Yet the series score was 5-0 so the superiority of one team was pretty clear.
deccas
Guest
great comment pope
deccas
Guest
Well we have scheduled some day night tests with NZ so it might be a bit hard. He's colorblind and can't see the ball! I think a decent case could be made of him being a good batting coach, and might help build a different kind of team culture.
Deep Thinker
Guest
Test ave 34, FC ave 38. That is hardly setting the world on fire.
Deep Thinker
Guest
You can cut at least 10 runs off that average for him being a fielding liability and poor runner between the wickets. He is no imzamam.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
They couldn't play like they did at Lords though it was not for want of trying. The pitches and conditions for Edgbaston and TB were so different to Lords. TB is one of the most bowler friendly pitches on the County circuit.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
That was because they lost the Ashes at home and got themselves whipped up about young batsmen not able to play long innings due to the difficult pitches. Now they can't bat on difficult pitches because the home pitches are too batsmen friendly. Whenever an Ashes is lost, it's always the Shield pitches that are to blame apparently.
Phil
Guest
You are right Bear, Micky ruined Khawaja's confidence but he is looking good again, top scored in the final Aus A game again today
blanco
Guest
We'll Lynn scoring big scores means he goes on and has a huge appetite for big hundred.Should definitely not count against him when you consider he has a very good average of 45, better than most. I'm with a few who think Bancroft average of 37 doesnt reflect his potential.It 's from a very small sample and he scores big. We could of course leave him to play another shield season or pick him now.I'd pick him now. He has a better technique than all the contenders. I'm not sold that Burns or Marsh should open. Well maybe Khawaja.So it definitely should be between Khawaja and Bancroft for Rogers spot. Lynn vs Ferguson for the number 5 spot.
stookie
Guest
Can i just point out that England were in transition for the last couple of years Just remember where Australia were under micky Arthur Not so long ago ...And Smith has a technique that makes him a bunny to a moving ball ..That's why his number one position in the world was never going to last
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Do we need more proof to chuck in Lynn...?
Don Freo
Guest
There is not a great problem. Our batsmen just need to play like they did at Lords. Play as they can instead of how they did when they failed. Our bowlers just need to trust their plans. There is such desperate fickleness in our responses to a loss. Surely everyone knows that 60 is not a reflection of the boys' ability. Lords reflected something different. Experience of the embarrassment will breed greater diligence. That's what people mean when they move beyond the cliche of "English experience" and actually believe that an experience such as this is part of improvement. It helps. If we just cut and run, who is to say the next breed won't need a series to acclimatize too? By all means look for form players but the panic and doomsday posts are stunning.
craig watson
Roar Rookie
There has to be major surgery not just a bandaid solution if oz cricket is to succeed in England in four years time. Yes make shield wickets grassier so the bowler can get into the game and not be cannon fodder as was the case in last summer's Indian series. I also like the idea of playing the Duke in the two seasons leading into an away ashes. The thing that most pleases me is that the Duke is now used in the U17/U19 nationals. This is long overdue. This means that the 16 year old who played in this years series should be familiar with an English ball in English conditions when the time comes.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Not a chance.
matth
Guest
I hate how Lyon get's undervalued. He has done absolutely nothing wrong. If we want Ahmed in for Bangladesh (and I'm not necessarily against that), it has to be at the expense of a pace bowler, with M Marsh as the all rounder / third seamer.
matth
Guest
Exactly, but would they get picked now?
matth
Guest
So true. Now my son will never be better than a basic player, he is small and not powerful. But what he can do is hang around if he survives the first 15 balls or so. He plays straight and doesn't hit a lot of boundaries. Last season he carried his bat as opener for about 15 from 60 balls while his more talented mates all perished going for the big shots. But I can tell you who gets the batting awards, who gets picked for the teams and who the kids think are the best bats - they are the ones that clear the front leg and come off maybe one in 6 innings. and that is why his team did not bat out 50 overs once in the whole season.
matth
Guest
That's right. What's the old saying, you don't have to swim faster than the shark, just faster than the guy next to you.
matth
Guest
Brilliant comment Don. It looked to me like Clarke was mentally shot. I think Lehman has probably been pushing the aggressive line as well, which would have put him in two minds.
matth
Guest
The other side of that is we think that every new bowler coming through is the second coming of Lillee, but when they get to the 5 day tracks prepared for test matches, they struggle for a plan B and lose their consistency looking for wickets - Starc, Bird and Pattinson are prime examples