Peter Siddle has bowled with remarkable accuracy this final Ashes Test to push Australia within reach of an innings victory. But those claiming he was hard done by not to have been playing all series are re-writing history.
As Siddle has displayed a level of control not previously seen among the Australian bowlers this series, hordes of Australian fans and even pundits have started blaming the selectors for not picking him weeks ago.
Some have even gone so far as to say his non-selection prior to this fifth Test is a major reason Australia have handed back the Ashes.
While we can never know what would have eventuated had Siddle been picked earlier, it seems fanciful to suggest he could have prevented Australia from being flogged in the third and fourth Tests.
It was Australia’s abominable batting which cruelled them in those matches, not the absence of Siddle.
The funny thing is that the Victorian’s name barely was mentioned before the fourth Test of this series.
There were very few people advocating for Siddle to be picked before that, despite the many who now claim they wanted him in the Australian XI all along.
As obvious as Siddle’s inclusion may seem in hindsight, let us not pretend that he has been making an overwhelming case for Test selection.
Since shedding the best part of 10kmh in pace about two years ago, Siddle had become far less penetrative.
He remained a consistent and frugal bowler but simply was not incisive enough at Test level.
In his previous 12 Tests, he had taken just 26 wickets at an average of 45. The stat which best illustrated his dramatic reduction in effectiveness was his strike rate.
He was taking 96 balls per wicket, which is almost double what you expect of a Test pace bowler.
He rarely produced poor spells in those Tests but hardly ever looked threatening either.
Those claiming he’s been shafted by the selectors this series must not have been following Siddle’s efforts in the tour matches.
In four games against some extremely weak county batting lineups, he had taken only four wickets at the lofty average of 56.
Again highlighting Siddle’s lack of penetration was his exceedingly high strike rate of 120 in these matches.
By comparison, in his four tour games, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh had snared 12 wickets at an average of 19 and a strike rate of 30.
But, of course, this all is now in the past. The upshot of this Test is that Siddle may well have revived his international career.
His name had been mentioned repeatedly in the Australian press as one of eight players in this Test squad who were considered unlikely to play again beyond this series.
Not since the first Test of the last Ashes in England more than two years ago has Siddle bowled this well for Australia.
With Ryan Harris having retired, and Mitchell Johnson’s career tinged with a degree of uncertainty, the 30-year-old Siddle could be kept around as the senior pro in Australia’s otherwise young pace battery.
That’s if he can keep bowling with the kind of incisiveness seen here at the Oval.
Andrew
Guest
Dan ced I agree. Can't have both Johnson and Starc in same team. I would have had Siddle in for Johnson.
dan ced
Guest
I still think Johnson and Starc are too similar and should not be picked in the same team. I would've dropped one of them for Siddle and kept Hazelwood.
Perry Bridge
Guest
The question of whether Dukes should be used in Australia - however, they are thought to be a bit soft or go soft - perhaps then the Kookas might need a more pronounced seam? Might educate our batsmen a little more and also give spinners something more to grip.
Perry Bridge
Guest
That's entirely true - the bowling escaped the microscope a tad - largely due to the dysfunctional batting. It's a case though that most Siddle advocates - myself included - weren't overly surprised he missed selection initially - however WERE shocked he couldn't get a gig at Trent Bridge - at which juncture the other quicks were looking tired and Johnson's bunny in Ballance had been shown the door. What is ironic is that Moeen Ali at #8 was often the impediment - and what was astounding was how Siddle had him flailing late on day 3 and rightfully got him on day 4. Perhaps Starc and Co were getting impatient by the time they had dispensed with Butler and though Ali should be just as easy? Again too - I thought that Siddle and Marsh bowled really well in tandem. Just gotta get Marsh batting a tad better - or Maxwell in for Lyon and batting at 6 and Marsh at 7 or 8.
craig watson
Roar Rookie
Again I ask t he question. Why was Hazlewood told to bowl swing during the series? The great Glenn McGrath is asking the same question. Hazey was picked in test cricket because he was accurate. He was picked for the Ashes as his accuracy was tailor made for English conditions. So what do those numbnuts of the CA brain's trust do? They say go out there Josh and bowl swing. He did a decent job with the Duke. Got wickets. But he did not create as much pressure as he would have done had he bowled seam up. He looked frustrated at Edgbaston and was well below his best. Even the Pom quicks will tell you it is not easy to control the Duke when you are not familiar with it.
Bakkies
Guest
'For all those defending Hazellwood on the basis of the wickets he had taken etc, let me ask you this? How many do you think Siddle would have taken at Edgebaston and Trent Bridge, based on the way he has bowled in this game.' How do you think he would have gone with 60 and 149 respectively on the board? Wouldn't have affected the outcome of the match unless the batsmen pulled their finger out in the second innings.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Haddin dropped the first test. Batsmen lost the 3rd and 4th tests, not the bowlers - simple as that. You can't have the whole team score 136 in the 1st innings of the 3rd test and 60 in the 1st innings of the 4th test and still expect the bowlers to be competitive. With the exception of Stuart Broad, all of our bowlers series statistics were better than their opponents, although none of them had match-winning displays like each of the English bowlers did. But our bowlers did a good job overall and should be proud of their efforts. But our middle-order was consistently horrible and our batsmen in general need to accept responsibility for losing this Ashes series. And Haddin!
Avon River
Guest
Ah well. So Hazlewood is fine for a 2-3 test series. That's my read of this. Johnson finished. Hazlewood low endurance. Starc - well - he'll just frustrate.
ColinP
Guest
The selection of siddle would have been conservative, and just for the ashes series. His bowling, especially now it is much slower, is really only going to have an effect in England. So the Aussies have looked to the future with the bowling, and tried to be ultra attacking, however have gone the opposite with the baiting, applying a short term perspective and been conservatively selecting voges, and Haddin to begin with. Perhaps they'd have been better blooding young batsmen, and been conservative with the bowling
Simoc
Guest
I think it was great that Siddle ended his test career this way.
ColinP
Guest
On TMS they were saying marsh looked like a front line seamer but unfortunately a tail ender with the bat, which is prob a fair assessment
ColinP
Guest
Don't think top wicket takers means much, the bowling has been spread around more for England with 4 bowlers taking 5 fors in different innings and jimmy, Finn and wood all playing less matches. Starc was same as usual, bowled wicket taking deliveries and took 6 for 120, where the runs he conceded affectively gave the momentum to England
ColinP
Guest
Can't criticise jimmy at Cardiff he bowled brilliantly if you think back, no wickets or not
ColinP
Guest
I disagree Ronan, I remain unconvinced by wood and think hazlewood is a real prospect, I do think he hasn't bowled well though, as starc hasn't despite averages. I think siddles performance has highlighted how badly they've both bowled all the way back to Cardiff
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Can't take his bowling out. He's an all-rounder.
Arthur Pagonis
Roar Guru
Farewell Michael Clarke, Ryan Harris, Chris Rogers, Brad Haddin. You have been better than fantastic for we Aussie supporters. Thank you for every minute you gave us. The Ashes are history now. 2-3 has been okay…4-1 would have tasted a hell of a lot better. Shane Watson , Shaun Marsh, Pete Siddle, Adam Voges, Fawad Ahmed, Michael Klinger, George Bailey, Aaron Finch…you can stay/join, but only if you are 1000% fit, and perform. And don’t turn up just for the pay cheque. You won’t last 5 minutes. Steve Smith, Davey Warner…get ready to win…everywhere! Mitch Johnson, Mitch Marsh, Josh Hazelwood, Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, Pete Siddle, James Faulkner, Jason Behrendorff, Mark Steketee, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Sean Abbott…hang around. We’re going to have 4-5 quicks in every team that plays for Australia in Tests, 50 overs and 20 overs cricket…so get ready. We might even play Test matches with no spinner, Mitch Marsh at 6, Nevill at 7, Starc at 8, Johnson at 9, Cummins at 10 and Hazelwood or Siddle at 11. But we will be bringing along Ahmed, Agar, Boyce, Zampa, O’Keefe and Lyon for ODI’s, T20… and some Tests. Harris, Bancroft, Khawaja, Lynn, Maxwell, Burns…pack your bats and gloves and pads….get ready to play ODI’s and Tests…and some 20 over stuff. Matt Wade..start learning your trade. You are a keeper batsman…learn, or languish. Pete Nevill is yours to beat. If you were Justin Langer…err ‘scuse me…Darren and Rod…..this is what you would be saying to the above guys…very politely and nicely. Show me what you have got……and be true to yourself and Australian cricket. Turn up in shape and ready to rumble! Get the gloves on and get in the ring and toughen up petals. We’re gonna be the best we can be. From this day forward Australian cricket is not gonna be a bunch of uncertain hopefuls. We’re putting the pedal to the metal. We’ll pick 5 quicks and use up the full quotient of bouncers. I expect Starc and Johnson to provide violence and accurate mayhem. I want Marsh, Siddle, Faulkner and Hazelwood to hit the top of off 6 times an over. I want Cummins, Pattinson, Steketee, Behrendorff, Abbott and Coulter-Nile to learn the Yorker, the bouncer, swing, seam , reverse….at pace,…and with accuracy! If you don’t want to learn or teach yourself….don’t show up! That will be all. Get prepared for Bangladesh and New Zealand….and put your war paint on. To heck with the Haka! ARTHUR PAGONIS MANAGING DIRECTOR AUSTRALIA GLOBAL TRADING PTY LTD 10 HERTZ WAY, MORLEY, W.A. 6062 AUSTRALIA PH. 61.8.9377 3833, FAX 61.8.93773877, MOBILE 61. 409918874 SKYPE: apagonis2 WEB: www.ausglobaltrading.com
Bakkies
Guest
The English commentators are. Even this morning they put up the top ten wicket takers for the series which four of the top five are Aussies. They were shocked that Starc is second after Broad and talked up Lyon. No mention of Hazlewood probably eating humble pie after saying he was disappointing yesterday. If he played he would be pushing Starc for second on the list at least. Of course their mate Jimmy got ashout out. Only turned up when the pitch suited him.
Jameswm
Guest
Starc is without question the no.1 ODI bowler in the world. Overrated?
Nudge
Guest
Yep agree. A learning curve to pull his finger out of his you know what and get fit. He was struggling at the back end of Australia's summer against India last summer.
Perry Bridge
Guest
It's easy to be expert in retrospect. I've been a massive Siddle fan and supporter (because he's a Victorian, a Gippslander, AND he's a massive North Melbourne fan - - that's 3 from 3 as far as I'm concerned). I was saddened by his apparent banana induced decline and thought he was 'G.O.R.N' come Christmas last year. Then the 8 wkt haul in Adelaide in the Shield and somehow he got the ticket to both the Windies and England. The main question therefore being - given in the squad - would he get a game? When Harris turned his cricketing toes skyward I thought there was a reasonable expectation that he'd be right in the mix. If for no other reason - for balance. Alas - we went with 2 new ball left armers and suddenly out 'shock and awe' was developing a bit of sameness. Johnson hasn't performed to expectations and Starc has picked up some wickets but generally be a new ball liability. Hazlewood - was persisted with in 4 tests almost back to back - that alone was a surprise. However - all that time - the bowling was considered okay enough - after all, it was the batting that was stuffed. So much so that the selectors in what ever level of wisdom could be attributed - opted to drop the 5th bowler/all-rounder after Edgbaston and into Trent Bridge we trotted in with an odd line up and at this point the serious questioning of "Where is Siddle?". But - 'steady as she goes' with the main 3 quicks. At this point this serious question then begged the additional query - why pick him for the touring squad if there was no intent to play him at all??? Even Warnie echoed that sentiment come this 5th test - as per Warnie - Siddle should've played Trent Bridge. Horses for courses?? Certainly seemed out the window. 'Rotation policy'. Out the window too. But again - the batting - heck, score 60 and how do bowlers build pressure? Even if they COULD bowl in partnerships. But - that's the issue really. The 3 quicks so far hadn't shown much capacity to bowl in tandem. They were all leaking runs way to readily. And this has been my concern - history has shown us in the past - such as Brett Lee in England in 2001 (pure pace?) went for 9 wkts at 55 avg and 4.10 econ. Surely next time 'round would be better - yeah - a bit, 20 wkts at 41 avg and 4.29 econ. Mitch Johnson probably saved himself at Lords, 6-80, and bowled Ballance out of the series. And that probably consigned Siddle to sitting back watching the 2 Mitches. What is the great irony - is in this 5th test - we've seen Mitch Marsh and Peter Siddle bowl beautifully in tandem. The English commentators are certainly relieved that Siddle didn't play more. That tells a lot. Now Siddle - with 2 fer presently - is up to 196 wkts. One wonders whether Australia can gift him a match or two versus the Banga's to get to 200 at least?? Does he at least deserve that? A test bowling attack isn't about just throwing your 3 or 4 fastest quicks into the side - oh, Clive Lloyd made it work - with Viv and Gomes as spin options and Dujon at 7.