Nathan Coulter-Nile’s questionable addition to the Test squad doesn’t really matter anymore because of his shoulder injury, but still there is a selection that is just plain odd.
Victorian quick Scott Boland was thrust into the limelight by being put on standby for the first Test against the West Indies, and he is now a member of the 13-man squad after Coulter-Nile’s injury.
Most people who aren’t keen followers of domestic cricket may ask who this guy is, and those who do follow will be wondering why he was picked above a number of other quality young quicks.
A haul of 7-31 in the final round before the Big Bash break seemingly put him at the head of the line of our back-up bowlers, despite having only taken a total of six wickets in six innings before that.
It is mind blowing that one good haul has him in the Test squad ahead of eight other fast or medium-pace bowlers who have taken more Sheffield Shield wickets this season.
Firstly, there is Redbacks bowler Joe Mennie, who sits atop the wicket-taking table, with 24 wickets.
Then of course there is Jackson Bird, who has 22 wickets and has already shown he is good enough for Test cricket.
Next is the abandoned tour of Bangladesh bolter Andrew Fekete, who has 17.
Redbacks pair Chadd Sayers and Daniel Worrall have both taken 16 scalps, Doug Bollinger has 15, while Western Australia’s Michael Hogan and Joel Paris have 15 and 14 respectively.
While Boland’s average is marginally better than these other pacemen, surely that isn’t enough to put him ahead? Why not reward Mennie, who has clearly been the top bowler so far this summer, or even one of his teammates in Sayers or Worrall?
Or if you want to keep the ‘no South Australians’ policy, surely Fekete would be the man, especially if they were going to take him to Bangladesh.
Why not blood a young left-armer like Paris to become Mitchell Starc’s back up?
There are plenty of options if the selectors want to reward form, rather than a one-off bag.
Christ
Guest
All of the handful of you. For all your smarmy, superior attitude it's not really enough people to make it sustainable is it? Pleased for you that you don't have to work or have family commitments though. Lucky guy
dan ced
Guest
Yep, a pretty exciting player. A perfect replacement for an injured Starc if he were fit.
Don Freo
Guest
Can't think of what kind of person would watch Shield cricket as a guide to future international honours. Those of us that watch Shield cricket do so because we love to watch a Shield game.
ChrisB
Guest
Would love to have the time to watch the odd Shirld game but for those of us with work, families, kids sports, my own cricket etc it ain't possible Which is precisely the point btw. No one has time to care beyond a group of cricket tragica who watch it as a guide to future international players rather than as a competition in its own right. I wonder if they'd moved the shield to a city franchise model years ago if it would have made any difference to its popularity and appeal? And it'd be great if it got on TV but I wouldn't fancy selling that one to the execs
Don Freo
Guest
With a Shield game there are 22 Aussies playing. It stands to reason it is a better standard in Shield cricket. I wish FTA TV would wake up to the possibilitues.
davros
Guest
I would find a shield game far more entertaining than whats on the box right now . Its amazing how many will turn up just because its Australia playing ...when you get almost the same sort of players in shield matches...with no one there .
Don Freo
Guest
Two of them...me too. If you don't watch it, ChrisB, do yourself a favour. It is the best cricket to watch.
ChrisB
Guest
He didn't do it before he was picked though. McGrath had only a handful of Dhielf games when first selected and I can remember people complaining about another unknown NSW guy bring picked ahead of Jo Angel, Chris Matthews, Dirk Tazelaar etc
ChrisB
Guest
We've finally found one of the five people who watch Shield games live!
davros
Guest
mate I watch a fair bit of shield ...I have been watching him live for last 3 seasons..i know well who he is ..and apparently his pace has blossomed this season . All im saying is there are bowlers who have posted way better no's and I believe deserve an opportunity ahead of him.
Don Freo
Guest
Boland has been bowling well for the last few seasons. Regular 2 and 3 wicket hauls and good early wickets. I think it's just that you haven't heard of him.
davros
Guest
With selections like that Don ..you just devalue the shield and make a mockery of our first class system . Bowlers that have gone out and performed over a sustained period get overlooked because a guy has a good day out ..in front of Marsh ...who I gotta say is starting to look very parochial and very erratic . I remember Mennie taking 7 first innings wickets at the wacca a couple o seasons back ..apparently he was virtually unplayable that day and I think from memory got him self a perth scorchers cont on the strength of that performance. Unlucky for him marsh wasn't there . Im not saying boland isn't a good bowler.....just that others were far more deserving ...they did the work /the hard yards and posted high no's ...but the decision was on the whim of one selector seeing one innings ..every one gets a good day out now and then ...thats y I say ..what are his other stats ? ...and they aren't real flash mate ...not good enough to get picked to play for aus any way imho !
Craig Swanson
Guest
Agree about Stanlake. Another off the U19 production line. Paris and his Bruce Reid like frame worry me a bit. Needs to be managed well and not rushed. We all know what happened to 'could have been a great' Bruce Reid.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Of the same opinion. One swallow does not a summer make. Apparently it does with Scott Boland. He has a pretty good white ball record but a moderate red ball one. Both Jackson Bird and Joe Mennie have a similar low shield average but far more wickets than the big Victorian but have inexplicably been overlooked.
Don Freo
Guest
Yeah he did...once he got a game. You can't achieve McGrath's numbers unless you are playing. Do you want him to do it by denying him games? As for second-rate sides, all of Australia knows that Western Australia is the premier cricket team in the nation. Scotty did well.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
The difference is McGrath did it time and again at test level, not just once against a second rate state team
Don Freo
Guest
So if you take off all of Glenn McGrath's 5 fors, his record is nowhere near as impressive. Why would you take off his successes? Nevertheless, although you would like his figures to look ordinary, his bowling is anything but. The selectors are doing a really good job...in part because they watch players plays play. Statsguru doesn't get the prominence some of you want.
davros
Guest
take out the 7 fa ..and his stats look very ordinary this season ...way more ordinary than a few others that's for sure
no one in particular
Roar Guru
He took 7 against WA so he must be good? What is good about him? His average over 30 last season? Or the 37 the season before that? or the 42 the season before that? Was in the 1/71 against South Australia in his last Shield game?
Timmuh
Roar Guru
If only Behrendorff could be fit at the right times. He's clearly the best outside the Test side, though never rates a mention in the media or these sorts of articles. Has done everything right for a few years, good form for the couple of games he's played this year, he just can't be fit at crunch time. He can even be troublesome on dull, lifeless pitches.