Who are the players to watch as the second half of the Sheffield Shield season kicks off this week?
The likes of Ashton Agar, Fawad Ahmed and Marcus Stoinis will be pushing their cases for Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka in August.
For other domestic players, while imminent Test selection may be less likely, a dominant finish to the Shield season would certainly put them on the radar of the Australia selectors.
Here are my six Shield players to watch.
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Joe Mennie (South Australia, 27 years old)
Mennie must have been greatly encouraged by teammate Chadd Sayers’ selection in the Test squad for the tour of New Zealand. Like Sayers, Mennie is an unfashionable bowler who boasts neither unsettling pace nor sharp bounce, relying instead on accuracy and subtle skills. In other words, he is exactly the type of bowler the Australian selectors have largely ignored in recent years.
However, in picking Sayers and Bird for the Tests against the Kiwis the selectors may be acknowledging that they have been too pace-centric in the past. That would be a welcome change of tack as far as Mennie is concerned.
With 24 wickets at 19 in the first half of the Shield campaign he was the leading bowler in the land. Should be build on that and finish with a difficult-to-ignore 45 or 50-wicket season, Mennie could follow Sayers into the national setup.
Ashton Agar (Western Australia, 22 years old)
The three-Test tour of Sri Lanka shapes as a potential route back into Test cricket for Agar.
With Mitch Marsh’s grip loose on the batting all-rounder position in the Test team, a poor tour of New Zealand by Marsh could open the door for Agar.
While Agar began his professional career as a specialist spinner, his batting blossomed in the first half of this Shield season as he scored two tons amid a haul of 354 runs at 44. If the Australian selectors wanted to replace Marsh for the Sri Lanka Tests then they might be tempted by the all-round package offered by Agar who, crucially, spins the ball the opposite way to Nathan Lyon.
Andrew Fekete (Tasmania, 30 years old)
Fekete’s hopes of playing Test cricket are on the line in the next two months. With the recent retirements of Johnson and Ryan Harris, the steady decline of veteran Peter Siddle, and the regular injuries to Australia’s young pace stars, there are generous opportunities at present for domestic fast bowlers.
As we saw with Scott Boland’s unlikely rise into the Test squad this summer, all it can take is one or two startling displays to grab the attention of the selectors. For Fekete, though, he needs to make his move over the next two months or his chances of playing Test cricket probably will evaporate.
Turning 31 years old in just three months’ time, and with only 79 first-class wickets to his name, Fekete would be an unlikely Test debutant. But the selectors rated him highly enough to include him in the Test squad for the tour of Bangladesh, which Australia then abandoned due to security concerns.
Remarkably, Fekete in a matter of a few weeks went from being on the verge of a Test debut to being omitted from Tasmania’s Shield side. He managed to scrap his way back into their line-up and promptly snared 11 wickets from his next two matches.
Fekete can swing the ball at pace, which is just the kind of bowler Lehmann and the selectors favour. But it’s now or never for the late bloomer.
Marcus Stoinis (Victoria, 26 years old)
As mentioned above, Mitch Marsh’s Test spot is tenuous after averaging just 16 with the bat in his past 10 Tests. Along with Agar and Glenn Maxwell, Stoinis is one of the multi-skilled cricketers pressing for Marsh’s position.
Batting at first drop, Stoinis is a highly-dependable batsman, having made 1442 runs at 48 in his past 19 Shield games.
He also is an accurate medium pacer but, if he is to push his case for Test selection, he will need to play a bigger role with the ball for Victoria over the coming weeks, after being used sparingly in the first half of the Shield season.
Fawad Ahmed (Victoria, 33 years old)
After some nervous bowling displays in tour matches for Australia last year, Ahmed lost his spot as Lyon’s Test understudy to Steve O’Keefe. New South Welshman O’Keefe was typically tidy in his one Test for Australia this summer, taking 3-63 from 26 overs against the West Indies at the SCG.
But the Australian selectors are known to be skittish, particularly when it comes to spinners, so Ahmed is by no means out of the reckoning for the tour of Sri Lanka.
The leg spinner took 15 wickets at 25 before Christmas and a couple of big bags in his next five or six matches could vault him back into the national setup.
Joel Paris (Western Australia, 23 years old)
This lanky left armer has major hype surrounding him. With just 13 List A games to his name he was handed an international debut in the recent ODIs against India, indicating how highly he is rated.
The Australia selectors have often used the 50-over format to get a look at players they are considering for Test selection. Given Paris only made his first-class debut in late November it would be premature for him to be in Test reckoning at this stage.
That won’t step the selectors from being seduced by him though should be build impressively on the 14 wickets he took in his first two Shield games. Australia like the variety of having a left armer in their Test attack and with Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff injured, and James Faulkner out of form, Paris’ stock is rising sharply.
Bearfax
Guest
I concede to a couple of your points there Ronan. I agree he is only 22 and will develop. I agree that he has scored a couple of centuries. I concede it is difficult for a spin bowler in Australia. But that doesnt mean because he 'may' be the next great spin bowler that you thrust him into a test team when he is perhaps a few years from being ready. We've seen young players before show remarkable early performances. But isnt it also a fact that time and again they are found out and have to go back to the workshop. Silk, who you promoted is an example. Boyce, Ben McDermott, Bancroft (only averaging 33 this year), Sandhu, Whiteman (although he seems to be coming back), Maddinson (who I mistakenly thought should have been in the test team). There's another group coming through now such as Renshaw, Heazlett, Dean, Head, Patterson. Even Mitch Marsh with a lot more experience has struggled at test level, though improving Seems to me that consistency is what we aim for surely. Someone like O'Keefe is consistently averaging around 23-25 per wicket. Agar is all over the shop with 30 odd last year and 46 this year. In my opinion, like with Boyce who was being promoted as the next test player, we should be watching for consistency and good outcomes over several years. Averaging 30 is fine, but not 46 or 40.That's always been your position in the past and its certainly mine.
Bearfax
Guest
I agree Don. They dont look at stats alone. But it is No 1. Stats first and then other characteristics. Check the batting stats of the test players. No accident that they are the cream. statistically.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Abbott had another good 50-over campaign though...his record in List A cricket is sensational - averages 23 with the ball and 20 with the bat after 39 matches. I'd have him in the ODI team ahead of Boland every day of the week. Abbott is hugely gifted but hasn't harnessed it in the longer form yet - the fact he only averages 16 with the bat in FC cricket is evidence of that as he has heaps of talent with the blade and should be averaging 25+ with the bat.
danno
Guest
One guy who I thought was going to have a huge summer was S Abbott, but he seems to be miles away from national selection. Seems to make very low scores and not take any bags of wickets. Sandhu has also disappeared from the radar, does not bowl with much pace and also not picking up wickets. Paris has certainly got a long way ahead of those two.
Don Freo
Guest
I have no doubt Doran has the goods. His few times keeping in BBL4 were very polished but I suspect he won't get that chance much more. He'll be a full on batsman. He has been promised the season in the Tassie side, otherwise he would have been left out by now. The weight of expectation is high. Perhaps it will all come together when he turns 32. It worked for Shaun. In between, he'll have to survive 12 years of disparaging comments from Roarers but I'm sure it will just toughen him up.
Don Freo
Guest
What you have never seemed to have understood is that no team management at the elite level judges by statistical results alone. Players are expected to play a role and, when they do, the hierarchy is pleased. Some social media types get disappointed.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Bearfax, as someone who clearly follows stats closely, you should know that Australia is an extremely tough environment for spinners which is why in the past 10 years I can think of only O'Keefe, Ahmed and McGain as spinners to have averaged clearly sub-40 in Shield cricket. Even Lyon, a world-class Test spinner, averages 40 in the Shield - it's not easy. Meanwhile, Agar has averaged 39 with the ball over his four seasons of Shield cricket, which for a 22yo finger spinner in this competition is a good effort (consider that Zampa and Boyce both average 50). Chuck in the fact that Agar's scored two tons this season (to go with a 98 against a gun England attack, away from home, amid a batting collapse, on Test debut) and I'm surprised that you find the Aussie selectors interest in Agar "confusing"
JoM
Roar Rookie
Partially Don. He played for the right club and had the right people behind him pushing his case, but he also has the ability. Even through the rep cricket years, there were 3 boys in that age group, all batsmen but from different teams, and they were that far ahead of any of the rest of the batsmen it was ridiculous. My younger son played against them the whole way through. One seemed to disappear, another was brilliant at not only cricket but another sport as well and went off to play that for a while and I think it is only this season he has come back to cricket and is playing 2nd grade for a strong club and I have no doubt he will make the jump to 1st grade either this season or next. Then there was Doran. All 3 were of similar ability. I think with him it was the people advising him and pushing for a full NSW contract which they don't give until it has been earned and he hadn't earned it so left for Tassie to get a full contract. He will come good but it is a big jump from 1st grade to State cricket.
Bearfax
Guest
Ho hum. Here we go again with facts vs fantasy. Don you're right. He did take more wickets than O'Keefe last season. But he also played in the final which O'Keefe didnt. Up until the final O'Keefe had taken 28 wickets, Agar 27. But hey Agar had a good season last year. Far better than his general average of a little over 40. He actually averaged for that season 30.3. Mind you O'Keefe, as he consistently does, averaged 23.2 per wicket. Secondly how often have I said that appearances mean little if you dont get the results. Agar may look like the prettiest bowler in the World but if you think averaging this season at around 46 is something special, you really need to work out what the aims of the game are. Is it to look pretty or get results? Seems I had this same discussion over your hero Shaun M. Same issue mate. How about a little impartiality.
Don Freo
Guest
You are the stats man, Bearfax. Agar was the second highest wicket taking spinner last season after Fawad...ahead of SOK. He has played a wonderful role this season in the Shield...although he has missed 2 games. His flight, control and turn have all been impressive. On batting pitches, often all you can do is control an end for the quicks at the other. Despite few wickets, he has bowled well. The selectors see that. If you don't see that, look at last season's numbers.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Give the kid time. He is after all only 22. What do you expect from somebody so young who is still learning two disciplines. An all rounder usually does not mature until he is in his highish twenties. His stats say his bowling is improving. He has scored two shield tons this year. Until his bowling reaches test standard I see him as a short format all rounder. His bowling is certainly better than Maxwells is at present yet he keeps getting gigs because of his added value to the team as a bowling option.
Pepper Jack
Guest
He's a better batsmen at 4 and 5, rather then opener and 3. That innings yesterday may have made him. He's currently captain because Henriques is injured
Craig Swanson
Guest
I see a lack of promising right handed batsmen. Whenever I am told of a young kid with promise I look to see if he is left or right handed. Three times out of five he is a lefty. Take a look at our crop of under 24 year olds making their mark in domestic cricket...only Bancroft, Handscomb and Travis Dean are right handers. A number of our U19 squad are also lefties. I have nothing against lefties. Some of our best were. I find it rather odd there are so many.
Craig Swanson
Guest
I reckon the Blues could use him at present.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Just broke his thumb though so be interesting to how he responds to that.
Bearfax
Guest
Ronan I find the interest in Agar as confusing as the interest there was in Boyce, who now seems to have been dropped from the QLD side. Agar is a good looking young fellow and some of his batting has been impressive. But in the longer form game his bowling is just not up to scratch. He's averaging over 40 per wicket and his average this season is 46.3, hardly what I would call a test contender. I know the selectors think highly of him but I'm yet to see what they see in him.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Nic is another of these CA project players. You know the ones that are earmarked for bigger things and those that get a leg up over less fancied players. As you say he has struggled with consistency. As a Blues man it has been so frustrating to watch NIc over the years. He was basically a child prodigy. Played first grade for Sutherland in southern Sydney at 16 I think it was. Smithy was played at 17 for the same club. I saw some change in his batting during the last Matador Cup. Instead of blasting a quick 30 and getting out to a rash shot he played some well measured innings for the Blues. Hit a ton and several fifties from memory. Was also skipper of the Blues for that series.
Bearfax
Guest
Actually Maddinson is having a pretty good season after a slow start and is averaging 43.5 for this season so far and over 39 overall. Dont discount that lad and aged just on 24.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Ajay. I would put one of our emerging test batsmen, Chris Lynn in the flash Harry, show pony, flat track bully category . I see him struggling in England and India.
Bearfax
Guest
He seems a very talented young batsman who has struggled with consistency. This season after a slow start he is now averaging for the season a creditable 43.5 and has his overall average over 39. I didnt realise he had the captaincy while Smith was absent, but it does seem to be doing him good. Just turned 24 so he's got time on his side but needs to consolidate this Shield season I would think to get his name back among the contenders for tests.