Along with fellow Test rookie Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb yesterday continued his bright start in international cricket.
Yet as he was grinding 64no on day one of the first Test against Pakistan, Handscomb displayed a technical quirk which will undergo heavy examination by canny Test pacemen.
The Victorian reminds me of English batsman Gary Ballance in the way he seeks to play off the back foot constantly, sometimes even to very full deliveries. It was this same tendency which eventually undid Ballance after his generous success early in his Test career.
The left-hander averaged 68 with the bat in his first ten Tests, in the process becoming the third-fastest Englishman in history to crack 1000 Test runs.
In an extraordinary turnaround, Balance has averaged a paltry 18 in his following 11 Tests. The New Zealand quicks were the first to expose his back-foot obsession during their Test tour of England in May last year.
To that point Ballance had scored heavily square of the wicket on the offside. He did this by playing very deep in his crease and cutting, gliding or squirting away length deliveries.
Noting Ballance’s preference, Kiwi swing bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee maintained unusually full lengths. Often, when Ballance looked to come forward to these deliveries, his front foot still was only on or even inside the crease.
This made him a sitting target for that Kiwi pair. The Australians learned from this and they, too, looked to pin Ballance to the crease. The tactic worked, again, and he was dumped after just two Tests in the Ashes.
It seemed patently clear Ballance would continue to be found out by skilful quicks. His technique was too flawed for Test cricket. Ballance needed to alter his approach but is yet to show that he can adapt.
Handscomb looks likely to experience the same challenge at some point in his Test career. Like Balance, the 25-year-old rarely takes a full stride to the pitch of the ball, except when facing spin.
It seems harsh to be picking holes in the technique of a young batsman who has half centuries in each of his first two Test innings. But Handscomb is still in the honeymoon period some cricketers can enjoy early in their careers before opposition teams begin to hone in on their weaknesses.
On true pitches like the one prepared for this Gabba Test, Handscomb may get away with propping on his back foot. But against better bowling or on decks offering seam movement he could prove to be a far easier target. That’s entirely enough negative analysis for now, though.
What has stood out, even more than Handscomb’s technical foible, is the impressive strength of his concentration. He did not do it easy yesterday. Handscomb had to scrap for his runs. While captain Steve Smith cantered to an unbeaten ton at the other end, the young batsman had to push through several dry periods where the Pakistani bowlers choked him up.
Yet, similar to the patient Renshaw, Handscomb did not allow the pressure to get to him. He maintained his focus, waited and waited and waited for a loose ball and then either put it away or got off strike. This gritty batsmanship, devoid of ego, is what Australia have badly lacked for years now.
While Australia are unlikely to get this from cavalier strokemaker Nic Maddinson, Renshaw and Handscomb have showed signs they can add steel to the batting line-up.
Don Freo
Guest
That's what I would have thought. Perhaps it's your rhetoric that doesn't serve you well. To dismiss the abilty of someone who has been so sound for 3 seasons and is just over stretching in his 4th doesn't acknowledge his regular starts. Bancroft got away in all of his early innings, only to make a mistake being too aggressive once he reached double figures. He'll come good. It's good for his game to tests his limits.
Mitcher
Guest
Ultimately you're right in that averages don't tell the precise story and must always be considered in the context of different eras. But honestly, he's an outstanding player who is a joy to watch at his best. The conjecture keeps us busy but ultimately I'm just happy to watch him wield the blade when he's on song.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Don, you and I share our love for Marcus Harris but never brought into the hype over Bancroft, conceding on here that i think he is pretty average. And you are a bit off the mark assuming i do not watch the Shield highlighted by being one of the few touting Marcus Harris and my other lovechild Chris Tremain
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
He just looks like he's so nervous that he's not able to just bat how he needs to bat. Unless he gets a chance in the second innings and manages to seriously turn that around, just come out and start batting without all the nerves and manage a score, then it's hard to see him making a third test. I'm all for giving players more time than that. 2 innings is so little, but he's just been batting like someone who believes all the people who say he's not a test quality player.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I was always more of a backfoot player, and I had times when batting on tough pitches where people kept telling me to get forward more, and you know what, if I went forward more I was more likely to get out.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Often it's a case of how it looks after the ball. Some well grassed surfaces mean the ball will swing conventionally for 80 overs, others hack it up so quick it can reverse after 10. Then there's moisture in the wicket. The more moisture in the pitch, the more humid the air is directly above the pitch which can cause the ball to swing more. If you've got a bit of moisture in a pitch on a hot day you can stand on the pitch and feel the humidity of the water evaporating from the pitch. So pitches with more moisture can increase swing, especially on hot days that will cause the most moisture loss from the pitch.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Ha ha Maddo got 1. You tripked him Don. Wade missed a dolly stumping not a dolly catch. Bird did get 2 wickets didn't he? So 1/3. But pretty dang close on the other two.
doogs
Guest
Sorry Tim. Hard to treat your posts seriously when you are so hellbent on perfection. You said yesterday that you would give Kohli an "astericks" if he gets runs in England. Even the best might have one place where their record is not exceptional. Plus I am sure he will do fine when he revisits there. He is averaging over 50 in all forms. Maybe you can stamp "can do better" on his lunchbox. You are way too harsh. It is like these players need to do a Bradman batting with their non-favoured hand. Both Smith and Kohli have been outstanding and it would be nice of you to acknowledge that. Seems you may be struggling to admit when you are wrong. Nobody will die if you will. Especially not you, Tim
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
The greatest concern, for me, is not how far back he plays, but rather that often his move back isn't across and leaves all three stumps exposed to the moving ball. I hope he is able to adjust his game when it is needed. He and Renshaw certainly look far more suited to test cricket than Maddinson. No surprises there as Maddinson's selection was poor given the current form of others and surpassed in silliness only by selecting Wade when his long format batting has been crap for nearly two years.
Don Freo
Guest
Tim, if you go on average...yes, Bancroft has struggled. He has tried to be too aggressive but to say he "can't buy a run" is the comment of someone who isn't really following state cricket. He has scored a very good Shield century and was very good in the Matador. It's not the end of his career.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Oh, i have made some howlers with predictions, Ronan Always owned up to them too, even ask Nudge, he still ribs me for the prediction I made on a RSA/Australia series a few years back. even in the previous RSA series, had a giggle about losing money on backing Australia to win 2 nil Back to your point on 'cheapies' by bringing up Cook What are your thoughts on Smith's innings in SL in a dead rubber with his main tormentor from the series in Herath missing in the infancy of Smith's innings and seriously limited after a blow to the plumbs? As for your previous poser, we have already debated this previously and you know my views, so I find it strange that you need to bring it up again
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
No I still rate Bancroft and Stoinis highly, but new players should be picked for Tests when they're in hot form and that pair are not right now. Recently you said Handscomb would be dumped by the 3rd Test of this current series, so I guess we're all liable to get our predictions wrong.
Nudge
Guest
Ha ha typical response why not just answer the question?
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
And while we are comparing notes on what we have said and predictions, Ronan You must be a tad disappointed with your boys Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Stoinis after you being very vocal about both for the test team. The poor lad Bancroft cant buy a run for WA in the Shield this season with an average of 23.9 Similarly poor Stoinis, batting average 14.5, bowling average 46.4 Still vocal in support of both or are your reassessing you attaching such merit to them?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Who is the better Test batsman Tim - Cook or Smith?
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
If you said Root/moeen's centuries as cheap, agree completely Cook's being in the second innings has merit but it was in favourable confines with the match still very alive But on his struggles, already said Jadeja has pantsed him in the series
The Bush
Roar Guru
I've heard that story about Hussey as well, seems plausible enough - who didn't have AB as a hero? As someone who also has a few quirks with their left right (though not to the extreme of batting one way and bowling/throwing another), I can attest to the human body being a funny thing. But none of these things are about "technical" fault as we all know.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Ronan, look at my previous comment on the Indfia/England thread regard Cook and on Ritesh's article
Nudge
Guest
That ton was a cheap ton as well when you have a look at the match situation. Imagine Tim's response if Steve Smith had have gone for that wild heave that Cook did to be dismissed in the 3rd test.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
patterson for me Or if Agar was in form I would look to him as a long term replacement at 6. Having a spinner at 6 will allow the possibility to play all the 4 quicks if the conditions were suited Could you imagine the trio of Cummins/Starc and Pattinson operating in short sharp burts where they are told like jono was to make the batsmen dance......With Hazelwood in the holding role as the more defensive quick Long way to go for Agar though, but he has it in him to be a 35/35 test type all rounder- fabulous talent