Fresh from belting the Poms in a 4-0 Ashes rout it doesn’t make a lot of sense to change the winning formula that is Australia’s fast bowling attack.
However, with a four Test series coming up against South Africa I feel that there is a huge role that could be played by South Australian swing bowler Chadd Sayers.
We all know the story of Chadd Sayers, he takes wickets at will in the Sheffield Shield, gets picked in the Australian Test squad and narrowly misses the final eleven. This will again most likely be the case, which I feel is the wrong move for a number of reasons.
Lets just get this out of the way quickly, I am all for going into the first test in Durban with the Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins fast bowling trio that has experienced so much success in recent times.
They are by far Australia’s best fast bowlers and deserve to be on the park together when they are all fit and conditions suit fast bowling.
The reason I feel Sayers should play some time in this series is to do with the work load of these bowlers, as in the last four months they have played five test matches (Starc four) and a five-match one-day series where all three were given rest games throughout.
The one problem with this fast bowling attack is fitness as none of them have really proved they can go through an extended period of time without any sort of injury.
Pat Cummins in particular worries me, as prior to last year he sat out of red ball cricket for six years as he dealt with a number of serious injuries.
With this Test series being played over just 30 days, there is the potential for the Australians to be playing in 25 of those, which is definitely concerning with a player such as Cummins.
Starc has also been under a foot injury cloud for much of the summer, which saw him miss one of the Ashes tests, whilst Josh Hazlewood had his own injury struggles in the lead up top the Australian summer.
The role of the first reserve bowler in this series will be vital, and I feel that this should without a doubt be the seasoned Chadd Sayers and not the raw and inexperienced Jhye Richardson.
In his 60 matches of first class cricket, Sayers has taken a total of 246 wickets including two Sheffield Shield leading wicket-taker awards (2012-13, 2016-17) and overall player of the series award in 2016-17.
The man also averages an exceptional 24.11 with the ball at an economy of 2.67 proving just how skilful he is at his craft. Sayers has also proven he can take wickets in clumps with 13 five wicket hauls and two ten-wicket matches.
All of the statistics point to a player accomplished enough to be a test cricketer representing his country.
However, for some reason Sayers is still yet to be given the Baggy Green that he so desperately craves and frankly deserves. Despite his sublime record the selectors always opt against him for selection, with the obvious reason being his speed.
Unlike the big three Australian quicks, Sayers does not go out there and intimidate with his pace and bounce, rather he outwits the batsmen with his skills in swinging the ball and tempting the opposition into false strokes.
Although I am happy with the current fast bowlers, I feel Australia do need a bowler of this sort from time to time to put the batsmen under pressure and consistently but the ball on a certain spot.
The bowler I would liken Sayers to on the world cricket scene at the moment would ironically have to be South African Vernon Philander.
Bursting onto the scene in 2011, Philander has been consistently one of the best bowlers in world cricket for a long time now due to his crafty skill and consistent line and length.
Much like Sayers, Philander only needs the pitch to do just a little bit to have an extravagant impact on the game.
Take South Africa’s last tour of Australia for example as on a green top in Hobart he tore the hosts to pieces with 5/21 of 10.1 overs, leading the way in an eventual innings victory.
With 188 wickets from 50 tests, Philander has shown the effectiveness a slower seam bowler can have at test level and why Sayers should have at least had a shot in the Australian side.
So, where does Chadd Sayers fit in this hectic schedule of test cricket.
With the matches being played in quick succession I feel that the third test in Cape Town is the perfect opportunity for Sayers to debut for his country.
Two Tests into the series is the perfect juncture to inject some life into the team, and with the heavy workload Cummins and company are likely to receive the inclusion of Sayers could revitalise the attack.
Whether the team is 2-0, 0-2 or the series is locked away at 1-1 he will definitely give the South Africans something new to think about as he is substantially different to what they would have been receiving in the first two matches.
Along with the fitness issues of the frontline Australian quicks, the Cape Town pitch has tended to offer a lot to bowlers that can swing and seam the ball with Vernon Philander in particular having lots of success at the venue.
The most recent match at Newlands saw South Africa defeat the number one ranked Indian team, as Philander played an integral part with figures of 3/33 and 6/42 in each respective innings.
In his eight Test matches at the venue, Philander has taken an astounding 47 wickets at an average of 16.34 as he simply takes advantage of the pitches bowler friendly traits.
Although the form of Philander at Newlands doesn’t correlate to a definite strong performance from Sayers, it does bode well for a bowler that can put the ball in good areas and get it to do just enough to draw mistakes from the batsmen.
So, with this much anticipated test series just one week away I hope we will finally get to see Chadd Sayers receive the Baggy Green that has forever eluded him.
His statistics prove he is more than capable to slot into this side and in conditions that suit him (such as Newlands) he could even play a pivotal role for the Australian side.
Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are undoubtedly the future of Australian fast bowling and at peak health should all be selected, however, in such a crucial series the team can’t risk one of them breaking down mid game.
This is the time for a Chadd Sayers debut, as he is a talent the world definitely needs to see even if it is just for one game.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Yep - a very average response from Ronnie! Some may say that Sayers never got the chance to bowl as a young carefree tearaway quick! His figures are very impressive and speak for themselves.
Me
Guest
Unfortunately Sayers has been the bridesmaid at times when we have had other quicks to go with. I would have liked to see him have a run in the lead up game against SA A to see where he is at at the moment rather than having to maybe bring him into the Test team without a feel for their conditions.
Basil
Guest
Bang! Wallop! Owned!
Gaz
Guest
People who want to be selectors - and take responsibility for their thought-bubbles are an odd lot. Zac Standish may be right, but my gut tells me that the selectors are living in hope that they don't have to pick Sayers. It's no good delaying till Capetown, because there is simply no water there! Have some faith in the man and give Hazlewood a break. Or maybe Cummings? ... and get Hazlewood to tie them down. [He's probably the best man for this.] Of course, Zac hasn't whispered a key factor in all of this. Chadd could be Spofforth, but if he plays for South Australia then God help him!
AREH
Roar Guru
What difference does it make what the rest of the state players think, though?
qwetzen
Guest
Err ROC did no such thing. In fact, what he did do was to support the pov that NSW players do get "fast tracked". Here are the pre-Test debut SS stats for Starc, Hazlewood & Cummins. Starc - 40 & 33.2 Cummins - 9 @ 46.3 H'wood - 79 @ 27.3 Hardly "kicking the door down" were they? And btw, Richardson hasn't actually played a Test yet so there's no point in mentioning him.
qwetzen
Guest
Yeah, whatever you say ROC. You know I don't argue with you. Like, if I responded with some selective stats and closed with a pathetically insecure; "Bang! Wallop! Owned!", you'd not publish it. Get back to me when you're willing to play on a level field.
JoM
Roar Rookie
Their bodies aren't ready at Under 13 to bowl that many overs, All you need to do is look at some of the younger ones in 1st grade and ask any of them how many back/side/foot problems they have had and most of that is because they are overbowled at training and have been since Under 10 level where plenty of coaches get the "good bowlers" to do nothing but bowl for 2 hours. They get tired and their action gets sloppy and they get injured. Pat Cummins is a perfect example. He was having back problems before Under 16 level and played games as a batsman but wasn't allowed to bowl as instructed by Cricket NSW. He was still age restricted when he got to 1st grade and I think it was a shield final he was asked to bowl over 50 overs as a 17 year old when in grade he would have been restricted to 18 or 20 overs
vrx
Guest
Qwetzen, Ronan did the explaining. Or perhaps u just want to make a point about the state bias and nsw youngsters getting fast tracked. But Jhye Richardson’s selection proves that it isn’t specific to nsw.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Here's a pretty obvious explanation: Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood played most of their career total of Shield matches at 22 years or younger, whereas Sayers didn't debut until he was 23. Starc was 22 years old or younger in 71% of his Shield games (17 out of 24 games) Hazlewood was 22 years old or younger in 67% of his Shield (18 out of 27 matches) Cumins has only played 3 Shield matches since he turned 18 years old. That trio were very raw during a large part of their Shield careers whereas Sayers debuted in the Shield as a mature 23 year old fresh off three consecutive Top 3 finishes Here are their Shield records at the age of 23 years or older: Hazlewood ........ 52 wickets at 18.2 Starc ................. 37 wickets at 15.7 Bang! Wallop! Owned!
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
What amazes me was that Mennie was picked before Sayers last year,but not picked this year,despite having more wickets. He does have 206 FC at 26.5
qwetzen
Guest
Hey vrx, If "...Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins – by a distance our premier fast bowlers." is so, could you please explain these career Shield stats? Starc 84 @ 25.1 H'wood 96 @ 24.7 Cummins 23 @ 30.3 Sayers 215 @ 23.9 Oty
qwetzen
Guest
"The reason he is isn’t picked is the state players don’t rate him as highly as Bird in conditions away from the Adelaide Oval." Is there a competition for 'Most Bizarre Statement of the Year' that I don't know about?
Geoff Foley
Roar Rookie
The reason he is isn't picked is the state players don't rate him as highly as Bird in conditions away from the Adelaide Oval. He might get a shot at Newlands though if someone needs a rest- as noted above.
vrx
Guest
I don't understand why people feel Chadd Sayers has been hard done by. There are usually 3, at most 4, pace bowling spots in any national team. Those spots are currently filled by Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins - by a distance our premier fast bowlers. Had it not been for injuries, Bird and Pattinson are ahead of Sayers. He's on the same tier as the injured Behrendorff and Coulter-Nile. The only time Sayers had been close to actual selection was the Adelaide D/N test against South Africa, the match after the Hobart debacle where Joe Mennie was ludicrously selected ahead of Bird because he could 'bat better', and so I felt Bird was deserving of his chance in that Adelaide match. Australia won that test match, so I guess the selectors weren't wrong with the Bird selection there. Why the push to rotate our fast bowlers in order to give Sayers a baggy green? Just because he hasn't had one before? He should only play if there is an injury.
Geoff Foley
Roar Rookie
In contrast to this I cite Dennis Lillee, Bruce Reid, Glenn McGrath etc. Back injuries have plagues fast bowlers forever. That more other injuries like bone spurs and shoulder injuries happen now is a result of greater intensity and the lack of proper downtime throughout a 4 year cycle.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
The bowlers themselves,short of something obvious,would play on. Who wouldn't want to play for your country? Lillee played with blood in his shoes,Hughes with a torn side muscle and I think McGrath with a broken toe. Physio,strapping and painkillers are their friends. If they don't have an injury,I can't see any of them giving up their place out of altruism.Management might intervene,might...
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
If Starc/Cummins/Hazlewood are fit and available they should be picked. I see no reason to not play one of them because of the possibility they might get injured.
AREH
Roar Guru
I still think the speed is their biggest barrier to not selecting him so far. Lehmann's obsession with 140km/h + pace is not as prevalent now I don't think, but the preference is still there. Not sure playing for SA is impacting him, seeing as they were happy enough to include Mennie and Ferguson in the test side in the last 18 months - albeit for one sole test. Further to that, there's several players being picked for limited overs sides that play for SA, like Carey, Zampa and Richardson
qwetzen
Guest
"Despite his sublime record the selectors always opt against him for selection, with the obvious reason being his speed." Nahhh. The "obvious reason" why he doesn't get picked is because he's not from a certain State. And in a few months he'll be 31 and therefore officially "too old" to debut.