What Australia would give for a top six batsman as reliable as Tim Paine, who yesterday defied a fractured thumb to make 62 and continue his remarkable run of consistency with the blade.
The new Australian captain suffered the injury while keeping up to the stumps to debutant Chadd Sayers on day two of this fourth Test in Johannesburg.
Yesterday Paine showed great courage and determination to bat through the discomfort and guide Australia to 221, which was a reasonable first innings total given they had been 6-96, but still left them with a mammoth 267-run deficit.
Since his surprise return to Tests in November, Paine has only been dismissed for less than 24 three times out of 13 innings. In that time Paine has made 400 runs at 50.
The fact he’s made only two half-centuries during that period, with yesterday’s knock his highest, underscores just how steadily he contributes.
With Australia’s two most prolific runmakers Steve Smith and David Warner banned for the next year, it is unspectacular but consistent batsmen such as Paine they will need most.
The reality is Australia now have a chronic lack of genuine quality in their batting lineup – they have not a single world-class batsman.
They have four very good bowlers who will continue to trouble opposition batting units, so what they need from their top six is just to be competitive.
It’s hard to see Australia’s batting lineup dominating again anytime soon, but if they can consistently graft their way to half-decent totals their elite attack will win them some Tests.
Graft is Paine’s specialty. While he’s an elegant batsman with a wide range of strokes he more often than not plays within himself, guarding his wicket fiercely.
Yesterday he found an able ally in competent lower order batsman Pat Cummins, who registered his first Test 50 and built a 99-run stand with Paine.
(Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Gallo Images)
With Australia handing SA a giant lead the hosts could have asked them to follow on. Instead the Proteas chose to bat again due in a large part to an injury to quick Morne Morkel, who suffered a side strain and may not bowl again in this, his final Test.
Australia once more handed the new ball to Sayers but he was dragged and replaced by Nathan Lyon after just one over in which he conceded 11 runs.
Sayers returned to the crease about half an hour later and sent down a second short and expensive spell, going for 11 runs from two overs.
After wheeling down 43 overs in this Test, Sayers has the figures of 2-111. It has been an underwhelming introduction to international cricket for the 30-year-old.
He’s had to wait a long time for this opportunity and, thus far, has looked innocuous. Of course, making a definitive call on a cricketer based on one Test would be folly.
But the issue with Sayers so far is that he hasn’t bowled poorly – he has done pretty much exactly what he does in Sheffield Shield cricket.
Great success at domestic level, however, never guarantees that a cricketer will be able adapt to Tests.
(GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
Sayers has looked easily the least threatening bowler in this match. At 180cm tall, Sayers is very short compared to the likes of fellow Aussie quicks Mitchell Starc (196cm), Josh Hazlewood (196cm), Pat Cummins (193cm), and Jackson Bird (195cm), all of whom get far more bounce than he.
He also bowls 15kmh to 20kmh slower than Australia’s first-choice pace attack of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins. Sayers has quite often bowled in the 118-123kmh range, a pace which is rarely ever seen from a frontline Test paceman.
Even Vernon Philander, the man with whom Sayers is often compared, has bowled at least 5kmh quicker than the Australian in this Test. With the first two new balls Sayers received he looked presentable, thanks to earning generous swing in both directions.
It is once the ball has weathered, and swing has become scarce, that Sayers has looked short of Test standard.
First impressions count, particularly so when it comes to the Australian selectors, who have made a habit of making hasty calls on new players.
They’re also known to be biased towards genuinely quick bowlers, which is widely considered to be the main reason Sayers took so long to earn an Australian cap.
If one of Australia’s main three quicks are injured next summer, what are the odds the selectors will pick Sayers to bowl at 120kmh on flat home tracks against the Indians? Pretty long, I would guess.
Right now, as harsh as it sounds, Sayers’ prospects of building a significant Test career do not look good.
George
Guest
And yet they picked Richardson. Baffling.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
If Maxwell was out then he wouldn't have been one of the guys flown over there. The truth was that Handscomb was the reserve batsman in the squad and therefore was always going to be first in line for selection. I probably would have liked to see Maxwell get the gig too, but the fact Handscomb was the one picked ahead of him in the original squad meants he was ahead of him in the pecking order for this test, simple. Maxwell was always likely to be the "backup" rather than first in line for this test. But unless Smith & Co challenge the suspensions and win it's likely that he'll be in line for some opportunity if some of these guys don't start scoring runs pretty soon.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It's a tough call to bring someone in last minute and have them leapfrog the guy already in the squad as the reserve batsman, who most people agree was unlucky to be dropped himself a handful of tests ago. So in reality, while the two openers needed to be replaced, it was always going to be more likely that Handscomb would get the middle order gig.
Bakkies
Guest
I wouldn't have picked Maxwell after the way he batted in Bangladesh then got dropped from the one day squad for poor performances. I just don't get why people want this bloke in the team.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
You know what, every bowler would have an awesome record if they were only picked in matches where the conditions suit them. The fact is that most of the time conditions won't really suit the bowler, so to play test cricket you have to be able to not just do awesome when you get the perfect conditions for your bowling, but still find ways to trouble good batsmen and get wickets even when conditions don't suit.
Bakkies
Guest
Scott Muller looks more or a wicket taker than Sayers at this level. Paine had to take him after one over with the new ball and put on Lyon as Sayers had gone for 11.
Bakkies
Guest
Pretty much done. Him and Behrendorff can't get a long enough run without getting injured. Both in their late 20s unlike Cummins who has overcome injuries and is only 24.
Bakkies
Guest
'Also T Paine was a dill for standing up.' That was to stop Markram from batting so far out of his crease.
Bakkies
Guest
How many have EU passports? The visa laws are pretty strict now and determined by the ECB.
Matting Wicket
Guest
Watching Mitchel Marsh in a good spell on one leg and he’s bowling 15+ kms hr FASTER than Sayers. Just embarrassed for us, we are a laughingstock. How does Trevor Hons sleep at night?
Matting Wicket
Guest
Seriously.......you have been watching a different test match to me. Sayers is the least talented “quick” to ever play for Australia. I’ve been watching cricket for 50+ years....Mark Waugh opened the bowling for Aust in England due to injury and he was 2 yards quicker than Sayers.
Matting Wicket
Guest
Only if they turn the lights out as he bowls!.
Flemo
Guest
I think Khawaja will step up and become our best Batsman, hamdscombe has a few months to sort his technique out, I would give sayers more time
Flemo
Guest
Paine and Khawaja’s make a great leadership team
Flemo
Guest
Brasstex your bias against Khawaja is really standing out, Khawaja averages 45 in test cricket and despite being unfairly dropped in Bangladesh after one game and not playing any game in India he has still maintained a average close to 50 and has averaged over 60 at home, In this series he has scored 2 gutsy innings when everyone else failed, Khawaja is the best option as captain but at the very least he should be vice captain
DavSA
Guest
Sorry mate you are right . I should have referred to the others.
Flemo
Guest
Khawaja and Shaun are our 2 best batsman, Khawaja in particular has scored 2 half centuries this series when the rest of the team failed and I think will become our best batsman in the coming year and show why he is world class. In shield Khawaja ended up 3rd best player with 11 points even though he played just 3 games, a lot rests on Khawaja’s shoulders in the coming year
dan ced
Guest
Chadd is bowling fine, I've watched quite a lot. Chadd is the workhorse and Cummins comes in for cheap wickets. The only standard I wish he had bowled up to, is what Philander has done so far. I don't think Chadd has been out of place though. Oh well. Can't take that hat away from him now. What we need in this troubling time is our lord and saviour: Michael Klinger. Surely would be less flaky than the Marshes/Khawaja's of the world.
Flemo
Guest
Alan that’s absurd comments, Khawaja scored half the teams runs on day 2, and also top scored with 74 last game, Khawaja is showing that in the absence of smith he will be our best batsman and I hope at the very least he is vice captain if not captai. Given he is Queensland’s skipper and Aus A skipper
Rob
Guest
"Maxwell needs to train smart". Pity, Smith didn't Captain smarter.