Doom has hung so low over Australian cricket in recent times that the rare advancements have been obscured by the common setbacks.
Not so in this first Test against Sri Lanka, as the home team’s good performance has allowed fans to recognise and enjoy the efforts of a clutch of newcomers in Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Jhye Richardson and Kurtis Patterson.
Australia are in a commanding position in this Test largely due to the plucky and skilful efforts of rookies.
The home side’s veterans – Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Usman Khawaja and Tim Paine – have had minimal impact on this match. Instead it has been 22-year-old Richardson, 24-year-old Labuschagne, and 25-year-olds Travis Head and Pat Cummins who have been the bedrock of Australia’s fine display.
Not to mention the valuable contributions of inexperienced batsman Marcus Harris (44) and debutant Patterson, who grinded his way to 30 from 82 balls under lights last night.
So calm and assured did Patterson look in his first knock in Test cricket that it came as a surprise when he was caught LBW by Suranga Lakmal. The Sri Lankan quick was excellent all innings, getting the pink ball to swing sharply and late. Yet, Patterson looked at ease against Lakmal and his bowling colleagues to that point.
The lanky left-hander was presented with a difficult task, coming to the crease in the evening session with light draining from the sky and Sri Lanka immediately taking the second new ball.
Patterson batted just as he has for years at domestic level. He was composed and patient in temperament, and compact and organised in technique. Unlike many Australian batsmen of recent years, Patterson does not mind starting an innings slowly. He is content to shelve his ego and play within himself until he feels set.
You can only get somewhat excited by a score of 30, but that ceiling of optimism was definitely reached yesterday as Patterson batted like a man who had played many more Tests than one.
However, it was the two batsmen who preceded Patterson in the order who set up the match for Australia.
Head and Labuschagne wear criticism more frequently than cricket whites. Not all of this negativity is unjustified. Labuschagne undoubtedly has leapfrogged more qualified candidates to earn Test caps, while Head’s ungainly batting style does little to inspire confidence.
Yesterday, however, both men made themselves impervious to meaningful criticism, even if for one day. Doubtless there will be fans lining up to whinge endlessly about how neither man went on to make a ton – such tiresome supporters have become numerous as Australia have sunk into the cricketing abyss.
The reality is that, in making scores of 84 and 81 respectively, Head and Labuschagne won this Test for Australia. Head has played numerous highly-valuable innings across his brief Test career but never has he looked as good as he did yesterday.
Marnus Labuschagne was solid with the bat. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
When the quicks went straight he tucked them through leg and when they overcorrected their line he sliced them to the off-side boundary.
Against spin he was nimble and confident, advancing down the wicket nicely and, at other times, using the full depth of the crease.
Meanwhile, Labuschagne showed – like Patterson – he does not mind allowing the bowlers to dictate terms early in his innings, more intent on winning the war than the battle.
Yes, he could have rotated the strike more as he made a dawdling start to his innings. But, once he got his eye in, the Queenslander looked supreme. His balance was great, his defence tight, his decision-making impressive, and his range of strokes comprehensive.
When Head and Labuschagne came together at 4-82, with Australia still trailing by 62, the pressure was intense.
By the time they put on 166 for the fifth wicket, Sri Lanka looked ragged.
The Test is not yet over, as Sri Lanka have a host of gifted batsmen, but Australia’s rookies have put them in the box seat.
Extra Short Leg
Roar Rookie
Exactly. The reason Head needs to convert some of his starts, is because he'll eventually hit a rough patch where he can't buy a run. Generally, the difference between the goods and the greats is the ability to make the opposition pay if they let you off the hook. I still remember that sinking feeling if we dropped Viv Richards. It usually resulted in punishment.
TheCunningLinguistic
Roar Rookie
One of our veterans has been a ‘Starc’ disappointment...
Matt P
Roar Rookie
It’s not about being chanceless, it’s about waiting until you’re set and you’ve put the team in a good position before you start playing high-risk shots.
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Fair call. I hope he does do it.
Maxwell Charlesworth
Roar Rookie
In Heads 12 test innings he has batted Australia to a draw on debut in the UAE, scored more than double any other Australian batsman in the first innings of the Adelaide test and was the only reason we were even in that game, brought Australia back from the ropes at 4-140 to 6-250 (when his wicket fell) in Perth which game, and now he has not only top-scored for Australia but combined with Labuschagne he set up the game to be win by the Australians. The fact of the matter is, since Cape Town no Australian batsman has done more for Australia than Travis Head, whether that be in performance to win, draw or keep Australia in games or whether it be statistically as since April 1st 2018 Travis Head is the leading run scorer for Australia.
JamesH
Roar Guru
If he’s consistently getting to 20 at test level then I wouldn’t call it luck. Honestly I’d rather a bloke like Head who needs to learn to make the most of his starts than a guy like S Marsh who has a string of failures punctuated by a beautiful ton. You can cure Head’s problems over time.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
Tough crowd. We will only accept chanceless centuries from our rookies.
Simoc
Guest
Great to get a win under the belt and an easy one at that. Congratulations to Labushagne and Head for setting up the win and Cummins for claiming it. Can't complain about that. Just need someone to score a ton in the next test because it's long overdue. It'de be good if Sri Lanka can take it to 4 days but unlikely on what we observed in this test.
Matt H
Roar Guru
And they smacked us last time we played them.
Barney
Roar Rookie
Ok is correct. He is ok....against a weak Sri Lanka
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
starcy 4+ rpo & no wicket. He is done for now. Next match tremain in.
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Is it necessarily working for him in Shield, though? I get that he has a good record in the past few seasons, but even then he’s still had cheap, soft dismissals. Showing it in ODIs as well. Like I said, I’m not writing him off, and he clearly has the ability to succeed. But he was incredibly fortunate not to end up like the SL bats have today, and that sort of luck won’t hold forever.
JamesH
Roar Guru
You’re not quite factoring in the step up to test cricket. Those shots have been working for him in Shield so it’s pretty natural to fall back on them when he’s under pressure. It will take time to adjust that approach for the higher level. If he keeps doing it then fine, drop him. But he showed signs yesterday that he’s learning.
Matt P
Roar Rookie
If he’d gotten himself to 50 and then played those shots, that would be one thing. But he was on four, and the team was 4-90. That sort of irresponsibility shouldn’t be excusable at any level, let alone Test level. What if either of those shots leaves us 5-90? I’m not writing him off completely because of a couple of loose shots, but he captains his state and has been playing domestic for seven years. How long do you need to learn what is an incredibly simple lesson? Mistakes aren’t always a problem, but repeated ones are. He got himself out in four consecutive innings against India with similarly dumb, irresponsible shots. How many of Kohli’s mistakes during his Perth ton were from his own impetus? Even his first dismissal in Adelaide; he learnt and didn’t repeat that mistake for the rest of the series. Can’t say the same for Head so far.
sittingbison
Roar Pro
I agree with you in general, the point was that he has not learned. Sure, playing and missing, getting edges is part of all cricket. Wildly slashing at very wide balls, deliberately bowled as part of a planned trap, with two wickets just lost on a row and both new batsmen not set on 4, and when the very same thing has happened in every test of the last series, is not.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Well said.
JamesH
Roar Guru
They’re ranked one spot below us, and ahead of Pakistan and WI but okay. I’m just glad your son isn’t old enough to read that ridiculous comment.
JamesH
Roar Guru
The only thing it tells you is that Head is still learning. It would be nice if he and his fellow rookies could learn it all before forcing their way into the test team but we just don’t have that luxury at the moment. All batsmen make mistakes. The good ones put them out of their mind and get on with the job, which is exactly what Head did. Kohli played and missed and nicked en route to his ton in Perth. Does he have a lack of technique, composure or temperament? Honestly, the constant criticisms (not just yours) of some of these inexperienced batsmen are getting a bit absurd. They’re gonna make mistakes. Give them a proper chance to find their way and settle into the side.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Head has been very impressive in terms of making starts - he's scored 20+ so far in 8 out of 12 innings. Whether he can make a Test career for himself will hinge on his ability to start capitalising on those frequent starts.
dangertroy
Roar Rookie
The lack of centuries thing is amusing to me. Sometimes it just happens that for whatever reason, batsmen don't get to triple figures. There was a summer about a decade ago when we went a 3 test series against West Indies without anyone making a century. The top 6 then was katich, Watson, Ponting,Hussey, clarke and north. There was at least a dozen half centuries and Australia won it comfortably. But I remember the noise from the airchairs about the lack of centuries. Head has made solid contributions all summer, and Labuschagne has had decent returns thus far. Labuschagne in particular looks solid. Head isn't the prettiest batsman to watch especially early in his innings, but he generally gets through, even if it takes him a bit of luck. Hooefully the patience comes as he matures as a test cricketer. A chanceless century is pretty rare. It's not uncommon for batsman to give a chance and then go on and punish the opposition with a big score.