A while ago I wrote an article about not picking Steve Smith and Dave Warner for the World Cup and the Ashes, and I received a lot of negative comments.
Many of you focussed on how we shouldn’t pick a second-rate team. Well, our second-rate team is looking pretty good to me. Without Smith and Warner, Glenn Maxwell is shining. He is back to his mercurial best with the bat and has even played an important role with the ball.
Look at Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb – they just scored their first ODI centuries. Without the presence of our two big guns we have unearthed Ashton Turner. Suddenly they are beating India in India. Not bad for second-raters. Give them time and they may become world-beaters!
And the best part? No-one seems to be cheating or carrying on like bogans.
I repeat, Smith and Warner need to earn their spots. Imagine if we beat England in the Ashes without them. I can now.
Some of you focussed on the extreme punishments they received and that not picking them will extend their already harsh penalties. But how would you explain them being picked ahead of the incumbents? Who would you drop from the current crop of 15 in India? Aaron Finch (maybe), Usman Khawaja (surely not!), Marcus Stoinis (harsh), Shaun Marsh (four centuries in last dozen hits, very harsh), Peter Handscomb (he just got his first ton and can keep), Glenn Maxwell (not a chance) or Ashton Turner (really?)?
I am starting to believe the selectors may back these guys. If they perform against Pakistan, which is likely as they have named a weakened team, then perhaps Smith and Warner may not be the shoo-ins everyone seems to expect them to be.
Others suggested that I’m deluded if I think they are the only ones who cheated. I don’t have any evidence of any others. I suspect several, but I can’t find them guilty without a hearing.
Another excuse is that people in higher places were responsible for encouraging cheating – but what are we, kids in grade three?
Finally I am proud to be an Australian cricket supporter. We have happy, friendly and talented cricketers who have beaten India in a T20 series and are now locked 2-2 in a one-day series with the World Cup favourites! Who would have thought it possible?
I knew it was a matter of time – and patience and the absence of admitted cheats.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Nice to see James Pattinson back with some rhythm. At lunch on day 1 vs SA, 8.2.13.3. So along with his effort in the 2nd innings vs NSW (after a so so first innings) - that's 20 overs, 4 maindens, 8 for 38. And not relying on wrapping up the tail enders either.
James
Roar Rookie
Finch has already been selected for the next ODI tour of Pakistan. Another failure tonight will not see him dropped for Pakistan. I dare say he will get at least a couple of games as an opener and if he doesn't fire then maybe a go in the middle order. The selectors desperately want him to captain the team. Shaun Marsh to open?
peter chrisp
Guest
As suggested with the final game tonight & a 2 all drawer & with Finchy who finally did make a welcome score the previous game. Do we persist with him in the hope that he will improve? With Warner & Smith's ban almost complete should we rush them in? Is it an automatic selection for both?
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Ha, fat chance of that I reckon.
James
Roar Rookie
And lets hope the quality of the teams that play Australia A in England are not diluted in strength.
James
Roar Rookie
Bancroft has to out perform other contenders and put himself in the next cab off the rank position. He is showing some form and I agree we sorely need a defensive rock in our batting order. If someone is not producing, then he may get an opportunity. I think he has a lot of test quality attributes. I like him as a keeper batsman too. If he were chosen as a keeper, he won't have a chance to "shine" the ball.
Paul
Roar Guru
I'm very sure both Warner & Smith will be given every chance to prove themselves for both the WC and the Ashes, James. If they are both fit and in form, both the Test and ODI sides would go to a whole different level. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it about the same time as Siddle's comments, that the Players Association decided to try out the new CA CEO, Roberts, by almost demanding these punishments be commuted? There were lots of people jumping onto the "for & against" bandwaggons and I suspect Siddle effectively sided with CA, who kept the bans as imposed. Did his comments have an effect on selections through the summer - I highly doubt it, but this latest group of selectors is such a mercurial lot, who really knows? As for Richardson's selection, Siddle had shown he's probably a one trick pony at Test level these days; give him exactly the right conditions and he's useful, but otherwise he's only just Test quality. I think Richardson got a run because the selectors were desperate. They didn't have a lot of other options they hadn't already tried so he was given a run - and seems to have worked out pretty well to date.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
I agree with that as it's in line with my merit based policy. I'd be willing to cut them both a little bit of slack due to the injury issues but if either of them completely struggles in the IPL then I'd say omission is warranted.
Jack Hartland
Roar Rookie
I agree, they need to score runs before being picked. They have the opportunity to do so with multiple tour matches before the start of the Ashes series. In terms of the squad we take over there, would you include Bancroft back into the test set up? He’s been scoring runs and has the ability to play the “defensive” opener role we needed during the India series.
James
Roar Rookie
My argument is that they shouldn't be picked ahead of a developing team that are beginning to taste success. Smith and Warner shouldn't just walk back in. They need to make some scores and look for an opportunity when an incumbent is dropped. Smith didn't set the grade scene on fire when he played for Sutherland this season. I also believe Smith and Warner are classes above the rest of our team but they have to prove themselves after their enforced layoffs and wait for an opportunity to arise.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
When it comes to the World Cup, Smith is the one I'm not quite as sure about. Firstly he's less advanced in returning from his injury, but secondly, he's never reached the same heights in ODI cricket as test cricket. He'll still likely be in, but it's not as obvious who he replaces. But Warner should be a lock, he's been comfortably our best ODI batsman for the last number of years. For the test team, they are both locks to return straight away for the test team.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Most people are looking at the team that beat Sri Lanka 2-0 and feeling a lot better about the team, part of that is that there’s enough players showing promise that when you plug Smith and Warner back in suddenly it’s looking like a decent batting lineup. But whatever way you cut it, Smith and Warner are still, comfortably, Australia’s two best test batsmen. Between them they’ve scored over 80% of the test centuries scored by Australian batsmen over the last 5 years. You don’t go “we don’t need the guys averaging 60 and 50 in test cricket, we’ve got a bunch of great guys who can average mid-30s”. Makes no sense at all.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Firstly, Siddle suggesting they should serve their full bans isn't the same as suggesting they shouldn't be back when their bans are over. He's probably more suggesting that the fall-out from reducing the sentences isn't worth it. At that stage it was only a few months until the bans ended, and was probably seen by many, even those who supported Smith and Warner, that it was better to just leave the bans alone. Secondly, it's not unusual to have someone in the squad get leapfrogged by someone else when the time comes. In Siddle's case, most people agreed that unless playing on an English greentop, he's not got the penetration to be a test level seamer anymore and never should have been considered for the test side in Australia anyway. I suspect there's an aspect where the selectors preferred to have Siddle miss out on first class cricket, hanging around the test squad, than some of the younger fast bowlers, where they really just wanted to make sure they were playing. I can't imagine those comments had anything to do with selections!
James
Roar Rookie
Hi Paul, Of course they need to prove themselves. My point is they need to be given a fair chance. What happened to Peter Siddle when he came out at the beginning of the summer and said that he believed the ball tampering trio should serve their full bans? Well he was in the test squad but couldn't get a game. When the chance finally came due to Josh Hazlewood's injury, lo and behold the impressive Jhye Richardson leapfrogged him into the test team. Coincidence?
Paul
Roar Guru
hi James I'm only going on the smiling faces I see on the Cricket Australia site and the odd comment from those supposedly in the know. I'm sure there are at least a few guys who DON'T want them back - Harris & Burns would be not too keen to have Warner back for a start and ditto for Labuschagne! I agree though, they need to show they're capable of playing top class ODI & long form cricket to be guaranteed a spot in the team.
James
Roar Rookie
The selector Trevor Hohns suggested that these two only needed to return to international cricket in the IPL to be selected. He didn’t mention how successful they had to be. Surely they need to perform at a an impressively high level before they take over from this new quickly developing squad that have a chance to beat India in India.
James
Roar Rookie
Hey Jack, The team that beat Sri Lanka 2-0.
James
Roar Rookie
Hi Paul, Do they really all want them back.I have read articles about certain players, coaches, managers etc giving them their support but not all. Perhaps anyone who offers a different opinion fears a backlash if they are gifted returns.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
I'd rather pick a side on merit. If it were up to me I'd leave politics and morality issues out of it. I'm not sure that's ever been entirely the case in Oz cricket but I think it should be.
Jack Hartland
Roar Rookie
Hey James, If you’re happy to leave Warner and Smith out of the ashes team. What does your current 15 man squad look like?