The Victorian cricket team had one of the all time great summers – winning the JTL Cup and Sheffield Shield, and the BBL final was between two Melbourne sides.
The only thing approaching a down note… the uncertain fate of Cameron White, who hasn’t been offered a Victorian contract.
White has been one of the all time great Victorian players. Captain at 20, he’s been part of seven Sheffield Shield winning sides and scored 10537 first class runs and taken 195 wickets.
He had a pretty good ODI career too – 91 ODIs is nothing to be sneezed at, whatever Trevor Hohns says.
He returned to the Australian side for three games last season and didn’t click. I don’t think he’s in anyone’s hypothetical World Cup squad.
Still, there is an aura of unfulfilled promise about White’s career – due mostly to him only having played four Tests. That’s four more than David Hussey, true, but it was a difficult assignment: those Tests were all in India, with White absurdly picked as Australia’s spinner.
White could feel aggrieved he didn’t get more chances, particularly when his first class average of 40 has remained pretty consistent over the years, and Australia experimented with plenty of below-40-averaging batsmen (Aaron Finch, Mitch Marsh, Rob Quiney and Marnus Labuschagne).
Cam White (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
In particular I felt it was a great shame White didn’t get a shot in the 2010-11 Ashes, when he was in the one day team, in good form, and there were slots available. The selectors went for Phil Hughes, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja.
The latter two came good, eventually… but who’s to say White wouldn’t have as well? And he would have offered the oh-so-important bowling option and a level of maturity that might have spared us the Marsh years.
The other time I thought White could’ve brought something to the party was post ‘sandpapergate’. Australia had a leadership vacuum at the time, with Smith, David Warner and Cam Bancroft out of action and coach Darren Lehmann clearly not in control of the situation, I think the selectors should have sent out White and George Bailey among the replacement players.
But they didn’t. He didn’t seem to be in the equation at all. He hasn’t been for years.
Too old, no doubt. Too critical of selectors. Too un-pretty. Too independent.
So it seems White’s chances of international cricket are gone. And that Victoria maybe aren’t keen on keeping him.
Victoria feels as though it’s been trying to de-White-ify itself for years. They gave him the boot as captain in 2013 despite him being the best captain they ever had and have dropped him as a player numerous times since, but he keeps coming back and keeps coming up with the goods.
Look, on one hand, I get it, I do. It’s hard to know how long to keep a champion who won’t retire. You’ve got to bring in new players at some point.
But White is exactly the sort of player that should be encouraged to stick around as long as possible in the first class system. NSW got rid of Ed Cowan too soon – he had at least another season in him. So too, I believe, does George Bailey. And White.
Cameron White. (AAP Image/ Hamish Blair)
The guy can still score runs and take wickets and think up tactics. The guy can still fight.
Most of all the guy can win. Teams win when White’s in them. He’s made a massive contribution to Victorian cricket – he knows so much that can be useful.
Maybe not with Victoria. But there are several other states which could use his experience, skill and tactical nous.
In particular I’m thinking of Queensland and South Australia. Queensland had a poor season this year after being champs the last. They were hurt by the drop in form of Matt Renshaw in particular.
South Australia also disappointed, in part because their veterans (Callum Ferguson, Tom Cooper) let them down.
I think either state should seriously consider making White an offer. If they don’t have the cash dangle something else – coaching training, maybe. I’m sure it could be done.
Maybe Cam White’s form will fall away. Maybe he won’t work out. But it’s worth looking into. He’s still a major asset for Australian cricket and we ignore assets at our peril.
Andre Leslie
Roar Guru
Some great points here, Stephen. Well argued. White really is the forgotten man of Aussie cricket.
Stephen Vagg
Roar Guru
i know - he may want more security though - it's a good opp for another state to get him
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
The career of voges is the quintessential example. Too often aus favours youth over experience
AREH
Roar Guru
Would have made perfect sense, and any of those mentioned could've had a Paine-like impact as leaders. May have been the ideal second chance for some too, one they'll now never get.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Nice article thanks. I def agree that Bailey, White even Ferguson would have been options to go to post sandpaper. Get the experience out there. Instead they jetted in renshaw and burns and then punted them for Finch Plenty of people saying that the quality of shield has gone and there's no batsmen. 10000 runs and avg 40 - there you go. Great player
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I think long format opportunities are just about done but will still be important contributor to shorter formats. Surely someone picks him up for Big Bash at the very least. Offers leadership and great flexibility in can Bat anywhere in the top 6
redbackfan
Roar Rookie
similar quality of player/career-stage to Ferguson who deserves more chances at the redbacks, the openers have been more of an issue for sa, over several years Raphael, Smith, Dalton, Mcinerney all earnt their chances but havent really performed and weatherald going backwards . doubt sa would throw him a lifeline, but he is a winner..
Gee
Roar Rookie
South Australia seems a good fit, the Shield team needs some experience to help out the young batsmen. He could still be at the Renegades next year, Marsh is coming but Cooper was nearly as bad as White and Harvey looked hopeless most of the time. Harris will probably be playing tests most of the time and Ludeman looks gone so White might be kept.
AREH
Roar Guru
No idea about his position at state level - but can't imagine too many more games for Victoria. At the Renegades, Shaun Marsh comes in and effectively takes his place. I wonder if another BBL side will throw him a lifeline?