The Sydney Test has started and Will Pucovski has been correctly given his baggy green.
Some might feel why write another article about Joe Burns? Quite possibly that’s a fair point. Maybe it’s time to let sleeping dogs lie.
I wonder, though, are there some more lessons to be learnt here?
Let’s get something straight: anybody who gets anywhere close to playing for Australia should be classed as an elite cricketer. It doesn’t matter if you have played one or 170 Test matches, you are elite.
Joe Burns has played 23 Tests, and scored 1442 runs at an average 36.97.
In a park cricketer’s opinion, these are stats that only dreams are made of!
But realism is important and in terms of keeping your place in the Australian cricket team, those numbers are not good enough.
Most Australians wanted Joe Burns to succeed.
We love an underdog story and coming into that first Test, he certainly was an underdog.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
His numbers before first Test read like a sad story. In the Sheffield Shield this year, he played three games for a total of 57 runs at an average of 11.40.
Some might say, who else was there? What about about sticking with the same guys for a while? Pick and stick! All fair points.
My point and question is this, though: did the selectors do Joe Burns a disservice by picking him when he was in such terrible form? Or was it case of pick and stick and see how he goes?
I wonder if the former is truer then the latter?
By picking him in such bad form, they where putting the pressure on him that only a legend of the game could live up to.
If Ricky Ponting had those numbers leading into a Test series, then fair enough, you would back him to get a memorable first Test hundred.
Sadly, Joe Burns is not Ricky Ponting. Not that we don’t want him to be.
No doubt he was trying his best. The trouble with Burns was form. The trouble with selectors was perhaps being too slow to make the needed call. Now they had to pick someone.
Who? I do not know. Was it Marcus Harris, Shaun Marsh or Usman Khawaja?
I may not have that answer, but it wasn’t Burns.
Stats are stats and you can look at pure numbers and form an opinion. But just watching him bat should have been the tell for the selectors.
His form in the Sheffield Shield and the first two Tests was sad to see. But the manner in which he was getting out and how he was looking at the crease was the most worrying part.
At times he looked like a ship lost at sea in the fog with all navigation systems down.
What does the the future hold for Burns? The hope is runs, lots and lots of runs. He seems like a nice guy but being a nice guy is not enough in professional sport.
Clearly the man can play. He is an elite cricketer. Let’s hope he can find it all again and force the selectors to pick him and hopefully he can have another crack.
MarkD
Guest
Except they haven't,. The only one with a better average is Patterson . You sure don't let facts get in the way of your opinion.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That's an atrocious average for an opening batsman. There are Marshes, Paines, Heads, Renshaws, Pattersons, Pucovskis who have all done better. Even Joe Burns doesn't think he should retain his spot.
MarkD
Guest
Actually his last 17 digs for Australia he averages 35.56. At least with Burns he managed a 51 no while not middling it . More application shown then quite a few others who threw their wickets away with poor shots . Thankfully your not selecting either .You'd still be persisting with the worst number 6 to wear the baggy green . Still no response on those new values the Selectors have with Burns omission from the ashes ? Can't say I'm surprised.
Andy
Roar Rookie
3/4 failed innings more like and the one he didn’t fail he was under no pressure. He’s not good enough to be in this team when we have Warner and pucovski. Warner had built up too much respectability to be dropped in the ashes, whereas burns was never very good and was in the biggest slump of his career. There was no question he was going to be dropped. In my opinion he shouldn’t even have been picked for the first test
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I think we all know he got that when there was no pressure. Not enough when surrounded by 17 innings of under 10 runs. We can all be thankful you're not selecting the team. Warner failed twice and still outscored Burns' last test.
MarkD
Guest
So you didnt know Burns got 51 in the Adelaide test?. Strange how everyone knows he's struggling for form but conveniently forget a test 50 only 3 digs back. Notice you didnt address my queries on those so called newly found values the selectors have. They picked him as the sacrificial lamb to fill the first 2 tests while waiting for WP to be cleared from his head knock and because Warner was out with his groin. Even a 50 n.o. could save his dumping. I seriously doubt that anything other than a 100 at the mcg could've saved him.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
That maybe true, but Burns on most occasions has been getting the unplayables very early on in his innings. Look at last years Boxing day test against NZ, 2nd ball duck from a jaffa from Boult. You can't tell me that a supposedly in form batsman would've played that any better? As with some of those balls from Bumrah this year. Maybe he's not a opener when it's moving around a bit & should drop down the order, because once he gets a start he usually converts.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
What i meant Velvet was that you worded it far more eloquently than I did.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Or the Bumrah delivery ... ho ho ho haha hahaha lalalalal
Velvet Lane
Roar Rookie
Bingo! A out of form player won’t put pressure back on the bowler. And by that I mean positive shot selection as opposed to uncontrolled aggression. It allows the bowlers to settle into a grove and find the “Jaffa” delivery
Johnny Smith
Guest
It’s the selectors way, look at Renshaw and Bancroft. Look at the milieu of cricketers that weren’t picked on form and given shots time and time again, when you can clearly see their brains are fried/muddled and have no idea in shot selection. Look at the middle order with Wade and Head. This is a very complex discussion that warrants a deep dive. Suffice to say when selectors double down on guys with bad form and they expectantly deliver that bad form at test level no one should be surprised. The sad thing is that their mental health seems to be so impacted as a result. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. It’s kind of like finding a foster dog that’s already bereft of hope, taking it to your home to own, and then giving it back to the panel at the end of the day after it does a shit on the carpet. Selectors have a very hard job, but just need to focus on the stats. For every Lab (pun intended) there is a Marsh.
Jimcricketragic76
Roar Rookie
I agree with the author Joe Burns was lucky to be selected for the 1st Test and may not have if Puvkovski was medically fit. He earned another Test with his second innings 50 but there was no real pressure chasing down a small total and the Melbourne Test was probably a bridge too far for him. Joe Burns is a great State player for Qld shield team and the Heat and he will add experience to both these sides. He may not play another Test but has been given quite a few opportunities. Time for the new guard of Puckovski Labushagne and Green to take Australia forward into the 2020s.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Yeah, that’s thing thing John Allan, he, Warner in ashes had a bit bigger history then the current fellow.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Out of form players tend to receive a higher percentage of very good come unplayable balls because the bowler can settle more easily and not be on edge knowing they are going to get whole overs at them with few runs scored off them and more importantly the prey will not escape their clutches with well worked singles to rotate the strike. A very wise person once said, an innings of 20 singles will help form far more than one of five 4s.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I said the same thing about it being a disservice picking him prior to the first test and no doubt Ian Chappelli would have said it also if given air time to do so. As for what does the future hold for Joe Burns, in the short term nothing but BBL unfortunately. This is not the anti T20 pro purist in me, but merely questioning how do dropped players turn around the things that got them dropped and come back better players? All of Renshaw, Handscomb and to a lesser extent Bancroft and Harris experienced some initial success, but are any of those four players ready for a recall and if not is it their own fault or the fault of the continued devaluing of the shield, mainly through poor programming and BBL muscling in on the test programming? Food for thought.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You're mixing up your players. Joe is the right-handed Qlder with the 3 day growth and the empty scorecard.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I think you have missed most of the summer.
Simoc
Guest
Dunno about that. His last innings was embarrassing to watch. Nearly out every other ball like most of this season. He is a good middle order batsman, not a good opener and never has been.
Ben Palliyaguru
Roar Rookie
he's just not good enough
Zak
Roar Rookie
I really enjoyed this article Bill. I agree with your line of thinking. Thanks