Heading into the fourth Test of the Summer I wrote an article suggesting that Michael Neser should at least be considered in terms of selection for the Australian Test side.
This was based more on a suggestion that was somewhat outside-the-box heading into a must-win decider rather than something I believed would happen.
Now after another scintillating performance with the ball in the Sheffield Shield, it is becoming more and more difficult to argue against him warranting a Test call-up. The bowling all-rounder again proved himself as a brilliant new-ball bowler on the first day of the Shield final.
Neser spearheaded Queensland’s bowling attack, taking 5/27. Playing in one of the biggest games in his first-class career, Neser got Queensland off to the perfect start, dismissing New South Wales opener Matthew Gilkes, cannoning into the top of his off stump. He followed this up with crucial wickets of Jason Sangha and Jack Edwards to shift the momentum in Queensland’s favour shortly after lunch.
You’d be forgiven for thinking the beginning of Michael Neser’s day was all smooth sailing, except it wasn’t. Battling back spasms, Neser crusaded through with the help of only painkillers and a short physio session. Then he backed it up again in the final session to clean up the NSW tail and claim his second five-wicket haul of the season.
What sets Neser out as a player that must be selected for Australia is not only his perseverance, which was evident today but also his brilliant consistency and ability to constantly apply pressure to the opposition. The 31-year-old’s 5/27 came off the back off 13 overs and during that time, rarely allowed any of the NSW batsmen to free their arms and play shots with ease.
This constant pressure is what can win or lose you Test matches. We need to look no further than the Gabba Test to see how erratic bowling when searching for wickets can hinder your chances of winning. Australia’s former go-to fast bowler, Mitchell Starc, has struggled to keep batsmen contained when trying to take wickets.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
During the Test series, Starc would often make poor use of the new ball with half of his deliveries too short or going down the legside. His inconsistency ultimately played a big part in India chasing down a record total at the Gabba to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and furthermore ruin Australia’s Test championship hopes.
I expected Starc to regain his form in the Sheffield Shield games, however, this has not been the case. This season he has averaged 47 with a strike rate of almost 80. Whereas Michael Neser has been averaging 23 with a strike rate just above 60 this season.
Today’s play summed up the two bowlers perfectly. Neser, as always, was asking the batsmen questions and taking scalps at important moments. Starc on the other hand had the chance to tilt the balance of the game back towards New South Wales’ favour. Instead, he seemed more interested in bouncing Queensland opener Bryce Street and attempting to intimidate him rather than let the ball do the talking.
Looking from the outside I would say that Starc doesn’t have the same high level of mentality that is seen from the other Aussie quicks.
Obviously, experience does play in Starc’s favour, but the Ashes are at the end of the year. The series that is most important to all Australians. The selectors surely can’t continue with an out-of-form bowler in a critical summer for Australian cricket.
If Neser can continue this purple patch that he has been in for the last three years and Starc doesn’t rapidly improve his form, then choosing Starc over Neser for the first Ashes Test would be criminal.
blanco
Guest
Pattinson should be next in line, if he isn't fit then Neser. Jhye, if he had form and a decent workload in the shield) would be my choice since he would offer a point of difference but he is just coming back from injury.
Gee
Roar Rookie
Pattinson has a test averages of 26 batting and bowling, exactly like Paul Rieffel had. Hopefully history doesn't repeat & Patto doesn't get left out of the the team for inferior Queenslanders & Sydney siders like poor Pistol was.
Scotty
Guest
Neser could be a Stuart Clark type. Come in later in his career, very accurate but a touch slower and does just enough to get wickets. However even though I’m a Qlder I’d select Pattinson and J Richardson ahead of him. Either way I don’t care as long as Starc (and Lyon to an extent) don’t just keep getting picked on past form.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yep, there’s only one sport here in WA that has a culture of a decent top down regional/rural talent ID & development system, and unfortunately that ain’t cricket. You can’t underestimate the strength of NSW’s large regional cities, and the genuine rural areas’ proximity to a large/largish town that helps immensely in gaining sports talent.
Micko
Roar Rookie
No Jhye Richardson?
Lance Boil
Roar Rookie
Who has the form on the board currently? If it is Nesser then pick him ! If it's Ronald Mcfricken McDonald pick him! If it isn't Mitchell Stark don't pick him geeezzz !
Peter Warrington
Guest
Prefer to go with Wildermuth so we can play Carey at 6 and get Swepson into the team. That will help Lyon no end i reckon. Green Carey Wildermuth Cummins is a good strong 5-8: to
Ace
Roar Rookie
Cummins, Hazlewood, Behrendorff, Patterson and Neser would be an acceptable bunch of quicks, plus Cameron Green , to tour. Covers most bases. I think I would stop cringing not seeing the new ball going down leg side if Stark was not there.
Dougy
Guest
Mitchell Starc isn't a test match bowler for me leave him out. Jhye Richardson or Michael Nesser for me whomever is in form before the Ashes between these 2 gets the third quick for mine.
Larry1950
Guest
Sorry mate but he’s not from nsw so won’t get a walk up start. I reckon that Patterson guy should replace Marnus in the test team, after all he is a cockroach.
Simoc
Guest
I would think and hope that Neser is next in line. He has done everything required. If our batting can get its act together. Unfortunately for Neser, Cameron Green came along and looks the best thing that has happened to Australian cricket forever. So he may be against Starc or waiting for injury. Starc is a proven matchwinner and hopefully will come good, but his tickets are running out.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
People can be so so stooopid. The grass roots for the national side in any format is the grade scene in the six state capitals. Add the populations of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart, Perth and Adelaide together and you find that Sydney has 40% of these combined populations. Therefore, logical probability says that on average any 12 selected for Australia will contain 5 NSW players. Plus, NSW, being the most heavily populated state, also has more regional towns and cities of a decent size that still have proper cricket infrastructure from junior upwards – Bush Cricket in my own Queensland went the way of the dodo around about the turn of the new millennium. Therefore, kids in the NSW regional and genuinely rural areas are still playing cricket of a weekend, and anyone with genuine talent will be playing with the men by the age of 12 or 13, and will hopefully end up at university in Sydney and therefore be playing First Grade there by the age of 17 or 18. That’s even forgetting the fact that Sydney will have a stronger grade scene than any city bar Melbourne, and therefore, players that reach the state side will be more battle hardened. It’s not rocket science.
Paul
Roar Guru
Purely on form, there's no way Starc should have played the final Tests. His problem is rhythm. If he's in sync, he's terrific, but it doesn't seem to take much to knock him out of alignment. I don't think he was in great rhythm (hence not great form), all summer and in reality, probably shouldn't have played in that series at all. He was hard done by some pretty ordinary dropped catches in Melbourne which knocked his confidence even more. He badly needs time away from the game, then come back and sort out his rhthym, balance and action
Paul
Roar Guru
no idea Micko, but it would be good to know. Neser would be advantaged if the Adelaide Test was a day/nighter, but I'm thinking he'd only get a chance to play that early in a series someone was injured and/or he started the series through superior form.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Should walk in the 1st Test. Pattinson body just not reliable..., Even with back spasms Nes still gets it done
Lachlan Onions
Roar Rookie
Valid points it definitely would have been a risk to play Neser in the final test. Naturally you want to remain loyal to your bowlers but also not pick a player based on how they once played. As for the mentality comment, I've found that over Starcy's career he tends to get himself into a rut and just can't break down the batsmen like he normally can. With him when it's good it's going great, but when it rains it pours. Personally I believe having a strong mentality is what can combat this. As for your comment about 3 right handers. I definitely see where your coming from and Starc does offer something different from our other 2 mainstay bowlers. However at the same time is it worth choosing a left-handed bowler to provide something different if he is struggling to make an impact himself
Micko
Roar Rookie
Fair point Paul. I'm interested to see what Neser's record on flatter pitches, like Adelaide Oval & SCG are?
Paul
Roar Guru
"Looking from the outside I would say that Starc doesn’t have the same high level of mentality that is seen from the other Aussie quicks." What exactly does this mean? There's no doubt Neser bowled very well in conditions that suited him against batsmen who were either out of form or barely Shield level. I'm also sure he was in Test contention throughout the summer, but his biggest issue is sameness. There's no way Starc could have been dropped on form prior to the last Test. In the first two games, he'd taken 4 wickets in each Test, which meant he had to play in Melbourne. Yes he bowled poorly there, but if Neser came in, that would give an attack of 3 right handed quicks who are nearly the same in speed, method and approach on a track that was, for the Gabba, a road. Sure he deserves consideration for next summer, but so too does Starc. If both bowl to their potential, Neser will once again be the bridesmaid.
Paul
Roar Guru
Yep, I'd blame the selectors for not choosing a guy who comes from a postcode starting with "4". After all Trevor Hohns (postcode "4"), Justin Langer (postcode "6"), Greg Chappell (postcode "4") and George Bailey (postcode "7") all have an obvious bias against players from Qld.
Micko
Roar Rookie
I’m from WA, so I’m assuming postcodes that start with #2 are NSW?