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Joy of six: Paine makes strong return but Warne says it's time to move on, names successor

22nd November, 2021
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22nd November, 2021
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Determined to remain Australia’s Test wicketkeeper despite resigning as captain, Tim Paine made a strong return to cricket on Monday for Tasmania’s Second XI team.

With chief selector George Bailey in attendance at Lindisfarne Oval, Paine showed a customary safe pair of hands with six first-innings catches against the South Australian Second XI.

The match was Paine’s first since undergoing neck surgery in September but the 36-year-old is expected to be fit and available for the first Ashes Test from December 8.

Paine had been due to play grade cricket for the University Cricket Club in Hobart on Saturday, a day after his shock exit as Test skipper due to a sexting scandal, but wet weather intervened.

Despite the layoff and controversy, Paine’s glovework was slick – featuring a couple of sharp diving catches and another up to the stumps off spinner Ben Manetti – as the South Australian Second XI was rolled for 165.

Paine will bat in the middle-order during the four-day match. He’ll want to maximise his time in the middle with Australia’s three-day intra squad game looming as his only other hit-out before the Ashes.

There’s no guarantee Paine will keep his spot in the Test team.

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Alex Carey and Josh Inglis – who were both picked in an Australia A squad last week – have been touted as potential immediate replacements. Matthew Wade is another contender to come back into the side.

Shane Warne, writing in his column for News Corp over the weekend, gave a big push for West Australian gloveman Inglis to be presented with his baggy green.

“Tim has thought of the team, been unselfish, by standing down now. But as I’ve said it’s time to move on,” Warne wrote.

“You’d say Alex Carey’s performance over a long period of time would have him as the leading candidate to come into the side.

“Wade has had his chance and didn’t quite nail it but after his World Cup heroics should he be given another crack.

“Or should the selectors go for the young Josh Inglis? Inglis gets my vote.

“He’s got silky smooth hands behind the stumps, he’s a 360 degree player with the bat and coming off three first class hundreds last season for WA.

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“He’s a great team man who I saw first hand at the London Spirit this year. He’s 26. Bang, get him in.”

Legendary Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy supported Paine continuing in the Test team but said both Carey and Inglis had claims.

“Carey, I don’t think he’s done anything wrong not to get that job, and he’s just young enough at 30 years old,” Healy said.

“Having said that, my selection – my leapfrogging selection in 1988 – would have been Josh Inglis. That’s what I did, they threw me in over five or six keepers, that’s probably the way you get a 10-year player.

“Carey certainly deserves to have a go, but if George Bailey and his selectors say, ‘No, we’re going to go young and build the future’, then it looks like Josh Inglis or Jimmy Peirson, but I’d say it’s Josh Inglis, who has absolutely jammed the door with his foot.”

Paine, however, has so far been steadfast in wanting to play in the Ashes.

In an interview with the Herald Sun, Paine reiterated that desire.

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“I wasn’t going to retire, I’d been pretty clear I wanted to keep playing, and potentially finish after this Ashes series,” he said.

“I see that as the ultimate high, to be able to finish your test career after winning an Ashes series in Australia. That’s the dream.

“That’s what I want to do. To go and represent my country, well, and help win the Ashes.”

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia is under fire for not disclosing the investigation which cleared Paine of breaching its code of conduct in 2018.

As the search for Paine’s successor continues, Cricket Australia chair Richard Freudenstein has confirmed that former captain Steve Smith will be considered to reclaim the top job, though many believe fast bowler Pat Cummins is set to be appointed.

Cummins would provide a fresh start while Smith’s reinstatement could cause Cricket Australia’s decision-making to come under further scrutiny.

AAP reported quotes from an unnamed “notable former captain of Australia’s Test side, who questioned CA’s approach at the critical juncture [of the Paine investigation]”.

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“They’re still trying to cover things up,” the former captain said.

“Go back to 1994, when Mark Waugh and Shane Warne were found with John the bookmaker. They tried to cover that up, it didn’t come out until ’98.

“They haven’t learned anything.

“If Paine’s not fit to be captain now, which he’s obviously not, then once they found out (in 2018)
that should have been it.

“The only reason I assume Paine kept his job is because they liked him at board level, there is a major problem if that’s how you base your judgements.

“If they were to appoint Smith, as captain or vice-captain, I’d be asking the same question. If he wasn’t fit for the captaincy back then, why is he suddenly fit now?”

Australian Cricketers’ Association boss Todd Greenberg defended Paine.

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“Not a lot has changed in the last four years, other than that the matter has become public,” Greenberg told SEN.

“Tim went through this investigation at the time, he was very forthcoming.

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“He made an enormous mistake. But what of us have not made mistakes?

“We need to be careful about saying whoever will take over the captaincy will be perfect as well.

“We’re not appointing the Archbishop of Canterbury here … if our expectation is the captain is perfect, we will be in a lot of trouble.”

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