How many people watched the Australia A versus New Zealand A series? There did not seem to be very many spectators at the ground most days.
Indeed, when the most recognisable name on the team sheet is Cameron Bancroft, only those truly invested show up. Nevertheless, the games were thrilling, pulsating affairs where momentum swung back and forth throughout. New Zealand A won the four-day matches; Australia A won the one-day matches.
Now move to South Africa where South Africa won an ODl series largely because Australia ran out of players towards the back-end of the series. Conceding 416 runs in a one-dayer is an anomaly, but then being unable to chase 306 in the following match shows that something is clearly amiss with the side’s depth. So, what’s the problem?
The biggest problem is Australia’s remarkable stability. Since Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have played together, Australia has won a remarkable 13 of 22 Tests. Since Lyon’s debut in 2011, just seven fast bowlers (not including Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and various all-rounders) have debuted for Australia. Only four (Scott Boland, Jhye Richardson, Jackson Bird and James Pattinson) have played more than two Tests.
Scott Boland celebrates the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo by Gareth Copley-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
The ODI series against India showed the gulf in class between the two sides, and it was only when Australia had their almost complete starting contingent return that they finally won a game against an Indian side that rested a lot of players. So, why is there such a big gap between Australia’s “A” side and the rest of the world?
This gap comes down to the lack of playing time for Australian’s second XI. The likes of Nathan Ellis, Tanveer Sangha, Sean Abbott and Josh Inglis may star for their Big Bash League sides, but they have a lot to learn about facing quality international players.
All four are rising stars who may yet have major roles to play in international Australian sides. All four also need more seasoning to help them adjust to the ebbs and flows of international cricket because the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup, shorn of the bulk of their international stars, do not provide the robust challenges that up-and-coming players need.
Similarly, the Australia A side that was selected for the New Zealand A series lacked much star power. People unfamiliar with the Big Bash would never have heard of the likes of Henry Thornton.
Most would know Cameron Bancroft as “the sandpaper bloke”; some may even know Mitchell Swepson and Matthew Kuhnemann with both having played for Australia, and some, perhaps only in Queensland, would have been familiar with the names of Jimmy Peirson and Mark Steketee despite both having been in and around the Test team in recent series.
With so much inexperience in the Australia A side, it begs the question: what is the purpose of the Australia A team? Is it a proving ground for the next rung players wanting to push their cases for higher honours, as it has mostly been in the past, or is it a chance for youngsters to put their names up in lights to show their class?
If it is the former, why was Matthew Renshaw not given an opportunity to show his wares in the two-day game? What justification could there have been for not selecting Michael Neser (although, he was flown to South Africa as injury cover later on) or Peter Handscomb?
Others like Jhye Richardson, Will Pucovski and Lance Morris, who all would’ve been in line to play, were coming back from injury.
The dual problems of Australia’s stability and their treatment of Australia A matches as chances for growth do not provide the next rung of cricketers consistent opportunities to prove themselves on the international stage.
After the World Cup, Australia needs to use the ODI losses in South Africa and India as an opportunity to revamp their white-ball teams, to blood younger generations of talent into the Australian side; and must identify who the next rung of red ball Australian representatives are and provide them with meaningful game time through the Australia A fixtures.
Until this is fixed, the disparity between Australia’s best and the rest will continue.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
— COMMENT DELETED —
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Behrendorff does swing it late though. MoM... Great to see Jhye Richardson bowling again...& Morris. Couldn't Victoria have done with two Will Sutherlands?
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
gee - - the Vics and the WACA don't appear to be on friendly terms at the moment. Have you seen the ball Behrendorff got through Handscomb - -it's swung so much so late that it's taken the outside of leg stump. That's unplayable. You could then argue that the Rogers LBW might've been doing too much!!!
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
The Vics also batted pretty slowly,just over 3/ over in their first. Good bowling all round, I’d say. WA showed towards the back of their first why they have the Marsh Cup and the BBL players’ capacity to call on. It’ll be interesting to see how Victoria approaches this defence. Go hard and get ahead or dig in. Either approach is fraught against an excellent attack. Rocchiocolli might end up with ten for the match.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Thoughts on Rocchiccioli vs Murphy? It'll be fun watching Todd facing Corey tomorrow after Corey hit Todd twice into the top of the stand.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
nearing stumps......WA on top......14 overs to stumps still now and Mitch Perry in very, very early for his night watchman role. This'll be the one he fluffs because I've drawn attention to him (yes I'm sometimes superstitious about these things).
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Pretty sure Klaasen is first choice at the moment. The only times he hasn’t played in recent years have been when he’s been spelled to try out someone else - e.g. Ryan Rickelton?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The bowling of the 3 quicks, Boland, Perry and O'Neil was outstanding. Sutherland was a good foil, but Murphy was a bit...meh. The role of the top order is to establish the innings. I agree they would like to have scored more but the Vics didn't allow it. Because WA has such a strong foundation, we can expect Bancroft to slip into white ball mode. Jayden Goodwin is like a Shaun Marsh clone but look who's to come! Hardie, Philippe, Turner; three of the best white ball strikers in the game. As long as they don't get blinded by a red ball, it should be fun. I imagine it will be all systems go with the idea of a declaration 20 overs before stumps. Of course, if the Vics maintain yesterday's bowling, there could be quick wickets and a draw will be the likely result. A bit of pressure on Murphy who was poor yesterday. Of course, rolling the Vics a second time with Pucovski and Handscomb fighting for survival, the game will be well alive into the last session tomorrow. Don't you love Shield cricket?
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
It's interesting - - the end of play scores of 2-237 implies the Vic bowling attack isn't up to scratch.......until we look at all the run rates and the overall run rate........103 overs......WA playing for the draw on day 2?!!? Astounding that WA had batted before stumps on day 1 and end day 2 - batting all day - still 19 behind.....wtf?!!?! O'Neill 1.64, Sutherland 1.75, Perry 2.05 and Boland 2.39. Perhaps the Vics are just lacking one out and out strike bowler in that line up. But what the heck are the WA batters playing at? It's a 4 day game.......not Faisalabad 1980!!
jammel
Roar Rookie
Yeah I've been on the Marnus for (c) bandwagon for a long time! Now I see there's another on the Roar! Marnus lives and breathes the game. He understands it. I think he'd revel in the captaincy in the future. I'd have Head for now, but Marnus I definitely see as a long-term captaincy prospect.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Murphy was full on defensive today. Flat and innocuous. No attacking there. He has to become a significant Shield player before he plays for the national side. Picked way too early.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Hardly.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
He's not a very good bowler. He's a bit scatty for leadership. I doubt that's his thing.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Fair enough. We have nobody though, besides old guys, who're averaging over 40 in FC cricket (and I'm counting guys like Handscomb and Bancroft as "old guys" cause they've been picked before). Even Marcus Harris only averages 36 and apparently he's the "heir apparent". Bancroft's 43 average must seem like Don Bradman to him.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Fair point, Don! There are a few others in the same boat. Michael Neser springs to mind. He should've gotten a run in the third or fourth Ashes Tests, but he can't seem to get a look in. Todd Murphy was underbowled and not used correctly by Cummins in the Ashes. He's more attacking than Lyon is and needs to be utilised in that way. Matt Renshaw isn't a no.6, so by selecting him in that spot, you're not giving him the best opportunity to succeed. Cam Green isn't a no. 6 or a no. 7. He should be batting up the order and being given the chance to show what he can do further up against a harder, newer ball, which I think he prefers.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Victoria is the second best Shield side? I'd beg to differ. They're quite possibly third or fourth depending on selection, but not second best. QLD would be second best in my book (though, they looked terrible against an average NSW attack, so maybe not). Still, when you have 3 Test players in your top 4, you've got something going right for you. WA seems to have a fast bowling factory that just churns them out. Cameron Gannon, I might add, is a QLDer who defected to WA. Stobo, like many others, couldn't get a run in the NSW side so moved to WA and is now doing wonderful things over there. Liam Haskett is WA born and bred. WA is doing amazing things with their cricket, and I like the looks of Mitch Perry and Mark Steketee as well. However, my point was more that they're not getting the opportunities they deserve because the current selectors either can't or won't pick them in the sides they should be picked in (like Aus A for example). And then, when they do make those sides, they're not used correctly.
All day Roseville all day
Roar Guru
https://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/fifa-world-cup-2014-5-test-cricketers-who-were-born-in-portugal-147805 Turns out Henriques is one of 2 Test cricketers born in Portugal, with 3 others born in a then-Portugese territory
The Bush
Roar Guru
My point about Burns is more in line with what you're saying regarding the Australia A team; is it just the second best team or is it a platform for up-and-comers to make a name for themselves. I agree that on form, he probably doesn't get in. Personally I don't like giving players an opportunity they haven't earned, so if our Australia A team is made up of old-timers, assuming they haven't 'retired' from national duties like Siddle, then so be it - the young players should score more runs and take more wickets and earn selectoin.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
SA team with several reserves still had the likes of Heinrich Klaasen (not first choice but averages 47 in FC cricket) to come in an help out. Who do we have like that (besides Labuschagne) who can do that for us?
Gibbo
Roar Pro
At least Labuschagne actually stands a chance to bowl out of that lot!