Australian Cricket: Depth Chart

[western royboy]

Batting depth just got gutted. How must blokes like Stuart Law feel at the minute. Saw him warming up with the lads during the Test - he might have a go at Hussey's spot.

 

[damochandler]

what depth. we really only have one reliable batter right now.

 

[western royboy]

what depth. we really only have one reliable batter right now.

That's my point

 

[The Speaker]

We could probably fill up three test teams worth of fast bowlers if they were all fit.

 

[iDon]

what depth. we really only have one reliable batter right now.

What you mean we have Warner and his 60 off 20 balls that puts us in real good setup.

 

[Zach Package]

OP underrates our opening stocks IMO
Opening Batsmen
Ed Cowan - Compliments Warner well
David Warner - Is becoming more consistent
----------------
Shane Watson - Needs to recover from niggles and get himself right, but could really bat anywhere from 1-6.
Phil Hughes - Currently our No. 3 but is capable of opening, so for depth purposes, i think he counts.
Rob Quiney - Opens for Victoria, so if we had to bring in another opener, he would probably be used
Chris Rogers - Will not be looked at you can guarantee, but is probably the next best
Mark Cosgrove - Apart of me would love to see chubs get a run, the logical part says hell frickin' no.
Michael Klinger - at the rate that Vics are getting call ups, maybe he should've stayed?

In general I like where the partnership is heading, you can see warner is starting to bring more elements into his game, and cowan is a perfect foil who is also capable in his own right. In terms of depth I don't think it's as bad as advertised in the OP because we have 2 guys that have filled the role before and are more than capable to cover in the short term, as well as the depth guys mentioned (Quiney is a better player than an average of 3 suggests). you've also got young Nic Maddinson who is barely 21 and already averaging about 40 in the shield who will hopefully continue to improve.

Overall: . 7/10

 

[Carbine Chaos]

OP underrates our opening stocks IMO
Opening Batsmen
Ed Cowan - Compliments Warner well
David Warner - Is becoming more consistent
----------------
Shane Watson - Needs to recover from niggles and get himself right, but could really bat anywhere from 1-6.
Phil Hughes - Currently our No. 3 but is capable of opening, so for depth purposes, i think he counts.
Rob Quiney - Opens for Victoria, so if we had to bring in another opener, he would probably be used
Chris Rogers - Will not be looked at you can guarantee, but is probably the next best
Mark Cosgrove - Apart of me would love to see chubs get a run, the logical part says hell frickin' no.
Michael Klinger - at the rate that Vics are getting call ups, maybe he should've stayed?

In general I like where the partnership is heading, you can see warner is starting to bring more elements into his game, and cowan is a perfect foil who is also capable in his own right. In terms of depth I don't think it's as bad as advertised in the OP because we have 2 guys that have filled the role before and are more than capable to cover in the short term, as well as the depth guys mentioned (Quiney is a better player than an average of 3 suggests). you've also got young Nic Maddinson who is barely 21 and already averaging about 40 in the shield who will hopefully continue to improve.

Overall: . 7/10

Quality over quantity, though. Quiney showed he's not up to it. Rogers won't be considered. Cosgrove is a fat load who puts himself out of contention. Watson is injury riddled and seems destined for lower order duties in the future. Klinger is untested and Hughes has been tested too much, if you catch my drift.

How does Liam Davis not rate a mention given some of those names above? Marcus Harris one for the future.

Cowan and Warner are very important as there isn't much behind them.

Can't rate it anything above 5/10, perhaps lower.

 

[Kyptastic]

With the recent retirements and injury, suddenly the last few rounds of the shield become really important. Someone could come from out of the blue and claim an Ashes berth based on some good form in the next couple of months.

 

[Zach Package]

Quality over quantity, though. Quiney showed he's not up to it. Rogers won't be considered. Cosgrove is a fat load who puts himself out of contention. Watson is injury riddled and seems destined for lower order duties in the future. Klinger is untested and Hughes has been tested too much, if you catch my drift.

How does Liam Davis not rate a mention given some of those names above? Marcus Harris one for the future.

Cowan and Warner are very important as there isn't much behind them.

Can't rate it anything above 5/10, perhaps lower.

Ah, Davis was the one I forgot, and Rogers and Cosgrove were only there because i copied the OP's original list and tweaked it.
Hughes and Watson count because that's this is a depth chart, and they provide a handy depth option should they be needed to spot for a one off test, and have done it at test level before.
I agree the depth is not great in terms of quality, but we have 4 in the current test set up that have been regular openers in the past, which i think is pretty good. beyond that it's not great, i'll agree with you on that.

Our middle order depth on the other hand, is in serious trouble.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Our middle order depth on the other hand, is in serious trouble.

We agree on that one!

 

[Rack Watts]

Could Cosgrove be playing for Australia if he wasn't so fat?

 

[Bradesmaen]

Could Cosgrove be playing for Australia if he wasn't so fat?

He has the talent, there is no question.

 

[Rack Watts]

He has the talent, there is no question.

Just doesn't make much sense to me, shred the KG's and live a dream!

 

[Bradesmaen]

Just doesn't make much sense to me, shred the KG's and live a dream!

He's lazy... he also loves to party. Some people just can't do it, no matter what is at stake, especially since Tasmania gave him a shot. Had he not been given another state contract maybe it might have kicked him into gear, but he probably would have kept partying and played for Northern Districts.

 

[yibbida]

With the recent retirements and injury, suddenly the last few rounds of the shield become really important. Someone could come from out of the blue and claim an Ashes berth based on some good form in the next couple of months.

If S. Marsh could find some form in Shield cricket he would be a good selection in the middle order.

 

[dan warna]

finch has a TONNE of talent but it remains unfulfilled and given he's what 26 now? I suspect he'll never be anything but a good ordinary FC player.
He should be a shoe in for T20 and maybe ODI colours.
Not even close to being in the running for a Test berth though, they'd have to run through 8 or 9 other guys before they consider him.

 

[western royboy]

If S. Marsh could find some form in Shield cricket he would be a good selection in the middle order.

He's the smoky in my opinion.

 

[pluga_4]

Thought it would be an interesting exercise to see exactly where and how much depth Australia has in test cricket. With tours of India and Englandx2 in the future, we should be aiming to put the best 11 on the field at all times, but this may not always be the case.

No doubt India in India without the experience of Ponting and Hussey will be tough.

Look we have 2 bites of the cherry at England.

If we don't win the ashes back over there, we have the Australian summer to do so.

Interesting to see everybody drawing a line in the sand after the England series next summer as if we don't have any more cricket after that.

I would've thought the tour to South Africa after the aussie summer would've rated highly as it may well be a case again to play for the number 1 position.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

If S. Marsh could find some form in Shield cricket he would be a good selection in the middle order.

Probably the most talented option, but I don't think he'll ever have the body or mindset to cash in on it.

 

[big_e]

If S. Marsh could find some form in Shield cricket he would be a good selection in the middle order.

You can bet Justin Langer will be talking about Shaun Marsh's newfound maturity within days.

 

[big_e]

You can bet Justin Langer will be talking about Shaun Marsh's newfound maturity within days.

I don't often quote myself but it seems I was right. This was in today's West: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/cricket/15743106/marsh-lights-up-scorchers/

"Scorchers coach Justin Langer said Marsh had shown maturity in his return to top form.
"As he knows, he's got a fair way to go to earn the trust and faith back from West Australian cricket and Australian cricket," Langer said.
"He's very aware of that and his maturity's been great for the last couple of weeks.""

 

[Omega Blue]

I don't often quote myself but it seems I was right. This was in today's West: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/cricket/15743106/marsh-lights-up-scorchers/

"Scorchers coach Justin Langer said Marsh had shown maturity in his return to top form.
"As he knows, he's got a fair way to go to earn the trust and faith back from West Australian cricket and Australian cricket," Langer said.
"He's very aware of that and his maturity's been great for the last couple of weeks.""

classic and langer busted

 

[western royboy]

classic and langer busted

every state coach must have bonuses linked to aus selection, they are all talking there men up as if they are the next bradman.

Lehmann "Chris Lynn is Qld's next Test Batsman"
Shipperd " Maxwell has a beautiful technique"
Langer "Shaun has really matured"
Lehmann "Khawaja's 100 was in the best 3 that I've ever seen in the Shield"

**** me it's pathetic, I play straighter than Maxwell and I'm closer to getting a game than Lynn, Marsh cannot have matured in 2 weeks and while Khawaja's knock must have been good are we possibly looking thru rose coloured glasses gentlemen?

 

[Donners]

I recall a newspaper article in the early 90s which listed not just a second Australian XI, but also a third and fourth. From memory, even the fourth side was pretty impressive. The selectors would love some of that depth now.