Australia's Future......

[RogerC]

Is anybody else out there worried about the long term future of Australian cricket? Of our current test batsmen, two are 35 years old, and the rest are 29 or 30, except for Ponting. Our main bowlers are either getting on (McGrath and Warne are 31, Fleming is 30, Miller is 36, McGill is 30, etc) or unreliable (Brett Lee, Gillespie).

The only guys likely to break into the team in the short term are Symonds (only tested at one-day level), Martyn (already 29) and Katich, of the batsmen - Bracken (perhaps) and hacks like Kasprowicz and Bichel of the bowlers.

Give us 2-4 years, and all we will have left is Gilchrist, Ponting, Symonds, B Lee and Gillespie (if not broken down), plus Katich and whatever is coming through.

I can recall Ponting, for instance, blazing a trail through the Sheffield Shield with scores in the 150-200 range before he was selected to the test team. Gilchrist, Mark Waugh and Brett Lee made similar impacts.

Where are the new breed? Who's going to take over the mantle? I don't see any young guns in the Shield right now. I see some kids with a bit of potential (Haddin, Wates, Bracken, Inness, a couple of Queenslanders, jesus I'm running out already!) but I don't see a lot of world beaters.

If we're not careful, we're going to end up with a similar situation to the one we had in the mid-eighties, after the retirements of Greg Chappell, Lillee and Marsh.

Someone, help me out here!

 

[WCE2000]

No way RogerC, our future is very strong. The average test players gets about 5 years anyway.

You said:
We'll still have "Gilchrist, Ponting, Symonds, B Lee and Gillespie (if not broken down), plus Katich and whatever is coming through."

Believe me, weve got a lot of coming through, just in NSW. Theres a guy buy the name of Matt Baker, 20 years old, 28 wkts at 18 in 1st Grade theres year.
Cameron Nupier, 17 years old, playing 2nd grade, made the Australia under 17 team - quickest young bowler ive EVER seen, without exception.
Greg Hunt, 17 years old, Australia under 17 team, brilliant young keeper-batsmen, has the talent to go all the way.
Michael Cosgrove 16 years old, from South Australia, best young talent in Australia by far, played Australia under 19.

You have valid points, which a younger member of my family said to me, but we've got so much young talent, were looking strong for a while.
And as i said, if you get any more than 5 years out of a test cricketer, than you should be happy.


------------------
visit the Easts Cricket Club - <A HREF="http://www.eastscricket.com.au" TARGET=_blank>www.eastscricket.com.au
</A>
A must for anybody into statistics - http://cromulent.freehosting.net/

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

I can see your point Roger, the aging nature of the current team is a source of concern.

But really it gets down to how well these players are managed in the twilight of their careers. We will be in big trouble if we allow the events of 1984 to repeat itself. By that I mean if all the old champions are allowed to retire from the game all at once, (like Chappell, Lille and Marsh in '84)then the guys left behind to carry on could find the going a bit tough.

But if the process is managed correctly, ie older players are 'eased' out of the squad one at a time and new players are similarly 'eased' into the squad one at a time then I think we won't have the problems that you are afraid might happen.

cheers

 

[Darky]

NSW - Nathan Bracken, Brad Haddin, Corey Richards, Don Nash
Vic - Matthew Inness, Michael Klinger, Brad Hodge
SA - Brett Swain, Graham Manou, Shane Deitz
WA - Simon Katich, Sean Marsh, Mike Hussey, Darren Wates
Tas - Scott Kremerskothen, Michael DiVenuto (26), Graeme Cunningham
Qld - Jimmy Maher (27)

 

[RogerC]

Thanks guys. Both of you make good points. It's reassuring to know that there's a lot of talent coming though at the junior level. And we really do have the best junior level set-up in the world, so perhaps my concerns are unwarranted.

What bothers me, though, is that the ageing process is not only confined to the test team; it goes right through the Shield sides as well. The more money comes in to the game, the more guys like (and I'm plucking from random here) Moody, Angel, Paul Wilson, Siddons, etc want to keep playing and playing for their state. Each has an individual claim to hold his position, but in the broader scale of things, young prospects like those mentioned above are kept back form Shield competition.

Steve Waugh, Ponting and Gillespie debuted in tests around the age of 20-21, but pretty much all the rest were in their mid twenties on debut. Given that we'll lose a lot of our current test team within the next few years (which isn't necessarily a given, but all bar Gilchrist, Hayden, Gillespie, Brett Lee and Ponting will be in their mid-thirties), we need our next candidates performing in first class cricket and pressing their claims now. It's not like a few years ago, when the likes of Siddons, Lehmann, Law, Martyn, etc were snapping at the heels of the incumbents. We have some guys with potential, but precious few who are demanding selection.

I think it's down to the professionalism (ie money-making possibilities) of the game turning our incumbents into careerists and creating a soft underbelly of untried kids.

I hope we see the process of easing present players out and easing new guys in, and I hope we see it pronto.

Cheers

 

[Visro]

Shaun Marsh went to my school (Wesley College) and i have to say he is one of the most awesome young cricketers i have ever seen. His average for matches was over 100. Provided he doesn't fade away he will be one to watch out for.

Vis

------------------
I was put on this Earth to complete a certain number of tasks. I am so far behind I will never die...

[This message has been edited by Visro (edited 08 February 2001).]

 

[WCE2000]

Never seen Shaun Marsh, but the raps ive heard about are brilliant.

------------------
visit the Easts Cricket Club - <A HREF="http://www.eastscricket.com.au" TARGET=_blank>www.eastscricket.com.au
</A>
A must for anybody into statistics - http://cromulent.freehosting.net/

 

[Dipper]

I'm very,very, very worried about the future of Australian cricket-I'm worried that you're going to get better & better & better & it really gives me the shits!

 

[RogerC]

Of Darky's lot, I don't rate Hussey, Inness (yet), Hodge, Richards, Swain, Dietz, Kremerskothen or Maher. Manou is gonna have to REALLY go to push Gilchrist for a spot. Bracken is never going to rival Brett Lee. (actually, ditto Inness when it comes to that). By that I mean perform at his level (admittedly high) rather than compete with him for a spot.

I like the look of Haddin. Nash has made an impact recently. Klinger .... well, there's a lot of talk about him, but he hasn't produced at Shield level yet, so any talk is premature. Di Venuto will never play at test level. Richards and Hodge have had plenty of time to stake their claims. Ditto Hussey. Cunningham and Marsh I admit I know very little about.

And anyway, if these guys flood into the side at roughly the same time, we still have that problem of lots of talent, little experience. It took Hayden, Langer and Martyn years to go from shaky debut to solid performer at test level. Steve Waugh too.

I don't mean to come across as anti. I'd like to see some of these guys introduced ASAP. We need to start preparing for the next generation. They're not going to walk in as ready-mades.

 

[Denno]

Don't rate Hussey? He'll prove you wrong!

 

[GoEagles]

Re: Shaun Marsh, a few mates of mine played against him when they were playing for Aquinas and Hale and they said he was an awsome batter, really was the standout and made the rest of his team and the opposition look quite stupid (although they made the junior state team).

As for Hussey, does anyone know if his brother David Hussey is in the WA squad? Check his form in the Sunday Times and he's topping the batting for that weekend, the talent must be rich in the family

 

[RogerC]

While on the issue, I see they've decided to send Kasprowicz to India. Surely they can afford to send someone younger in his place? I mean, good an him and all, but it's getting to be a bit of an old boy's club there. With McGrath, Gillespie and Fleming already in that squad, the selection of a Bracken or even a Wates wouldn't be too risky.

Hopefully they can go to England. With Hussey. And Katich for Christ's sake. Why are they ignoring Katich?

 

[kangas biggest fan]

hey what bout blewett how old is he?
and the aussie a side few there and the under 19s comp there was good players