State of Aust Cricket: Clarke, Inverarity, new selections, optimism...

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I'm pretty optimistic about the future of Australian cricket. This summer has seen a significant shift in the Australian side, and one that I think will benefit us in the next few years. I thought I'd pick out a few things that I have liked about this summer, and if you like, feel free to hack on me or agree!

Inverarity: I like how he says what most people think, and he has the balls to follow through on what needs to happen. From today on cricinfo, regarding Marsh and Smith:

"Shaun Marsh is coming off a horror Test series against India and Inverarity made it clear Marsh had not simply been rested, but needed to go back to Western Australia and prove himself again.

"Shaun as we've all seen is a very talented player," he said. "At the moment he's in a difficult period. We've all seen that. We think the best way that he can recover his form is out of the spotlight in Shield cricket. We look forward to him doing well in that and coming again."

Nor was there room for Smith, who was ranked highly in Cricket Australia's contract list last year but now finds himself out of the team in all three formats..."Steve Smith is a very promising player, with his potential for batting and fielding and bowling, we really hope he will develop in the future. But I think he needs to do more. He needs to do more with his batting and his bowling to establish himself."


We have also seen the call, made at the appropriate time, on Phil Hughes.

Clarke: His captaincy has been astute and aggressive. He succeeded in captaining a whitewash against India, who have a strong, albeit fading, batting line-up. He has declared at exactly the right times when needed. He has handled a very inexperienced pace attack well, and has set good fields for Lyon. He always seems to be on top of what is happening, which is what a captain needs to do. The fielding under him has been sharp and aggressive. He has also taken his batting to another level with two massive scores.

Ponting and Hussey: I thought both were gone pre series. However, both have had great series, and it seems Clarke enjoys having them in his side. I think at their age they become series by series prospects, but until someone in the Shield smashes some consistent runs, they will remain. The two of them remain our best fielders as well, Ponting is our best slipper and Hussey is a wizard in the gully.

The pace attack: Pattinson, Cummins, Siddle and Starc will hopefully carry our attack for the next five years or more. They are all aggressive, quick and willing. Add Hilfenhaus and Harris and we have plenty of firepower to win tests. Siddle has taken his game to another level, Pattinson reminds me of Craig McDermott, and Cummins will intimidate at the highest level. I think Starc will become a far superior left arm bowler to Johnson once he gets it all together. Hilfenhaus has rejuvenated a career that looked over six months ago. His selection was very good.

Injuries that helped: I think losing both Watson and in particular, Mitchell Johnson, to injury have been massive benefits to the team this summer. I think the team was relying too heavily on Watson, and Johnson's injury simply meant that we had bowlers applying pressure from both ends, instead of leaking runs constantly. While I imagine Watson will return for Marsh, I think Johnson should be left out of tests now for good.

Warner and Cowan: I think they should be persisted with, as I think they can become a very effective and dominant opening pair. Warner's technique is beautiful, as is his power, and Cowan is a clever batsman who anchors the top order well and knows his own game.



I think this series against India will be the beginning of a very successful era under Clarke.
 

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Belnakor

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#2
Inverarity: I like how he says what most people think, and he has the balls to follow through on what needs to happen. From today on cricinfo, regarding Marsh and Smith:
He is definately the right man for the job. However we just won a series 4-0 which makes selection easy. Dropping Koala was the right thing to do also.

Clarke: His captaincy has been astute and aggressive. He succeeded in captaining a whitewash against India, who have a strong, albeit fading, batting line-up. He has declared at exactly the right times when needed.
If anything he declared too early.

Ponting and Hussey: I thought both were gone pre series. However, both have had great series, and it seems Clarke enjoys having them in his side. I think at their age they become series by series prospects, but until someone in the Shield smashes some consistent runs, they will remain. The two of them remain our best fielders as well, Ponting is our best slipper and Hussey is a wizard in the gully.
Our fielding will definately suffer, it might end up a bit like it was after Mark Waugh retired, no genuine gun slip fielder, and i think that will hurt a tad when we lose those guys. Clarke isn't a gun slip fielder, he is just good.

I think Starc will become a far superior left arm bowler to Johnson once he gets it all together.
Starc has only really played one half decent test so far.. jury definately still out. Wait until he plays on a couple of dead pitches and see how far he gets.

I think this series against India will be the beginning of a very successful era under Clarke.
means nothing unless we win the ashes :)
 

KiwiRoo

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#3
signs are pretty good for Aussie

excellent pace battery
Clarke is dominating
promising batsmen to come through

Missing links
Top quality spinner, though Lyon shows some good signs
Decent keeper batsmen..Wades batting is pretty good, not sold on his keeping yet.
Reliable top 3..though this may get fixed when Watson returns.
 

blaze036

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#4
Deff need somone to step up and replace hussey/ponting soon... other than that we have a very good team for the future.

Warner Cowan Watson Clarke Khawaja? Hussey Wade Siddle Pattinson Cummins Lyon.

Easily potential to be number 1 in the world for tests
 
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#5
promising batsmen to come through
And they are?

As I see it, if Ponting and Hussey were to say their farewells now, the only two locks for a position in the batting line up are Clarke and Watson.

Warner looks very promising but still has much to prove, Cowan looks capable of filling a role, Khawaja (who I think has a real touch of class) is a work in progress, Marsh.................well, we'll see.

Warner (hopefully) and Khawaja aside, I see no young batsman who have future test player stamped all over them. What I do see are a number of seasoned first class players (Cowan, Marsh, Forrest) whose career numbers are fairly mediocre but have shown good recent form and on the back of that the selectors seem willing to give them a go.

Looking around Australian first class ranks at the moment, there does not appear to be a future Ponting out there. That's ok because he was a once in a geneeration player. More concerningly however is there does not appear to be a Hussey, Katich, Martyn, Lehmann or even a Love, Hodge or a Law.

So, I'll reserve my optimisim for the time being. Our fast bowling stocks look great, I'll give you that. Our batting on the other hand looks decidedly wobbly IMHO.
 

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And they are?

As I see it, if Ponting and Hussey were to say their farewells now, the only two locks for a position in the batting line up are Clarke and Watson.

Warner looks very promising but still has much to prove, Cowan looks capable of filling a role, Khawaja (who I think has a real touch of class) is a work in progress, Marsh.................well, we'll see.

Warner (hopefully) and Khawaja aside, I see no young batsman who have future test player stamped all over them. What I do see are a number of seasoned first class players (Cowan, Marsh, Forrest) whose career numbers are fairly mediocre but have shown good recent form and on the back of that the selectors seem willing to give them a go.

Looking around Australian first class ranks at the moment, there does not appear to be a future Ponting out there. That's ok because he was a once in a geneeration player. More concerningly however is there does not appear to be a Hussey, Katich, Martyn, Lehmann or even a Love, Hodge or a Law.

So, I'll reserve my optimisim for the time being. Our fast bowling stocks look great, I'll give you that. Our batting on the other hand looks decidedly wobbly IMHO.
Lynn and Maddinson have the potential to be at this level.
 

King Elvis

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#7
Signs are good, but lets not forget that India are shit.

But at least we appear to be heading in the right direction, finally!
 

Belnakor

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So, I'll reserve my optimisim for the time being. Our fast bowling stocks look great, I'll give you that. Our batting on the other hand looks decidedly wobbly IMHO.
too many years of batsman playing on flat tracks means the bowlers developed and the batsman didn't.
 

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#10
One of my biggest problems with the Australian cricket has got nothing to do with the matches per se. It’s got to do with this overpowering market fundamentalism that now dominates the way cricket is run in this country.

Apparently market forces will decide everything. Talk about how young players’ priorities are drastically changing towards T20 and you’re likely to hear responses like, ‘But the fans like it’. Talk about the intrusive ads that assail our TV watching experience and you’ll hear people say, ‘What can we do when there is so much demand?’ Regularization is passe (and don’t even get me started on what happened when bankers and economists took a similar route).


For a more than a decade now, marketing men and player agents have had a bigger say in cricket than either the board or the players. No selector has been free of pressures from player agents. Corporates and cricket are so entwined that most important decisions in cricket are driven by the market. Players are chosen for their brand value; players can’t retire because their brand value is too high.


What cricket desperately needs at this stage (and I guess the same can be said of politics) is a spine. We need leadership. We need a group of people who are willing to take hard calls and be accountable for it. What we also need is for people, for a brief while, to put aside ad dollars, sponsorship rights and hero worship, to and take some decisions that they want to be remembered for.
 
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#11
Lynn and Maddinson have the potential to be at this level.
And I hope they are.

Moreover, I hope that if the selectors believe they are of genuine test class we don't have to wait another 6-7 years before we see them. Selectors and coaches follow talent from a young age through the system. If they believe a youngster is a cut above the others, I'd rather they be given opportunities sooner rather than later.

Great cricket teams are generally been built around a nucleus of 10-15 year players rather. The seasoned pro who makes his debut at 29-30 and plays on and off for the next 5 years has a part to play but they're generally not the players the side is built around.
 

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Carbine Chaos

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#12
Great cricket teams are generally been built around a nucleus of 10-15 year players rather. The seasoned pro who makes his debut at 29-30 and plays on and off for the next 5 years has a part to play but they're generally not the players the side is built around.
Mitch Marsh will be one of those 10-15 year players once he puts all the components together; we saw him take some big steps in the Big Bash in terms of maturity and batting further up the order.

Maddinson has some big wraps on him too, along with Lynn.

And we know how good our young bowling prospects are. :thumbsu:
 
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Mitch Marsh will be one of those 10-15 year players once he puts all the components together; we saw him take some big steps in the Big Bash in terms of maturity and batting further up the order.

Maddinson has some big wraps on him too, along with Lynn.

And we know how good our young bowling prospects are. :thumbsu:
Again, I hope you're right.

Michael Haysman and Martin Kent had big wraps on them as youngsters too. In fact, Ken Piesse in my 1982/83 Cricket Guide advocates the selection of Kent ("pure class") ahead of Border who'd just had a miserable tour of Pakistan.

The point is, for all those young players with big wraps on them, only a small percentage realise their potential on the international stage.

I appreciate the optimism that abounds. I'm just a little more cautious in echoing in a new golden era for Australian cricket until I see some of the young batsman demanding selection.
 
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I think Khawaja is rightfully the next cab off the rank when Ponting or Hussey finish. Has now played 45 FC matches, averages 45, and looks to have the poise and skill to be a long term test match batsman. I see him as the long term number three.

I don't know much about Chris Lynn, but his numbers early on look good. He does have a very odd looking head however.

Maddinson has only played a handful of matches, but seems to have a fair bit few wraps on him.
 

dan warna

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#16
khawaja looks to be the man for me.

I'd like to think one of the young vic's come through but between the selectors and their own form its hard to see any of them smashing down the door.

They have maybe 18 months before the team is set again.
 

LukeParkerno1

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#17
khawaja looks to be the man for me.

I'd like to think one of the young vic's come through but between the selectors and their own form its hard to see any of them smashing down the door.

They have maybe 18 months before the team is set again.
What happened to Hill from Vicotoria (Michael wasn't it). He looked very classy as a top order bat. I like the look of Finch but do feel like Ferguson should be making big hundreds.
 

dan warna

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#19
What happened to Hill from Vicotoria (Michael wasn't it). He looked very classy as a top order bat. I like the look of Finch but do feel like Ferguson should be making big hundreds.
idk what happened to hill, he's still in the squad but is averaging about 30 in FC and 50/50 and at 24, hasn't put his hand up.

Hainscomb is apparently tearing it up in the districts, but doesn't get a settled run in the seniors, he's 20 so has time. Many observers reckon he has the talent, but finch is seen as the next best thing by CV...

Alex Keith is 19, and the next great allrounder but haven't seen the numbers from the districts for him, nor has he got a run in the seniors. That said CV have him on contract, so <shrug>. He's copped some injuries which have precluded him from bowling.

aaron finch is 24, and has a massive reputation, but every time I've seen him, well he's been out quickly, so, i think the hope from him, at 24/25 is thinning quickly.

Hastings is a quality bowler, but not in contention, because he's a medium pacer, not express, and thats boring for the marketing people, his batting has dropped right off, from when he was threatening a 40 average early in his career. good bowler, but batting again <shrug>

Andrew McDonald is 31 he's a quality unit and should have been given more time to play if they wanted a bowling all-rounder, heck his batting is quite tight especially against pace.

White's form has dropped off, and as he's the same age as clarke, they won't really be looking at him, he's had his chances.

Really I can't see CV developing any talent atm besides stealing players from other states.

McDonald, hussey, rogers and McKay, reasonably good players who could be argued should have got more test time, but its too late now.

Keith and Haindscombe, only talked about.

finch, not done anything to suggest he's test quality.

Really I think our bowlers is where it's at, and Wade deserves an opportunity. Further I think wade should get some intensive coaching, not just thrown in there and see what you can do. And NOT coaching from rubbish bystanders but maybe berry or iron gloves. He does have talent.

I can't see Victoria giving anything to the test side at this stage (I still think D.hussey should have been 50 test players but too late now)
 

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#20
idk what happened to hill, he's still in the squad but is averaging about 30 in FC and 50/50 and at 24, hasn't put his hand up.

Hainscomb is apparently tearing it up in the districts, but doesn't get a settled run in the seniors, he's 20 so has time. Many observers reckon he has the talent, but finch is seen as the next best thing by CV...

Alex Keith is 19, and the next great allrounder but haven't seen the numbers from the districts for him, nor has he got a run in the seniors. That said CV have him on contract, so <shrug>. He's copped some injuries which have precluded him from bowling.

aaron finch is 24, and has a massive reputation, but every time I've seen him, well he's been out quickly, so, i think the hope from him, at 24/25 is thinning quickly.

Hastings is a quality bowler, but not in contention, because he's a medium pacer, not express, and thats boring for the marketing people, his batting has dropped right off, from when he was threatening a 40 average early in his career. good bowler, but batting again <shrug>

Andrew McDonald is 31 he's a quality unit and should have been given more time to play if they wanted a bowling all-rounder, heck his batting is quite tight especially against pace.

White's form has dropped off, and as he's the same age as clarke, they won't really be looking at him, he's had his chances.

Really I can't see CV developing any talent atm besides stealing players from other states.

McDonald, hussey, rogers and McKay, reasonably good players who could be argued should have got more test time, but its too late now.

Keith and Haindscombe, only talked about.

finch, not done anything to suggest he's test quality.

Really I think our bowlers is where it's at, and Wade deserves an opportunity. Further I think wade should get some intensive coaching, not just thrown in there and see what you can do. And NOT coaching from rubbish bystanders but maybe berry or iron gloves. He does have talent.

I can't see Victoria giving anything to the test side at this stage (I still think D.hussey should have been 50 test players but too late now)
Keath only got a contract because cricket victoria were desperate to get a player over AFL.
 

LukeParkerno1

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#22
idk what happened to hill, he's still in the squad but is averaging about 30 in FC and 50/50 and at 24, hasn't put his hand up.

Hainscomb is apparently tearing it up in the districts, but doesn't get a settled run in the seniors, he's 20 so has time. Many observers reckon he has the talent, but finch is seen as the next best thing by CV...

Alex Keith is 19, and the next great allrounder but haven't seen the numbers from the districts for him, nor has he got a run in the seniors. That said CV have him on contract, so <shrug>. He's copped some injuries which have precluded him from bowling.

aaron finch is 24, and has a massive reputation, but every time I've seen him, well he's been out quickly, so, i think the hope from him, at 24/25 is thinning quickly.
Thanks for the reply, maybe it is just that one game I saw Hill...but I saw something SPECIAL. Just thought he was a really composed guy at the crease, reminded me of a young Greg Blewett actually. Keath I have seen and the issue with him is he a Henriques clone and I do feel Mitch Marsh is the best allrounder prospect anyway. Will hope Hainscomb gets a run soon. Who knows with Finch has the talent but has the mental application of a pea!
 

dan warna

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#23
Thanks for the reply, maybe it is just that one game I saw Hill...but I saw something SPECIAL. Just thought he was a really composed guy at the crease, reminded me of a young Greg Blewett actually. Keath I have seen and the issue with him is he a Henriques clone and I do feel Mitch Marsh is the best allrounder prospect anyway. Will hope Hainscomb gets a run soon. Who knows with Finch has the talent but has the mental application of a pea!
Caydn beetham syndrome?

its why I rate greg matthews as a test batsman so much more than others with more talent.
 

LukeParkerno1

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#24
Caydn beetham syndrome?

its why I rate greg matthews as a test batsman so much more than others with more talent.
Finch should be averaging 60...there is an issue because he either:

a) does something stupid before he is set
b) does something stupid when he is on 40

Dead set if he had the application of Ed Cowan he'd be in our test side, and it is a shame he isn't in my view.
 

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#25
india really were puss. their batting, bowling, fielding, running, captaincy and attitude were all seriously woeful, which makes it hard to guage our true progress. signs are good but can't forget cape town and hobart.

also can't help but feel ponting missed a golden opportunity to go out on top after the india series. quality pace and movement of the kind the indians were incapable of will probably still expose him. khawaja needs test time before the ashes but where is he going to get it? not many tests between now and then and ponting will be india-style old by then and facing quality fast bowling in some hectic swinging and seaming conditions. fear it might be an ignominious mid-series dropping if he goes to england again
 
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