With probably close to a million new players given the chance to represent Australia in recent times I pose the question is it that hard to play for Australia anymore? Players like North and Hussey who waited years for their chance after consistent performances seem to have gotten the short end of the stick as now any player who is deemed ok enough will get a go.
This seems to be more of a bowling trend at the moment with the likes of Lee and Clark still out. However, seeing as though pensioners like Shane Harwood and Bryce McGain who have no better career stats than that of anyone else around, are getting picked and good young players aren't, the validity of playing for Australia must be questioned. Is playing for Australia an honour or just a retirement gift? We do not want to become like the English side who will change their team every game even if players perform, like Ed Joyce and players who no-one has ever heard of come in to replace players like Darren Pattinson.
We all cheered when Phil Hughes made his young test debut and played well, but considering the one day side are short openers at the moment without Shaun Marsh around, why was he not immediately thrown at the top of the order? Seeing Haddin wasting his wicket so easily in the last odi after a brilliant start, was enough for me to think we need solidarity in the team and not players especially spinners in and out of the side like the selectors are playing musical chairs.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Backup Keepers
After seeing Australia's 30 man squad for the 2020 World Cup, I was not surprised to see Luke Ronchi not in contention, but was surprised that Haddin's new understudy was Graham Manou rather than one of the other available choices.
Graham Manou has been in superb form with the bat in the last two seasons, but this form has only been in the Shield, which is hardly relevant to the 2020 format in which Manou averages a poor 11.23.
Despite Ronchi's poor run of form, there is little denying that he is an explosive opening batsman when on fire in the shortened forms of the game. On the other hand Manou is a middle order player, that if Haddin was injured wouldn't really help Australia's opening problem with makeshift openers being used at the moment.
Of course at full strength Autstralia will open with Warner and Marsh at the 2020 world cup, with Haddin in the middle order, but as a replacement for Haddin, I still believe there are better options than Manou.
Tim Paine has a very good record in one dayers opening for Tassie and can provide a calm head when used in the middle order to stem the flow of wickets whilst still keeping the run rate flowing.
Matthew Wade albeit primarily a shield player for Victoria has became a very good contributor at 7 and would also not be the worst decision given like Paine he is young, and is likely to play a much larger role in the coming years if Crosthwaite doesn't improve his problem of seeming to get out at critical times.
Chris Hartley was also in great form at the end of last season and can be very aggresive when required such was evident in the Bulls last day chase against the Redbacks near the end of the season.
With all the other options available it seems strange to pick Manou at this stage of his career, but given it is a 30 man squad who is to say they will even take a backup keeper?
Graham Manou has been in superb form with the bat in the last two seasons, but this form has only been in the Shield, which is hardly relevant to the 2020 format in which Manou averages a poor 11.23.
Despite Ronchi's poor run of form, there is little denying that he is an explosive opening batsman when on fire in the shortened forms of the game. On the other hand Manou is a middle order player, that if Haddin was injured wouldn't really help Australia's opening problem with makeshift openers being used at the moment.
Of course at full strength Autstralia will open with Warner and Marsh at the 2020 world cup, with Haddin in the middle order, but as a replacement for Haddin, I still believe there are better options than Manou.
Tim Paine has a very good record in one dayers opening for Tassie and can provide a calm head when used in the middle order to stem the flow of wickets whilst still keeping the run rate flowing.
Matthew Wade albeit primarily a shield player for Victoria has became a very good contributor at 7 and would also not be the worst decision given like Paine he is young, and is likely to play a much larger role in the coming years if Crosthwaite doesn't improve his problem of seeming to get out at critical times.
Chris Hartley was also in great form at the end of last season and can be very aggresive when required such was evident in the Bulls last day chase against the Redbacks near the end of the season.
With all the other options available it seems strange to pick Manou at this stage of his career, but given it is a 30 man squad who is to say they will even take a backup keeper?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Ireland
Considering my scottish heritage outweighs my irish heritage, in most things Scotland will take precedence for me. However, as I sit here with the live scores to Ireland vs Scotland open in the first of the World Cup Qualifiers, I can't help but profess my love for the Irish National side.
Considering other places of my heritage have always taken precedence in other sports like soccer, I find it weird that I like their cricket team so much. I don't even know why I became such a fan of theirs. Maybe it was those jigs whenever Langford-Smith took a wicket in the last World Cup, maybe it was a former Irish prodigy in Ed Joyce impressing me in his short tenure in the English side, but whatever the reason Ireland are thrashing Scotland and I'm pleased and hope they still both qualify.
On another note how good is ten Doeschate? He's a machine.
Considering other places of my heritage have always taken precedence in other sports like soccer, I find it weird that I like their cricket team so much. I don't even know why I became such a fan of theirs. Maybe it was those jigs whenever Langford-Smith took a wicket in the last World Cup, maybe it was a former Irish prodigy in Ed Joyce impressing me in his short tenure in the English side, but whatever the reason Ireland are thrashing Scotland and I'm pleased and hope they still both qualify.
On another note how good is ten Doeschate? He's a machine.
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