That raging red top, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, has promoted and demoted with ruthlessness in the last two days. Cricket selectors, after Australia’s unacceptable defeat on the raging green top in Hobart, must do likewise.
Really, no one gives a stuff about the reshuffled deckchairs on the rapidly-sinking Titanic that is this Federal Government. But cricket selection matters. Unlike Federal Labor, there is actually some fresh talent out there.
So here goes. Here’s what should happen after Hobart. It’s ruthless, it’s uncomplicated, and unlike Gillard’s re-shuffle, it might actually make a difference.
David Warner: The Punch argued a couple of weeks back that the selection of T20 specialist Warner could work. Why does patience have to be learned before skill, we argued. We might’ve got something right for once. Warner stays.
Phil Hughes: Lovely bloke, and a talented batsman, but he has issues at the moment. He goes.
Usman Khawaja: In a knife-edge selection, Khawaja deserves one more chance. He was incredibly unlucky to be run out when a big score looked certain in Brisbane. That said, he has a habit of getting out when he looks set for a score. Must deliver soon. But keep for now, if only so we can enjoy those silky cover drives.
Ricky Ponting: He gave a telling interview in the lead-up to the Hobart Test when he said “The day [of my retirement] is going to come, I know the day is going to come… I know I’ve got some work to do because the last 12 months have been almost a shadow of the way I’ve played for the 12 years before that, and I want to get back to the way I know Ricky Ponting can play.”
Ain’t going to happen. Ponting ain’t ever getting his groove back. It’s officially gone. His dismissal in the first innings falling across his crease to be struck plumb LBW, was a mirror of a dismissal that just keeps happening. The spooned catch in the second innings was just lame. No batsman in Australian history has been given this much grace. He’s our best since Bradman, and he averages a whopping 79 against India in Australia. Fat chance he’ll do that this time. He goes.
Michael Clarke: He continues to do a good job in the field, but is only making runs every second Test or so. Her makes tons, then makes ducks. More consistency please, Pup. He stays.
Mike Hussey: If a young batsman had performed as Hussey did in the October series against Sri Lanka, he would’ve earned a year’s worth of chances. Hussey has barely made a run since and must go. Players in their late 30s are invaluable. Their experience in all aspects of the game is fantastic for young players. The counterpoint is that you don’t get better as you get older. Not after 35, you don’t. Hussey has served brilliantly. Now he well is drying up. He goes.
Brad Haddin: Ironically, his glove work was great in Hobart. But he’s another who just doesn’t make runs consistently enough and he’s also the wrong side of 35. He goes.
Peter Siddle: He seems to be getting better with age. In Hobart he was always dangerous and was easily the fastest man onfield. He is also gutsy with bat in hand. He stays.
James Pattinson: It’ll be interesting how he goes against sterner opposition, but he has done all that could’ve been asked in his debut series. He stays.
Mitchell Starc: Kerry O’Keefe made an interesting observation of Starc in Hobart, noting that while he is occasionally very hostile, and does plenty with the ball, he hasn’t yet found a “stock delivery”. A season or two of Shield cricket should fix that. He goes.
Nathan Lyon: Has a happy knack of taking wickets, which no Australian spinner since Warne has managed. But someone, please, give him batting lessons. Inept Number 11s are comical. Watching NZ’s Chris Martin bat is hilarious. But in Australia, we don’t accept that. If Glenn McGrath could make a Test 50, Nathan Lyon can be shown how to keep out a straight ball. While someone works on that, he stays.
The Punch’s team for Boxing Day (assuming all players fit):
David Warner, Ed Cowan, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Tim Paine, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon
Yours?
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@ToryShepherd I hope that's in your piece tomorrow. Also - are you coming over this week or laaaaaater?
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