The Australian World T20 Squad

The Australian World T20 squad was reasonably easy enough to pick even before the official announcement. The only inclusion that was surprising is that of Glenn Maxwell, as I did assume Steven Smith would once again be selected as a specialist fielder. Maxwell's inclusion is also surprising mostly because he is uncapped at international level and the only indication, which I must state is positive, is that he had a good season for Victoria and has played well in the Friends Life T20 tournament in England, for Hampshire, to put himself on the map.

Brad Hogg's inclusion adds some fun to the mix but it must be said that he has zero shortage in terms of energy. Performance wise he can still take wickets and having him in the side for sub-continent conditions will prove to be important. Xavier Doherty had a forgettable tour to England but on tracks that will better suit spin bowlers - even in a more aggressive form of cricket - he should have a better opportunity.

I was a bit disappointed there was no room for guys like Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh and Phillip Hughes as they could have nestled into the team as well suited players for the Twenty20 format.
Hughes is currently redeeming his form and has scored 402 runs at 100.50 in 8 matches for Worcestershire in the Friends Life T20 tournament.

An exciting inclusion that has been based on performance, as it should be, is that of Cameron White.
White has finally regained his confidence and connected with his natural instinct which seemed to get lost when the tags such as "responsibility" and "patience" came into his role during a short lived stint at number three for the Australian ODI squad.

The 2012 World Cup - where he batted in the mid to lower order - was the nail in coffin and it was clear that there was a lack of certainty in White's approach. Without confidence and self-belief comes a lack of trust in ones natural game and technique. It has taken him a while but he's finally come right and I would like to believe White is back to his best for big performances in Twenty20 cricket. He has managed 228 runs at 57.00 for Northamptonshire following an excellent IPL campaign.

The balance in the squad is alright. The key will be how the strategy is delivered in the batting line-up. The power hitting rests in Shane Watson, David Warner, Michael Hussey (see video below), Cameron White and David Hussey. There is aggression within the likes of Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell, which certainly gives enough indication on paper that we have a threatening batting line-up, but far too often the group has fired collectively, making it a dull display.

All of these names stack up for a batting line-up that could take on any bowling unit but the input of spin bowling will hassle a few players like David Hussey and Matthew Wade who have had their struggles. It's important to acknowledge though that these guys can also change a match in one over if their approach to attack pays off.

The bowling is where we'll be tested and for this reason it is essential that our batsmen stack up the runs with any given opportunity and with the depth on offer there is no reason why they shouldn't. About time our bowlers had some suppport with runs to defend.

Ben Hilfenhaus and Clint McKay are the experienced campaigners, but there is the risk that McKay may not be fit for the series due to a hamstring injury which has ruled him out of our upcoming UAE limited overs tour.

Mitchell Starc is no push over in Twenty20 cricket and if he just gets his line right I am certain he can provide valuable support to his bowling partners. His ability to swing the ball, along with that of Hilfenhaus, will be of utmost importance should he handle new ball duties.

As enthusiastic as I am about his development, Patrick Cummins may be a bowler to keep an eye on for the future but injury seems to be an apparent concern. His raw pace is an X-factor for a squad that is now without Brett Lee. We need a bowler who can deliver express pace without the likes of Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson. Patrick would be an obvious inclusion if we're looking for a pace option.

The all-rounders do help to add variation to the bowling options that captain George Bailey will have on offer. Dan Christian has found his way back into the side and his hat-trick is still fresh in my mind. He's certainly not my pick as a death bowler of choice - the IPL further proved this - but he can mix it up with both the bat and ball to add a valuable dynamic to any side. Fortunately, there's also David Hussey who can send down overs of spin bowling in really quick succession, while Glenn Maxwell can also throw his arm over.

All in all, there is depth in this side and sufficient variation on offer, which helps tremedously in a form of the game where a lack of variation and too much predictability can be a nail in the coffin!

I am not overly confident about our chances in taking the title this year (we were runners-up last tournament) but it would be foolish to dismiss our chance altogether. The lack of expectation also comes from the obvious fact we have not had any type of consistency in Twenty20 cricket and our ranking isn't exactly one for the punters to gamble on.

However, a side with names like Warner, Watson, the Hussey brothers and White, any side that takes on the green and gold boys will be well aware that they will have no chance to drop the intensity, which does get the better of our boys sometimes.

Irrespective, it's a new event and a fresh squad and the rehearsal is just a week away.

Australian ICC World T20 Squad:
David Warner, Shane Watson, Matthew Wade (wk), David Hussey, Michael Hussey, George Bailey (captain), Cameron White, Daniel Christian, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Hogg, Xavier Doherty, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Ben Hilfenhaus.

Need a trip down memory lane from the one of the most epic moments in Australian T20 history?





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Limited overs squads announced for UAE Tour

Less than a week after posting an article looking at the dynamics of our limited overs squad, the National Selection Panel announced the ODI and T20 squads for the UAE tour in August. They've addressed serious matters of urgency following the horrid UK tour and I am pleased with the balance we have the in side which was evidently a concern.

Without further to do, here's the squads.

ODI squad:
David Warner, Matthew Wade (wk), Michael Clarke (captain), George Bailey, Callum Ferguson, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Daniel Christian, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Johnson, Xavier Doherty, James Pattinson, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc.

T20 squad:
David Warner, Shane Watson, Matthew Wade (wk), David Hussey, Michael Hussey, George Bailey (captain), Cameron White, Daniel Christian, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Hogg, Xavier Doherty, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Ben Hilfenhaus.

The big news is the return of Callum Ferguson. The Baggy Green Blog has become a supportive domain for Fergal and it is with great relief that the selectors have recalled one of our best suited players who has experience at the elite level and has the ability to emulate Michael Hussey's middle order brilliance in limited overs cricket.

He rotates the strike well and gets on with the job, showing innovation within his approach during the death overs of an innings. After his Ryobi campaign last season for the Redbacks he deserves it. At long last.

It is great to see Michael Hussey's name back in the limited overs side as well. May limit Fergal's appearances but always good to see Huss' name in any side.

Daniel Christian has been called into the limited overs side again. A big reason behind this is because Shane Watson will be rested for the ODI matches - along with Ben Hilfenhaus - and Dan is one of our better all-rounders in the system.

Joining the all-rounders department is Glenn Maxwell. I am sure you caught a fair bit of him in the Big Bash League. He scored me some good points in the Fox Sports Fantasy League as well. He can certainly contribute where the side needs him and I am really pleased to see him get selected for our T20 side.

His ODI call-up? In all honesty I did not see him getting into the limited overs side but he is a damn good hitter of the ball and certainly struck me as a bloke who'd find his way into the international setup. If anything I thought maybe Cameron White would have been given an opportunity again in ODI cricket but the selectors have opted for Maxwell in both squads. All the best to the young man! May his role be clear from day 1, unlike poor young Steven Smith.

After the last article I posted, which was a look at the ODI team balance, I am really glad to know that David Warner and Matt Wade will be given another chance to open the batting. I strongly believe in their duo for the shorter format of the game and with Shane Watson being rested this is the ideal chance to give it another test.

The bowling units? With the retirement of Brett Lee (hard to believe it) the bowling unit will be as follows for the ODIs - Mitchell Johnson, Xavier Doherty, James Pattinson, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc. Dan Christian, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell and David Hussey can also contribute to the bowling. All in all the options are well stacked and it will simply be a case of having the right men for the job out on the park.

As mentioned, for the Twenty20 side both Shane Watson and Ben Hilfenhaus have been included but will not take part in the ODI series due to player rotation. Patty Cummins, Brad Hogg and Cameron White are the other three players who will only play in the T20 leg of the UAE Tour.

Brad Hogg! I am a big supporter of the man and his enthusiasm is contagious. Hope he stacks up some Paki wickets. Hoggy is also strongly in the mix for the ICC World T20.

Regarding Cameron White,  the Australian Cricketers Association made it clear in a Tweet:

@CameronWhite152's T20 form lead him to his Australian recall. Deccan: 479 runs @ 43.54, HS 78. Northants: 228 runs @ 57.00, HS 62*

No need to question Cameron's form and deserved recall. I hope he can regain a place in our limited overs squad down the road as well. He seems to have recaptured his natural game after seeming lost for quite some time as to how he should go about his game (attack or defend) and time will tell of the adjustment upon returning to International cricket.

It is a step in the right direction and this side immediately appears to be a more competitive team. There is a far better balance in terms of temperament, ability, form and experience with the batting, while the bowling offers good variety in offering.

A big aspect of this tour will be the batting department. The UAE tracks are often tough to graft on and definitely provoke a demand for concentration and focus in extreme conditions. For this reason I think the selection of Mike Hussey and Callum Ferguson is ideal. Concentration hasn't appeared to be our strong point in limited overs cricket.

If our batsmen can also perform collectively - usual story - and should the dynamics pay off with selection I really, really hope for our bowlers sake that they pile on the runs. Our bowlers can only defend so many below par totals before they lose their confidence and get the label of "average".

With the extreme heat in the UAE, the more runs on the board to defend, the better it will be for them and I am sure our batsmen would return the favour in hoping to chase down some low totals.

Your thoughts?

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Australian performances at the 2012 IPL

 The Indian Premier League has been concluded.

Admittedly I am rather annoyed that the Chennai Super Kings lost the final but well done the Kolkata Knight Riders for chasing down a mammoth total. Certainly made for an entertaining final which was vital given a few controversies that were sparked during the event.

I still maintain that as a domestic league with a few International stars, the tournament is WAY too long.

Most importantly for our sake, here's a look at how the top Australian players went:

Batting:

Cameron White: 13 innings, 479 runs, HS 78, Average 43.54, x5 fifties, x20 sixes
David Hussey: 15 innings, 396 runs, HS 68*, Average 33.00, x2 fifties, x17 sixes
Steven Smith: 14 innings, 362 runs, HS 47*, Average 40.22, x14 sixes
Shaun Marsh: 13 innings, 336 runs, HS 68*, Average 30.54, x2 fifties, x7 sixes
Michael Hussey: 8 innings, 261 runs, HS 56, Average 32.62, x2 fifties, x8 sixes
David Warner: 8 innings, 256 runs, HS 109*, Average 36.57, x1 century, x1 fifty, x14 sixes
Shane Watson: 11 innings, 255 runs, HS 90*, Average 42.50, x2 fifties, x14 sixes
Brad Hodge: 12 innings, 245 runs, HS 48*, Average 30.62, x9 sixes

Bowling:

Ben Hilfenhaus: 9 games, 14 wickets at 16.64.
Brad Hogg: 9 games, 10 wickets at 25.30.
Ryan Harris: 5 games, 8 wickets at 16.25.
Doug Bollinger: 6 games, 8 wickets at 19.62.
Dan Christian: 7 games, 8 wickets at 29.12.

The performances alongside the Big Bash League certainly gives the National Selection Panel the perfect situation to decide upon the players they wish to select for the 2012 ICC World T20.

It was very good to see Shaun Marsh and Cameron White regain their confidence and it was even better to see them play their natural games, despite it being Twenty20 cricket. Their natural temperaments came to the forefront and they looked focused, in control and seemed to really enjoy themselves. Sometimes that is all it takes! Well done boys.

The Hussey brothers delivered the goods for their respective teams and our big hitters Shane Watson and David Warner were able to provide a few firework displays during the tournament. The NSP definitely have a few tough decisions to make on the batting front!

The Big Bash boasted some excellent bowling performances, especially for Brad Hogg. He is eying a comeback into the Australian side for a major ICC event. Since the Big Bash League he has played a T20i against India in Australia and his performances in the IPL - from what I saw on the tele - were good enough to suggest we should give the bloke a go out there. He still has the enthusiasm and no shortage of energy!

Ben Hilfenhaus made a wonderful impact and it's amazing to think that the Big Bash League played a relatively significant role to put him back on the Australian fanatics radar just before getting the recall to the Test side. He will be well aware that he needs to work on his death bowling but the subtle variations to his bowling have FINALLY arrived for the T20 format.

Otherwise Ryan Harris would be my pick but in Ryano's case a lot depends on his fitness. Was also good to see Douggie Bollinger getting some game time.

The bowling will be a tough one for the NSP but they have enough to bring in a good variation of players, especially taking note of the most important Twenty20 event of the season being the Big Bash League.

What's your ideal 14 man squad for the ICC World T20?

Hope you're all surviving the cricket drought!

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The missing class

Just a decade ago, many Australian fans and most importantly the selectors could name a handful of batting replacements to fill in or even take over the spots of the current batting lineup. How things have changed in the space of a decade with no player in their late 20′s knocking the door down for selection.

When talking about unlucky batsmen from the past decade in Australian cricket, names such as Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Phil Jaques, Michael Bevan, Chris Rogers, Martin Love and Michael Di Venuto were mentioned. A decade ago these were the players putting pressure on the incumbents with their First Class averages well above 45. The thing each of these guys have in common apart from missing the boat in regards to Test cricket is each of them were in their late 20s a decade ago.

Back then the selectors and fans were debating over whether to pick a young promising player such as Michael Clarke and Shane Watson or go with the guys mentioned above. Times have changed substantially since then with no such luxury for the current selectors. The batsmen in their late 20s have First Class averages between 35-40 and while there are some promising youngsters on the scene, they have not been able to established themselves at Test level yet.

If we go back to the 2005/06 season where the batsmen in their late 20s now would have been in their early 20s, Mark Cosgrove made 736 runs at 66.9, George Bailey 778 runs at 43.22, Shaun Marsh 676 runs at 37.55, Callum Ferguson 506 runs at  36.14 and Cameron White 482 runs at 30.12.

2006/07 was awful for the guys mentioned above with Cosgrove the best of the lot with 703 runs at 37. Andrew McDonald actually made a fair amount of runs this season which I did not pick up on previously with 750 runs at 57.69.

The 2007/08 season showed some promise with Luke Pomersbach putting his name on the radar with 743 runs at 61.91 and it was also Philip Hughes’ first season where he ended up with 559 runs at 62.11. Shaun Marsh and Cameron White also put in some solid numbers and interesting enough neither of them would play this amount of games again (7 and 9 respectively). McDonald backed up his previous season with a solid 545 at 49.54.

2008/09 saw the emergence of the other young leftie who is currently in the Australian setup in Usman Khawaja. Hughes had a massive second year to back up his first one while White had another solid season but like Khawaja and Hughes, he did not play enough games to push the 1000 run barrier. Pomersbach copped the second year syndrome, from which he would never recapture the heights of his 07/08 season. McDonald was not required as much this season but still produced 356 runs at 44.5. The thing to notice is his lack of 100s which was noticeable when he was picked for Australia.

The next season was our first sighting of Steven Smith who had a mammoth season with four hundreds for 772 runs at 77.2. Hughes also had a big year almost cracking the 1000 run barrier and Khawaja backed up his first season. This was also Peter Forrest’s first noticeable production.

The mark of the new decade also brought about a change in the run scorers. Gone were Martin Love and Brad Hodge and the veterans left struggled with age appearing to catch up with them. Two seasons have gone in this new decade with a lack of big runs and no batsmen has crossed the 1000 run barrier since the 2008/09 season. McDonald may well have cracked this mark if he did not get injured after he started the season with a bang with 458 runs from 8 innings including 3 hundreds at an average of 76.33.

Of the players I mentioned who are in their late 20s now, Mark Cosgrove is the only one that has a respectable First Class record. Shaun Marsh has been producing runs in the past few seasons but his lack of matches either through injury or national duty has meant he is still yet to play a full season and his First Class average is well below 40. Cameron White is in the same boat however his First Class average is acceptable at 40 but his recent demotion from the National setup coupled with a lackluster return in Shield cricket means White won’t be adding to his test tally anytime soon.

George Bailey has been consistent in producing season averages of 40 but this season is the first time he has cracked an average of 50 and this is reflected in his overall FC average which is almost dead on 40.

Callum Ferguson was one I thought could do a Michael Clarke and make up for his sub par First Class stats by stepping up at the next level. The signs were promising early with Ferguson averaging 41 in ODI cricket but the selectors never pulled the trigger in taking a punt on him in the Test arena and since then Ferguson has struggled to put any sort of numbers up. All things considered, his First Class stats are even poorer when you consider his home ground is the Adelaide Oval.

There are other names in their late 20s who have been producing recently such as Rob Quiney, Peter Forrest, Ed Cowan and Liam Davis but apart from Cowan none of them have a First Class average over 40. Andrew McDonald is another whose FC average has taken a battering due to his poor start to his career but from 06/07 onwards he has produced solid numbers in a strong Victorian batting lineup. It is a shame his 10/11 season got cut short else he might be in the frame right now.

It is clear players from the class of early 2000s have not lived up to the hype and failed to kick on like many would have hoped. George Bailey and Peter Forrest are next in line for the Australian batting lineup which shows how far the standards have dropped as apart from this season (2011/12) and 09/10 for Cowan neither has made an significant impression in the runs department during their First Class cricket span.

There is still hope that the current youngsters on the scene will bring Australia back to the glory days where batsmen like David Hussey, Martin Love and co could be left out and the side still remained strong.

In around 5 years Philip Hughes, Steven Smith, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Joe Burns, Chris Lynn and Tom Cooper (Netherlands/ South Australia) will be in their late 20s and one can only hope they kick on and don’t follow their predecessors.

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