The real T20 revolution
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 6:37 amSouth Australian cricket fans rejoiced at the start of the year. Nathan Lyon had made a stunning impact in his first T20 tournament, and the Redbacks brought home some long awaited silverware. Traditional fans were happy simply for some success, and the hope that it would spill over to other forms of the game, whilst newer fans, whom T20 had been designed to target, were satisfied. It didn't matter that no-one had heard of this lad, but boundaries were being hit, and wickets fell. A great time for the crash and bash fans.
Fast forward to August 31, and a dustbowl in Sri Lanka, where the same man Lyon makes a stunning Test debut. The crash and bash fans consider it stunning as he snared five wickets, the traditional fans stunned as he had completed just three largely uninspiring first class matches prior to this.
Pat Cummins is in line to make his Test debut this week, also a veteran of three first class matches, and whose average and strike rate do not inspire fear into anyone's hearts, yet it was the same T20 tournament, where he snared 11 wickets, that made punters sit up and take note. He may have pace, but at eighteen years of age, he has shown he does not really know what to do with it. There is a tremendous difference in a game lasting 120 balls, where the batsman need to take risks, and therefore wicket taking bowling is unnecessary, as the batsman takes care of that, compared to a game where a bowler may need to produce more than 120 balls in a day, on his own. Can the eighteen year old quick keep his pace up over a longer spell? Can he bowl in probing areas ball after ball? If he cannot do so immediately, will the man earmarked to spearhead our Test attack for the next decade be sent back to the Sheffield Shield, or will he be allowed to leak runs for Australia until he learns.
The pocket rocket of Australian T20 cricket is David Warner. He has flown over to join the Test squad as a cover player, but is unlikely to get the nod to play. An absolute veteran compared to the two players above, with a whopping ten first class matches under his belt, and fortunately for the selectors these matches include three centuries, so there is at least a small basis of form on which to select him. However, it is apparent the current administration more favour his three T20 centuries, and if he does not play in this Test, there will certainly be more opportunities for David if he continues his T20 batting efforts. Can Warner succeed against quality bowling for a prolonged period? He scored an impressive 148 against South Australia in his last innings, yet the quality of the South Australian attack is hardly grounds for Test selection. Could Warner stand more than three or four overs of Steyn, Morkel, and the new gem, Philander?
It is simple everyone, look to those having T20 success, who are younger and fresher faces, and you will see the next Test cricketers. We cannot survive as a cricketing nation when this sort of selection occurs. Do not get me wrong, I want Nathan Lyon to succeed, and I wish Pat Cummins all the best in his impending Test debut, and the same for Warner when he eventually gets there. I want all players representing our country to dominate, but it is hard to imagine our team improving with two of five bowlers who are yet to adjust to more than a four over spell, and a new batsman who is content to blast a big score every few innings, rather than knuckle down and grind out an important knock.
I implore these players to have me get the shamwow out, wipe the egg off my face, and prove me wrong, but somehow I doubt it is going to happen.
Fast forward to August 31, and a dustbowl in Sri Lanka, where the same man Lyon makes a stunning Test debut. The crash and bash fans consider it stunning as he snared five wickets, the traditional fans stunned as he had completed just three largely uninspiring first class matches prior to this.
Pat Cummins is in line to make his Test debut this week, also a veteran of three first class matches, and whose average and strike rate do not inspire fear into anyone's hearts, yet it was the same T20 tournament, where he snared 11 wickets, that made punters sit up and take note. He may have pace, but at eighteen years of age, he has shown he does not really know what to do with it. There is a tremendous difference in a game lasting 120 balls, where the batsman need to take risks, and therefore wicket taking bowling is unnecessary, as the batsman takes care of that, compared to a game where a bowler may need to produce more than 120 balls in a day, on his own. Can the eighteen year old quick keep his pace up over a longer spell? Can he bowl in probing areas ball after ball? If he cannot do so immediately, will the man earmarked to spearhead our Test attack for the next decade be sent back to the Sheffield Shield, or will he be allowed to leak runs for Australia until he learns.
The pocket rocket of Australian T20 cricket is David Warner. He has flown over to join the Test squad as a cover player, but is unlikely to get the nod to play. An absolute veteran compared to the two players above, with a whopping ten first class matches under his belt, and fortunately for the selectors these matches include three centuries, so there is at least a small basis of form on which to select him. However, it is apparent the current administration more favour his three T20 centuries, and if he does not play in this Test, there will certainly be more opportunities for David if he continues his T20 batting efforts. Can Warner succeed against quality bowling for a prolonged period? He scored an impressive 148 against South Australia in his last innings, yet the quality of the South Australian attack is hardly grounds for Test selection. Could Warner stand more than three or four overs of Steyn, Morkel, and the new gem, Philander?
It is simple everyone, look to those having T20 success, who are younger and fresher faces, and you will see the next Test cricketers. We cannot survive as a cricketing nation when this sort of selection occurs. Do not get me wrong, I want Nathan Lyon to succeed, and I wish Pat Cummins all the best in his impending Test debut, and the same for Warner when he eventually gets there. I want all players representing our country to dominate, but it is hard to imagine our team improving with two of five bowlers who are yet to adjust to more than a four over spell, and a new batsman who is content to blast a big score every few innings, rather than knuckle down and grind out an important knock.
I implore these players to have me get the shamwow out, wipe the egg off my face, and prove me wrong, but somehow I doubt it is going to happen.
bet Healy would do the same if he had Lizzy