Callum Ferguson - A-Grade Batting average of 20.62

[Ecky]

The SACA website now has statistics available for the Grade careers of all players in recent years. See http://www.cricketsa.com.au/StatSearch.aspx?p=114
While browsing there, one thing I noticed was the A-Grade stats for Callum Ferguson.

Games: 51
Innings 61
Runs: 1134
Average: 20.62
Centuries: 1

This average is lower than players more known for their bowling skills like Jason Gillespie, Ryan Harris, Mark Cleary and Trent Kelly. Manou is even averaging higher (24.7). Ferguson has never averaged over 30 in a season.

So why has he even been given an opportunity for SA ahead of players like Nathan Adcock and Ben Hook, who have been consistently averaging in the mid 40's in recent years, and Shane Deitz, who has a District career average of 55.5

Sure, he has that elusive thing called "potential", but surely you have to prove yourself at least somewhat at the next highest level

So is it really any surprise that his average for SA this year is 21.0

[Adelaide Hawk]

Your question is a good one. People have been telling me how good Ferguson is, but I've seen him bat at least 6 times and he hasn't got a start in any of those innings. So I haven't seen enough of Ferguson to know if he's a good player or not. Good judges tell me he can play, so I guess it's now up to Ferguson himself to put the score on the board.

I'm an Adcock fan, but it's fair to say he has never made the most of his many opportunities at 1st class level. I still maintain it's difficult for batsmen to step up from Grade level to 1st class level because they are facing too many ordinary attacks at Grade level. As Ben Hook wrote in today's Sunday Mail, here's a chance for Blewett to make a claim for selection by peeling off 100 in the Grade competition and where is he the next couple of weeks? Playing golf at Tea Tree Gully because Kensington have the bye this round. SA cricket is just not fair dinkum.

[Aerie]

Ferguson was probably lucky to get a chance to play First Class cricket in the first place, but in his debut year he made 733 runs in the Pura Cup and then over 500 at 36 last year. He definitely made the most of his opportunity when he got it. Being only 21, he has time on his side.

I guess you can look at it two ways. On the positive side, he would've played quite a few (about 1/3rd) of his A Grade games before he was 18 and has shown potential and put runs on the board at first class level. Looking at it negatively, maybe he was lucky to score the runs that he did for SA and his A Grade average is a better indication of his talents.

I think he will become a good batsman for SA, but maybe needs to go back to Grade level and get some runs on the board at the moment, given his form this season so far.

[rod_rooster]

There certainly are some guys who are very unlucky not to be given more of a chance at first class level given the run Ferguson has had. Luke Williams springs to mind.

[Adelaide Hawk]

There certainly are some guys who are very unlucky not to be given more of a chance at first class level given the run Ferguson has had. Luke Williams springs to mind.

Luke Williams isn't up to it. He's been tried and failed.

[rod_rooster]

There certainly are some guys who are very unlucky not to be given more of a chance at first class level given the run Ferguson has had. Luke Williams springs to mind.

Luke Williams isn't up to it. He's been tried and failed.

Not tried for very long though. Given the opportunities Ferguson has had it might be a different story.

[mal]

Big deal he averages 20 in district cricket where he plays on inferior
pitches, where most sides struggle to make 200 week in week out.
He scored 700+ runs 2 years ago and had a reasonable year last year.
He is making runs in the hardest domestic competetition in the world.
He is only a baby starting a career as a teenager.
To consider recyclable Adcock before him as laughable.
He plays well in both forms of the game, and at his age deserves as
much time to blossom as needed.
Terrible post ECKY, but then again you were due for a bad one per year.

[ORDoubleBlues]

I feel that Ferguson is someone that should be persisted with despite his slow start to the year.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Ferguson 'fast tracked' into the side a few years back because of his performances at under 18 level, not so much because of his performances at grade level?

[RustyCage]

He captained the Aussie u/19 team in their world cup, so he's not a dud. What has he done in the Cricket Australia Cup? What did he do playing u/19 for Australia? He dominated. Made a shit load of runs. The kid can bat.

[Ecky]

Big deal he averages 20 in district cricket where he plays on inferior
pitches, where most sides struggle to make 200 week in week out.

Then how can Gillespie, Cleary, Manou and co average higher than him in district cricket?
And Deitz averages 55?

[Ecky]

He captained the Aussie u/19 team in their world cup, so he's not a dud.

He was named captain for that World Cup, but didn't play a game due to injury.

[rod_rooster]

What the selectors are doing is picking players on potential rather than performance. Fair enough to give a guy a chance but he has to take that chance. Yes he has done OK the last couple of years but currently he is struggling. There are guys playing grade cricket that deserve to be playing for SA that aren't at the moment. IMO Ferguson will be a very good player but i think he would benefit from going back to grade cricket and earning his spot back with SA by making shiteloads of runs.

Similarly the Australian selectors are picking players on potential. Michael Clarke has the potential but is he currently in the best 6 batsmen in the country?

[mal]

Big deal he averages 20 in district cricket where he plays on inferior
pitches, where most sides struggle to make 200 week in week out.

Then how can Gillespie, Cleary, Manou and co average higher than him in district cricket?
And Deitz averages 55?

The reason they have better averages than my boy Fergy is that you
have to divide the number of times dismissed into the total amount of runs made.

[rod_rooster]

Big deal he averages 20 in district cricket where he plays on inferior
pitches, where most sides struggle to make 200 week in week out.

Then how can Gillespie, Cleary, Manou and co average higher than him in district cricket?
And Deitz averages 55?

The reason they have better averages than my boy Fergy is that you
have to divide the number of times dismissed into the total amount of runs made.

You have no credibility mal. You think Shane Watson could be the next Keith Miller

[mal]

Big deal he averages 20 in district cricket where he plays on inferior
pitches, where most sides struggle to make 200 week in week out.

Then how can Gillespie, Cleary, Manou and co average higher than him in district cricket?
And Deitz averages 55?

The reason they have better averages than my boy Fergy is that you
have to divide the number of times dismissed into the total amount of runs made.

You have no credibility mal. You think Shane Watson could be the next Keith Miller

EVERY ALLROUNDER COULD BE AS GOOD AS MILLER
But very very few will be.

As for Fergy stick with him, the alternatives are not as good.
Ecky should bring up Elliotts average for SA and leave the kid alone.

[rod_rooster]

True Mal, but Elliott (like Blewett) has proven he can perform exceptionally and consistently at first class level. Ferguson needs to do this. I think he will but getting dropped and being forced to earn his spot back might be good for him.

[mal]

True Mal, but Elliott (like Blewett) has proven he can perform exceptionally and consistently at first class level. Ferguson needs to do this. I think he will but getting dropped and being forced to earn his spot back might be good for him.

Yeah maybe, but drop Elliott first for the same reasons.

[rod_rooster]

True Mal, but Elliott (like Blewett) has proven he can perform exceptionally and consistently at first class level. Ferguson needs to do this. I think he will but getting dropped and being forced to earn his spot back might be good for him.

Yeah maybe, but drop Elliott first for the same reasons.

Can't argue with that.

[heater31]

surely he gets some credit for his past performances 700 odd runs first season backed up by a 500 run season looking at his grade stats too he has only played one full season of A grade cricket (12 games) with 427 runs @ 28 with top score of 151. Prospect have struggled for the past few years so the pressure is really on to perform.

if things dont correct itself in the next few games its time Blewett or Cleary are given a go

[Maddogmike]

Including a 1st Baller against the Buffalos at Prossie Oval a few yrs ago!!