Is it just a matter of stage fright, or a genuine lack of contenders for the positions available, or a combination of difficult pitches around the country, that has left Australian cricket supporters – and most probably the selectors – with little to no performances on which to decide who might be playing in Brisbane for the Australian team on November 23rd.
A succession of low scores at Bellerive Oval has shown little for anyone who may have been hoping to state their case for selection. Tasmania’s only probable candidates have had mixed games again. Jackson Bird took 3/41 in his attempt to continue carrying the drinks as Australia’s 12th Man, and if selection policy is transparent then Bird should be the extra paceman to be chosen in the twelve. Given the history of recent selections this is therefore not a given.
This perhaps also relates to Matthew Wade, who continues to be unable to find the one big score he needs which would allow the selectors to choose him in Brisbane without argument. Scores of 9 and 17 have done nothing to keep the whole country at bay regarding his selection, and it has now completely overshadowed his keeping. In fact, no one is even looking at his keeping now, they are more concerned with his batting. This is where the problem with our national keeper now lies, in that everyone is waiting for one of them to make a score, and then anoint them as the keeper, rather than watching their handling skills and judging their possible selection on that. Of the other keepers in the country, no one has scored the runs that would give them a selection advantage. Jimmy Peirson scored 14, Alex Carey scored 36 and Peter Nevill scored 32. At the moment it looks like no matter who is chosen as the Test keeper, they are not going to be scoring Gilchrist or Haddin-like runs. Given this is the case, then surely the best keeper should be the one who is chosen, and hope they are able to contribute as much as possible with the bat.
Josh Hazlewood's return was great news for the selectors, and his initial burst of 3/3 would have been a weight off in regards to their bowling selections for Brisbane. It was unfortunate for those looking to press their claims with the bat, as he took out Shaun Marsh, Hilton Cartwright and Mitch Marsh in quick succession, leaving their prospects once again, in limbo. Their counterparts for New South Wales fared little better, with only Steve Smith able to get beyond 40 in the top six.
Better was to come from the Victoria and South Australia match, with batting contenders Travis Head (67) and Glenn Maxwell (60) at least getting on the board without being able to get that century they would have both craved. Those innings fell to a scintillating innings from Jake Lehmann and a circumspect opening innings from Marcus Harris, who both scored 103 each. You would suspect neither is being seriously considered for Brisbane, but neither have they done themselves any harm in the process. Matt Renshaw would have given his eye teeth for such an innings at this stage, with his dismissal for 1 against Tasmania allowing the media wolves to continue their growling approach.
As has been the case for some time, few questions have been answered so far in regards to the positions available in Australia's Test team. The opportunity is still there for someone to put in a performance so eye catching that they are impossible to pass over. Perhaps the next two days will help.
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