Well, we have the contracted players for 2009/2010. Breakdown by state:
TAS - 2
NSW - 10
SA - 2
QLD - 2
WA - 4
VIC - 5
Thank you to selectors for allowing 15 out of 25 spots to come from outside NSW: very gracious indeed. With the size of Qld I'm amazed they could find 2 players worthy of contracts. Tassie gets two token players: one of which is the Aus captain who lives in Sydney and hasn't played for his state since the 1940s. Callum Ferguson gets a deserved gurnsey and Manou is rightly in as a back-up keeper who will no doubt get a go when Haddin is rested (maybe he'll captain at some stage).
Siddle is an obvious one from Vic as he has a heart bigger than Phar Lap and produces similar results. The biggest surprise to me is another Victorian: what was his name? That bloke who made heaps of runs for Aus and has continued to do so for his state. Ah - Brad Hodge. Excellent to see him back and selectors talking up his chances (in some media and downplaying chances in others) - which of course, through giving him a contract many people would not have expected, they are obliged to do. Let's hope they show courage and drop M. Hussey for Hodge so he can demonstrate what selection based on merit is all about.
Play some cricket, Tait, and you may earn back your contract.
Jacques, unfair as it may seem a bloke 10 years younger has got your dosh and I don't think he'll be surrendering it any time soon. Thanks for your efforts but goodbye.
White, contracts seem to be based on all forms of the game it appears. Never will we see you in whites but, you lucky bugger, you don't need to wear them to get a contract.
So, have we got a mix that covers all bases? We've seen before that selectors will get in non-contracted players to fill spots: Katich is a good example of a good decision. I'm pleased to see Marsh in the list as there's something about him that tells me he'll shine in years to come. One spinner: now that tells us something. North, Clarke, Katich and Symonds can expect to roll the arm over a fair bit. The problem I see there is, well, problems, is that I don't think any of them could be guaranteed of being able to. North hasn't proved his worth with the ball at international level, Clarke has back problems and is in the team predominantly to bat, Katich doesn't like bowling in tests, and Symonds likes fishing too much (and booze, swearing etc).
Thoughts?
great post Lefty.
ReplyDeletethe NSW thing is par, that don't even bother trying to hide their bias, do they?
I'm surprised that in this day of three international formats, 30 players aren't contracted now. I suppose it just saves a regular bill by calling up non-contracted players as needed.
Tas; as you said.
QLD: well, they used to be a good state, once...a decade ago; that has decayed now! lucky to be represented, really!
the mere thought of Tait being suitable has me scratching my noggin. one over spells! spare me! he hasn't got the consistency for 4 t20 overs, maybe we need to contract a indoor cricket team too! 2 overs is all he's good for! if that!
i'm all for specialist players, and i saw him bowl a couple of t20 overs that were good, but...
Jaques would have to be one of the unluckiest players around; hard to get into the side at the end of the golden era, played well, injured through the "transition" and too old with to many young guns nipping at his heels to get back in. agreed Lefty he probably needs to be forgotten about now and have the nippers get their run.
as for a spinner; too late for this upcomming series, but where is CA's initiative in development and grooming- like i said (and emailed to them) a few months ago.
unless Kat is injured, he needs to be told that part of his job IS 10 overs an innings in Tests. guaranteed that it will be in the middle not near the end for fear of exhaustion. he is such a neat and crafty bowler, it is a waste not getting that much out of him.
If the right choice is made and Hodge does get a go, he too is very useful tweaking.
North can only be an end change bowler... until he impresses me!
I think the balance is ok but as stated in other posts the swing bowlers MUST find more out of them selves.
in regard to the spin issue, i propose DTW starts bugging CA for something to be done at a development level. having several options going both ways is crucial to any team selection and we just don't have that! How could a country that has had the best -and a worthy lady in waiting- be so low in reserves now?
this will become my cricketing mission (as well as getting a decent flipper into my own quiver!
stoph verismo
down the wicket
After Tait's recent comments I'm glad he didn't get a contract. And after Gayle's comments I'm genuinely worried about test cricket - but that's another story. On Tait: if you publicly announce you're only worried about limited over cricket you can bugger off.
ReplyDeleteHodge is a puzzling one as there are no real indicators he'll get a go as North took the spot I thought was there for the taking.
On spin, we're stuffed. Obviously Mcgain will have to pull a rabbit out of his very old hat to bowl for Aus again. I do like Hauritz and when he got a bag in UAE all of his wickets were from different kinds of deliveries: include drift which was the most pleasing sight.
what did Gayle say?
ReplyDeleteHave a look at Cricinfo to get the audio and print of his interviews. He began by intimating that if test cricket died he wouldn't care too much. He then qualified that by claiming he was referring to himself in that he didn't think he'd play test cricket for too much longer. Thankfully Viv Richards and co came out and expressed how disappointed they were if the comments were truly reflective of Gayle's views. The best point they made was that test cricket produced Gayle - ie it is his heritage. I love that.
ReplyDelete