Just a few further points Andrew.
You keep mentioning the importance of having a focussed approach on building a team to regain the Ashes when we return to the land of fish and chips, depression bent weather and bend over to America politics in 2013. I wonder though, have you stopped to consider what happens before then? This summer alone, we tour Sri Lanka and South Africa in the early months, both ranked above us and dare I say it, both better than us. Our main home series is against India, again ranked above us and clearly our current masters. Thank goodness we also host New Zealand for some light relief and given your concern with ageing, vowel scans.
I also forgot to point out the results those in the batting graph have been providing. Post England 2009, we have won three series (all last summer), drawn one and lost two. We beat the West Indies, who have more internal troubles than a room full of senior Liberals and an administration that couldn't organise a chook raffle in a Steggles factory. We also beat Pakistan, whose habit of supplementing match payments started with their Skipper and filtered to anyone with big enough or webbed enough hands to pocket filthy lucre. We also beat New Zealand, which is a bit like having a net session with a pod of dolphins - everyone likes them, can't play cricket and you have no idea what they saying.
We drew against Pakistan playing their home series in England in conditions which greatly suited them and we played and edged or missed as soon as the ball wasn't gun-barrel straight. Clearly our batsmen prefer rock and roll to swing.
Then, Andrew, against the better teams, India and England, we were flogged. You may argue that point if you wish but at 1-5 from seven games you'd need to be Perry Mason.
Out of all of this, your key lawyer's eye has found the one man responsible (well two if you include the previously discarded Marcus North ... who averaged pretty much the same as Ponting over the same period ... hmmm). Yes, its Simon Katich, who was injured after two Tests against England last summer, may have played in Sydney but no, best to rest him. The same Simon Katich who was in the top three of the batting averages in three of the last six series he played. The same Simon Katich who since England in 2009, averaged 60 against the Windies, 53 against Pakistan, 97 against NZ, 47 against Pakistan in England (where he headed the batting), 28 in India and 24 before being injured against England. Low and behold, the last six series Australia has played, he has averaged more than former skipper Ricky Ponting four times and the newly anointed Golden Boy himself, Michael Clarke, five times ... and as I said in the body of my letter, has scored more runs since his reinstatement to the Test team in May of 2008 than any other Test batsman in international cricket, except Alastair Cook.
You know, Andrew, after looking through all those facts and figures, its obvious why you've dropped him.
Obvious to you.
The nest of us are in the bloody dark!
Regards,
Peter
I think you are looking under the wrong rock. To mix my metaphors, I suspect you’ll find Katich’s blood on the hands of the petulant kid that now captains our Test team. He is threatened by Katich both in captaincy skills and as the person who has previously stood up to his self-rather-than-team-centred behaviour.
ReplyDeleteOne of many the Bungled Bingle incidents which may well have cost a True Blue Boy Scout his place. Despite having the most honest claims, the best bartering chips are dripped with revenge. Those of us who maintain true believership will always know that a Barter Scout is better than Clarke's any day.
ReplyDeletewhat DID happen that day in the dressing rooms? Sing the song Pup, you know she wasn't worth bailing for now!
ReplyDeleteRIP Kat, you have been shafted by politics.
The only hope is that the Argus reports points clearly to ineptness in selection stemming back to (at least) the 2009 Ashes. We may not see the end of Ponting from it but hopefully we'll be saying good riddance to Hilditch. Being the chairman of selectors in Aus cricket is never easy and often carries with it spite and frustration. However, Hilditch's arrogance and unwavering determination to do what he wants for reasons only known to himself have ensured he is alienated and deservedly so. I've generally steered away from bagging the selectors unduly just because the team I follow isn't winning but in this instance the board have had a directly negative relationship with the 11 on the park. I do not have faith in Greg Chappell and believe every change and decision that is made in appointments to CA are taking us further away from the test pinnacle. When, after a coupe of years, the incumbent achieves little they simply leave only to replaced by another incapable moron with seemingly self-interests as paramount. There doesn't seem to be any accountability for the people making the backroom decisions.
ReplyDeleteLango, I have never experienced the backlash to a decision in Australian sport such as the "Katich" demise. The sorry thing is, it will reverberate throughout the team all year. What pressure is on Hughes. If the dopes had of worked with him more intensely over the last two years to teach him shot selection, perhaps he may now be at Test level ( as you know I think he has the ability) but it seems they want him now with still obvious flaws in his technique.
ReplyDeleteI think enough has been said about Katich..........The decision was simply wrong......can not be defended with any sort of sound logic. My solution and I have said it before, Watson bats at six, Ricky goes and mows lawns and they start to bring young guys in around Katich and Hussey to learn the baggy green culture. Clark may well develop but he does not need Ponting's shadow around him.
I am an optimist and I see enough talent in the States to be able to build a good side in the next couple of years with perhaps the exception of the spin position.
Do not forget, it was our batsmen's failure to score runs in batting conditions where runs should have been scored and we allowed the opposition the day two and three flat track conditions to take control. Our inexperienced quicks got exposed. Who were the major culprits.... Ponting and Clark, and once Katich got injured this failure was magnified as Hughes and Watson as a pair struggled.
I think public opinion will bring so much pressure to bear on Cricket Australia that change will come. Let's hope it is change for the better. As for Katich, he probably will never play in the baggy green again but crikey I hope he gets a shit load in State games just to put the icing on the cake, after what was a very brave move.
Good points Ian. CA does seem to be hell-bent on certain players. Despite Smith not being a test level bowler or batsman they obviously want him in the side when he hasn't even earned his stripes for NSW. The same applies to Hughes at test level. He was picked out of form!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have more faith in the batting depth in our state scene, however. I'm far from confident that we have young batsmen lining up for a test spot. Ferguson is only recently back playing, Marsh had a woeful summer and had injuries as well. Even Klinger couldn't repliacte his 09/10 heroics. My pick is Khawaja as when he got his opportunity he didn't look out of place.
One final word on Hughes; I watched the shield final where he made bucket-loads and perhaps his technique is sufficient for state cricket (however he hadn't made runs til the final) but not test cricket. I really have never been able to accept this sort of argument as Aus has one of the best domestic comps around.