Vale: Phil Hughes 1988-2014

Why do I weep for a young man that I never met, that I never knew, whose hand I had never shaken nor whom I had ever had a chance to have a conversation with?

Phil Hughes was the epitome of what we want our greatest sportsmen and women to be. He was a prodigy, fulfilled in his second Test match with a century in each innings. We wanted him to succeed. When he was seen to fail in the eyes of some, and then dropped (unfairly by many), he didn't sulk or sell his story to the media. His finest line was always "if I keep making runs, my chance will come". And he kept scoring runs, and he kept getting chances, and each time he was cast aside - more often than not a borderline call - he reiterated his stance. This is what we wanted from our young sports stars - the will to fight for their place based on performance, not through media bleating. His determination was obvious, and almost always supported by his winning smile.

Everyone who has played the magnificent game of cricket will be devastated today. We all know how close you become with your teammates, and the joy of playing in a team and a club, and how close your relationships become with fellow cricketers, based solely on the game. That even extends beyond that, to players in first class and international level, the connection of watching the game, and imagining yourself in their position, the joy of winning, the agony of loss.
Each one of us has been hit by a cricket ball, some much more seriously than others. We have all faced the fear of injury from a fast bowler, and dealt with it in our own way during our careers. None of us could ever imagine what has happened to Phil actually happening. And it is frightening and scary, but more than anything else, deeply devastating.

Why do I weep? Because an obviously terrific young bloke has been taken away from all of us before he was able to capitalise on his obvious talents, and turn himself into a cricketer to whom we could hold aloft as one of the best of his time. But more than that, I weep for a young man who had his whole life in front of him, and to be taken at the age of 25 in such a way is the greatest tragedy of all.

Phil Hughes remains on 63 not out, and I weep for an innings that will never be completed.

Phil Hughes Fighting... Again...

He burst onto the scene five years ago, a nineteen year old with all the talent in the world. A duck in his first Test innings, followed by a half century, and then a century in each innings in his second Test. His future was set.

Almost from that point, he seemed to get short shrift. In order to shoehorn Shane Watson into the Test team in England in 2009, he was sacrificed without due cause. From here, he was constantly criticism for his technique, though he continued to plunder first class bowling attacks everywhere. He fought back, made the Test team again, and was then dropped. Back again... dropped. Each time without what anyone could consider a fair chance to try and consolidate his spot.
He even ended up being moved around the batting order. Opening, number 3, number 4, number 5, number 6. From game to game. Even innings to innings. And still, he found himself discarded, dspite his best efforts, and despite some fine innings. He even made the ODI team, made two centuries, and was then dropped.

Today, it was obvious that Michael Clarke would be ruled out of the Test next week, and today's batsmen would be fighting for his place. And according to plan, he had moved to 63 not out, giving the selectors every reason to think he would be the man to make the Test squad.
And now, having been hit by a bouncer that he was far too early on, he finds himself possibly fighting for his life in a critical condition after surgery.

Through his whole career, Phil Hughes seems to have been fighting for respect, for his career, at every turn. No matter how many runs he has made, he has had to fight against the detractors. And through all this he has carried on, saying all the right things, smiling, and kept making runs.
We may never know if Phil was going to be selected for next week's Test now. Just more short shrift for a guy who has never given in. All we can hope for now is that, for once in his cricketing career, he doesn't get short shrift through this terrible accident, and that he pulls through with his life fully intact.

Cricket Notes - November 4, 2014

Asia Again a Bridge Too Far

The past two weeks has brought the Australian cricket team and its supporters back to earth and underlined some home truths about the way cricket is played, and that there needs to be a different way to approach these situations. It is perhaps not the complete doom and gloom that some are suggesting - and it is the size of the defeats that is perhaps the biggest problem - but an overview of the two Tests reveals similar problems to what occurred in India eighteen months ago.

Pakistan outplayed Australia. The conditions suited their team, and they exploited them far better than the Australians did. Pakistan won both tosses and were able to bat first on both occasions. Their batsmen showed patience early on, waiting for their opportunities, before feasting on tired bowlers late in their innings. Australia managed some good partnerships, but then often lost a clatter of wickets immediately that they were broken. For the most part the Pakistan bowlers were patient, tight and bowled to their field. Australia were unable to bowl to a plan, and the fields, while inventive, probably did not suit what needed to be done, which was build pressure.
Much has been made of Australia's shortcomings on the sub-continent, having won only one Test match (in Sri Lanka) there in all countries over the past seven years. This is true, and speaks of Australia's inability to find a team capable of squeezing out victories in such situations. Two things that have not been mentioned about this are as follows:-
Firstly, when Australia lost only one Test between 2000 and 2007 in these areas, they had the greatest team and players on the planet. Batsmen such as Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Steve and Mark Waugh, Lehmann, Martyn, and most of them superb players of spin. Then there were bowlers such as McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicz, Lee, Warne and MacGill, who could bowl brilliantly in any conditions. And then there was Adam Gilchrist. This team was a once in a generation or seven team, and their achievements cannot be used in comparison to the current team in any fair way.
Secondly, over that same seven year period, all of the sub-continent teams combined have only won one Test in Australian conditions, that being India when they lost 2-1 on the "Monkeygate" tour. In any fair comparison of the relative strengths and weaknesses of all teams, surely this statistic must be brought out to help explain the severe difference in conditions faced by all teams when they play away from home. Certainly, you hope to compete and win in someone else's backyard. Unfortunately, only the great teams are capable of that, and this team is far from great. The only team currently able to say they are capable of this would be South Africa, and even their quickly evolving team has some questions mark on their ability to do so.

Warner, Smith, Marsh and Johnson return to Australia with their reputations safe or even enhanced. Warner played with typical freedom and ease, and though his dismissals can sometimes be infuriating, if he keeps scoring the runs he is currently then his indiscretions can be somewhat overlooked. Smith played two wonderful innings, both under pressure in trying to save games in the second innings. He continues to grow in substance with the bat, especially against spin bowling. If only he would spend more time in the nets perfecting his bowling he would be the perfect asset. I don't play Test cricket nor practice at all, and I can still land five out of every six deliveries where I want to. Surely a guy who ONLY plays or practices cricket should be able to do the same thing. Mitch Marsh has made a terrific start to his Test career. He learned from his experiences with the bat in the 1st Test, and used them to played brilliantly in both innings in the 2nd Test. A great sign, to see a kid taking what he'd learned and using it so quickly. He was also economical and accurate with the ball, and will be very useful when conditions are more suitable. Mitch Johnson was magnificent with the ball, and well used by his skipper. He also batted well in the 1st Test, albeit with some luck, which deserted him in the 2nd Test.
The skipper was disappointing, and by his own admission, especially given his usual poise against spin. His aversion to batting at number 3, on wickets where spin was dominant, and with his ability against spin bowling, again defied logic. Was he making a statement against the dropping of Alex Doolan, who he obviously supported to retain given his comments on Test eve? Or did the selectors insist Glenn Maxwell was selected as the number three? Whatever the reasoning, Clarke had the chance to lead from the front, and did not take it. Chris Rogers made starts in both innings of the 1st Test, and two failures in the 2nd. He will know he needs to continue to make runs at home if he wants to make a return to England next year.

Will the selectors admit the folly of their disgraceful decision to dump Alex Doolan, whose career is practically finished now, to play Glenn Maxwell at number 3 in a Test match. Doolan may have failed in the 1st Test, but surely he deserved the chance for redemption, given he had scored a century in the warm up match the week prior. The arrival of Lehmann and new selectors was supposed to bring solidity and temperance to the selection process, and discard the chopping and changing of teams in quick succession which brought about so many problems in India last year. Yet, it has happened again. In any review of this series, the decision to remove Doolan and O'Keefe after the 1st Test needs to be put at the top of the list. The result probably would not have changed, but at least these two cricketers, if they had failed to make an impact again, would have just cause for believing their time in the Test arena was over. Now it probably is anyway, and unsatisfactorily so. The selection panel's obsession over Glenn Maxwell is reaching Watson-like proportions, with similarly bleak and empty conclusions. His dismissal, most especially charging down the wicket in the first innings, speaks volumes for mistaken decisions at all levels regarding his selection.

None of Lyon, Siddle or Starc improved their stock on the tour. Siddle was steady, and did as well as he could in the conditions. His immediate future may rest on what is happening back home in the Shield while he toiled on unforgiving wickets. The returning Ryan Harris in Grade cricket, and bowlers such as Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chadd Sayers and Josh Hazelwood are taking wickets and enhancing their reputations. Unfortunately for Siddle and Starc - who was again for the most part extremely disappointing - their chances may well have been buried in the desert sands of the UAE. Nathan Lyon, despite a couple of chances missed by his fieldsmen, looked tame in conditions to suit his bowling but against batsmen raised on facing it. A wrist spinner would have been better for the conditions, and both Fawad Ahmed and Adam Zampa have made promising starts to the domestic season. Lyon is a favourite of the selection panel however, and his immediate future is probably not under threat.

The chance to win in Asia must now wait for a couple more years. Whether or not Australia will be better prepared, and with better ammunition, on the next occasion is something that we can only wait and see.

"Keeping" the Faith

The ODI's against South Africa don't start until next week, but in trying to find their best combination for the upcoming World Cup, the selectors have shown most of their hand for these November trials. One selection that has been made purely in the order of resting a senior player is that of Matthew Wade, who will keep in place of Brad Haddin for the first two matches - though given his injury in the Test match it would appear Australia will need a replacement through the whole ODI series.
Is this a case of the selectors simply deciding this is not the time to blood a new keeper with an eye to the future, or are they steadfastly retaining faith in the skills of Wade as reserve keeper? His form in the Matador Cup was unexciting, especially in comparison to that of people such as Chris Hartley, Peter Nevill and Tim Paine in particular. Arguably the best of the lot is current NSW third string keeper Ryan Carters, who retains his place in the top XI simply as a batsman who fields. The irony of Wade's selection is that he would rank last as a gloveman of all the current State wicket-keepers, Carters and T20 keeper Ben Dunk included. Even more ironic is that while Wade made 59 with the bat in the Shield game against NSW, Chris Hartley scored 145 and Peter Nevill made 87 and 45 not out. Yet here he is in Australian colours again. In a world where it would seem highly unlikely that Brad Haddin will be playing in twelve months time, the queue to grab his spot in all three forms of the International game is well and truly on. At this stage, the selectors are either backing their judgement that Wade will be ready for the role, or they are in a holding pattern, not willing to choose any successor at this point in time, to give all the candidates the full season to make their charge for the position.

Cracking Start to Shield Season

With spots in the Test team likely to come up for grabs during the season, and position in the Ashes touring squad certainly available, there were some terrific performances in the first round of the Shield played over the weekend.
South Australia lost only six wickets in defeating Queensland outright, after the Bulls had posted 8/443 declared in the first innings of the match. Chadd Sayers must surely have put his name front and centre for Test selection, taking 9/82 for the match including 6/34 in the second innings, his best analysis for both innings and match, his career figures now stand at 126 wickets at 22.93, and he must be close to odds on to be in the squad for the Brisbane Test next month. Callum Ferguson made 100* and 65* and Tom Cooper 75 and 68* to push their claims for higher honours again, with both possibly in the mix for the World Cup squad and certainly in consideration for Test places down the track. Chris Hartley's 142* for Queensland would have continued to push his claims for the Australian wicket-keeping position in the near future, while Adam Zampa took 3/103 and 4/45 to continue his impressive start to the season.
The Justin Langer inspired Western Australia continue their victorious start to the season, seeing off Tasmania at the W.A.C.A. Fekete and Rainbird took all 12 wickets to fall for Western Australia between them, but apart from 100 from Ed Cowan their batting was not up to the task.
The Victorian 2nd XI defeated the NSW 3rd XI comfortably in the end, with their under strength bowling attack being taken to the cleaners, while the batsmen all got starts and little else.

Cricket Notes - October 28, 2014

Test Spin Woes With Both Bat and Ball

In light of the overwhelming defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the 1st Test, the usual suspects have been thrown up by journalists and fans alike as to the root cause of the demise, and the solutions to problems faced with trying to recover in four days to arrest and reverse that defeat. One thing that everyone knows won't change will be the pitch and the weather, so it is the Australians who must adapt quickly if they are to provide a better fist of the occasion.

The batting is where Australia failed to match their opponents in a situation where they should have done better. Alex Doolan ran out himself out in the first innings after a tedious hour at the crease, and then played back poorly in the second innings when he needed to consolidate on the fourth evening. Having copped a pace barrage at number three in South Africa he is now faced with spin from both ends in this series. It's a tough initiation, but one he needs to come to terms with quickly if he wants to be retained in the squad. Looming large over his shoulder is the ever present (when ever he is fit) Shane Watson, while there is every chance Phil Hughes could slot in at number three for the 2nd Test here. You would hope that the selectors would give Doolan the chance to redeem himself on Friday, given his century in the warm up match. Given the chop and change in recent times that is not an absolute given.
Michael Clarke, Australia's best player of spin, faced only a combined 22 balls in both innings. In these conditions, against this attack, the question of the skipper batting at number three should be raised again. If spin is going to be prevalent, he should be the man coming in to face it. Everyone knows he won't do this, and more is the pity. He should have done it in India last year, and he should do it now. Despite this, he needs to lead from the front in the 2nd Test. If he gets going it increases Australia's chances tenfold. Mitch Marsh was solid on debut without contributing heavily on the scoreboard. The jury is still out as to whether he can hold his spot at number six at this time, but the overs he bowls are needed on this tour to give the others a rest. A good contribution with both in the next Test will at least see him in with a chance of playing against India in December.
Warner, Rogers and Smith all batted well, though only Warner with his century in the first innings was able to go on and make a big score. Each showed the patience that is required in this setting, though each will be disappointed with the way they were dismissed in each innings. They will need to do the same again come Thursday. For once Brad Haddin was unable to save the team, and though he had a couple of lives Mitch Johnson was terrific in scoring 37 and 55.

With the ball Johnson and Peter Siddle did everything that could have been asked of them as seamers in those conditions. Though they did not appear to get the ball to reverse too much, they didn't concede easy runs and kept as much pressure on as possible. It is doubtful that either Ben Hilfenhaus or James Faulkner could have done any better than Siddle's effort. The only possible threat to his place for the 2nd Test is Mitch Starc, whose greater pace and better ability to reverse the older ball could prove to be a more potent weapon in these conditions. As he also tends to bowl around the wicket 80 percent of the time, it would not be like picking two left hand fast bowlers would be a problem in regards to similar bowling styles.
The two spinners were mostly ineffective, certainly in comparison to their Pakistan counterparts. Steve O'Keefe has never been a big turner of the ball, and has always worked on wearing down batsmen for his wickets. His selection for his Test debut was deserved after multiple successful years in the Sheffield Shield, but he is never going to be a match winner. As the second spinner, he did his job to the best of his talents in the 1st Test. Nathan Lyon was, for the most part, dreadfully disappointing again. There were a couple of half-chances off his bowling, but nothing that really inspired any great hope for the spectators. What was most frustrating was that he didn't seem to want to change his plans to try and make the batsmen have to think about what they were doing. He rarely changed his line of attack, he rarely changed his field to try different ideas. At times it was difficult to work out how he was trying to dismiss the batsmen. He only turned the rare delivery more than a couple of inches, and yet the Pakistan spinners sometimes turned it square. A lot of time has been invested in Nathan Lyon as Australia's number one spinner, and occasionally he has come through. The 1st Test proved once again that Australia needs to find a wrist spinner in order to be effective on these types of wickets, and that Nathan Lyon is still only keeping the seat warm for when the next spinner in line comes forward to take their opportunity.

The 2nd and final Test starts on Thursday, and unless some things change rapidly, it will also be the final Test in the careers of some of the Australians. The hierarchy will be desperate to slot Glen Maxwell into the team somehow, while both Doolan and Siddle will be nervously awaiting the team announcement. Whatever the makeup, if the skipper fails with the bat again, then it will be very difficult for Australia to square the series.

Positives and Negatives of October ODDs

The domestic one day season has been run and won, with Western Australia triumphing with a mix of youth and experience. Adam Voges and Michael Klinger led the way of the old guard, while the bowling of Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Joel Paris and Ashton Agar was vital in the finish. New South Wales made the final with only three recognised batsmen and three wicket-keepers. Usman Khawaja showed he is still a big chance to resurrect an Australian career, Chris Hartley a chance to begin one. Cameron White reminded everyone that he is good enough to play at the highest level if given an opportunity. batsmen thrived at North Sydney Oval, bowlers could only wonder how to contain teams on a ground the size of a postage stamp.
Many so-called experts have criticised the tournament being played over one month, with the majority of matches in one city (and last season all in one city). Perhaps it is unfair to the visiting teams, though Queensland last season and Western Australia this season have won the tournaments away from their own home grounds. What it does do is allow players to concentrate solely on their one day skills, and that those who find form with bat or bowl (see all players listed above, and many others) are able to cash in on that form. If the schedule returned to how it has in the past - often a four day Shield game followed by a one day game between the same opponents the following day or day after - then would players have been as successful? Would Khawaja have been as dominant coming off a four day game, perhaps batting on a raging turner on the fourth day of the Shield game to batting on a road in the one day game? And what about those players who are now pigeon-holed as first class players only or one day players only? They'd be playing for their state once every 2-3 weeks, instead of every 2-3 days.
There is a reasonable argument that, in a World Cup season, the one day domestic season has now been completed, and candidates will not have any further games to push their cause for selection. In the changing climate of world (but especially Australian) cricket, this is the case with all forms. The Big Bash has hijacked the holiday season, with no Shield cricket played for two months, and yet Test teams still need to be named. It is the way of the world, and players are now more often being chosen in one day cricket on their Twenty20 form, so this argument is somewhat irrelevant in the current cricket world.

The only disappointment in the current format is the crowds, or lack thereof. Some fantastic one day cricket was played throughout the month of October, but barely anyone was at the ground to witness it. Does it need to be better promoted? Does it need to have games bunched around the Friday/Saturday/Sunday areas to encourage more people to go? 20 years ago I was a part of the consistent 15,000 strong crowds that journeyed to North Sydney Oval each season to see domestic one day games, and they were always great days and spectacles. Surely there is some way this can be brought back again? If the series was played in Perth, where massive crowds flock to the Big Bash, would the crowds be larger? Of course, that would require Channel 9 to agree, and have games played in prime time. Surely that's a winner?
I think the concept of a "carnival" is a great way to start the Australian summer. Play it in Perth, show it on TV around the country, give Perth people a chance to host it. My suggestion to make it a bigger and better tournament in 2015/16.

Matador Cup One Day Team of the Tournament 2014

Can the West Indies Survive in World Cricket?

Is there any hope for the future of West Indies cricket? They were once the most flamboyant yet deadly cricket team on the planet. They did things their own way, and they were entertaining to watch, and their individual cricketers were fascinating. Under Clive Lloyd they became ruthless, and honed their brilliance to become the finest team in the world for almost twenty years. They were almost unstoppable. They were privileged people in their home countries, but they earned that through their results on the field.
What have they become now? Their aura was finally put to rest almost twenty years ago when Australia defeated them at home in 1995, and it has been a downward spiral ever since. Still, while they had Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh and Curtley Ambrose, they were still competitive. Since their retirements the spiral has deepened and quickened, and the current problems are becoming even more to do with money and less to do with cricket.
How does it come to a point that the West Indies Cricket Board set out a Memorandum of Understanding on schedule and pay for their cricketers, which is agreed to and signed by the West Indies Players Association, and yet is disputed by the actual players to whom the Players Association is supposed to be representing? And - not only has this happened, but how has this been occurring on a number of occasions over the past few years? Sometimes they were solved, yet twice virtual second team squads have been sent for tours. The senior players tend to pick and choose when they play for their country, depending on whether or not there is a more lucrative Twenty20 tournament taking place at the same time.
Test cricket in the West Indies must be in peril. When the obdurate and unparalleled Shivnarine Chanderpaul finally calls time on his wonderful career, the West Indies will have no batsman capable of playing a long innings, of settling in and doing what is required in a Test match to win or save the game. While this is becoming more generally true in all nations, it has affected the West Indies much more. Technique has disappeared, and desire to fight for the cause has dissipated as well. Watching their ODI captain Dwayne Bravo continue to flail at deliveries when his team is in trouble and needs a leader, or keeping himself out of the bowling attack when his team needs a wicket, or loping around the field when speed is of the essence, speaks volumes for the state of cricket in the Caribbean.

Is there a real threat that the West Indies will not play in the World Cup in a few months? I would say it is highly doubtful. What is true is that the nations of the world will be looking to shrink tours to and by the West Indies, rather than expand the amount of cricket played against them. One can only say that, no matter what the players problem is with their board and Players Association, pissing off their major benefactor in the Board of Control for Cricket in India by abandoning a tour of their country is perhaps the strangest and most ridiculous decision they could possibly have made. And it may be the first step in the dissolving of the West Indies as a cricket conglomerate.

TV Schedule for Matador Cup 2014

Games to be shown on Gem in October 2014

Squad Thoughts for Pakistan Tour

Test Squad thoughts.

1. Hopefully Alex Doolan will be given his chance to make #3 his own. He showed signs in SA that he had something. Pakistan will throw different challenges at him.

2. Hughes unlikely to play, but still looks like the replacement for Rogers when he retires... in five years...

3. Two spinners will play as only Mitch, Sids and Starc have been chosen as pacemen. Lots of bowling for Watson. Surely Maxwell cannot be considered a frontline spinner, which means finally a belated baggy green for Steven O'Keefe alongside Lyon and probably Johnson and Siddle. But not definitely...

4. Why not? Because if they go down the path they trod in India, it COULD be an allrounder-fest - Warner, Rogers, Watson, Clarke, Smith, Haddin, Mitch Marsh, Maxwell, Johnson, Siddle, Lyon. That gives them Watson, Clarke, Smith, Marsh and Maxwell to back up three specialists. Laugh if you must, but you better believe in 45+ degree heat, they'll be thinking about it...

5. If Clarke is unfit, Haddin becomes an Australian Test captain.

6. Big Test for our guys, and lots of questions still unanswered moving in to the future.

ODI Squad Thoughts.

1. Phil Hughes was almost the best bat in the recent tri-series, but is immediately discarded with the return of Watson and Warner to the team. No matter what you think of him, it really is harsh on one of the few positives of that series.

2. Mitch Starc is retained despite showing little in the recent series. He has only just come back from injury, but until he stops his tactics of coming around the wicket his selection is a continued eyebrow raiser.

3. Sean Abbott? Wow. A reward for good performances in the winter, but don't we already have a plethora of allrounders who don't hold their place anyway? If he's playing in front of the very average James Faulkner, then perhaps there is a case for his selection.

4. Selectors must be still searching for their ideal XI for the World Cup, but we need penetrating bowlers (Ryan Harris) and patient batsmen who can get five singles an over when we are being tied down if we are to improve.

5. Nathan Lyon? Not sure he's the answer. Why not Steve O'Keefe here as well?