Half a year later, and the dust has settled. Test, One Day-ers and World cup’s have come and gone for England and they find themselves in a new battle against the best side in the world. It seems like a distant memory, a distant dream, when everything clicked, fell into place and they wrestled the Urn from Australia for the first time in three decades. Maybe I am over-romancing but it was bloody good wasn’t it!
England have moved on to fresh challenges and have new mountains to climb. Their intentions laid bare for all too see; they plan on climbing the highest mountain, becoming the world number 1 and staying there.
But what of the old foe? They next meet in an Ashes test in 2013, only 2 years away (moved a year early to stop it clashing with a world cup), but what will lead Australia out of the Ashes?
The first major change is that Ricky Ponting will not be leading the side, and is largely expected to have retired before the next Ashes comes around – he’ll be pushing 39 if makes it. His successor, Michael Clarke has long been touted as the heir to his thrown, by the selectors but not necessarily by the public. A lot has been made of his publicity seeking lifestyle and he has received an uneasy relationship with the aussie press because of it. Not the most popular figure. He’ll be on the looking to start positively and score a few runs himself to keep the press pack of his back.
The earliest casualty to the squad was opening batsman Simon Katich, relieved of his contract with Cricket Australia having played only one match in the Ashes. This you may have thought, would have done him some favours. The only man to escape with his reputation enhanced was Mike Hussey, ironically in a dreadful run of form prior to Ashes selection. However, CA see their future with the young Phil Hughes- no stranger to England fans after he was found out by their attack in 2009 and was dropped after only a few tests. He averaged 16.16 in the 10/11 Ashes in 6 innings and his composure seems worryingly fraught, and has a tendency to flap against a short ball.
He does have some pedigree having played in 56 first class games he averages above 50 and did hit some late form at the back end of last season Sheffield Shield - hitting 54 and 115 against W.Australia and 138 and 93 against the Tassies. It’s worth remembering he also stormed on to the scene with a flourish of hundreds against the best attack in the world, at home and away, against South Africa. Perhaps he should be given a chance to improve his technique and fight for a place - the real question is should he be doing that in test cricket?
The next new man in, so to speak, is Khawaja. He had a solid start on debut, looking organised in team where he was replacing the injured Ricky Ponting – No pressure there then. It would be hopelessly unfair to judge him on his single Test but (I’ll do it anyway) looks like he could play more in the future. He played in County cricket this season for Derbyshire scoring at a healthy average just below 40 - including one century and one 50 in the 8 innings he played. Son of Geoff, Shaun Marsh is the only new batsman in the squad to face Sri Lanka not to have played a Test. Although he is by no means new to international cricket he has played 33 ODi's, albeit without ever being able to hold down a regular spot.
Andrew Hilditch told the press as the squad was announced, that Marsh 'has comes into the Australian Test squad and has been in our minds for some time as a player who could have a real impact at international level in all forms of the game,".
It's of little surprise that Marsh is included in the test squad having been in and around selection since Australia toured India in 2009. Khawaja and Marsh will be vying for the number 6 left vacant after North was dropped and Steve Smith was sent back to Shield Cricket to hone his skills.
It's also interesting that they have not given an opportunity to Cameron White, held in high regard in t20 and ODI cricket he has not been given the chance at test level. He has played only 4 test matches in 2008 all in India, playing as a leggie rather than a batsman. He managed a not to terrible average of 28 in that series and it is astonishing to think he was batting down the order at number 8. His first class record is also pretty good shading over an average of 42 with a highest score of 260*. There must be someone on the selection committee willing to fight his corner for a counter-punching or taking-a-game-away number 6. He seems made for it as a hard hitting batsman and his bowling is much better than part -time which can come in handy when balancing the team.
Smith, has in some ways become symbolic of the Australian selection policy over the winter. There was no 'next cab off the rank' selection scenario which has worked so well for England and the cupboard seemed utterly bare. This was nowhere more evident than in the spin department. Thoroughly muddled selection meant that 3 different spinners were included in the side for only 5 tests, and they went with an all seem attack in the third test. Xavier Doherty was wildly out of his depth and one can only imagine he was selected as he was the only left arm spinner on the continent, on the grounds that KP had a well publicised weakness against them. As Athers correctly pointed out, 'he did get his man, just a little too late' after KP amassed a double century in Adelaide.
Beer, is the spinner who survived the Ashes earning a place on the Sri Lanka tour doing enough in his only test match in the series, however his figures finished at 112/1 in Englands only innings in the match. His record in first class cricket however is not a great return either having bowled in just 22 first class innings with 31 wickets at a high average 45.
Nathan 'what have I done wrong?' and 'I cant be any worse than that lot' Hauritz, on the other hand, has seemingly been cast into the dark never to play again. He must have done something akin to sleeping with the selectors’ grandmothers as he miles from selection with no sign of a reprieve. Despite many thinking he is the best of a bad bunch, he was adjudge in his early part of his career as someone who could not spin the ball. Although, there is something to be said for slow bowlers; Ashley Giles, although he couldn't turn a spit-roast, had a pretty decent return for his time in international cricket and as he was presumably seen as the best spinner in England at the time - Swann was seen as too immature by Big Fletch...let you draw your own conclusions on that one.
Nathan Lyon is the total unknown in this squad and appears to be a complete shock selection. When asked about his prospects of earning a seat on the plane to Sri Lanka the 23 year old said "I personally believe I'm well away from that. I'm just looking forward to playing here with the Redbacks in the domestic season. As a kid you always want to grow up playing for your country, it would mean everything."
Originally from New South Wales, he is now signed up to bowl his off-breaks for the Adelaide Redbacks. Having played only 4 first class matches taking 12 wickets at 43 doesn’t really sound like the next international sensation. The rest of his experience comes from playing grade cricket during most of the 10/11 season for Prospect Cricket Club in South Australia where he earned his call to the Australian A tri-series side to face Zimbabwe and South Africa A. Lyon, to his credit, did impress again becoming man of the series for his 11 wickets.
With questions raised about his inexperience former Victoria stumper and S. Australia coach Darren Berry backed Lyon declaring “they've been brave enough to pick him ... they've got to give him every chance … not one or two Test matches and then say he's not ready… They've picked him, it's their responsibility now and in Australian cricket we need to embrace this young spinner and give him an extended run."
The selectors axe, however, is delicately balanced over all Australian spinners in the wake of Mr. SK Warne, only the finest of horse hairs stops the sword of selection come down from above them to axe them from team (that’s right I’m mixing metaphors) Another Doherty perhaps? Drafted in to early not given enough time to develop his own skills and learn his trade. Lyon does look like he has some potential to succeed and the opportunity to bowl in the sub-continent will doubtlessly be a sharp learning curve. This really does feel like another knee-jerk selection, with so little experience he would be better off learning his skills in the first class game and then slowly introduced into the high pressure international set up.
We are really hitting into the tail now. The quick’s were lambasted during the ashes series. Ryan Harris & Peter Siddle escaped with some credibility but not many others. Hilfenhouse Was exposed as a bit of a trundler, perhaps how they percieved Anderson - as a nip a few if the ball was swinging bowler but otherwise lacked potency on the hard flat aussie wickets. The House, has since been dropped by the selectors. Johnson, meanwhile, looked frail and precious; he played well in Perth with the freemantle doctor providing some much needed assistance but did little else. hardly showered himself in glory by claiming he had an in-swinger which, if he did have, he kept it very well hidden.
Doug the Rug was deemed by Phil Tufnell as a shambler during the ashes, and that seems to some up his bowling demeanour. He would shuffle in off not a massive distance and looked a bit lacklustre – he was another to relieved of his green baggy. However, he can feel slightly aggrieved, his left-arm angle creates problems for opposition batsman and he can swing a new ball, whilst his character comes across as a typical laid back aussie. His 50 wickets have come at a pretty decent lick of just over 25 too. Perhaps only losing his spot due to Johnson being a left armer and the selectors felling there was not enough space for the both of them in sub-continent attack.
With quick Australian bowlers not exactly in short supply, there must be a few questions raised as to why so few are available to play at test level. If Tait was fit enough to play test cricket surely he would be must pick? perhaps a moot point. Moreover, what about Dirk Nannes? If he was deemed to have the test skills they could have a fast spear head to the attack. Some would sight his age, at 35, as a negative but cricket must always be about winning test matches as much as bringing youth through.
The new quick who will be fighting it out for a brand new baggy green is the 6ft 4 Trent Copeland, who made his debut in the 2009/10 season for NSW. Despite his lack of experience he is definitely making waves in shield cricket. He took 8 wickets on debut and took the 3rd most wickets in the competition - despite only playing half of the matches.
The other quick in contention is Victorian James Pattinson, brother of England one test wonder Darren, and his stock is rising quickly as a medium-fast pace man who can swing the ball. At only 21 years old and having played only a handful of first class matches (again!) he admitted it came as a bit of a shock;
"It has come a bit unexpectedly. A year ago I hadn't even played many Shield games.
"But I'm definitely aiming to get a game over there. It will be great to go over there with two great bowlers like Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson."
He has, however, had some success in the shorter form of the game already earning a bowl in an ODI against Bangladesh whilst also earning a contract in IPL playing for Kolkata Knight Riders.
The old Australian guard have now all left, their most successful captain is returning to the ranks and the legends are drifting off into our memories – it’s time to leave them there. Australia need to forget about them, get over their losses and move on. Let the new boys compete for selection amongst each other not amongst the ghosts of the past.
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