There is far more room for improvement

There has been plenty of ranting and raving about the rejuvenated Australian bowling attack. A firing Peter Siddle and new found length inspired by bowling coach, Craig McDermott are being praised for recent wins. Despite all this, I still have my doubts about the strength and form of the Aussie quicks.

Since finding his way back into the side in South Africa, Siddle has taken 19 wickets at an average of 27.32. Admirable no doubt, but when we take a deeper look, his form is not as great as initially thought. During this period, the remainder of the Australian attack has managed an average of 23.15 with the ball. This highlights the bowler friendly wickets Siddle has had at his disposal, and when you look at the figures, he hasn't been on par with his fellow bowlers.

The talk of the new length being bowled by Australia is also unfounded. It doesn't take a scientist to observe the pitch map and see that all of the bowlers are still bowling 'back of a length'. While this has been highly effective on seaming bouncy tracks, it will only take one flat batting pitch for the Australian attack to crumble. Poor batting and juicy wickets have had a larger factor in the Australian bowler's recent success than the length they've bowled.

Ben Hilfenhaus came back into the side from the cricketing wilderness and walked away with the impressive figures of 5/75. However, many of his wickets were less convincing than one might have thought. His first was essentially Gambhir getting himself out and many others fell in a similar vein. Hilfenhaus may have taken his best test figures in the match, but I believe he is still a long way from his finest. By no means do I call for his dropping from the side, I merely mean to keep the journalists who praise these players so blindly, as honest as possible.

Furthermore, there are left-field calls for changes to the side. To play four fast-bowlers and leave out Lyon at the expense of Harris. While Harris should certainly be a walk-in back into the Australian team, a more appropriate player to leave out would be Siddle, or if the Australian selection panel are serious about their rotation policy, they should be brave enough to rest James Pattinson. After all, isn't the reason for their rotation policy, to protect the younger players from burnout?

There remains much to ponder, and that's without even mentioning the batting. While there is no question that the future looks up for the Australian side, there is far more room for improvement than the 'experts' are taking note of. Provided the Australian players, coaching staff and captain can see this, then the team will continue to improve and get on the move back towards number one.

A Peter Siddle short ball is upper-cut for six by Sachin Tendulkar

The big bash league so far

Stuart MacGill brought the intensity of his prime to the BBL

The Big Bash League has so far incited plenty of interest from myself. Originally I thought the BBL would be a flop and merely serve as a poor imitation of the IPL. However, I have so far been impressed. The matches have been exciting for the most part. Players have stood up and demonstrated some glorious performances with relevance to the state of the Australian side. Such performances have come in the way of Warner's hundred and Marsh's 99 not out. Let us also not forget the solid displays from some former greats. Warne, Hayden, Hogg, MacGill and co. have all shown glimpses of their prime and brought an intensity to the game many would not have anticipated.

So far I've enjoyed the exploits of the BBL. Hopefully it remains entertaining without it's Australian stars. 

What justification is there in calls for Hussey to go?

Talk of Michael Hussey being dropped are now rife following a less than impressive showing against New Zealand. The end of Hussey's career however, seems far away to me. Hussey was Australia's stand out performer in last summers Ashes, dominated in the Indian Premier League and not to mention his superb tour of Sri Lanka. 

In comparison to Ricky Ponting, who has only two notable scores of recent and no centuries this year, last year or the most of the year previous. What justification is there in calls for Hussey to go? Any cricketer will tell you that it's unfair to expect big scores all the time. A few short comings are far from proof that a batsman is past their best. 

Hussey has one of the best test records of any current Australian player and unlike Ponting, has scored five test hundreds in the past two years. The main thing that I believe separates Ponting and Hussey's cases, is the fact that when Ponting gets 'in', he still can't convert his score into a hundred. When Hussey gets going, he capitalises and can still score big.

I see no reason why Hussey cannot get back in his groove and continue to be one of Australia's best for the remainder of the summer, if not well into next year. 

Prodigy Patterson

Kurtis Patterson, now the youngest player to have scored a Sheffield Shield hundred, has been touted as future star. As with many young players who perform well, the praise is high, but can the young man step up and prove himself to be as good as people want him to be? I think the answer is yes.

At 18 years 206 days old, Patterson smashed 157 runs at the SCG. There is however more to the guy than this one innings. Patterson currently sits second in Sydney's first grade run scoring tally -- An impressive 432 runs, with an average of 61.71 -- ahead of many first-class quality players. The young prodigy also scored 123 in a youth test against the West Indies in April this year. In a similar vein to Pat Cummins, Patterson still has much improvement ahead of him. Being such a fantastic batsman at such a tender age only give him colossal room for improvement.

Patterson looks destined to crash onto the scene of international cricket within the next couple of years. As the Australian side looks to the future, it is paramount that this special talent is nurtured and coached into his full potential. I'm not going to call him the next Bradman, but hopefully he'll be the first truly special Patterson.

Patterson in a youth ODI against the West Indies

The prelude to another golden era

Pat Cummins bowls Jaques Kallis

Calls for players to be dropped are not unusual. What is less often looked at, is suitable replacements. The likes of Phillip Hughes, Ricky Ponting, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson are under the most pressure in Australia's current side. Its not as easy as many think to select appropriate players who may replace them.

David Warner has just joined the Australian test squad ahead of the second test in Johannesburg. Warner is in superb form for New South Wales, making a host of scores of late. Highlights include, 86 and 148, both against South Australia, in recent Ryobi Cup and Sheffield Shield games. Many question Warner's temperament, technique and suitability for the longest form of the game and he was quickly pigeon holed as a limited overs specialist, unfairly in my opinion, early on in his career.

Warner has far better credentials for test cricket than many would give him credit for. During his pre-state cricketing days, Warner was a prolific run-scorer for Eastern Suburbs in the Sydney first grade competition. One of the highest quality club competitions in the world. Consistently scoring big runs in two-day cricket is a fantastic platform to develop into a first-class cricketer. Warner has also displayed his ability for New South Wales and Australia A, averaging a whisker under 60 across 16 first-class innings. His ability to dig-in and hold down at an end, is the most questioned aspect of Warner's game. 74 from 97 balls, to anchor the innings, in the second one-day international against South Africa, appears to have answered emphatically that he is capable of such.

Usman Khawaja looks certain to play his forth test on Thursday. Khawaja, the technically gifted and highly touted left-hander, has demonstrated his worth in his minimal outings for New South Wales this summer. In similar circumstances to Warner, Khawaja has one hundred in each competition so far this summer. Both against South Australia, at the Adelaide oval -- a happy hunting ground for the top order batsman -- where he also made a double hundred last season. His classy 116 put the selectors on alert, as he kicked off his domestic season in fantastic style. Since then he has looked at home on tour with Australia and says he is more than happy being the spare batsman in South Africa.

The down side to Khawaja, is his relatively unproven ability to score against top-quality attacks. While he has scored against solid bowling units at state level, he is yet to get significant runs on the board for Australia. I have no doubts however, that once his initial score is made, then the runs will flow smoothly. Khawaja would be ideally suited to a position opening Australian innings. His greatest assets are his technique and temperament, invaluable attributes at the pinnacle of the game. Khawaja could form an irresistible and dynamic duo at the top of the order with Warner. Complimenting and contrasting styles which would be able to adjust to all sorts of match situations, whether they be hammering home an advantage or softening the ball in tricky batting conditions.

Matthew Wade stands third in the wicket-keeping line, behind Tim Paine and the incumbent Brad Haddin. The 24 year-old Victorian has come on leaps and bounds over the past two seasons. Two centuries and an impressive 80 so far this year, have many taking notice. Wade is an aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman, in the now expected mold of Adam Gilchrist. While Wade's keeping has improved out of sight of late, it's certainly been his ability with the bat that is generating the most excitement. Wade averages 40-odd in both one-day and first-class cricket, solid enough, but these are both on the rise.

Tim Paine must not be forgotten. The right-handed Tasmanian has impressed for several seasons and in 2010 was awarded with a baggy green. A balanced 92 against the in-form Pakistani attack demonstrated his credentials for test cricket. Paine's worst attribute has been his knack for getting injured when he could be pushing for a place in the national side. Paine may find himself below Wade by the end of the season, as he currently watches from the pavilion, hampered by a broken finger. Paine however, is a superior glove-man to Wade, which will balance his batting. Look out for Paine to impress on return from surgery.

Trent Copeland is the most deserved winner of a baggy green in recent times. The right-arm medium pacer has earned his call up through the good old fashioned weight of wickets. 45 wickets for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield last summer and 35 the year prior, proved too much to be ignored. Copeland is an accurate trundler, who earns his wickets by frustrating batsman into irrational shots. Many criticised his place in test cricket because of his relative lack of pace. However, on the flat, dusty surfaces, least suited to his style of bowling in Sri Lanka, the 1.95 mater tall pace-man, more than proved his worth going for a meager 2.10 runs an over. Unfortunately for Copeland, a place in the side eluded him during the first test in South Africa, a dire shame considering the pitch was ideally suited to him.

Finally, the much touted speedster, Patrick Cummins. The 18 year-old fast bowler looks destined for a baggy green in the near future. Cummins has played just three first-class matches and has only nine wickets at an average of 46.33. Many have questioned his ability to sustain his bowling efforts across five days of test-match cricket. Following a century scored by Marcus North last summer, the former test batsman described Cummins' 33 overs as 'the most sustained fast bowling' he had seen outside test cricket. A sure sign of his ability to handle the rigors that await. It would be best suited for Cummins however, to enjoy a season of shield cricket, where he can develop and learn his own game better to ensure he is ready for the top flight.

Despite the recent hardships faced by the Australian side, I would argue that the talent in waiting is fantastic. A great combination of raw youth and enthusiasm and experienced, seasoned, hard-working cricketers. They say the darkest part of the night is just before the dawn. So too I hope, the Australian cricket side's lowest of lows will only be the prelude to another golden era. The upcoming test series against New Zealand looks the ideal time to give these youngsters a crack at the big time. If only I were in charge of the team...

Can anyone truly say Australia will return to the top?

Michael Clarke has his head in his hands

This is the worst Australian cricket side in 25 years, according to Fox Sports writer, Malcolm Conn. And I'd certainly have to agree. It's easy to use a heavy one off defeat to call for changes, however this is no one off. The Ashes brought the Argus Review, now too, the 47 all out should bring the wholesale changes. Not changes for the sake of it. We need our best eleven out on the paddock and the way I see it, we're far from there.

Mitchell Johnson, a man described by captain/selector, Michael Clarke, as one of the first choice players and the leader of the attack, is on the brink of being completely discarded. Since Mitchell Johnson's superb display in the 2010 Perth Ashes test, a nine wicket haul, he has completely folded. Johnson has taken 13-702 since then at an average of 54.00. The leader of the attack?

Australia's spin bowling debacle will continue to rage on. Since Nathan Lyon's five for on debut, he has managed a meager three more wickets. His test bowling average lingers at a less than impressive 38.25. Steve O'Keefe, the New South Wales off spinner and newly appointed captain, is by far and away the most proven option in Australia, but he too waits his turn.

In the words of the late Peter Roebuck, potential never won a match, nor would it seem that Phil Hughes' potential will ever fulfill. Hughes has completed the turn around from star of tomorrow, to utter villain. The left hander has demonstrated a complete lack of temperament by hanging his bat out to dry, asking for a chance to edge behind. When Hughes isn't on a road, neither will runs be next to his name.

Ricky Ponting is done and dusted. His resilience and determination, once the nation's greatest asset, now sees one of its most accomplished players dragging his dignity into the dirt, along with his batting average. If Ponting truly has the best interest of the team at heart, then he must call it curtains, draw a line under himself and hang up the gloves. The aging warrior, undoubtedly a legend of the modern era, has demonstrated little to prove he is a better batsman than Marsh, Khawaja or any other equal man waiting in the ranks.

Shane Watson has shown great ability at the top of the order and his bowling has come on leaps and bounds of late. Despite this, his talents will be best suited in the true place of an all-rounder, at number six. The move down the order allows Watson more time to prepare himself for batting following time in the field.

Watson is one of the best attacking, domineering and imposing batsman in the world today. The likes of Khawaja, Marsh, Hussey and so forth will be best complimented in their ability to defend by a man who can take advantage of the old ball they have made. If Watson is able to stroll to the crease with 30 overs bowled, he can freely attack, with little swing and seam movement he can hammer an advantage into the ground and assert dominance on the scoreboard.

Shaun Marsh is considered the future of Australia's batting stocks

Brad Haddin truly put the nail in Australia's coffin. The last recognised Australian batsman threw his wicket -- and to a greater degree his dignity -- away with the most disgusting third ball duck seen since fourth grade last year. Haddin charged down the pitch to an on fire Morne Morkel and attempted to flat bat the back of a length ball he received over backward point, or square leg, maybe straight down the ground, nobody actually knows, least of all himself. Such blatant disregard for the value of your own test match wicket is completely unacceptable. Now is the time to blood Tim Paine who is Haddin's equal in batting and keeping ability, minus the warped mindset.

The sword must fall now or the downward spiral will not cease. It is fair to say that none of these individual players are solely reponsible for Australia's failings. Likewise, if things stay the way they are, can anyone truly say Australia will return to the top?



SportsCNNK's Aussie XI for the future.

1. Usman Khawaja
2. David Warner
3. Shaun Marsh
4. Michael Hussey
5. Michael Clarke (C)
6. Shane Watson (VC)
7. Tim Paine (WK)
8. Ryan Harris
9. Steve O'Keefe
10. Peter Siddle
11. Trent Copeland

Post your ideal XI in the comments box and add to the discussion on our facebook page.

Score runs or apply to join the commentary team

Ricky Ponting has expressed his desire to continue playing, stating that, "I don't see a finish line yet". But has the near 37 year old former captain got what it takes to maintain his place in a side, especially considering the young potential waiting in the ranks? Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Phillip Hughes and David Warner are all fighting for top order positions in the current Australian outfit. With Watson, Clarke and Hussey's positions safe, pressure is surely being applied on the plight of 'Punter'. The only way he can retain and secure his place is through weight of runs.

Ricky Ponting gets off the mark with a six

Ponting has scored one international century in his past 53 innings for Australia. There have been many calls for Ponting to announce his retirement or be dropped. However, the ageing batsman declares he feels he's batting not far off as well as ever. Is Ponting lying to us or is he truly hitting the ball just as well as he says? They say that the proof is in the pudding, and there's no doubt there are promising signs when he's in the middle, but recent scores of 2, 29, 11, 10 and 63 in South Africa, leave quite a bit to the imagination. Ponting was undoubtedly one of the most dominant batsman in a generation, yet the Ponting of old seems a far cry from the demoted, dethroned and diminutive man who continues to struggle on today.

I have always felt that a quality batsman should never be dropped for someone on a mere hot form streak. You cannot substitute pure class for some lucky hit and miss innings. I know Ponting is not what he once was, but I think there remains a place in the Australian side for him, no better demonstrated by than a hook shot for six to get Ponting off the mark in the first test against South Africa today. He must first turn around his below par form and restore some confidence in his ability to be consistent. If he fails to do this in South Africa with at least one decent innings, I fear I'll have to join the chorus calling for him to step down.

So why should Ponting remain in the side? And on a contrasting note, why should he be dropped? Firstly, He is the most experienced man in the Australian outfit. With much wisdom to share among many new faces who need advice. He has seen all conditions, all attacks, he knows how to construct an innings and has been on the brink of becoming an all-time great. Ponting has a sound technique and the ability to forcefully dissect a bowling attack in a matter of several overs. On the other hand, Ponting has averaged 33.00 this year, 36.95 in 2010 and 38.77 the year previously, in test cricket. Since the start of 2009, he has converted a mere two innings into centuries. Cricket is undoubtedly a game of statistics and the stats don't lie when they say Ponting is well below his best in recent times.

The ultimatum has surely been laid down. Score runs or apply to join the commentary team. Ponting must perform now or he won't have another chance. We could soon see the end of a superb, but disappointingly finished career. Hopefully however, we will see a resurgence, similar to that of Tendulkar's, where the former skipper can rekindle the fire within that took him to the pinnacle of test cricket. The ability surely lies within. But, as Greg Chappell once famously stated in reference to himself, he's not batting badly, he's just getting out.

Pakistani trio guilty of spot-fixing

The Pakistani spot-fixing controversy begins it's final stanza. The verdicts have been handed down and all that remains is the sentencing of the condemned. Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt will face jail terms for conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments. But the questions have not all been answered. How many more matches were involved in predetermined outcomes? Were other players embroiled in the scam? And what exactly have we, the ICC and the players learnt as a result of the scandal?

It now appears so obvious, with the benefit of hindsight, that corruption has been rife in the ranks of the Pakistan cricket team and management. The results of many matches will now come under further scrutiny. In particular, the Sydney test between Australia and Pakistan, where it was apparent that the Pakistan batsman were 'throwing away' their wickets. Was this really the case? I think so. It looked to me like a complete disregard was displayed by the Pakistan batting line-up for the preservation of their own wickets, it seemed to me that they wanted to lose.

I think it's easy for us to condemn and declare the Pakistani's guilty. But I do believe there is more to it than meets the eye. These players were products of their environment. Among the most under-payed international cricketers on the planet, ignored by elusive IPL contracts and struggling to set up their financial security despite being some of the most talented cricketers on the planet. Fundamental problems still exist in the structured division of wealth among the test playing nations. Australia, India and England's top players, including IPL contracts, are capable of earning up to and above a million pounds a year. On the other hand, Pakistan players are payed a dismal sum, on average £22,500 annually on their central contracts. Bangladesh players earn a mere £12,000 a year.

Mohammad Amir, possibly the most promising young fast bowler seen this generation, was on a salary of around £1,500 per month. Similar to that of the average working class Britain. In the era of professional athletes, this truly is a disgrace. It's no wonder that a young man could be tempted so easily to go down the fateful path he was. Amir was awarded £4,000 as Pakistan's player of the series, pocket change for most of England's players, but worth more than two months work for his nation. Amir was trapped by the system in which he was developed. A system where in order to set himself up for life on the back of his trade, he would need to look elsewhere, outside the usual borders of his central PCB contract. Unfortunately he was misguided by his captain, the one Pakistan player a young Amir should look up to the most. This formed the base for his sin.

I find it highly unfair, that the system is such, where great international talents are unable to reach their full potential. Cut short by a mistake brought about by misuse of trust and the pressures of financial security. Do not get me wrong, the actions of Amir, Butt and Asif were the most dishonorable of sporting acts. However, the one lesson I think that must be taken away from this experience is not 'don't spot-fix'. It is that we must move in a way to address this dire issue. Spread the wealth of a fantastic game to all of those who provide such exhilarating entertainment. Pay these special talents what they're worth so that we can enjoy their exploits for as long as possible. Hopefully one day we can be blessed to see Amir striding towards the crease with the red rock in hand and fear in the eyes of the batsman.

Huge test beckons for young fast bowler

Cummins celebrates one of three wickets in an over on debut 

My associate Chris and I are frequently discussing sports, be it poor showings by a referee, a goal keeping howler or a coach's sacking. Here's some insight into such a discussion, the topic being the selection of a young fast bowler, Patrick Cummins, into the Australian test cricket squad.


Chris: Cummins got a few wickets the other night.


Nathan: Yeah, his international T20 bowling average is like 10!
Pretty big call to select him in the test squad though, not that I think he'll actually play.
But... if there's an injury, he's playing test cricket after just three first class matches.


Chris: Personally I wouldn't chuck him in too early. Test cricket is mentally straining and he's only a kid.
Are you going to be able to chuck him the ball when South Africa are 0-230 and expect him to make a breakthrough?


Nathan: I think he'd be better served with a season of Sheffield Shield cricket first.


Chris: Agreed. Clearly the physical potential is there.


Nathan: Definitely, he can bowl wicket taking deliveries at test level but I don't think he's ready physically or mentally.


Chris: He's still growing, literally. We must nurture this diamond.


Nathan: If he has to bowl 65 overs in a match he won't be able to back up.
Give him a year of Shield cricket first, if not only to prove himself, but as a training platform as well. Training his body to bowl lots of overs. I'm sure he can play ODI's and T20's for now, I'm sure he will actually, and he'll probably do well, but test cricket, that I'm not sure about just yet.


What do you think about Patrick Cummins fast tracking into Australia's test squad. Are the selectors looking for anything they can find in a period of poor test form or is Cummins truly up to the task at hand?

The Subtleties Of The Game

You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out, he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. When they are all out the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to get those coming in out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out. When both sides have been in and out including the not-outs, that's the end of the game. Howzat?

The Gayle force show

Chris Gayle has gone from an aggressive opening batsman, who occasionally takes the opposition to the cleaners, to now the most powerful, feared and consistently destructive cricketera on the planet. Following his axing from the West Indies squad that played against Pakistan in late April and early May 2011, Gayle was left with no cricket ahead of him anytime soon. Luckily for Gayle, an urgent call came his way with good news. Dirk Nannes would be unavailable during the Indian Premier League twenty20 through injury and the Royal Challengers Bangalore wanted Gayle as his replacement, the rest is history.

Gayle found his touch almost immediately, announcing himself with a blistering 102 not out from a mere 55 balls. From this point on there was no stopping the irresistible force that is Chris Gayle. The powerhouse went on to thump an outstanding 608 runs in just 12 innings (four less innings than his two nearest contenders on the run scoring ladder) at an average of 67.55 and strike rate of 183.13 making him the leading run scorer of the IPL 2011. Plenty of stats to back him up but wait there's more. He became the first and only man to score two centuries in the same IPL season, with his highest score being 107. Along with that he smoked 56 fours and 44 sixes, a total of 488 runs in boundaries. His immense power meant he physically ran less than 20 per cent of the runs he scored.

I for one, was thrilled to watch several of his best innings, particularly when it seemed any ball he hit in the air would travel for six. His huge upper body strength and power meant timing was almost unnecessary for Gayle to clear the pickets. He would either chose six or four and follow through hard and true. It was often mentioned during the television telecast, that Gayle was one of the strongest men in international cricket, his training regime more that of a body builder than cricketer. Words certainly ran thin when looking for superlatives to describe Gayle's midfield antics. At one stage, I recall the big screen at the ground clearly stating, "We've run out of words", following another display of mass superiority over the bowler.

It hadn't taken long for Chris Gayle to show the world he meant business and while it may have left the West Indies Cricket Board a little red faced, they persisted in not selecting him. One of the greatest shames in recent cricketing memory, is the way he has been treated by his home board. The best T20 batsman in the world--in my own opinion--is not being selected to play for a mediocre T20 team, that has barely anything on offer to keep him out of a place. While Gayle still maintains that he wants to play for the West Indies, the WICB just won't let him, regardless of just how damn good he really is. Let the kid play is all I can say. No bigger statement could he have made following being dropped than to demolish any bowler he faced--the likes of Brett Lee, Dale Steyn, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne--none of them could stand in his way. He didn't need to be technically correct, time the ball with perfection or be fast when running between the wickets. Gayle's own brand of cricket was on display in the best way possible and for many it was pure perfection.

Looking back on Gayle's IPL season, the question remains. Is this sort of batting good or bad for the game? While there is absolutely no doubting its entertainment factor was huge. Gayle's lack of technique, stand and deliver attitude, however effective as it may have been, was watched by hundreds of thousands of young kids each evening, all wanting to bat 'like that'. With this in mind, my biggest criticisms of twenty20 cricket are brought to the forefront. Lately we see test cricketers dangling the bat out to dry and snicking out, because they feel as though they have to play more and more balls. This stems purely from the expansion of T20 cricket, where obviously playing every ball is a necessity to score runs. Chris Gayle has certainly become a massive role model. However in my opinion a role model must be, in cricket at least, someone who's technique or mannerisms are proper, authentic and sound.

Having said this I find some other fantastic batsman in T20 cricket to be the best to watch across all formats, particularly in test cricket. Michael Hussey, Tendulkar and most recently Shaun Marsh, have demonstrated that building around a firm technique can transform into runs on any stage. Particularly in Marsh's case, a young guy who was first noticed through his ability to score big runs in T20 cricket. He was the top scorer in the first ever edition of the IPL, however, he demonstrated great composure and patience in his first two test matches. These players know when and which balls to leave alone, they wait for the worst deliveries and then they pounce, put them away and score their runs. Watching Hussey in test cricket has always been one of the best treats for me. A man who is so focused on success that each and every movement is based solely around practicality and effectiveness. However, Hussey has also demonstrated that these simple principles are just as effective, while maybe not as entertaining, when put into practice in twenty20 cricket. Hussey's most recent IPL was mostly successful scoring 492 runs, with an average of 41.00 and a strike rate of 118.84.

While I may be comparing apples and oranges, or a rock with a hard place, I still prefer a good old fashioned struggle. To build a hundred of 220 balls in a test match is more to me than a quick fire 70 in a twenty20. With the advent of the IPL, big money and high octane entertainment on the cricket field, there will definitely be supporters that will go the other way. But for now I'm enjoying seeing the Gayle Force at his best. Blasting anyone who comes in his way, out of the ground. Wouldn't we all like to see him in his current form and mindset in a test match? What would happen? A quick fire twenty odd or will he go berserk as he did so many times in the IPL and take test cricket to a place it has never been before? Chris Galye is without a doubt the purest form of power anyone could ever hope to see on the cricket field and don't we just love it. Total entertainment.

Cummins Is Coming

Patrick Cummins bowls Kieron Pollard

We all love to see a once in a generation player at their best, be it Bradman, Warne or W.G. Grace. While none of these greats are playing at the moment, I think I know who has the potential to take the tag from our generation. An 18 year old fast bowler from New South Wales who can fling them down at 140km/h plus. A young man who has been rewarded already and named as the youngest Australian to be given a central contract since the system was conceived in 1998.

Patrick Cummins has a long way to come before he reaches maturity in regards to knowing his own game and developing his variety. Having said that he has another five or six years before he'll begin to move out of the 'young' category. With all this raw talent at such a young age, one must be forgiven for believing that the sky is well within the limits. The potential is in place for Cummins to have played at least thirty odd first class matches before he's even left his teens.

You needn't be an expert to know that experience plays a critical role in regards to developing as a player. With that in mind, imagine Patrick Cummins in 15 years, 100 or more test matches to his name, the amount of development that can occur in that amount of time is huge for any player. In Cummins' case you've already got a guy who can dominate some of the most destructive batsman around, as illustrated during his limited appearances in the Big Bash and Champions League. I'd love to see him end up along side the likes of Glen McGrath, Courtney Walsh and Sir Richard Hadlee at the pinnacle of international fast bowling.

The main obstacle in the way of such success will most certainly be fitness. Cummins has already had a recent back strain which prevented him from travelling with Australia A to Zimbabwe. Many fantastic fast bowlers have fallen short of their potential through injury, the likes of Shane Bond and Shaun Tait most recently with fantastic statistics in first class cricket couldn't make the cut with their broken bodies and disjointed patches of form. If Cummins is lucky enough to keep fit enough there is nothing stopping him from cricketing royalty in a decade or two. I know that I have very high hopes for him, especially in regards to a rebuilding Australian cricket side. While he's not yet a walk in for any Australian side, I don't think it will be long till he's the first man picked for every tour.

Warner Wants To Play Test Cricket

Seems to me as though David Warner is the real deal when he says he wants to play test cricket. It was obvious to all at the back end of last season that Warner offered a lot in the longest format of the game. Warner has long been a reliable run scorer, one of the best for several years in Sydney's first grade competition. When the opportunity arises I can see him taking it with both hands, not letting anyone down and becoming a successful player in all forms of the game.

The 24 year old has impressed in his nine first class appearances so far for New South Wales and Australia A. An average of 53.35 is more than impressive and if sustained it will surely ask questions of the test selectors. While Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawja linger as the top two preferences in the Australian squad, Warner will surely play the entire Sheffield Shield season. Plenty of game time in the longest format will allow him the chance to further prove his credentials.

For the moment Warner will be firmly focused on the Champions League Twenty 20 which will be followed by a trip to South Africa with the Australia T20 and ODI squads. The call up into the ODI squad is another massive boost to Warner who has been on a hot streak of run scoring form across all formats. A fantastic tour to Zimbabwe with Australia A, a great finish to the Sheffield Shield season and solid start to the Champions League all reflect well on the aggressive left-hand opener.

Recent scores include 38, 20, 16 and 53 in T20's, 211, 48 and 82 in first class cricket in addition to 120 in a one day match and 152 during a tour match. With a sport where scores and stats tell the biggest story, Warner is surely in selectors minds, most evident through his selection in the one day squad travelling to South Africa. As with most potential players of the future though, only time will tell.

If Hughes suffers injury or a run of poor form, I still think it will be Khawaja who is turned to first. However I have no doubts that Warner will remain on the doorstep and won't let his knocks go unnoticed. Pure weight in runs will always be the best way to get your name up there and I have all the faith in the world that Warner will pay dividends for New South Wales this summer. It surely cannot be long now until Warner dons the Baggy Green.

Marsh to Make Test Debut

With Shaun Marsh set to debut in the second test are we beginning to see a changing of the guard? This series has already seen three relatively new faces take to the field and with the addition of a fourth it would appear that the side is truly ready to succeed at the highest level with new blood.

Marsh has been in and out of the limited overs setup frequently over the previous two years and finally gets his chance in the baggy green while Ricky Ponting returns home for the birth of his second child. His T20 expertise is undoubted with 2139 runs at an average of 42.78. He is surely a proven run scorer. Marsh has had some excellent seasons in the longest format of the game but other seasons have seen him fall short of his potential. Despite these intermittent failures one can surely trust he will step up when necessary.

The adaptability of Marsh's game would appear to make him perfect for the role at number six. Strangely it will be Khawaja left as the final specialist batsman in the order with Marsh set to come in at first drop. On the flip side Marsh will enjoy the chance to face a newer ball coming onto the bat as he has done far more regularly when playing his first class cricket for Western Australia. If Marsh gets himself in there's certainly potential for a pyrotechnics display similar to the ones we've seen him provide in the IPL.

With the obvious exception of Watson at the top of the order it could be said that the Australian batting lineup has become very 'proper' in their approach. Illustrated by the tendency of the top order batsman to edge out pushing forward defensively during the last Ashes where a full blooded shot or leave would have been far better. Marsh therefore with his attacking pedigree could just be the spark needed to push Australia's good starts into huge and imposing totals. Marsh's proven ability to score big runs at a fast rate is perfectly illustrated by his statistics in the shortest form of the game. His ability to take the bowlers on and his attacking mindset are perfect for a team that needs a kick to set the tone for it's innings.

With the Australian batting line up falling into place nicely all looks up for the side in their quest to return to number one in world cricket. The youngest additions to side, Marsh, Khawaja, Lyon and Copeland all appear capable to make it at the highest level. Only time will tell now if Australia will once again be top of the pile. For now the number 3 position sits in the hands of a young Shaun Marsh.

India Moving Forward

Sachin Tendulkar has returned home with a sore big toe with four matches remaining in the ODI series against England. What does this mean for India? It's either a massive blow or an insignificance. While Tendulkar certainly had a golden 2010 he seems to be falling short of the mark thus far in mid 2011.

It would appear 'The Little Master' is completely content with what he has done in the game and with his 100th hundred you would expect him to call it a day. Tendulkar looks to have lost that drive to win and succeed. So without that killer instinct that lead him to conquer the world of cricket, is his position in the side justified? Furthermore, is he now only playing for himself?

I've always been a believer that there is no substitute for pure talent, especially when it comes hand in hand with experience. Having said that, India are on the brink of losing the likes of Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid and others whom carry with them that wealth of experience. Is it time for India to get Raina, Kohli and Manoj Tiwary into the test side? While all this discussion seems somewhat detract I can answer my own question by saying no.

The management of the Indian side need to reinvigorate Tendulkar once again and get him to perform in a similar manner to last year, just as Dravid has done this English summer. India have a wealth of players lying in wait. The two things India need to do are 1. Play less T20 and; 2. Play more first class cricket. If these talented young players find a way to put aside their IPL commitments and play county cricket they will be far better off. This is where they can further their own development and experiences. They can be playing a high standard of tough first class cricket against world class players outside of the Indian team.

Team India are lucky enough to have some fantastic batsman among their ranks and should continue to persist in picking their absolutely best eleven. If India can develop another good fast bowler, have Harbhajan Singh back in form and get a fit Zaheer Khan back in the side they will once again reign supreme. Their few weaknesses can be easily fixed and a second coming of sorts is well within the question. They've got the players, all they need now is to rekindle their form and fire on all cylinders moving forward.

Trent Copeland's First Test Wicket

Trent Copeland strikes in his first over of international cricket to remove the Sri Lankan captain, Tillakaratne Dilshan.
What a legend!

Captaincy Equals Discipline?

Some how it didn't occur to me that Stuart Broad would actually be allowed to captain England again. But here we are awaiting Broad's next attempt at the top job. I hope I'm not alone when i say he is surely the least capable candidate as a captain. However as usual I don't doubt I'll soon be proved wrong.

Stuart Broad and hot head seem to go hand in hand. If Broad wants to assert himself as a genuine England cricket captain he must 1. maintain his current hot streak of form, after all you don't want your captain to be in a position Broad landed in leading into the Sri Lanka T20's where it was hard to pick the guy let alone have him leading the side and; 2. develop some form of composure. Time and time again I see Broad beat the bat only to explode and self-destruct with rage that it didn't result in a wicket.

The world isn't actually against Broad and until he figures this out there's going to be a long hard road ahead. For a man with such talent, pace, swing and ability to bat there seems to be a critical lack of cricketing sense up stairs when it comes to attitude. Despite this, nothing makes me happier than to see Broad's brain capitulate at a miss field by KP and the two hottest of heads in the side clash in an inferno the likes of a wild fire.

Nathans ideal passage of English cricket

Broad bowls, gets an edge which runs away for 4 after Pietersen cannot stop it in the gully

Broad: "Use your hands you p***k"

Pietersen: "F**k off, bowl at the stumps!"

Broad: "You're a useless t**t"

Ahhh if only it were like that all the time.

The best candidate for the current T20 side remains without doubt in my mind Eion Morgan who lead the side in their ODI against Ireland a few days ago. Morgan remains a certainty in any limited overs side and is blessed with natural leadership skills.

Despite all of this it would seem the added responsibility of actually being captain means Broad MUST remain disciplined and keep his head. Maybe being captain is exactly what Broad needs to get the best from himself. Only time will tell how good he can and will be as a player and as a leader. So for now I'll just have to let him go out and do his thing.

I wish Broad went for 50 today though :/

The New Generation of Calypso Cricketers

The West Indies Cricket Board make my blood boil. How can it be that a Test playing nation with a talent pool that includes the likes of Chris Gayle, Jerome Taylor, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard can struggle so much to win test matches. I now see that the Player's Association has filed a $20 million lawsuit against the board?! Surely all this doesn't add up to a side of world beaters, but what exactly went wrong to lead to such a fiasco?

The advent of Twenty 20, in particular the IPL, has meant that these immensely talented players are only required to play for 6 weeks a year in India to eclipse their central contract salaries for the entire year. What a shame that we cannot produce enough revenue from test cricket to keep these guys turning out for their nation. Are we heading down the avenue of football where a man will pick club above county 9 times out of 10? This fan sure hopes not.

Could it be a better sign of these player's character than the state of the game? The desire to wear the baggy green or turn out for England remains the pinnacle of any aspiring Aussie of Pommy kid. Why is it so then that test cricket doesn't seem to rate in the West Indies? I'm sure there are plenty who disagree but i think greed is on the rise and pride has began free fall. I think it's time these blokes man up, knuckle down, work hard and get the West Indies back out of the 'calypso cricketer' frame that Clive Lloyd fought so hard to end back in the late 70's.

I firmly believe the crowds will return to Guyana, Kensington Oval and Sabina Park if there is a real chance to see their heroes take it to the best in the world. With that said the revenue will once again flow, the team will once again be successful and the cricketing world will be better for the experience. If only it were all that simple...

I truly hope that 30 years from now we can see a sequel to Fire in Babylon based on the next generation of Carribean cricketers. I'm sure the WICB are trying hard and no doubt the players want to be paid their worth. If only they could put behind their differences and play some damn cricket!

Go Get 'em TC!

And so I wait eagerly. Trent Copeland, New South Wales' hard working trundler, will walk onto the pitch in Galle as an Australian test player. Isn't it just a wonderful thing to see a man build his own career from the ground up? For the first time since the great Warne, Gilchrist and McGrath retired it seems a man has actually earned a Baggy Green with some proper effort.

Copeland has been rewarded with selection at all levels thus far, be it grade cricket for St. George in Sydney, NSW Shield and limited overs cricket and now for Australia, through sheer weight of wickets. I'm glad to see Copeland do it the hard (proper) way. Rather than that of Lyon, Beer and Doherty who were thrust into the side in recent times. In all fairness their shock selections has been more of a reaction to the lack of capable spinners left in the country after they decided they wouldn't pick any of the decent ones (Hauritz!!!).

Removal of Chappell and Hilditch was a godsend in regards to getting rid of the dinky selections of late. How can it be that 3 or 4 good Twenty 20 performances has got Lyon, who I'm sure is actually capable, in the test squad? Yet Steve O'Keefe's 52 first class wickets at 24.05 remains ignored. Not to mention Hauritz remains the most experienced, not to mention proven, test bowling option. I hope to see the back end of the spinners debacle now that the Argus Review's finding and recommendations have been put in place.

But forget all that for now, Trent Copeland is in the side and that's what matters.

Go get 'em TC!

The Opening Batsman

Be it the Argus Review, Jason Krejza, Ireland's world cup hopes or Warnie's new face lift, if it's cricket I've got something to say. While I'm no ex-test veteran, nor am I any ESPN Cricinfo journalist, I'd like to think I know a thing or two. So here it is, my own little canvass for thought. A place where I can lay the cricket all out the way I see it. I just hope there's enough food for thought to keep anyone crazy enough to read interested.