T20 World Cup - 2022

[Bornadog]

[azabob]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Why are they using an image from 2021 to announce the 2022 squad?

[GVGjr]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

I find it very interesting to see players representing Australian cricket having never played first class cricket at the state level.

'We've got something here': The dramatic rise of Tim David

Cut from the WA squad and only a replacement player at the Scorchers, Tim David's game 'evolved naturally' into a T20 finisher when given an opportunity by Singapore and the Hurricanes

Adam Griffith was standing next to Matthew Wade in the middle of Blundstone Arena in late 2020 watching his prized new recruit face up to Hobart's formidable pace attack.

The then Hurricanes coach and his skipper watched on as Tim David, a relatively unknown talent at that point, smacked his bowlers a couple of times over cover, then over midwicket and then played a "beautiful" straight drive down the ground during an intrasquad match before the BBL|10 season.

David, recruited from Western Australia where he had only made the cut as a local replacement player for Perth Scorchers, then stood up and banged a back-foot drive over cover for a one-bounce four.

"That was the moment I reckon everyone went 'Ooh, we've got something here'," Griffith tells cricket.com.au.

"I was standing with Wadey. He looked at me, and you could tell by the look that he saw what I saw, and could see that talent.

"And very quickly the rest of the playing group understood why we had him down there."

***

Griffith had first come across David in his role as WA bowling coach from 2011-2016, as the young right-hander was rising through the ranks in club cricket.

Word had started to get around the Premier Cricket scene in Perth about a tall, young allrounder (then bowling mediums, not off-breaks) with incredible power in the Claremont-Nedlands first grade team.

Born in Singapore to Aussie parents but raised in Perth's western suburbs from the age of two, David amassed three centuries and four fifties in one season, forcing his way into the WA Second XI in February 2017 where he belted 137 on debut with 16 fours and two sixes.

"He was starting to get a bit of a reputation around the grade scene in Perth about his power and how good a player he could be," says Griffith.

"You'd watch him bat and you wouldn't think technically he was amazing by any stretch, but he was good enough technically and just his power, he could hit the ball really hard back then as well.

"He'd come in for academy sessions and work around the Scorchers group a little bit … the thing that struck me was the power."

But WA and the Scorchers were strong squads and opportunities for David were limited.

He was handed a state rookie contract by Western Australia in 2018-19 and made 12 appearances for the Scorchers as a replacement player in BBL|07 and BBL|09 (for 109 runs with a top score of 18) but was cut by WA ahead of the following season without playing a game.

It was the moment when David's focus "evolved naturally" away from the 'traditional' version of the game and he started honing his skills for the shorter formats.

"I saw that there was quite a specific set of skills needed to do the job in white-ball cricket and I thought that was something I could do," he explained in July.

"Until I started doing it in games it was a bit of a hedged guess, but I felt that's what my skills led me to and then it was just working really hard and trying to improve myself all the time."

***

As is the case with many T20 specialists in the modern era, David ventured overseas to ply his trade, but rather than domestic leagues, he found his break in the country of his birth.

Being born in Singapore meant he could represent the Associate nation with without jeopardising his chances of playing for Australia, and as an Australian citizen, David has always remained eligible to represent this country without any qualification period.

Across 14 T20 internationals for Singapore between July 2019 and March 2020, which included qualifiers for last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE, David faced 352 balls and smashed 76 of them to or over the rope.

Such hitting didn't go unnoticed in Australia.

Griffith, who had become head coach of Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes after a stint as Australia's men's bowling coach from April 2016 to April 2017, knew the talent David possessed and enticed his former WA pupil south for the 2020-21 summer.

Announced in a press release by the Hurricanes alongside left-arm seamer Nick Winter less than a month out from the start of BBL|10, Griffith described David as a player who had "showed some signs with the Scorchers of his power and ability".

By the time he returned to the Hurricanes the following season, David was one of the most feared 'finishers' in the world, not just Australia, a grand suggestion the Mumbai Indians validated when they splashed A$1.5 million in February to secure his services for this year's IPL.

"I saw the talent in person, I knew he had it, so it hasn't surprised me what he's doing now," says Griffith.

"The Scorchers as we know are a very strong unit, so unfortunately for Tim, because they were so strong, he couldn't really force his way into that group.

"I just thought it was a great opportunity to get someone of his ability during my time down in Tassie, and I'd had a bit of a relationship with him in Perth, so that helped convince him to come down."

***

Part of Australia's fascination with David, along with his relatively soft spoken and quiet nature, is that he doesn't play any longer form cricket, and nor does he appear to want to.

Tasmania were hopeful he would be available for some 50-over Marsh Cup fixtures in early March this year, but the 26-year-old was enjoying some time off with his partner – Hockeyroos star Stephanie Kershaw – in Dubai between the end of the PSL and the start of the IPL.

Just days after the T20 World Cup this November, while his Australia teammates will be released to their states or begin their preparations for the Test series against the West Indies, David will jet off to the Abu Dhabi T10 League having just signed with Delhi Bulls this week.

Not that this is particularly unusual nowadays.

National white-ball captain Aaron Finch has effectively retired from red-ball cricket and Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell haven't played a first-class match since late 2019.

But there is a difference. That trio is bound by their full-time Cricket Australia central contracts or state deals, whereas David currently doesn't have either.

Griffith says he doesn't know if David has the desire to play longer formats, but he is certainly capable should he be willing to work hard enough for it.

"He does have batsmanship, he can play longer innings when required," he says.

"I think he can play a role in 50-over white-ball cricket … (and) we see the way red-ball cricket is going as well, the aggressive nature that some teams are playing with.

"There are times where his game won't suit conditions but there are other times where it's great to have someone that can go in and belt the ball around and try and build a lead or chase a score on the last day.

"I think he's got the ability to do it, it's up to him whether that's in his future or not.

"I think he understands what his ability is, but I also think there's a lot of opportunity, not only domestically here but around the world (in T20 cricket).

"There's not a lot of people that can play that role at the back end and go out and hit their first or second ball for four or six, and he can do that."

[lemmon]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Really poor standard of cricket in last night's win against the West Indies, I wouldn't expect this Windies side to do much at the World Cup though Brandon King played one of the most incredible shots I've ever seen.

I think there was a big hint in selection last night with Smith being dropped and Finch moving to number 4. I imagine Smith will be the one squeezed out when Stoinis comes back and we'll go:

Warner
Finch
Marsh
Stoinis
Maxwell
David
Wade
And the bowlers.

Great side on paper, my tip is that the reality might underwhelm - the form of Finch, Stoinis and Maxwell is concerning and Marsh has had 7 innings in the last 5 months.

[GVGjr]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Green is unlucky to miss out and I think Smith should be picked before Stoinis but it's most likely to be the selected side.

[Bornadog]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Really poor standard of cricket in last night's win against the West Indies, I wouldn't expect this Windies side to do much at the World Cup though Brandon King played one of the most incredible shots I've ever seen.

I think there was a big hint in selection last night with Smith being dropped and Finch moving to number 4. I imagine Smith will be the one squeezed out when Stoinis comes back and we'll go:

Warner
Finch
Marsh
Stoinis
Maxwell
David
Wade
And the bowlers.

Great side on paper, my tip is that the reality might underwhelm - the form of Finch, Stoinis and Maxwell is concerning and Marsh has had 7 innings in the last 5 months.

Don't Windies still have to qualify?

Stoinis needs to also find form

[lemmon]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Don't Windies still have to qualify?

Stoinis needs to also find form

They do for the Super 12 section - Scotland, Zimbabwe and Ireland are all dangerous opponents too.

[Axe Man]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Green is unlucky to miss out and I think Smith should be picked before Stoinis but it's most likely to be the selected side.

Not to wish injury on anyone but we will be better off if Marsh or Stoinis are ruled out and Green can come in.

[GVGjr]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Not to wish injury on anyone but we will be better off if Marsh or Stoinis are ruled out and Green can come in.

I get what you are saying. If Marsh can't bowl he shouldn't be selected. Stoinis just doesn't impress me enough.

[Axe Man]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

I get what you are saying. If Marsh can't bowl he shouldn't be selected. Stoinis just doesn't impress me enough.

Yes I would include that in ruled out. If you aren't fit to bowl as an all rounder you aren't fit and we bring in a guy who is.

Marsh and Stoinis seem perpetually unable to bowl.

[GVGjr]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Yes I would include that in ruled out. If you aren't fit to bowl as an all rounder you aren't fit and we bring in a guy who is.

Marsh and Stoinis seem perpetually unable to bowl.

I think Stoinis gets credit as an all-rounder when at best he bowls occasionally. He's a batsman who might get the ball thrown to him at times but it's typically as the 6th bowling option.

[lemmon]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Agreed with you both that Stoinis seems to be incredibly fortunate when it comes to selection.

He's 33 years old and his numbers are ordinary - 44 T20Is for a return of a single half-century isn't good enough for a guy that seems to be locked into our top 6. He's also a liability against spin bowling and has played his best domestic T20 cricket as an opening batsman.

Mitch Marsh deserves to be there on merit as a batter, he was the best player at the last T20 World Cup and got us over the line in the final, but I completely agree that we'd be better served with Green in the side over Stoinis.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

Agreed with you both that Stoinis seems to be incredibly fortunate when it comes to selection.

He's 33 years old and his numbers are ordinary - 44 T20Is for a return of a single half-century isn't good enough for a guy that seems to be locked into our top 6. He's also a liability against spin bowling and has played his best domestic T20 cricket as an opening batsman.

Mitch Marsh deserves to be there on merit as a batter, he was the best player at the last T20 World Cup and got us over the line in the final, but I completely agree that we'd be better served with Green in the side over Stoinis.

It is hard to believe that the selectors can't see this or does Stoinis have incriminating photos of someone.

Green is a better bat
Green is infinitely ahead as a bowler.

Just rule out Stoinis with injury (any injury) and bring in Cameron Green.

[GVGjr]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

I've always struggled with the concept of wicket keepers in T20 games because the ball doesn't beat the bat enough and at best it's more about getting to the stumps for run outs etc but hasn't Matthew Wade been in brilliant form with the bat of late?
Easily holds his spot.

I've also been impressed with Tim David because normally our number 6 in the limited over games needs to be able to bowl but his batting looks dangerous. With that though I think it means we need Cam Green at the top of the order so that he and Maxwell can split the 5th bowling duties as required.

[GVGjr]

Re: T20 World Cup - 2022

The bat dominated the game against England last night.d Australia fell 8 runs short after a terrific knock by Warner.
Swepson didn't bowl well enough and Buttler and Hales set England for a big score.