8 Emerging Players

[lemmon]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

Chris Lynn has put in another big innings today and is 140no.

For such a young batsmen he has one of the coolest heads going around, interesting that he didnt play any Australian Juniors cricket, seems like a bloke who slipped through the cracks and is playing for Queensland on weight of runs alone.

[lemmon]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

Michael Hill is only 22 and just made a century against the Poms. He also captained the Australian U/19 team.

Looked like Ricky Ponting incarnate as a junior, was the stand out player in a year that a guy called Phil Hughes also came through. Hasnt come in with the same bang but has exceptional talent and should be nurtured.

Btw the young fella George Horlin-Smith drafted by Geelong wouldve been on this list in a years time, massively gifter top order batsmen

[lemmon]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

Another star in the making. We just need some of the young quick bowlers to click this summer and to unearth a decent spinner and we can start to fast track their progress.

I cant see us really beiginning to blood these youngsters till after the World Cup, which really couldnt come at a worse time for us. This should have all taken place when we had that relatively easy summer against the Windies, Pakistan and Kiwis

[Bornadog]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

I have no confidence in the selectors. I don't like any of them (including GChappell) and believe the whole lot should be sacked and we should start again with some fresh faces.

They have allowed Australian Cricketing to slide down the rankings and have done very little about it.

[KT31]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

I have no confidence in the selectors. I don't like any of them (including GChappell) and believe the whole lot should be sacked and we should start again with some fresh faces.

They have allowed Australian Cricketing to slide down the rankings and have done very little about it.

This.

[LostDoggy]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

This.

x 2.

Once upon a time David Hussey and Cameron White were young up-and-coming tyros too, and a bloke in his late 20s named Brad Hodge was banging out centuries like they were going out of fashion. Now, they are all old farts (White is still only 27, but you get the idea) still banging out centuries that will never get a fair go in a baggy green.

If the same d-heads remain in charge of selection (and the way Punter is going he'll get himself named Chairman of Selectors when he finally retires) 90% of the names on your list, GVG, will simply end up 30-year-old 'what might have been' stories while Australia muddles its way through the wilderness.

Youth may well be the way to go, but if Steve Smith and Hughes (probably the two hyped yougsters with the LEAST potential to make it in the Test arena -- one with no record either as a batsmen or bowler, and the other with no technique and form as inconsistent as a windvane) are CA's anointed (as Clarke was), Australian cricket is in for a dreary decade ahead.

Actually, the way CA handles kids, they are more likely to damage all their careers before they establish themselves rather than actually nurture any of them to their full potential. Ask yourselves -- what will CA do when Smith is taken to the cleaners by Pietersen and Cook over the next two tests? When Hughes fails in the next 5 innings straight? (both scenarios well within the realm of possibility) Hey, hey, remember Krejza? Chris Rogers? Phil Jacques? All faded back into obscurity, and most likely Smith and Hughes's fate. They don't set these guys up for success.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

x 2.

Once upon a time David Hussey and Cameron White were young up-and-coming tyros too, and a bloke in his late 20s named Brad Hodge was banging out centuries like they were going out of fashion. Now, they are all old farts (White is still only 27, but you get the idea) still banging out centuries that will never get a fair go in a baggy green.

If the same d-heads remain in charge of selection (and the way Punter is going he'll get himself named Chairman of Selectors when he finally retires) 90% of the names on your list, GVG, will simply end up 30-year-old 'what might have been' stories while Australia muddles its way through the wilderness.

Youth may well be the way to go, but if Steve Smith and Hughes (probably the two hyped yougsters with the LEAST potential to make it in the Test arena -- one with no record either as a batsmen or bowler, and the other with no technique and form as inconsistent as a windvane) are CA's anointed (as Clarke was), Australian cricket is in for a dreary decade ahead.

Actually, the way CA handles kids, they are more likely to damage all their careers before they establish themselves rather than actually nurture any of them to their full potential. Ask yourselves -- what will CA do when Smith is taken to the cleaners by Pietersen and Cook over the next two tests? When Hughes fails in the next 5 innings straight? (both scenarios well within the realm of possibility) Hey, hey, remember Krejza? Chris Rogers? Phil Jacques? All faded back into obscurity, and most likely Smith and Hughes's fate. They don't set these guys up for success.

Totally disagree about your assessment of Hughes and Smith. I think they both have enormous potential and both have far more imposing first class records than Steve Waugh did when he was first given a run at Test Level.
Smith's bowling is still developing, but I think he has alot to offer as a number 6 batsman in the near future, and perhaps will develop his bowling in time.
Hughes has an imposing first class record, albeit his form this season has been less than what you would want for a guy coming into the Test Team.
I hope though, that the selectors are going to give both an extended run and give them a decent chance like we did with youngsters in the mid 80's, when guys like McDermott, Waugh, Boon etc.

I don't disagree with your overall lack of faith in the selectors though, they have made some howlers in the past 3 years.

[ledge]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

All of us agree Australia has a lot of great cricketers young and old, the blame lies solely on the selectors.

[KT31]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

All of us agree Australia has a lot of great cricketers young and old, the blame lies solely on the selectors.

Quite a rarity on Woof.

[chef]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

Totally disagree about your assessment of Hughes and Smith. I think they both have enormous potential and both have far more imposing first class records than Steve Waugh did when he was first given a run at Test Level.
Smith's bowling is still developing, but I think he has alot to offer as a number 6 batsman in the near future, and perhaps will develop his bowling in time.
Hughes has an imposing first class record, albeit his form this season has been less than what you would want for a guy coming into the Test Team.
I hope though, that the selectors are going to give both an extended run and give them a decent chance like we did with youngsters in the mid 80's, when guys like McDermott, Waugh, Boon etc.

I don't disagree with your overall lack of faith in the selectors though, they have made some howlers in the past 3 years.

Agree with this. Smith especially has shown enormous potential at FC level.

He record as a 21YO is very good.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/267192.html

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

Agree with this. Smith especially has shown enormous potential at FC level.

He record as a 21YO is very good.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/australi...er/267192.html

Both his batting and bowling average is worse than Hodge's.

43 with the bat is encouraging, 44 with the ball is underwhelming


I'm with Lantern.

[hujsh]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

Both his batting and bowling average is worse than Hodge's.

43 with the bat is encouraging, 44 with the ball is underwhelming


I'm with Lantern.

Didn't realize Hodge was 21.

[chef]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

Both his batting and bowling average is worse than Hodge's.43 with the bat is encouraging, 44 with the ball is underwhelming


I'm with Lantern.

Why would you compare him with Hodge who has retired from FC cricket?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

Why would you compare him with Hodge who has retired from FC cricket?

I only used Hodge because despite not being any more than a very much part-timer, he has a better 1st class bowling average than Smith.

There is no justification to playing Smith purely as a batsman over Hussey or White (or Ferguson or Khawaja for that matter), yet his bowling average is worse than a part timer net bowler.

[chef]

Re: 8 Emerging Players

I only used Hodge because despite not being any more than a very much part-timer, he has a better 1st class bowling average than Smith.

There is no justification to playing Smith purely as a batsman over Hussey or White (or Ferguson or Khawaja for that matter), yet his bowling average is worse than a part timer net bowler.

I do kind of agree(and those four should have chances before him) with this even though I am a Smith fan and think he will have a very good career for Australia in all forms of the game(more as a batsman who can bowl a few overs rather than as an allrounder). The only justification I can find is he is a Clarke style golden boy who the selectors are dying to get into the side.