A look at what could happen after the Ashes

[Aislabie]

A little read about where Australia might be headed post-Ashes in the batting department.

Rising up from the Ashes - The Popping Crease

 

[midgetwars]

Wow, that's scary. But that's not counting Doolan, Burns or Silk.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

clarke won't retire, he probably grumbles about the rubbish he has to play alongside a lot but he's years from retiring. not playing on like hussey and ponting means packing it in at 35ish, not before you're 33.

 

[Aislabie]

Wow, that's scary. But that's not counting Doolan, Burns or Silk.

I believe I mentioned them both. Doolan I can't see making it, Burns has been quite impotent in English conditions. I reckon it'd be a couple of years before they'd be ready.

clarke won't retire, he probably grumbles about the rubbish he has to play alongside a lot but he's years from retiring. not playing on like hussey and ponting means packing it in at 35ish, not before you're 33.

Maybe it does, but neither of them had chronic back problems. He's had to miss about six months to make these Ashes, and I'm guessing he'll want to still be able to walk by the time he's fifty.

 

[puddleduck]

Here's a look at what could happen by the time the next Ashes are in England again.

Australia arrive on the back of a dismal run of 29 consecutive Test defeats. This time though, there is hope. Averaging an impressive 17 with the bat Shane Watson has finally resolved his LBW issue by batting without pads on. With the BCCI having bought the ICC, and the subsequent inquisition and burning of all DRS technology and public hanging of Mr Hawkeye, there is also no way he can possibly waste a review.

Alongside the promising all-rounder and now opening the batting after continuously accepting the calls to move up the order is the best captain in cricket, Michael "Old Dog" Clarke. He stands practically at right angles such has been the weight of carrying ten other grown men for so many years. Though not officially confirmed, it is believed they are the first opening partnership in the history of cricket to not speak to each other.

In at 3 with a career high score of 98 and a bowling average not far behind is the gnarled and experienced presence of Agar-do-do-do. Now elevated to vice-captain rumours abound that he thinks Watson is a douche.

With Phil Hughes finally dropped after proving there really isn't a single type of bowling he doesn't struggle against Australia have turned to the young figure of David Hussey to bring fresh impetus to their struggling side. Efforts to persuade Mike to join him unfortunately fail so instead they go with the unanimous choice of another player who averaged over 50 and give Darren Lehman his long overdue chance in the Australian middle order in a forward thinking player-coach role.

On the whole there's no real qualms about their strong lower order, instead the worries continue to focus on exactly where their lower order actually begins. With Pattinson still struggling to control his injuries and Siddle tragically killed when trying to wrestle an Alligator for extra cash it's a fresh front line attack. A dangerous looking left-arm seamer who can bat has been showing good form in the state championships and there's a lot of hope that this Mitchell Johnson chap can be the answer the the Australian's problems.

In the spin department Australia continue to use a different left-arm pie-chucker each week, running a nationwide lucky dip lottery for selection to help raise money for their fledgeling cloning programme. Meanwhile Nathan Lyon continues to excel in his new career working in a Walkabout in Covent Garden after retiring from cricket with chronic averageness.

It's tough times for the Australians, but at least the world is sympathetic.

 

[MUFC1987]

It's kind of like poetic justice really though, isn't it? Australia spent all these years telling us how good their Domestic cricket was and that's why they were so good, that they didn't realise it had turned to rubbish and left them with this mob to put out as their best XI. I mean they are, simply put, dreadful.

Australia had it's time as the best domestic competition going, but they became complacent and nobody noticed what was happening under their noses, that's why they've been left with this. And it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.

 

[War]

I don't believe AUS ever took their eyes off the ball & did not plan for the post McWarne era future, the way the great west indies team post 1991 did.

As i stated many times in the last 4 years on these forums is that horrid selection policies (especially during the Hilditch era) have affected AUS severely, especially in tests. How they have rotated spinners ridiculously since Warne/MacGillretired is easily the prime example of this.

But also which is something no selectors can control, is that the supposed talents, especially in the batting have not stepped up they way many expected.

Watson, Hughes, Khawaja, S Marsh, Ferguson all started brightly but have sadly faded. If all of them had stepped up today - AUS won't have half of the problems they have now, because inversely AUS fast-bowlers have made a solid impression in international cricket.

 

[Aislabie]

It's an interesting comparison you make with the Windies, because if England win the Ashes 5-0, the Aussies slip below them in the rankings.

 

[angryangy]

Watson, Hughes, Khawaja, S Marsh, Ferguson all started brightly but have sadly faded. If all of them had stepped up today - AUS won't have half of the problems they have now, because inversely AUS fast-bowlers have made a solid impression in international cricket.

If we're being honest there was never anything all that bright about Shaun Marsh. A serviceable, but very droppable one day player. That's it. For his entire career he has been a talented player who was persisted with for marginal gains. He was unnotable in his early career, but WA had a lot of time to squeeze the youngster in down at number 6 alongside the Husseys, Langers and Gilchrists.

Between 07-08 and 10-11, he developed some form. Eventually he nearly got his first class average near 40 and got into the Test team; again on the grounds that he was still pretty young and could probably go a fair way further. In his top form, he resembled his father, stoic and hard-nosed, but still not the strokeplayer he was lauded as. Without form, perhaps with a bit of help from the wicket, his technique came unstuck. His foot never to the pitch of the ball and the gate between bat and pad constantly on offer for swing and seam bowlers, he was prone both to the outside edge and the chop on. And even when seemingly in good T20 form, his ability to play strokes has deserted him at T20I level. He is at the moment, a deer in the headlights when it comes to playing seaming and swinging deliveries.

The point is that for everything Marsh does, people have automatically assumed he can be 10-20 runs better with a bit more work. He hasn't scored a first class century in nearly two years and he was even dropped by WA. Yet, he made the Australia A tour and some will even tell you he should have made the Test squad. If we can look beyond the Emperor's new clothes, we can see that the reality is not that Shaun Marsh's best is just around the corner, but that he is simply not a very good player.

 

[War]

If we're being honest there was never anything all that bright about Shaun Marsh. A serviceable, but very droppable one day player. That's it. For his entire career he has been a talented player who was persisted with for marginal gains. He was unnotable in his early career, but WA had a lot of time to squeeze the youngster in down at number 6 alongside the Husseys, Langers and Gilchrists.

Between 07-08 and 10-11, he developed some form. Eventually he nearly got his first class average near 40 and got into the Test team; again on the grounds that he was still pretty young and could probably go a fair way further. In his top form, he resembled his father, stoic and hard-nosed, but still not the strokeplayer he was lauded as. Without form, perhaps with a bit of help from the wicket, his technique came unstuck. His foot never to the pitch of the ball and the gate between bat and pad constantly on offer for swing and seam bowlers, he was prone both to the outside edge and the chop on. And even when seemingly in good T20 form, his ability to play strokes has deserted him at T20I level. He is at the moment, a deer in the headlights when it comes to playing seaming and swinging deliveries.

The point is that for everything Marsh does, people have automatically assumed he can be 10-20 runs better with a bit more work. He hasn't scored a first class century in nearly two years and he was even dropped by WA. Yet, he made the Australia A tour and some will even tell you he should have made the Test squad. If we can look beyond the Emperor's new clothes, we can see that the reality is not that Shaun Marsh's best is just around the corner, but that he is simply not a very good player.

Well said oh angry one . Can't really disagree with you here (not that i'm trying to mind you).

Yea to be fair Marsh at least match player has been a lot of hype ever since S Waugh hyped him all those years ago.

I guess people started noticing him during his IPL stint, then he translated it to the ODI arena & then when he scoring those test runs in SRI & S Africa he looked the real deal.

But i can see why you say many people could have been fooled or think he has another level to his ability because in during those aforementioned periods he does give off that confidence.

However as you highlighted in your stats breakdown, he is almost 30 & has never truly dominated in a FC season in AUS, like what Hughes or Jaques did before the selectors came calling, so that does make you wonder.

 

[aussie1st]

The point is that for everything Marsh does, people have automatically assumed he can be 10-20 runs better with a bit more work. He hasn't scored a first class century in nearly two years and he was even dropped by WA. Yet, he made the Australia A tour and some will even tell you he should have made the Test squad. If we can look beyond the Emperor's new clothes, we can see that the reality is not that Shaun Marsh's best is just around the corner, but that he is simply not a very good player.

Seems most of the people that call for him are IPL fans or T20 lovers. I do laugh when people keep bringing his name up and suggesting he'll be some saviour.

On the topic at hand, I can't see Cowan coming back, Silk looks to be a younger better version of him. McDonald could find himself in the lineup if he can get rid of his injuries and score runs, still has a few years in him and we have come to the point where guys just over 30 are acceptable. I'd like to see White score runs for Victoria before having him back in the side, likewise Bailey. If Clarke departs then all eyes will be on those two players and so far Bailey looks to be the better of the two.

 

[Gone4aDuck]

Anyone that says this is a great thing that's happening to aus cricket is not a true cricket fan. Surely you want to see the most entertaining cricket possible? Sure it's great when your team wins, but when it's not competitive it gets boring.
To read everyone saying "it couldn't have happened to a better nation" is not the right attitude. The aussies were arrogant when it came to their cricket because they really were that good. If all english fans now do the same, they will then become the arrogant ones and be just like those aussies they hated.
I'm neutral when it comes to the ashes, but I had no interest in the 2nd test as it was obvious england had won it on day 2. Maybe it's just me!

 

[sifter132]

If we're being honest there was never anything all that bright about Shaun Marsh. A serviceable, but very droppable one day player. That's it.

You've got to look back further. Marsh was 'a pretty big deal' as a junior, as Ron Burgundy might say. He was in the Aussie U-19 side as a 15/16 year old, always a sign of noticeable talent (he got to play in 2 U-19 World cups as a result). Was looking through some old magazines yesterday and found an article written around 2000ish about how an Aussie team would look in 10 years time, Shaun Marsh was in that side (along with Michael Clarke and Shane Watson as other prospects). Some of that will have been a raised profile because he was the son of Geoff Marsh, but his problem has never been talent, it's that he's never really built on it. So identifying him as a disappointing guy who never came through is totally appropriate to me, he should have been one of Australia's best players by now.

The fact Australia have only one good batsmen between 25-35 years of age is a massive talent hole, and an indictment on the system in many ways. Guys like Cameron White and Michael Klinger were big name juniors too who haven't made it at the top level either.

 

[zimrahil]

Sure it's great when your team wins, but when it's not competitive it gets boring.
!

Don't know, didn't worry aussie fans for last 10-15 years

 

[War]

The fact Australia have only one good batsmen between 25-35 years of age is a massive talent hole, and an indictment on the system in many ways. Guys like Cameron White and Michael Klinger were big name juniors too who haven't made it at the top level either.

Yea this a true point in many ways. Saw a good article in the fan section on cricinfo that spoke about this:

The Stands : What ails the Clarke generation? | ESPN Cricinfo