Cricket - 5 Winners and Losers from Round 2 of the Sheffield Shield
WINNERS
1. Jake Lehmann - The Number 6 spot for Australia might just go to a bolter after a stunning performance from Jake Lehmann for South Australia against Victoria. Lehmann backed up his first innings 103 with 93 in the second innings, to put him right in contention for the First Test in Brisbane. The son of Darren Lehmann hasn't gathered much national attention; however, he has quietly put together a pretty tidy Shield average. At 24 years age, from 28 games, he now averages a very tidy 41, with a good conversion rate of eight half centuries to five 100s. Lehmann, a bit like his father, is an inventive player capable of scoring all around the wicket and, whilst he wasn't really considered to be in the mix two weeks ago, more runs next week and he could be forcing the selectors into picking him.
2. Mitchell Starc - England beware, Mitchell Starc is fit and firing and leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. After claiming a 10-wicket haul against South Australia last week, Starc became the first Australian in history, and the first man in 39 years, to take two hat tricks in the same game, as he blew Western Australia apart. Whilst Starc claimed the same three tailenders in both innings, he is a real weapon bowling at the lower order with his mix of searing pace and ability to really target the batsman’s feet. Lower order batsman are never comfortable facing him and, whilst the wickets could be seen as "cheap", he is mighty effective at mopping up a tail as well as being the spearhead up front.
3. Shaun Marsh and Joe Burns - I cheated a bit here grouping these 2 guys together. You might think scores of 91 and 70 are not enough to put two discarded Australian batsmen into the "winners" category, however there are not many openers putting their hands up around the country at the moment. Whilst Cameron Bancroft had an excellent game scoring 76 not out and 86 against the powerful NSW attack, he is coming off a couple of lean seasons and likely needs a few more scores to put his name back up in lights. Marsh's 91 from 130 balls and Burns' 70 from 120 balls keeps their names right in the mix for the First Test, given Matt Renshaw's faltering form and the fact both players have performed well for Australia at various points in the past 18 months. Burns did a pretty good job opening the batting for Australia, averaging 38 from 13 Tests, and his attacking style of batting is something that is generally favoured by the selectors. Whilst Marsh averages just 36 from 23 Tests, his stylish technique always seems to suck the selectors back into giving him another chance. If either player were to score 100 in the third Shield game next week, watch this space.
4. Glenn Maxwell - Maxwell came into this game under intense scrutiny after struggling in last week’s Shield game and in the previous few months for Australia, which led to him being dropped from the ODI side. However, whilst Maxwell would be frustrated to not capitalise fully on scores of 60 and 64 batting at Number 3 against South Australia, he at least batted fluently and found form as he looks to cling on to his Test batting spot. Maxwell was out hit wicket in freakish circumstances in the first innings, however looked in fine touch, striking at around 80 in both innings.
5. Callum Ferguson - Ferguson is a bit of a forgotten man of Australia cricket; however, he starred here with an impressive 140 against Victoria at the MCG. At age 32, Ferguson still has some good years left in him, and would have to feel quite miffed that he was only given one Test on a green seamer in Hobart, before never coming into contention again. Ferguson has had some untimely injuries over his career, and his record of averaging 41 from 30 ODIs is very good for Australia in 50-over cricket. Ferguson is probably unlikely to be considered again for the Test team, given he had a lean summer last season. However with Australia struggling to find a real replacement for George Bailey in that Number 4 spot in ODI cricket, that might be an opening he can capitalise on in the next twelve months.
LOSERS
1. Hilton Cartwright - Last week it looked like Cartwright was in pole position to claim the Number 6 batting spot for Australia at the Gabba against England. Now, a week on, there might be some doubts about Cartwright, after a brutal pair against a Test strength NSW attack at Hurstville Oval. If Cartwright had even managed a half-century in this game, I believe it might have sealed his spot. However, he was out without scoring in both innings to Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, in what was a tough examination of the 22 year old. It's his first real setback and mentally that can play on a batsman’s mind, so it will be interesting to see how he responds next week.
2. Matthew Wade - It just keeps going from bad to worse for the incumbent Australian wicket keeper at the moment. Wade might have picked the wrong time to move States, and now looks close to certain to lose his position in the national side. Whilst I'm not excusing his poor form with the bat, it wouldn't be easy to jump into a side that, to be honest, has been a rabble for the past few years. Wade managed scores of 9 and 17, and now hasn't passed 20 in four Sheffield Shield innings since making the move from Victoria to Tasmania. Whilst his wicketkeeping rivals are not exactly setting the world on fire, Wade looks well down on confidence and form, and only a massive game next week for Tasmania will see him any chance of being there in Brisbane for mine.
3. Matthew Renshaw - Another Matthew under pressure in the Test team is young Renshaw. Make no mistake, I think his form currently would be a big concern for the selectors heading into the First Test. Renshaw has managed just 53 runs, in total, across four innings, and chewed up 237 balls in the process. Whilst occupying the crease is a good trait for an opening batsman, an innings of 19 from 109 balls with 96 dot balls is not acceptable at the top level. Whilst Renshaw has done a very solid job so far for Australia, all young players get that period where they are really struggling and under pressure, and I think he is right now.
4. Jake Doran - The Tigers seem to have thrown Doran in the deep end this year, opening the batting with him this season, despite averaging just 21 from 14 previous Shield games. Unfortunately for the youngster, he made a pair against an experienced Queensland bowling attack, as the Tigers were routed once again. This was a kid who three to four years ago was touted as the next Michael Hussey of Australia's middle order. Doran made the decision to leave NSW at a young age and take up an opportunity to play Shield Cricket with Tasmania. Perhaps he was picked well before he was ready; however, mentally it seems to have been a tough gig for him to handle. At 20 years of age he still has plenty of time to feel like he belongs at State level. However, those mental scars can be hard for young players to overcome when they are exposed too early to a level for which they are not quite ready.
5. Nic Maddinson - Controversially inserted at the top of the order ahead of Ed Cowan, Maddinson failed to transfer his excellent white ball form to the 4-day format, making starts of 22 and 16 at Hurstville Oval. All up, Maddinson has managed just 46 runs in four innings and, whilst there is no doubting his fantastic talent and ball striking, I think there are still a few demons there from his brief stint in the Australian team. He was picked out of the blue, on gut instincts in some respects, and I don't think he was really ready for it. Maybe he would be better suited in the middle order in 4-day cricket with Daniel Hughes or Cowan returning to the top of the order.