01-24-2021, 07:36 AM
Paine could have had a much longer career had it not been for injury: he missed a lot of cricket over the years. The reason he was so highly rated was his keeping first and foremost. His batting was potentially good, good enough to open for Tasmania. but his results with the bat have never equaled his theoretical potential.
Paine has been quite a reasonable captain for us, especially as he took the job on in very difficult circumstances. But at his age, cracks are appearing. He is 36, which does explain how his keeping has dropped off. He is still one of the better keepers, but he is on the decline.
So, do we look to the future?
There are a number of good young keepers going around, a number of which are decent batsmen. Carey appears to be leading the pack, but he has played little first class cricket since entering the Australian white ball squads.
Nor is he alone in this area. Adam Zampa could be considered as a spinning option, but for the fact that he hasn't played any first class cricket of note in over a year.
How are these guys going to impress in the test arena, if they play so little multiple day cricket games?
If Paine is put out to pasture, something that must happen sooner or later, then the captaincy issue will become acute.
(a) Smith has made a good return to test cricket, but I wouldn't give him the captaincy again. He was a great performer, but not a great captain. while he had the job.
(b) Warner has the aggression as a captain that could be useful. However, like Shane Warne in his day, his copy book is blotted. Warne was a fantastic captain, especially in the field. But his behaviour kept him from showing it very often. The same for Warner. And he isn't getting any younger either.
© Cummins appears to have the tactical nous and the ability as a bowler to be a great leader, but one of the secrets of captaincy is the ability to make clutch decisions. A man who has bowled 20+ overs in a day is going to be tired. It is natural. Tired people do not generally make the best decisions. It is the reason so few fast bowlers have been captain in the history of the game.
(d) There have been rumours about that Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch, both of whom have excellent captaincy credentials, have been informed that their future at Sheffield Shield level is limited. That definitely stops either of them from parachuting into the Captaincy. Neither is young either. Finch is 34 and is past his peak, even in the white ball game. He has been excellent in recent times, but he cannot survive another form drop like he had a couple of years back.
(e) Marnus Labuschagne might be an answer: his spot in the team looks very solid. However, he hasn't had a lot of captaincy experience to date. I don't know if he has the tactical nous for the job yet.
(f) The selectors gave Head a long go as VC, as he does have some captaincy ability. However, he is no certainty to regain his place and doesn't look like his spot would ever be a given.
(g) Matthew Wade has good captaincy skills, but his place as a batsman is slipping away. He is not young either. Apparently he is colourblind, something I only just discovered. His keeping days are behind him.
At some point, Cricket Australia is going to have a hard choice on at least 2 fronts. Do they bite the bullet now, and allow the newbies to grow into the positions available before the Ashes? or do they wait for performances to drop off further?
To add to that, we also have the question of an aging spin attack. Nathan Lyon, who has been brilliant for us, the best off-spinner ever to play for Australia, is showing signs of 'decay'. He really struggled against India and could barely get a wicket or stop the runs. He is 33 and not getting better (except maybe his batting).
Who are the next spinners we have? Are any of them ready for test cricket? And how do we tell, when we produce pitches than don't wear much?
Paine has been quite a reasonable captain for us, especially as he took the job on in very difficult circumstances. But at his age, cracks are appearing. He is 36, which does explain how his keeping has dropped off. He is still one of the better keepers, but he is on the decline.
So, do we look to the future?
There are a number of good young keepers going around, a number of which are decent batsmen. Carey appears to be leading the pack, but he has played little first class cricket since entering the Australian white ball squads.
Nor is he alone in this area. Adam Zampa could be considered as a spinning option, but for the fact that he hasn't played any first class cricket of note in over a year.
How are these guys going to impress in the test arena, if they play so little multiple day cricket games?
If Paine is put out to pasture, something that must happen sooner or later, then the captaincy issue will become acute.
(a) Smith has made a good return to test cricket, but I wouldn't give him the captaincy again. He was a great performer, but not a great captain. while he had the job.
(b) Warner has the aggression as a captain that could be useful. However, like Shane Warne in his day, his copy book is blotted. Warne was a fantastic captain, especially in the field. But his behaviour kept him from showing it very often. The same for Warner. And he isn't getting any younger either.
© Cummins appears to have the tactical nous and the ability as a bowler to be a great leader, but one of the secrets of captaincy is the ability to make clutch decisions. A man who has bowled 20+ overs in a day is going to be tired. It is natural. Tired people do not generally make the best decisions. It is the reason so few fast bowlers have been captain in the history of the game.
(d) There have been rumours about that Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch, both of whom have excellent captaincy credentials, have been informed that their future at Sheffield Shield level is limited. That definitely stops either of them from parachuting into the Captaincy. Neither is young either. Finch is 34 and is past his peak, even in the white ball game. He has been excellent in recent times, but he cannot survive another form drop like he had a couple of years back.
(e) Marnus Labuschagne might be an answer: his spot in the team looks very solid. However, he hasn't had a lot of captaincy experience to date. I don't know if he has the tactical nous for the job yet.
(f) The selectors gave Head a long go as VC, as he does have some captaincy ability. However, he is no certainty to regain his place and doesn't look like his spot would ever be a given.
(g) Matthew Wade has good captaincy skills, but his place as a batsman is slipping away. He is not young either. Apparently he is colourblind, something I only just discovered. His keeping days are behind him.
At some point, Cricket Australia is going to have a hard choice on at least 2 fronts. Do they bite the bullet now, and allow the newbies to grow into the positions available before the Ashes? or do they wait for performances to drop off further?
To add to that, we also have the question of an aging spin attack. Nathan Lyon, who has been brilliant for us, the best off-spinner ever to play for Australia, is showing signs of 'decay'. He really struggled against India and could barely get a wicket or stop the runs. He is 33 and not getting better (except maybe his batting).
Who are the next spinners we have? Are any of them ready for test cricket? And how do we tell, when we produce pitches than don't wear much?
Live Long and Prosper!