Who's next?

November 12, 2004


http://www.theage.com.au/news/Cricke...227585154.html

The Whole article is too long so take a look at the site.





THE NEXT GENERATION

Dominic Thornely
26, NSW batsman

An effortless striker of the ball, Thornely was earmarked as a future star as a teenager in Albury. But it was not until last summer, aged 25, that he finally made his first-class debut and it took him until last week at the SCG to really arrive.

The redhead they compare with Mark Waugh did it in style, striking an unbeaten double century in NSW's thumping victory over Western Australia, with Stuart MacGill as his partner for almost half of his six-and-three-quarter hour innings.

"It was just an amazing knock for a guy so young — he has played less than 10 first-class games — to show the maturity to blend some amazing strokeplay with some great control," NSW assistant coach Matthew Mott said. "He knows now that if he puts his hand up, he can nail not only a spot here but in the future Australian set-up."

A smart thinker, Thornely also works as a player-manager with Neil Maxwell's management group, Insight, looking after NSW teammate Brett Lee.

Bennett King says: "He's a committed cricketer who works extremely hard. He's got captaincy potential as well, reads the game very well and is a bright person. You will see some wonderful things from Dominic."

Luke Ronchi
23, WA wicketkeeper

WA has chosen to blood Ronchi in the ING Cup in the belief that a long-term successor to Adam Gilchrist has not yet revealed himself in first-class cricket. "He just needs opportunity, and plenty of it, so we've opted to play him (ahead of Ryan Campbell) in the one-day game and let people see that he is a pretty talented player," said WA coach Wayne Clark.

Ronchi is a batting wicketkeeper in the Gilchrist tradition, who has been targeted through the age groups and is considered one of the most exciting youngsters in the country. He will fight to distinguish himself from other young glovemen such as Adam Crosthwaite, Chris Hartley and Tim Payne. "Wicketkeeping is a difficult art, but sometimes you see someone who is a natural," Clark said.

Bennett King says: "Has a lot of ability with the bat and the gloves, is very fit and enjoys the work. But Adam (Gilchrist) looks like he is going to go for quite a while yet."

David Hussey
27, Victorian batsman

Hussey arrived in Victoria in 2001 from his native WA, where the state selectors once admitted to mistakenly crediting his highly-regarded older brother, Mike, with his string of high scores in grade cricket, and from where new coach Mike Veletta had virtually sent him packing.

An exuberant batsman, Hussey made his name with a breathtaking double century last summer in Victoria's record runchase against NSW, an innings that prompted former Australian captain Steve Waugh to predict imminent national selection for the right-hander.

Victorian coach Greg Shipperd says Hussey, who made 857 runs at 61.21 runs last summer before enjoying a prodigious English winter with Nottinghamshire, is ready to play for Australia.

"In terms of striking ability, David would be in the class of the current, fluent, middle-order Australian players in terms of the power with which he hits the ball and the placement he uses," Shipperd said.

Bennett King says: "A wonderful striker of the ball. He's got a natural flair about him that you can't miss. He can take a game by the scruff of the neck and win a game for you, as he showed last year. There's not a lot of people in Australia who can do that."

Mark Cleary
24, SA fast-medium bowler

Cleary was unearthed by Jamie Siddons, playing club cricket in Mildura, and told to waste no time in getting to Adelaide. Within six months, he played for Australia A, and he figured in the national selectors' discussions when injuries to Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie sparked a search for fast bowlers to take on the one-day tour of India.

Damien Fleming, bowling coach at Australia's Centre of Excellence, likened him to a young Paul Reiffel. "He's definitely one I'd be talking about. He's a guy who is sharpish in pace, he gets good bounce and he's quite accurate as well," said Fleming. "He's not a big swinger of the ball, but he hits the seam and the deck hard with a quicker bouncer and a good slower ball. He's got a very good even temperament, he charges in all day and he's also quite handy with the bat."

Last season yielded 30 wickets at 29.76. "If he can string some performances together, being capable with the ball and the bat is certainly something they'll look for, especially in the oneday game," said SA bowling coach Peter Muggleton.

Bennett King says: "Mark's got one of the best slower balls I've seen for a long time. He is a mature cricketer and doesn't seem to be overawed."

Adam Voges
25, WA batsman

Voges has battled to break into a classy WA top order containing Murray Goodwin, Marcus North and Mike Hussey, but announced himself spectacularly by hitting a century in only 62 balls in a recent ING Cup against NSW. "He got the opportunity and he took it," Clark said. "He's a good, steady player and we think he's got a big future."

Voges is already regarded as a leader of the future, has captained WA in second XI matches, and bowls more than useful left-arm orthodox spin.

Bennett King says: "He's multi-talented, a good athlete, got a good level head and has a real passion for cricket. We consider him one of the better spinners we had in here, too. He is a good leader as well, and he's quite instinctive with his decision-making."

Daniel Cullen
20, SA off spinner

Cullen already has been branded the next Ashley Mallett by his mentor, Terry Jenner. He made his debut for SA against Victoria last month after a successful tour of India with the Australian cricket academy followed a 41-wicket season in the Adelaide grade competition. He managed four wickets in his first match, including Matthew Elliott and David Hussey, and Jenner believes there is no reason the right-arm off spinner could not tour England next year for the Ashes series.

"When Ashley Mallett arrived in 1967 at the Adelaide Oval, there was a tour to England in 1968 and he went on it. I think there's a possibility given that the season's got a long way to go, that those sort of things could happen for Dan, provided he continues to work on his craft," said Jenner.

"We shouldn't get too carried away, but he had a very good debut. Short of taking fivefor, he did everything that was asked of him. His first wicket, bowling Hussey through the gate, there's no other finger spinner in Australia in the last 10 years has even attempted to do that."

Bennett King says: "Fast learner, good accuracy, good control, rated highly."

Mark Cosgrove, 20
SA batsman

Cosgrove's nickname, "Mini-Boof", is slightly misleading because there is actually more of the 20-year-old left-hander than there is of his SA captain and mentor, Lehmann. Indeed, it is Cosgrove's generous shape that is currently seen as the main impediment to his future selection prospects.

But he has a variety of other attributes that would endear him to Hohns' panel of national selectors — aggression, composure and a solid technique.

"He's an uncomplicated character. He's confident in his ability and nothing ruffles him," said SA's batting coach, Jamie Siddons. "I tried to find fault with his technique this year and I couldn't find too many problems. He'd make a fantastic one-day player down the track."

The similarities between Cosgrove and the original "Boof" do not end with their physiques. Cosgrove idolised Lehmann as he was growing up and both lefties are from the same club, Northern Districts.

Cosgrove made 639 runs in four-day cricket for the Redbacks last season at 45.64. But fitness issues could hold him back. "I seriously don't think they will look at him until we sort out his fitness," Siddons said.

"Although he's a really good catcher, and a really good fieldsman in close, you've got to do a lot of things these days."

Bennett King says: "I would like to think that he's compared to Boof not because of his physique, but because he's got that ability to hit balls in a lot of different areas and he can play a lot of different types of bowling in a lot of different ways."

__________________
It's hard enough to remember my opinions, without remembering my reasons for them!
Nietzsche

In the article King refuses to note his 'superstar' prospect (apparently there is one) and a lot of the other young players as he does not want to out pressure on them. I personaly think he left out quite a few rising talents and I disagree about Thornly.

__________________
It's hard enough to remember my opinions, without remembering my reasons for them!
Nietzsche

Thanks for the interesting article, Beny. If you have time could you please pick your Australia A team? You can then revisit this thread from time to time to ammend your team when you think changes are necessary. You are really down on Thornley who backed up his recent double-century with a solid 58 against the Kiwis in their warm-up match ahead of the two-Test series against Australia. That was the top score in the NSW first innings.

My Aus A side:

M. Hussy
M. Elliot- (NOTE: is over 30 but due to form is deserving of place over any other oppener we now have)
B. Hodge
D. Hussy
B. Haddin
D. Thornly- (I reserve my judgment as I'm unsure weather he is simply in form or a peaking player)
C. White
S. McGill
M. Cleary
N. Bracken
S. Tait

12th Man...
C. Ferguson

I think this team could BEAT all teams currently ranked under SA... e.g NZ, WI,

And compeate on the same level as the other teams i.e England, SA, India, Pak

On a batting front they are possibly as good, if not better than the above mentiond teams. However the Bowling line up is lacking in both experiance and Quality.

On the other hand we are not counting in the guys who I consider to be a part of the Aussie Test Team.
Clarke, Katich and Lee. Nor any of the over 30's such as Law, Nicholson, Williams e.c.t

Taking 2 spinners is slightly contentions however White is also a middle order Batsmen and there are not too many pace bowlers who are really bowling well. Some of the Other Bowlers are good but not enough to grab the headlines. Also I'm leaving out some players who I think will become good later on but are not getting a go right now because of the depth of some of the state teams. That is likely to change by the end of the season though.

__________________
It's hard enough to remember my opinions, without remembering my reasons for them!
Nietzsche

So how about an England A, Mike?

__________________
It's hard enough to remember my opinions, without remembering my reasons for them!
Nietzsche

Good team, Beny. Now do me a favour and replace those guys who are 30 or over and/or have played more than 5 Test matches. Katich has 14 Tests so doesn't qualify. Brad Williams just sneaks in on age and has only 4 Tests. Brad Hodge just sneaks in on age but turns 30 in December.

The above criteria is designed to pick a team of up-and-coming players who haven't yet established themselves in the Test team. The England forum members recently discussed and selected their A team in this thread:
http://world-a-team.com/showthread.p...0810#post20810

Obviously, there aren't enough Aussie members on this board yet to warrant a negotiated style of team selection which the England members did so, until there is, consider yourself as the official WAT Australia A team selector.

I'd be interested to see what changes you'd make at the end of the season. The team you choose should be a Test style team - not a one-day style team.

Do I get a cap?

I FORGOT SOME NAMES.
Players under 30 with less than 4 test matches under their belts.

M. Hussy
C. Ferguson
B. Hodge
D. Hussy
S. Watson
B. Haddin
C. White
B. Williams
M. Cleary
N. Bracken
S. Tait

Ferguson is not noted as an oppener but is deserving as a spot, mainly because he is one of the best young batsmen in Aus and has the sort of game that could make him an oppener.

__________________
It's hard enough to remember my opinions, without remembering my reasons for them!
Nietzsche

Hi Beny, good work. I've decided to give selectors a special title to show that they have chosen an A Team based on the WAT criteria of (1) Under 30 (2) Less than 6 Test matches played (3) Team should be balanced for the purposes of playing in a tournament in a one innings (90 overs), two-day format.

If other Aussie members, in the future, express an interest in paticipating in the selection process then you'll need to start a separate thread for that and arrive at a team through negotiation. It would be good if you could review your selections at the end of the season as some players may present a strong case to be included on form. One or two players in your current team may become unqualified due to the age criteria such as Brad Hodge.

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Administrator

Ohhh... better than a cap!

__________________
It's hard enough to remember my opinions, without remembering my reasons for them!
Nietzsche