If the World Cup picture got any clearer for the Australian selectors after
this weekend, that would have been 'clear as mud'.
With three runs from 15 balls, have Andrew Symonds chances of going to South
Africa gone?
Has the previously unfancied Michael Hussey nudged his name ahead of the
pack after his unbeaten 44 and fine run out?
With the depth of Australian cricket so great, there are more people who can
be left out then picked. Such being the case, if Australia do not defend
their crown in South Africa next March, expect a lot of finger pointing
towards Jolimont Street.
The hot seat at the moment in the Australian one-day side is No 7.
Gilchrist opening the batting allows the selection of an extra player,
ideally an all-rounder. One who can make runs if they are called for and
required to get through 10 overs.
This gives the side more versatility and means the chances of part-time
bowlers such as Lehmann, Bevan and Martyn being called upon are less.
It was the failure of both Ian Harvey and Symonds in this role last year
which saw Australia became unstuck and miss out on the VB Series Finals.
When Harvey played, the side appeared short a batsman. When it was Symonds,
Australia looked a bowler short.
In front of Australian audiences, Shane Watson is untested. This VB Series
is going to be his baptism of fire and 'make or break' time for him. In his
eight One-Day Internationals to date, he has eight wickets at 46 with a
respectable batting average of 34. So, he seems to be
more of an all-rounder in the Symonds mould.
If Watson comes unstuck against England and Sri Lanka, that's when it gets
interesting.
There is no doubt you need an all-rounder of some sort to be competitive in
ODIs. It's ironic that the Australian Test side are so flexible while their pyjama colleagues are not.
Probably not knowing it at the time, the whole notion of having different
Test and one-day sides was sown when the administrators made it a 50-over
game with five minimum bowlers. In Test cricket you had your four primary
bowlers. Now another one amongst the top six had to be found to bowl 10
overs.
The better one-day sides in history have been those where they had players
to pick from who were naturals at both batting and bowling such as Imran
Khan, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram and Steve Waugh.
In the 1987 World Cup, Waugh took 11 wickets at 26. With Australia fielding
an average wicket-keeper in the shape of Greg Dyer, it was imperative that
they make up for it elsewhere. It was Waugh's incredible performances in
this World Cup which saw them win it.
It was the bowling of Tom Moody which got Australia home in 1999. His
tournament matched Australia's in that he had a slow start and only began to
hit his straps at the business end of things.
The fact that Waugh doesn't bowl anymore and is therefore a batsman rather than
an all-rounder conspires against him. If he will not bowl, there is no way
the Australian selectors can pick him. The void for him to fill is that of
the all-rounder. That's it. In Bevan, Lehmann and Ponting, Australia have arguablythe finest middle-order in the world. After that triumvirate and Martyn they need an all-rounder.
One person who didn't do his chances any harm in the Australia A game was
Greg Blewett. He batted nicely before being dismissed by a superb catch and
bowled seven tight overs of medium pace. After playing the last of his 32
one-dayers, four years ago he might be worth another look.
His inclusion would add some steel to the batting and his bowling is the
tight, wicket-to-wicket proposition which could be successful on the
South African pitches.
Australian coach John Buchanan and captain Ricky Ponting have a lot to
think about between now and February. Are they as adept bowling first to
batting first and vice-versa? Because if not, that will shape the
composition of the team.
When you play well, cricket is an easy fun game. When out of form, she can
be a tough torturer of body, mind and soul.
Will it be elementary for Dear Watson?
This will be the first of many questions to be answered between now and
March 23.