Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Does anyone want him for more than 50 overs?

Having not completely ignored David Warner before he was thrust into (inter)national prominence, I never quite bought the idea that he could only ever be a short-form specialist. I thought one of the downsides of his national representation was that he was missing chances to play the longer form for NSW, especially last week's game when the Australian teams for all three forms were unavailable for state cricket. Imagine my surprise when I read this morning that he hasn't been picked for the next game against the banana benders (SMH).

It's true that his competition has good claims to the spot. I'd certainly like to see Usman Khawaja do well for the Blues. In the meantime, Warner "hasn't done enough" in grade cricket and in four-day cricket for the Second XI. I guess that's not a comment that his grade form being restricted to limited overs (it certainly didn't look lik it when I had a glance at the stats last year), so how much has it got to do with being too busy playing big hitter for Australia? It doesnt' leave much time for club cricket, and the article says he's only played once for the Second XI. It gets worse - Moses points out that the Second XI selectors seem to think he's in the First XI!

How can he get a game with this going on? He's talked about moving interstate next season and you can't blame him. Before then, he's got an IPL contract. That's a good thing in itself, but it doesn't involve any first-class cricket. Warner is more in need of a season with a county than Phil Hughes is - it isn't an option only for those who were never going to sell in the IPL.

13 comments:

Kartikeya Date said...

Im glad the NSW side didn't fall for all that lucky-luke flogging he dished out to all those hapless South African bowlers in T20 games.

I wonder if some County isn't itching to sign him though..

straight point said...

i pity poor guy...too much is happening for him too quickly... making him vulnerable for wrong judgment...

first he should decide for himself that he wanna be a pinch hitter kinda basher or serious contender for long shot...

Jonathan said...

Kartikeya, while I agree that he probably isn't ready for the NSW first team, I'm with SP in that I think he's had a raw deal.

Just a few innings in the big spotlight has led half the world to write him off as a big hitter, and the other half to ask what the hype is about when he plays a more normal innings. At this stage, hopefully he does want to develop more, which means he should at least be picked for the 2nd XI. I always get annoyed when someone gets hanging between the first and second team!

Kartikeya Date said...

Precisely.... thats the insidiousness of T20 - nothing matters in T20 - batsmen don't care about getting out, bowlers don't care about getting wickets, with the result that the reputations acquired there are meaningless, and as a corollary, so are the performances.

But those stages are big, and so the spectacle is quite awesome.

But, Warner will find it hard to survive a session of good searching first class quality bowling.

T20 is the first contest where everyone of the 22 players on the field (13 inside the ropes and 9 in the "dug out") play primarily and solely to the gallery.

As a rule i think selectors should completely disregard T20 performances for selection to either Test or First Class Cricket.

Kartikeya Date said...

SP.... there hasn't been a player born yet who doesn't want to ultimately be in Test Matches.

Jonathan said...

I wouldn't pay attention to T20 form, either. But, when I've been around to see him for some 50 over games, I thought he had some potential in the longer form. I won't say he is guaranteed success, but how will his potential be developed or even tested if he busy playing T20 half the time and not even playing 2nd XI at other times?

Kartikeya Date said...

Oh definitely... he probably does have potential. But, take the T20 out of his career, and then see if there aren't 4-5 other batsmen in Australia waiting to get into First Class sides who are his equals in terms of potential...

Kartikeya Date said...

Im sorry Jonathan... but T20 has become a peeve with me - for cricketing reasons.

Jonathan said...

I agree. Khawaja is more deserving of the spot. I don't think I even buy the arguments that some of the older guys who aren't likely to get further should make way for the young talent which needs developing.

I guess my point is that T20 is not only fairly meaningless, but that the false reputation built on it is pushing him in one direction and playing havoc with whatever chances he did have in any other form.

Anonymous said...

would one of those occasions when you thought he had potential the time he scored 160ish not out in 40 odd overs?

Unknown said...

would one of those occasions when you thought he had potential the time he scored 160ish not out in 40 odd overs?

NR said...

David Warner is a good batsman its just that some players take time adjusting to international cricket...like just take Hayden for example even he failed initially but went on to become one of the world best batsman and Attapattu who had 5 ducks in six innings went on to become Lanka's best batsman. So one has to wait and watch how David Warner copes up with this failure as cricket is all about how u deal with tough times of your career. If he is mentally strong he can come back. I think IPL can be a turning point in his career as a good performance there can get him a call from selectors as that what happened with Marsh and Watson in Australia and Yusuf Pathan in India.

Jonathan said...

Moses - I wasn't actually watching that one, but it didn't hurt his reputiation, did it?

Nazish, he probably did have trouble adjusting to international cricket, but he is also lacking any serious experience in the traditional form of the game. Australia (and NSW) currently have a very strong policy of selecting different teams for the three different formats. This is why he had his international chance, but it is also why a good IPL performance is not going to solve his problems.