Should Australia select more youngsters??

[pup11]

Now we see a lot of teams around the world picking up 19 year old's and 20 year old's and pushing them into international cricket, but Australia hardly seems to pick young players anymore, Michael clarke was the last young player they picked at the age of 22.
Now should Australia pick young players especially for their odi team or should they stick with their policy of grooming a player at the domestic level until he gets ready for international cricket and then picking him.

 

[Matt79]

Who out of Ponting, Hussey, Hayden, Gilchrist and Lee do you suggest they drop to achieve this?

The Dad's Army stuff was always rubbish, and the fact is three or four of the spots have opened up for younger blokes with a few of the older members retiring. The Aussie team is always going to be older, on average, than subcontinent teams, because of the domestic structure and a selection policy that values consistency and demonstrated talent at the FC level.

Tait is/was in his early 20s when picked and IIRC so was Watson.

 

[Perm]

No. Stupid question. Pick players who deserve it, there's no point in suggesting that you pick a player just because he's younger, particularly when the incumbents are performing.

 

[JASON]

Out of Gilchrist (35 years 313 days), Hayden (35 years 329 days) , Ponting (32 years 278 days) , Brad Hogg (36 years 229 days) ,Macgill (36 years 210 days), Hussey (32 years 119 days ) and Brett Lee (30 years 319 days)

how many will make it to 2011 ?

 

[NUFAN]

Out of Gilchrist (35 years 313 days), Hayden (35 years 329 days) , Ponting (32 years 278 days) , Brad Hogg (36 years 229 days) ,Macgill (36 years 210 days), Hussey (32 years 119 days ) and Brett Lee (30 years 319 days)

how many will make it to 2011 ?

1 or 2.. I think Ponting should and possibly Lee.

I think yes we should pick a few more youngsters and we will, but not 19 or 20 year olds. We have a decent number of players who are still in there 20s who could become good International players.

Is this question because we lost a Twenty20 semi final? I hope not..

 

[Johnners]

And Hussey....

Pick players on their merits, not their age.

 

[Matt79]

Out of Gilchrist (35 years 313 days), Hayden (35 years 329 days) , Ponting (32 years 278 days) , Brad Hogg (36 years 229 days) ,Macgill (36 years 210 days), Hussey (32 years 119 days ) and Brett Lee (30 years 319 days)

how many will make it to 2011 ?

Who cares?

Picking players on potential more than 3 years before the next world cup doesn't mean you'll do any good at the WC. Players can come from the clouds like Tait, or alternatively be ruined by being rushed now.

 

[Richard]

Pick players on their merits, not their age.

Says it all really.

 

[Arjun]

As Navjot Singh Sidhu says, age is not a factor, fitness is. I see several players from the Aussie side over thirty, yet fielding with more power, reflexes, consistency and athleticism than most twenty-year olds. Even Jonty was the best fielder in the game at the time of his retirement. Tearaway pacers get better with age, and some even pick up more pace. It was hardly an ageing Hayden who hit those big sixes in the tournament. That was no ageing Aussie team running so hard between the wickets. Even in the streets of Perth, I'm sure, there are fifty-year olds who jog over 200 metres, given the fitness culture in the country.

 

[NUFAN]

I'm sure, there are fifty-year olds who jog over 200 metres, given the fitness culture in the country.

How random.

 

[Goughy]

I love the Aussie model where players have to earn their spots through tough domestic cricket. Its not just what you look like in the nets or your potential but the productivity and performance over a couple or few seasons.

Its led to talented individuals that have to push themselves and get hardened.

Australia produces more guys that are ready for international cricket than other nations because of this system.

From and English POV Id love the Aussie to abandon this way of doing things and start picking kids as it would weaken them and give everyone else a greater chance.

 

[chaminda_00]

There is a slight changing of the guard in regard to the selection of younger players for domestic sides. But after quite of few of these players (Brant, Crosgove, Ferguson, Marsh, North, Hauritz, Phillipson, Cullen the list goes on and on) have turned out one decent season then 2-3 average seasons. Then came back as experienced mid 20s players and started to dominate or be more consistent. I think you will find that Australia will continue to give guys in their mid to late 20s debuts over guys in their early 20s. If these guys aren't ready to preform at a high level at domestic cricket, what are the chances of them doing it at International.

Also im sure you will see more players in their mid 20s making their debut at domestic level then guys in their early 20s. If guys are making their FC debut at 26 then its just a follow on effort they will make their debuts at International level when they are like 28 or so.

 

[iamdavid]

I love the Aussie model where players have to earn their spots through tough domestic cricket. Its not just what you look like in the nets or your potential but the productivity and performance over a couple or few seasons.

Its led to talented individuals that have to push themselves and get hardened.

Australia produces more guys that are ready for international cricket than other nations because of this system.

From and English POV Id love the Aussie to abandon this way of doing things and start picking kids as it would weaken them and give everyone else a greater chance.

Agree completely.

Anyway there arent really any under 25's (bar Tait) in the country atm who are even close to the incumbents in terms of proven ability, can largely be out down to the fact they just dont get the chances as has already been said.
Who are the best batsman and bowlers under 25 outside of the current Australian squads?
In my eyes you'd say Cosgrove and White of the batsman and of the bowlers probably Brendon Drew (with a FC average of nearly 40), Henriques (with something like 3 FC matches to his name) and Aaron Heal/Dan Cullen (never going to be international standard bowlers).

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

No. Leaving aside exceptional cases like Ponting, relatively few players are good enough to play for Australia before their mid 20s. We have a strong side, a strong domestic competition, and enough players on the fringes most of the time to keep really young players out.

I have no problem with giving young, talented players some preferential treatment in selection to expose them to internaitonal cricket, like say Clarke and Watson recently, and we've seen with plenty of players how beneficial this can be, but there's no reason to pick players at 19 or 20 if they aren't ready.

Henriques is a classic example here. The guy is obviously a massive talent, tore it up in junior cricket, and he's just hit 20, but he's blatantly not ready. He needs at least one consistent season, if not necessarily a brilliant one, before he can be selected. If he plays all season for New South Wales and does well, give him a go in ODIs or wherever there's a vacancy, but not until then.

 

[readie]

No. Leaving aside exceptional cases like Ponting, relatively few players are good enough to play for Australia before their mid 20s. We have a strong side, a strong domestic competition, and enough players on the fringes most of the time to keep really young players out.

I have no problem with giving young, talented players some preferential treatment in selection to expose them to internaitonal cricket, like say Clarke and Watson recently, and we've seen with plenty of players how beneficial this can be, but there's no reason to pick players at 19 or 20 if they aren't ready.

Henriques is a classic example here. The guy is obviously a massive talent, tore it up in junior cricket, and he's just hit 20, but he's blatantly not ready. He needs at least one consistent season, if not necessarily a brilliant one, before he can be selected. If he plays all season for New South Wales and does well, give him a go in ODIs or wherever there's a vacancy, but not until then.

Agree with many points brought up here, however, i often wonder how watson would be going today if he'd been given the chance to have a few more domestic seasons under his belt and harden tht body up for the rigours of international cricket. I mean, although henriques is a major talent id hate to see wat has happened to watson happen to him and i dont believe just because he has talent should he be given an australian oppurtunity just because he could be a superstar we've been doing the same thing with Watson the last few years, id rather the selectors waited until he had a dominant year in domestic cricket before they picked him

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Watson had a handful of solid stints in Pura Cup I'd say, and each time he goes back now he does well again. His domestic stats are very good, and he was picked to some degree on performance as well as potential, a bit like Tait or Hilfenhaus, while someone like Michael Clarke was picked largely on potentail. And all those players listed did was Henriques hasn't done yet, which is play a decent amount of first class cricket before being considered.

 

[pup11]

This thread was started on the basis of a comment made by Chapelli on air regarding the fact Australia don't pick young players anymore like they used to do earlier.
I fully agree that age is not a factor if you are fit and are performing, but all i am trying to say is that when you see a certain potential in a young bloke shouldn't he be picked in the international team after one or two seasons of domestic cricket (like in case of Ponting, Clarke, Watson and Hilfy) so that player can serve his country for a longer period of time.

 

[Richard]

Not if there are other players currently serving their country equally well.

You can only pick someone if a place presents itself.

 

[Richard]

I love the Aussie model where players have to earn their spots through tough domestic cricket. Its not just what you look like in the nets or your potential but the productivity and performance over a couple or few seasons.

Its led to talented individuals that have to push themselves and get hardened.

Australia produces more guys that are ready for international cricket than other nations because of this system.

From and English POV Id love the Aussie to abandon this way of doing things and start picking kids as it would weaken them and give everyone else a greater chance.

Personally I'd infinitely prefer everyone else to ape the Australian way myself.

 

[Julian87]

I think this will change in regards to one player; Phil Hughes.