Who will be Australia's next number three batsman?

[Ruckus]

Not sure it is that harsh...he is a below average fielder imo.

 

[Dan]

You might personally not rate Hughes but there is no denying that the kid is a special talent, and like all special talents he too needs to be nurtured which unfortunately hasn't happened thus far.

Thing is though, I do rate Hughes. And he's damn sure better served by practicing his craft for a full county season, in bowler-friendly conditions, against teams from a country with the best fast bowling depth in the world.

Better for him than being thrown into random Tests here and there when Watson breaks down with injury, or being jetted around the world to play meaningless ODI series or T20, when he can develop into a better long-form batsman this way. Shipping him over to Worcestershire was a gun move for his development, IMO.

I'd like to refer you back to Cribb's post that started this thing:

I'm not saying he won't ever come back a good player - in fact I'd be surprised if he didn't eventually - but as of right now he should not be in the frame. He wasn't dropped because he didn't know how to score oodles of domestic runs in a short time-frame or because he wasn't as gifted as Ed Cowan, so these things are factors that were already known the last time he was (deservedly) dropped. He needs to work on some technical issues before returning.

 

[Ruckus]

It's funny though, sometimes I wonder whether playing in country cricket really is that good for his development...I mean it's obviously better than nothing, but he always just seems to score bucketloads of runs. I'm not that familiar with country cricket though, but is the standard of bowling these days just poor? Seems as though every Aus batsman over there, whether is be Hughes, Cowan, Khawaja etc. is cashing in...

 

[Spark]

He didn't score bucketloads of runs in his last stint.

Have no idea what you're talking about frankly.

 

[Ruckus]

Oh didn't he? Must be mixing him up with someone else. How many times has he had stints over there now?

 

[Spikey]

this is his 3rd stint, killed it in his 2 games or w/ever for middlesex in 09, was horrible in the 3 games he played for hamps in 10 (btw, during this time he played with d. cork. at some point during sky's coverage of our series v sa last year he said hughes has a lot of growing up to do) and now he's doing decently

 

[Ruckus]

Oh yeah I must have been thinking of his first stint with Middlesex: "He enjoyed strong success in England (with Middlesex), scoring 574 runs in his three first-class matches, including three hundreds, at an average of 143.50".

From memory I think his stint with Hampshire a year or two ago was the start of his dire domestic form coming back from a shoulder injury or something? Remember he was averaging something like 60 in domestic cricket and it dropped down to below 50 where it is now.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

this is his 3rd stint, killed it in his 2 games or w/ever for middlesex in 09, was horrible in the 3 games he played for hamps in 10 (btw, during this time he played with d. cork. at some point during sky's coverage of our series v sa last year he said hughes has a lot of growing up to do) and now he's doing decently

You have to be bad if Dominic Cork is saying you need to grow up.

 

[Ruckus]

These are Hughes' stats so far in County 2012:

FC: 4 innings, 194 runs, two 50's, average of 48.50.

List A: 6 innings, 352 runs (2nd placed in the comp), two 100's and two 50's, average of 117.33

T20: 7 innings, 322 runs (1st placed in the comp), three 50's, average of 80.50.

So it's fair to say he's doing alright.

 

[Jacknife]

It's funny though, sometimes I wonder whether playing in country cricket really is that good for his development...I mean it's obviously better than nothing, but he always just seems to score bucketloads of runs. I'm not that familiar with country cricket though, but is the standard of bowling these days just poor? Seems as though every Aus batsman over there, whether is be Hughes, Cowan, Khawaja etc. is cashing in...

Cowan's only played one first class game over here in the past few years, played some one day stuff where he didn't to well in 2008 averaged 18. Khawaja averages 39 for Derbyshire in first class cricket, hasn't done too bad in list A where he averages 50.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Khawaja's performances deserve some extra credit; he has voluntarily chosen to spend time in Derbyshire.

 

[Spikey]

And Queensland. However Hughes has decided to go to South Australia so he's clearly willing to suffer more pain in the pursuit of success than Usman is