Baggy Green Safety Check
With the Test squad announced, we evaluate how safe each player is in their Baggy Green. We will presume that Starc will be named at 12th man.
Ed Cowan Safety Rating: 1.5/5
The selectors like Cowan. They stated he’s a good team man and they are right – he is a true professional and he knows his game back to front. But he has made only a mediocre start to his Test career, averaging 30 from his 7 tests. It has also been a little while since his last First Class hundred, he hasn’t got the blistering form behind him that he had when selected 12 months ago. Phil Hughes does have that form, and he and Rob Quiney amongst others are snapping at Cowan’s heels. Failures in the first 2 tests could see Cowan heading back to the Tigers earlier than he would have liked.
David Warner Safety Rating: 3/5
Warner has seriously impressed in his 9 tests. Many doubted how suited the big hitting Warner was to the longer form of the game, but few were left unconvinced after he nearly solely steered Australia to victory against New Zealand is his 2nd test, where he scored an unbeaten 123 in trying conditions. He is sitting fairly comfortably at the top of the order at the moment and would need a string of bad performances to have his head on the chopping block.
Shane Watson Safety Rating: 5/5
Watson ain’t going nowhere. Vice Captain and he’s always contributing to the side whether it is with bat or ball. He is as safe in the side as possible. One feels that he’s about to explode in a flurry of centuries, it could potentially be an exciting summer watching this man at the crease.
Ricky Ponting Safety Rating: 2/5
Sadly the witch hunt will continue for Ricky Ponting. A couple of failures and people will be screaming for the great man to be dropped from the side. Ricky will have to consistently make runs this summer to sway the attention away from him.
Michael Clarke Safety Rating: 5/5
Like his deputy, the Captain of the side isn’t going anywhere and is as safe as one can get. Clarke would need to have a ridiculously bad summer in a losing side to have doubt cast over him.
Michael Hussey Safety Rating: 3/5
Mr Cricket is in a similar position to Ponting, however the general public and the media seem to take a bit easier on Hussey. He is actually relatively safe, Hussey is looked upon as being a hugely important part of the Australian line-up in terms of being a reliable mid order rock and also general influence on the team. He would have to have a very dry season to be dropped, but a couple of poor tests will see the talk begin.
Matthew Wade Safety Rating: 3/5
Wade is an interesting case and it is hard to tell where the selectors are in their thinking at the moment. Inverarity was clear in expressing the fact that Haddin was still in their thoughts (although his recent injury won’t help). Also Paine is always mentioned (Only 1 First Class century – keep him away!). Peter Nevill keeps impressing for New South Wales as well. There is certainly competition for this spot and Wade will have to continue to score runs to be safe.
James Pattinson Safety Rating: 2/5
Peter Siddle Safety Rating: 2/5
Ben Hilfenhaus Safety Rating: 2/5
I have rated all the pacers at 2 because there is so much competition in this area. These three have all done well for themselves in recent times, but unfortunately for them much of that is going to go out the window this summer. If one of them has a shocker, see you later, in comes Starc. If Australia loses the pace attack will be the first thing to change. The reason they are not even lower in rating is because they have some comfort in knowing that the other two guys have to be better for them to be in the firing line.
Nathan Lyon Safety Rating: 4/5
Lyon has been solid in his test career so far. While not setting the world alight he has kept his opponents honest. There are no spinners at state level pushing their hand to take his spot, so I don’t see any way for Nathan to be dropped (not including games where they pick 4 pacers to suit conditions I.E. the WACA).