CA Contracts 12/13 – Question Marks (As Always)

Cricket Australia have cut down the amount of contracts handed out from 25 down to 17. This was always going to cause a bit of controversy and a few raised eyebrows. I’m happy with the cut down. They’ve focused on the test players and the guys that pop in for a Twenty20 here and there have rightly missed out. But I’m not happy with a few of the allocations.

At first I wasn’t happy that Cowan missed out. But he certainly hasn’t sealed his test position yet and a bad run could seem him out of Australian colours completely, which would make his contract quite surplus.

But while selectors have been very strict on the batsmen – only the 4 other test batsmen (I’m counting Watson as an all-rounder) plus David Hussey received contracts – they have handed out contracts to bowlers left, right and center. If we follow the criteria obviously applied to the batsmen and only give out contracts to those with cemented positions, then there are huge questions marks on why Starc, Cummins and particularly Mitchell Johnson were rewarded.

Mitchell Johnson got dropped and then he got injured as well. Many thought his career at international level could be over, especially after the influx of fast bowlers to the top level that proceeded. What was certain was that he would have to regain form at domestic level to be any chance. But now he was been given a contract and put on tour for the England ODI’s. Surely he won’t get a look in? I would consider Harris, Pattinson, Hilfenhaus, Siddle, Starc, Lee, Cummins to all be ahead of him… He is at the bottom of a long list. Yet he managed a CA contract? And poor old Ed Cowan who currently has a test position didn’t get one? This is wrong.

I also consider Cummins a surprise. He is clearly highly regarded. Apart from a little glimpse of potential brilliance he surely never consolidated an Australian spot enough to get a contract, before he too was injured. So if the bowlers are getting contracts because of potential, why didn’t the batsmen? The same with Starc, he did OK but he would be below the other pace bowlers, he isn’t a concrete selection for Australia so why did he get a contract?

The list of contracted players for 2012/13 nearly made me happy… But I would have preferred they cut it down even more, so it didn’t unfairly favour pace bowlers. Even giving Johnson’s contract to someone like Cowan, Forrest or Khawaja probably would have silenced my voice of usual complaint.