Cricketing Thoughts - Brad Hodge

It’s Just Not Cricket

For most players at domestic level, given the current dire situation Australian cricket is in, averaging 80 and sitting atop the domestic one day run list with almost 500 runs would result in a phone side vigil waiting for ‘the call’ from the selectors. A season starting with two match-saving unbeaten centuries would have most waiting for the elevation to higher honours. However Bradley John Hodge is a different player to most. Season after season, the runs are piled on. Season after season, centuries are made and matches are won solely off the bat of Hodge. However, the step up has eluded Hodge for many years.

Seen by many as the most unlucky batsman of his time in Australian cricket, Hodge is one of a few immensely unfortunate batsmen to be dropped after making a test double century. After 5 matches, with a batting average of 58.42, Hodge was cast aside from the Australian XI back in 2006. He vowed to fight back but since that performance has added only one more game to his list. Called up as an emergency for Michael Clarke against the West Indies in 2008, Hodge made a solid 67 before being dropped again. This shoddy treatment from the selectors was a recurring theme of Brad Hodge’s time as an Australian batsman. Season after season, the runs were made, but, the call never came. When it did, Hodge was the proverbial scapegoat whenever the team didn’t perform at its peak, the first to be given the axe as the selectors persisted with others. Given an extended streak in coloured clothing, Hodge made 97 and 99 to seal himself a spot at Australia’s tilt for a 3^rd straight World Cup in the Caribbean. He celebrated his maiden ODI century against the lowly cricketing minnows Netherlands by belting 129 off 87 balls. For the Cup, that remained his last bat as he watched the final from the sidelines as it became ever more evident that Hodge was nothing more than a ‘back-up’ batsman in the eyes of Australian selectors.

Brad Hodge, over the past 16 years, has been Australia’s most consistent performer with the bat on the domestic scene. Debuting in 1993 as a precocious 18 year old, oozing talent, Hodge looked as if he was a state cricket veteran by piling up over 1000 runs in his first season. Like any batsman, form slumps came and went but Hodge emerged from each one more technically sound. However it was the turn of the century where Brad Hodge began to break down the door of selection through sheer weight of runs. In 2000-01, he made over 1000 runs and was integral in Victoria’s back-to-back Shield victories.  The very next season he was at it again and was named joint “Player Of The Season” In the season of 2002, Hodge decided to use his batting prowess to lead Leicestershire to a one-day trophy while in the same season smacking the highest score in Leicestershire’s cricketing history with a powerful unbeaten 302.

Cricket is a quirky game and it seems that fate is simply not on Hodge’s side.  Given a Cricket Australia contract in the year of 2004, it seemed Hodge would finally be given the selection he deserved against India. Michael Clarke put an end to that theory by becoming the 16^th Australian to score a century on test debut and announcing himself as a star of the future. Hodge was forced to wait until 2005, where he faced the West Indies. Debuting one match after fellow batsman Michael Hussey, Hodge made a sparkling 60 on debut and showed the cricketing world what he had to offer. One must contemplate the contrasting fortunes of those two men. Michael Hussey struggled and made 1 and 29 on debut and today is regarded as one of Australia’s greatest batsmen of the modern era, the only player to average over 50 in both major forms of cricket at international level, while Hodge is regarded as one of the many ‘nearly-men’ of Australian cricket.

Since his last test match, Brad Hodge has been consistently carving up domestic cricket for 4 years now. Ever remaining on the fringes of higher honours but seemingly just out of reach. Hodge’s form in the shorter formats of the game over the past 3 years has been nothing short of outstanding. One of the most sought after Twenty20 batsmen in the world and 2^nd on the all-time run scorer’s list in this format worldwide, Hodge has been overlooked time and time again for the national team. For one, our T20 side are not world beaters and it is evident that Australia has still not fully adjusted to this format of the game. However, even through sheer weight of numbers and over 100 games of experience, Brad Hodge has not been selected regularly. Currently, Hodge has scored the most runs in Australian One Day Domestic matches than any other batsman in history while at the same time, sits at 4^th on the all-time list with over 10,000 runs in the longer format of the game.

Piling on the runs with no reward eventually takes its toll. By the time the 2009-10 season arrived, Hodge's heart was no longer in first-class cricket. He began the season in emphatic style with a brilliant 195 against South Australia, but, at the point of making his century, Hodge was struck with fatigue. He ran down the pitch and slapped the new ball over the bowler’s head for a six and declared that he no longer had the passion to play in the longer format and retired soon after. However he vowed to continue on in the shorter format for a couple more seasons. The form of Bradley Hodge is astonishing, entering the twilight of his career, in season 2009-10, he topped the ODD Cup run charts with over 600 runs. This season he looks set to eclipse that.

As the Australian selectors continue to baffle many with their odd choices, namely 36 men being handed a baggy green over the past four years, one must ask whether youth can bring Australian cricket back to the glory days or whether experience is the true key towards success. Experience cannot be bought, it cannot be found in youth nor can it be forged easily. Runs have been freely flowing off the bat of Bradley Hodge for almost 17 years now. The calibre of a batsman is evident in their run scoring, Hodge has outscored the majority of his peers in domestic cricket for almost half a decade now consistently, and one must ask what else need be done by the commanding Victorian if he is ever to receive further appearances at the highest level.

Sanjeet Ajgaonkar

Cricketing Thoughts - Stephen O'Keefe

What About Sock?

Stephen Norman John O’Keefe or Sock as he is known to his mates in the NSW team is an exciting young prospect that will be a prominent figure of Australian cricket in the next few years. As Australia’s dreadful spinner woes continue with the recent surprise pick of Michael Beer, possibly to play at the Boxing Day Test, O’Keefe could be just the player needed to thread Australia back together and return it to its world beating status. When most people think of a slow bowling all-rounder from NSW, thoughts immediately turn to O’Keefe’s namesake, Steve Smith who has already played a few test matches without setting the world on fire. However, O’Keefe is just as talented with the bat and his figures with the ball appear far superior to Smith’s. This raises the question, why has Steve O’Keefe not been handed a baggy green?

The Allan Border Field in Queensland in mid-June was where the stage was set for young O’Keefe to stamp his name as a potential future spin bowling all-rounder capable of devastating spells with the ball and belligerent batting. With Australia ‘A’ in trouble at 6/92, out walked Sock at number 8, the game seemingly in the balance and added a sheen of respectability to the score line by top scoring with a mature 61. The Sri Lankans, ready to tackle, began batting with caution but were simply blown away in a sensational one man bowling show, O’Keefe the chief destroyer with 7/35. If this wasn’t enough, the side faltered again in the 2^nd innings but O’Keefe stepped up yet again and smacked 47 to provide the foundation for a crushing win over the tourists. Promptly after this performance O’Keefe jumped on a plane to join the Australian squad to play against Pakistan in England, unfortunately Steve Smith was given the nod ahead of his fellow New South Welshman and O’Keefe was left simply to be used as a net bowler and substitute fielder for the entirety of the Test series. Finally given a wonderful chance to represent his country in a Twenty20 against the Pakistanis, O’Keefe seized the opportunity and took 3/29 as well as taking two catches as the Australians narrowly lost the match.

As the months go on, O’Keefe’s bowling continues to improve as well as his skills as an all-round cricketer. The fact that he has only played 11 first class matches meant little to NSW cricket administrators as the twenty six year old was chosen as stand in captain of his state side ahead of more experienced players. The main form of criticism towards O’Keefe is that one game does not make a career. It may give the world a glimpse of what he is capable of in the future, but consistency is what should be rewarded with national selection. Many argue that O’Keefe must put in a few more dominating performances before he deserves the chance to don the baggy green. However, this is completely unjustified. Steve Smith was given a debut after a promising 7/64 in a Shield game which had the selectors licking their lips with delight over the next exciting spinner to emerge, since then, Smith has done little to justify his selection.  Xavier Doherty was promptly picked after taking a five wicket haul against the Victorians at the MCG, regardless of a first class bowling average nudging on 50. Michael Beer has been picked on the basis that he took five wickets in one game against the touring English, regardless of the fact that he has only featured at first-class level for five games. At this point, it is evident that the selectors are simply not taking experience or consistency into consideration for elevation to higher honours, more so, acting in hyper bursts of excitement over a single performance which bears little in comparison to the harsh stage of international cricket. With this in mind, the selection of Stephen O’Keefe, the next spinner in the proverbial line of Australian domestic cricket seems like the next logical option. Not only have devastating all-round performances been exhibited, but a sense of consistency is evident in O’Keefe’s game.

Over 11 first class games for his state, O’Keefe has spun out 42 victims at a phenomenal average of 23.5 with a five wicket haul and three bags of four, while at the same time averaging a healthy 46. 3 with the bat filled with 3 stroke-filled half centuries. Combining this with high class fielding and even potential captaincy and Stephen O’Keefe is effectively a four-in-one cricketer. The performances of this 26 year old suggest that there is far more to come, while at the same time show that an elevation to the top level is now long overdue. Australia is currently seeking a consistent match-winning all-rounder, with Mitchell Johnson at the pace bowling helm, O’Keefe could be the perfect supplement in the Australian outfit to catapult them back to the top of world cricket. Cricket fans all over the country are complaining of a lack of a genuine all-rounder in the Australian juggernaut, the best solution? Put a Sock in it.

Sanjeet Ajgaonkar.

Cricketing Thoughts - Michael Beer

The Curious Case of Michael Beer

Spin bowling around the world and, specifically, in Australia was changed forever when a blonde haired and sunscreen covered Shane Keith Warne stepped on to the cricketing scene back in 1992. Spinners, back then seen as a dying breed were suddenly catapulted back into the limelight and seen as a major match winning force to be reckoned with. The cricketing world was better for it and when Warne retired in 2007 after spinning out 1001 wickets around the world Australia hoped, nay prayed that another spinner would step up.

In the three years since Warne’s retirement, Australia has trialed 10 spinners at the highest level namely Xavier Doherty, Cameron White, Bryce McGain, Beau Casson and Jason Krejza.  Among the five of them, they have played 10 tests before being discarded and thrown back into the wilderness of state cricket. Nathan Hauritz has been the only slow bowler to be trialed extensively. Hauritz has played in 16 tests since his sudden recall against the Black Caps in 2008 taking 58 wickets at an average nudging 35 with 2 five wicket hauls and generally consistent offspin bowling however, even he has been thrown into the ‘used spinners’ pile.

The Australian spin cycle is quite brutal and has claimed victims at an alarming rate. The desperation for a spinner within the Australian ranks is now fairly evident with 26 year old West Australian left arm orthodox spinner Michael Beer being picked from obscurity to join the 12 man squad for a possible debut in the 3^rd Test of the Ashes at the WACA. Beer is in line to become Australia’s 418^th test cricketer as the stumped Australian selectors look for any way to blunt the run machine that is the England batting line up.

Beer, who replaces two-game-old Xavier Doherty in the squad, has been picked for his “impressive performances this year at domestic level. He took wickets against England in the tour match earlier this summer and we expect he will bowl very well against the English on his home ground”. These were the words of the chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch. This surprising selection however seemingly overlooks the fact that Beer has as much of a home ground advantage at the WACA as Shane Warne did bowling in India. Last summer, Beer was playing club cricket for St. Kilda down in Melbourne while struggling to break into the Victorian State Team and even played a few games with the master, Shane Warne a few seasons back. It seems that the only reason he has made the huge step up from club cricket to the international stage is due to a vote of confidence Warne gave him when throwing his name around in a newspaper article written last week.

The criticism of Beer’s shock selection is flowing in from all over the land, with former Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill joining the chorus of voices demanding a legitimate reason for his selection. "I am gobsmacked, shocked, I honestly cannot believe it," MacGill told Sydney's Daily Telegraph. "The team will have to change again after the next Test. Good on Michael Beer, good bloke and good player, but look at this as a job interview and show me his qualifications to get this job. He doesn't have any. He is not qualified for the job they have given him. Sending him out there next week, what are they trying to do?" Jumping on Andrew Hilditch’s poorly made comments of a ‘home ground advantage’ MacGill questioned whether Hilditch was actually aware of who Beer was as well as criticising Nathan Hauritz’s wrongful omission from the squad. "Xavier Doherty was [an odd inclusion] too, to be honest. They are clearly telling Nathan Hauritz, 'you are never playing Test cricket again'. I don't understand that. Xavier Doherty should never have played the first two Tests. Michael Beer shouldn't be playing this one." A disillusioned Hauritz is reportedly selling his cricket gear on eBay and who can blame him? After a consistent run that brought 63 test wickets, he has been discarded in an increasingly prominent trend of Australian selections.

Beer himself cannot hide his shock towards his selection and pluck from obscurity. Many have likened it to the surprise selection of one Peter Taylor to make his debut at the SCG during the Ashes Series of 1986/87. Taylor went on to make 46 and take 6 wickets on debut to take Australia to victory; whether Beer will have such an impact is yet to be seen.  Michael Beer is yet to meet his captain for the first time, yet to take more than 3 wickets in an innings and bowl more than 200 overs in his entire career. The impact he has on the test is hard to predict. Will he cut a swathe through the England juggernaut or simply take a pasting from the in-form Cook, Trott and Pietersen? To Beer or not to Beer. That is the question all of Australia wants answered.

Sanjeet Ajgaonkar.