Aussie batsmen on notice to lift game
CRICKET KAGISO Rabada’s series-ending suspension has left Australia’s underperforming batsmen no excuses in South Africa.
For some, it’s either find another level or perish as Australia sets out to not only claim this prized series but continually fine-tune the exact personnel they believe can finally bring home the Ashes from England next year.
Australia appear unlikely to make any changes to the team that was comprehensively beaten in Port Elizabeth, unless
The loss of the attacking Irishman has also dealt a bitter blow to the start of new coach Stuart Dew’s career.
Hanley dislocated his shoulder crashing into an advertising hoarding after a desperate lunge to save a goal in the Suns’ preseason win over Mitchell Marsh fails to recover from a groin strain.
But the pressure is on the likes of Cameron Bancroft and Usman Khawaja in particular to produce the hallmark innings that can cement them in the Test side for all conditions. No Australian batsman has yet Brisbane at Southport on Sunday. New Suns football manager Jon Haines confirmed the news this morning.
“It was an unfortunate incident for Pearce at the weekend, he’s had a dislocation of his right shoulder,’’ he said.
“The advice from the surgeons made a century nor has anyone been consistent enough to average 40, and unless those numbers are rectified, AB de Villiers will likely lead South Africa to victory in the final two Tests in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
There were devastating periods during Rabada’s 11-wicket one-man show in Port Elizabeth where Australia’s batsmen were rendered almost powerless against his rampaging reverse swing and pace.
But with Rabada gone and no Dale Steyn to replace him, a window of opportunity has opened for Australia’s batsmen and our medical staff is a fairly conservative approach so we will expect the recovery period will take four to six weeks and at that time Pearce will be ready to play.’’
Hanley made his debut for the Suns in their Round 1 Q Clash loss to Brisbane last year to seize the advantage. Coach Darren Lehmann says hundreds will be the make-orbreak for the likes of Bancroft, Khawaja and his top order as the series goes on.
“They both looked good. You’d love them to go on. That’s the difference at the moment,” said Lehmann.
“AB went on, got 126 and that hurts you in this sort of format. When the series is going to be so tight, runs are going to be at a premium against two quality bowling attacks.”
Bancroft has shown improvements and Australia but then raced home to Ireland to be with his terminally ill brother Tommy, who passed away shortly after his arrival.
The injury means the Suns will be short-handed in their season opener against North Melbourne Kangaroos in Cairns later this month. rightly want to show faith in him after backing the West Australian in for the Ashes.
But young Queenslander Matt Renshaw is another up and coming star on their radar.
For Khawaja, his 75 in the second innings in Port Elizabeth was an outstanding knock and a representation of the left-hander’s true class.
But one score alone isn’t enough to resurrect his poor overseas record.
editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost
SAINTS will back their “tsunami” of emerging players to match it with the internationals flooding into rival Cairns Hockey clubs in 2018.
If the preseason is anything to go by, the formula is already working after the perennial contenders beat Stingers over the weekend to continue a two-game unbeaten President’s Cup win.
A-grade women’s coach Jeanene Lynam said rather than shunning the governing body’s plan to lift the standard of the league, it was about catering for their unmatched raft of talent.
“It is about giving a chance to homegrown products. Saints is a relatively large club and has a tsunami of girls coming through from primary school that are really talented,” she said.
“For obvious reasons, other clubs don’t have those numbers. So it’s the amount of kids coming through and being fair to them and secondly we’re backing what we’ve got and the quality we have coming through this season.”
Players have come and gone, but Lynam expected to be up there in the title race with a similarly balanced team as young players such as Gabi McArthur, Kloe Dunbar-Reid and Liv McArthur become more dominant on the pitch.
They are set combine with veteran Rhylee Pendrigh and newly-returned players Chrissee Benn, formerly of Souths, and Hannah Selby, to knock Souths off their perch.
“(Chrissee) is terrific with the young kids and the kids around her will learn a tremendous amount and will play alongside Rhylee Pendrigh,” Lynam said.
Souths beat Brothers 3-0 in the other A-grade women’s match, while in the A-grade men Saints and Stingers drew 1-1 and Souths split the points with Brothers in a 2-2 draw.
Souths play Saints while Stingers take on Brothers in the final round of preseason.
WHEN THE SERIES IS GOING TO BE SO TIGHT, RUNS ARE GOING TO BE AT A PREMIUM AGAINST TWO QUALITY BOWLING ATTACKS.