Is Cartwright the right man for the job?
AUSTRALIA’S desperation to fill the void left by Shane Watson and find a bona fide all-rounder for the Test side has led selectors to young Western Australian Hilton Cartwright.
But Cartwright’s bowling prowess has already come into question.
Trevor Hohns’ panel has called upon the 24-year-old for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan because there are concerns Australia’s bowlers may need some extra help at the MCG after getting through a mountain of work in their eventful first-up win in Brisbane.
However, he’s taken just four wickets in five firstclass games this season at an average of 74.75. His overall first-class record is 15 wickets in 16 games at an average of 41.93 – not exactly the numbers of a Test-class bowling option.
Former Victorian wicketkeeper Darren Berry says while Cartwright is a promising prospect, the Aussie team won’t gain much from his bowling.
“He is a good young cricketer ... but he bowls just handy, gentle medium pace. Nothing flash,” Berry said on SEN radio.
Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird bowled 113 overs between them in Pakistan’s marathon second innings at the Gabba as the tourists almost chased down a record 490 runs.
But Berry isn’t certain an extra bowling option is needed given the amount of time between the Brisbane Test, which finished on Monday, and the start of the second Test seven days later.
“The Aussies have got a week to get over this – not a day, not three days. A week. Please, we are fit, elite athletes,” he said.
Mitch Marsh was initially thought to be the man to replace Watson – who played his last Test during the 2015 Ashes – but his woeful form with the bat led to his axing after a loss to South Africa in Perth.
He was picked in the ODI squad to take on New Zealand in the recent Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series, but was later released when selectors decided he wouldn’t be required.
If Cartwright does get a Baggy Green, he will almost certainly slot in at No.6 in place of Nic Maddinson, who has underwhelmed with scores of none, one and four in his three Test digs.
The Zimbabwean-born Cartwright averages more than 44 in first-class cricket, with two centuries, and has scored 330 runs at 36.66 this season.
Forty-six Test veteran Geoff Lawson said Australian selectors were best sticking with four frontline bowlers and not playing Cartwright on Boxing Day.
“If that’s their theory and they want another all-rounder, I’m not sure if Hilton is the man who is ready for Test cricket,” he said.