With the Australia vs India test series coming up in just 16 days time the selectors are left with a big choice; Who will be the spinner?
There is 2 options for the selectors to take, play 4 quicks or find a spinner who is good enough to pressure the likes of Tendulkar, Ganguly and many more. Johnson, Tait, Clark and Lee are 4 pace bowlers who are all worthy of a position in the team. 3 of those can bowl over the 140km mark and Clark is a McGrath junior. These 4 paceman will be a handful for the Indian batsmen top order and Australia could always bowl Symonds and Clarke for some spin. With games in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney pacemen will get the most out of those pitches for all those tests, barring Sydney.
Of course, realistically we could still be living in the past thinking to much of the old bouncy pitch on the western side of Australia. The last few years it has shown a liking to spinners which makes the option for a spinner more appealing. Adelaide is a batsmens pitch, but has no gurantee it wont break up on the last few days to help the spinners bowl out the Indians. Sydney of course is Sydney, a genuine spinners pitch. With these notes taken in the selectors will need to think hard about who is the best spinner in Australia.
Lets list the options. MacGill is having surgery so obviously out of the picture. Some people are in favour of Brad Hogg getting a run in the Test Arena again. But lets not kid ourselves, his first class average isn't a lot to brag about. 96 matches with 173 wickets at 39 compared to someone like Dan Cullen who has 113 wickets in 37 matches. Or Nathan Hauritz who took 5 wickets in his test debut or even 22 year old Cullen Bailey who has taken 55 wickets in his first 19 matches.
But bowling isn't the only thing the selectors will be looking at. In 2005 Australia were desperately searching for an all rounder, finding Symonds had the best to offer but now the Australian selectors know if they pick Brad Hogg the batting line-up gets a bit stronger. Brad Hogg has 165 runs in 5 innings at an average of 41 with 2 fiftys this year. Cullen Bailey has 2 innings and 51 runs, 1 not out which is why he has an average of 51. He hasn't scored a 50. Cullen has 46 runs from 6 innings at an average of 9. So when it comes to the batting part, Hogg will be on top of the list.
But heres the big questions; Experience, youth or form? Hogg fits in the experience category better than Hauritz, Cullen or Bailey. Youth is obviously the 23 year old Cullen or 22 year old Bailey. Form, well Hogg and and Cullen have both bowled in 4 Pura cup matches with Hogg getting 13 scalps and Cullen 11.
The selectors obviously have a nice choice but personally I would go with Cullen. 113 wickets in 34 matches and at 23 he really is a star in the making for Australia.
