Test Hopes Bashed

Its an emotional day for Australian cricket. The great man Ricky Ponting has retired, probably the greatest Australian batsman most people alive today will ever see. We must move on however, and there is now a hole to fill in the top order for the tests against Sri Lanka, starting just 10 days after the conclusion of the South Africa series.

Unfortunately, there is another significant hole that coincides with the Ponting retirement and that is the unbelievable absence of Sheffield Shield Cricket from the domestic calendar until the end of January, which is after the conclusion of the test series’.

Many a state player will send in a tribute to Ponting upon hearing the news, but amongst the reflection upon a great career will be the suddenly heightened hopes of new ones. There is now a place up for grabs, a chance for someone else to assert them self and commence their own path to greatness.

How these players would love to be heading into a shield match next week to squeeze out that pivotal performance that would have their name being read out by the selectors.

Instead the Big Bash commences. The hit and giggle cricket which focuses more on the reappearance of retired stars than our budding heroes. Beneath the fireworks, they will trudge to the middle wishing they could swap their fluro jersey for a pair of creams. One more ton could have done it.

All the candidates can do now is sit back, wait and hope that what they have produced for their state so far is enough.