south australia opens chequebook

[magpie in the 80's]

DESPERATE South Australia will open their chequebook to stop a batting and leadership malaise escalating to outright calamity next season.

State selectors went back to the future in anointing keeper Graham Manou to replace out-of-form batsman Nathan Adcock as Pura Cup skipper.

Veteran Adcock continues as one-day leader. It is understood SACA will pursue a headline act who can rebuild respect for SA cricket eroded through a decade of under-achievement. Addressing a systemic inability of batsmen to conquer quality bowling on or around off-stump must be a priority for SACA and high performance manager Rod Marsh, currently in Dubai.

Regardless, there will be a comprehensive search for quality batting reinforcements.

State chairman of selectors Paul Nobes indicated any recruiting process would begin next month. "The bowling has been good and if we had been able to get our batting together we would have been flying. We haven't discussed long-term plans but that will happen within the next six weeks, once the season ends."

Tailender Jason Gillespie has the best average - 309 runs at 44.1 - of any Redbacks batsman to have played more than two games this season. SA's batting stocks are in a parlous state.

Middle order-batsman Callum Ferguson has the best statistics of the top six batsmen with 330 runs at a modest 36.7. Openers Matthew Elliott, Shane Deitz, forgotten tyro Mark Cosgrove, rookie Andy Delmont and Adcock all average less than 30 in the four-day competition this season.

The Redbacks' poor batting has also conspired to eliminate spin twins Cullen Bailey and Dan Cullen being chosen together with the attack perennially defending small totals.

Filling the leadership void left by Darren Lehmann will not be easy, while SA cricket's record of internal instability will make it hard to attract a quality general.

Interim skipper Manou will command the fourth-placed Redbacks for the final three games of the 2007-08 campaign. "Choc" Manou returns to favour a year after being dropped as vice-captain and custodian in favour of Deitz.

SA has long coveted the services of Victorian run machine David Hussey but, now on the verge of Test selection, he is unlikely to switch states.

A hardened first-class warrior like Hussey, Western Australia's injured skipper Marcus North or a white knight in the mould of former Test opener Justin Langer would be ideal candidates to steer SA.

Younger leaders like Tasmania's George Bailey or Victoria's Cameron White would represent bold, exciting leadership options.

It is expected SACA, awash with funds, will move to address the Redbacks' silverware drought dating back to the Sheffield Shield win of 1995-96

[LBT]

DESPERATE South Australia will open their chequebook to Younger leaders like Tasmania's George Bailey or Victoria's Cameron White would represent bold, exciting leadership options.

It is expected SACA, awash with funds, will move to address the Redbacks' silverware drought dating back to the Sheffield Shield win of 1995-96

Selective editing, but either of those two would be magnificent Redbacks

[the wonder elephant]

please saca dont go after cameron white the bloke is a hack ..i dont know his stats but every time i have seen him bowl he has been slapped have seen him make a few useful scores with the bat but only in the short form of the game ..we need blokes that can build an innings in the 4 day form of the game imo please saca target d.hussey and throw the kitchen sink at him to get him here as i think his test window may have past ..i think the aus selectors will go for younger players ie.s.marsh ,g.bailey etc when the next test batting spot opens up !!this will prob be haydos spot so i think they will give young marsh a crack dont think rodgers made a big splash ..

[Pup]

please saca dont go after cameron white the bloke is a hack ..i dont know his stats but every time i have seen him bowl he has been slapped have seen him make a few useful scores with the bat but only in the short form of the game ..we need blokes that can build an innings in the 4 day form of the game imo please saca target d.hussey and throw the kitchen sink at him to get him here as i think his test window may have past ..i think the aus selectors will go for younger players ie.s.marsh ,g.bailey etc when the next test batting spot opens up !!this will prob be haydos spot so i think they will give young marsh a crack dont think rodgers made a big splash ..

The reason why you have seen him get slapped is because at the moment he is not a bowler, he is batsmen and a pretty reasonable one. He barely bowls in the longer form as he is the second choice spinner for the Vics behind McGain. He should be on SA's hit list even if it is only as a batsman and a leader.

SA have been going at Huss for a long time and i think the answer is clear.. He is in the form of his career and the window is definately not shut on his test career yet so i cant see him swapping states. I would be looking at blokes Bailey, North, Marsh, Butterworth, McDonald as players but not captains. I would prefer to give the job to someone like White, Langer or North. I would also be looking at going after a keeper preferably Tim Paine or Adam Crosthwaite, Both young and talented and at the moment both behind more experienced players at their states in the 4 day game.

[GWW]

I think North would be SA's best option. His opportunities may be limited in the West due to the emergence of quite a few young players eg Marsh etc, but he could still make a highly significant contribution and impact with the SACA.

[the wonder elephant]

please saca dont go after cameron white the bloke is a hack ..i dont know his stats but every time i have seen him bowl he has been slapped have seen him make a few useful scores with the bat but only in the short form of the game ..we need blokes that can build an innings in the 4 day form of the game imo please saca target d.hussey and throw the kitchen sink at him to get him here as i think his test window may have past ..i think the aus selectors will go for younger players ie.s.marsh ,g.bailey etc when the next test batting spot opens up !!this will prob be haydos spot so i think they will give young marsh a crack dont think rodgers made a big splash ..

The reason why you have seen him get slapped is because at the moment he is not a bowler, he is batsmen and a pretty reasonable one. He barely bowls in the longer form as he is the second choice spinner for the Vics behind McGain. He should be on SA's hit list even if it is only as a batsman and a leader.

SA have been going at Huss for a long time and i think the answer is clear.. He is in the form of his career and the window is definately not shut on his test career yet so i cant see him swapping states. I would be looking at blokes Bailey, North, Marsh, Butterworth, McDonald as players but not captains. I would prefer to give the job to someone like White, Langer or North. I would also be looking at going after a keeper preferably Tim Paine or Adam Crosthwaite, Both young and talented and at the moment both behind more experienced players at their states in the 4 day game.

why would u be looking 4 a keeper manous form has been good plus i think dizzy should be given th skippers job so why hunt a player to be skipper apart from that its an extra carrot to get get the right person across the line when it comes to moving here ..sorry i just dont think cam white is the one we should target ..however i do agree with the other names you mention plus a guy like dom thornley etc looking to take the next step in there career ..

[Rik E Boy]

It might be time to go international. It has worked a treat in past years. Perhaps the schedule is a little more crowded these days so that option might not be a realistic one. Good luck trying to take the skipper of the Bushrangers or the Warriors.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

Redbacks don't get green caps and Thornley isn't good enough to get one away so I'm not quite following the 'good for his career' line with this particular player. He'll stay a Blue as he is probably not worth the money.

regards,

REB

[Stumps]

I Said before the season we should have got Dan Marsh over after whispers he was keen- would have been perfect stop gap for two- three years until a younger player puts his hand up-
I have a feeling some will question Marsh's age and how long he has left but hes had a good year with the bat and has more cricket in him IMO

[LBT]

It might be time to go international. It has worked a treat in past years. Perhaps the schedule is a little more crowded these days so that option might not be a realistic one. Good luck trying to take the skipper of the Bushrangers or the Warriors.

regards,

REB

Scotty Styris or Lou Vincent would be handy.

[silicone skyline]

Time they just took a risk on a few outsiders.
Look to the country, pluck out a few promising 17 year olds and let them at the other teams.

[stan]

I read this article the other day. thought eh if they learn from past mistakes with this then it might work but at this stage the trak record of recruiting players is not good.