Captaining the Australia A side, McSweeney scored 14 and 25 in the second tour game against India A in Melbourne last week. (AP)
Former Australia batter Ed Cowan is not impressed by the selectors’ choice to pick South Australia batter Nathan McSweeney as the second opener behind Usman Khawaja for the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, starting in Perth on November 22.
The 42-year-old Cowan, who scored over 1000 Test runs for Australia and amassed 10000-plus First-Class runs, termed McSweeney’s pick for the role by selectors George Bailey, Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide a “guess” at best.
The Aussies were in a fix to find an imminent replacement for the retired David Warner at the top of the order, marking the recent four-day games against India A as the opportunity to see their new opener. Captaining the Australia A side, McSweeney scored 14 and 25 in the second tour game against India A in Melbourne last week. It was the first time in his First-Class career that McSweeney was up from his usual spot at No. 3 or 4 to open against the red Kookaburra.
“He has two scores over 50 – 53 and 67 against NSW. Here are his other scores: 22, 32, 10, 0, 12, 48, 36, 15, 20, 25, 11, 0, 7 and 0,” Cowan said on the ABC Grandstand Cricket Podcast while highlighting McSweeney’s exploits while walking in early against the new ball.
“I feel slight vindication in many respects suggesting that he’s not an opening batter and the Australian selectors were looking for a data point this week. We said if he’s going to open for Australia he needs to open this week (for Australia A against India A at the MCG).
Cowan also noted a chink in McSweeney’s batting technique while opening, with his backlift exaggerating towards the gully region. McSweeney was twice dismissed caught-behind against India A at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
“They were begging for a data point. You know what they got? They got an open blade,” Cowan remarked.
All selection is literally guessing!!! https://t.co/lF8ZtHDapC
— Aaron Finch (@AaronFinch5) November 12, 2024
“Because that was money for jam (McSweeney’s dismissals opening the batting for Australia A) behind the wickets in both innings. Forty five degree bat, caught at second slip (for 14 in the first innings), caught behind (for 25 in the second innings). The data would suggest at the moment in his career, he doesn’t have the technique nor the temperament to do it,” Cowan said.
“And do you know what a selection, when the data doesn’t support your point of view, is?” Cowan said. “It’s a guess. It’s a guess.”
“And you know what guesses do? Guesses sometimes pay off, but that’s called luck,” Cowan added while criticising his former teammate Bailey’s selection.
McSweeney found backing for the spot when former Australia Aaron Finch reacted to Cowan’s comments on social media, writing on X: “All selection is literally guessing!”
McSweeney was picked ahead of Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Sam Konstas for the rule, having impressed in recent List A and First Class games with South Australia. The 25-year-old also scored an unbeaten 88 in a win over India A in the first game in Mackay.
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