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The young Macedonian, Will Pucovski
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Looks like he's playing for 2nd XIs this week with a FC return not far off if all goes well.
It's telling that there's barely any talk about this compared to all the chatter last time, kind of like people have written off his career.
I hope everyone's wrong and by some miracle he's able to continue with few further issues but it does seem like wishful thinking.
It's telling that there's barely any talk about this compared to all the chatter last time, kind of like people have written off his career.
I hope everyone's wrong and by some miracle he's able to continue with few further issues but it does seem like wishful thinking.
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- #128
Ideally he takes Warner's spot ..
Will made 193 n/o before retiring for Vic seconds, batting for 11 hours. Really hoping that he gets some continuity this season and people get to see his massive talent on display. Good start so far.
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I don't think anyone ever questioned his talent...
I don't think he said anyone had questioned his talent...
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Let's hope this is the start of a good run. He seems like a real class young lad. Hard to believe he is 24 already. If not for the concussion issues he would have easily played 20 tests already.
Obviously for him personally it would be huge to get through the wretched run and carve out a good test career that is commensurate with his immense talent, but from an Australian cricket perspective, we just don't have the depth in talent to not capitalise.
Jason Sangha would be one of the top talents of this age bracket who showed some signs of life at the end of the last shield season, but we'll see whether that was a flash in the pan or the well overdue take-off of his career.
Jake Fraser-McGurk is another one who is now 20 that will be making a few people nervy. There's still plenty of time there but nearly 3 years on from his FC debut a top score of only 51 was not on the roadmap.
It goes without seeing this isn't the golden era, but it's not even a particularly strong era and we just don't have the talent to cover too many busts. Alongside Cameron Green who is progressing nicely, we need at least one of the above three to join him in becoming a regular in the XI.
Obviously for him personally it would be huge to get through the wretched run and carve out a good test career that is commensurate with his immense talent, but from an Australian cricket perspective, we just don't have the depth in talent to not capitalise.
Jason Sangha would be one of the top talents of this age bracket who showed some signs of life at the end of the last shield season, but we'll see whether that was a flash in the pan or the well overdue take-off of his career.
Jake Fraser-McGurk is another one who is now 20 that will be making a few people nervy. There's still plenty of time there but nearly 3 years on from his FC debut a top score of only 51 was not on the roadmap.
It goes without seeing this isn't the golden era, but it's not even a particularly strong era and we just don't have the talent to cover too many busts. Alongside Cameron Green who is progressing nicely, we need at least one of the above three to join him in becoming a regular in the XI.
Is it overdue with Sangha? I would argue that NSW did him a disservice by playing him before he was ready and that set him a couple of years. He is still only 23 and hopefully continues on his good form from the back end of last season.
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Nah, IMO the selection process was fine.
In Sydney first grade he scored 2 tons from 8 innings in 2017/18 as an 18 year old and averaged a tick under 50, then made his Shield debut in 2018/19 as a 19 year old. It must be said his third highest score in 17/18 was 16 so big fluctuation in performance.
All in all, I don't think that's rushed at all. He had a lot of pressure on him as this prodigious talent and I think once he failed through his first 3 or 4 games that pressure just escalated. I think that is where it's gone wrong. Technically he is a brilliant batsman but he just keeps getting out cheaply - it's gotta be a mental barrier... which hopefully has been overcome in the last part of 21/22. Sangha is a serious talent. If he fulfills it Australian cricket will be better for it. IMO as a batsmen, only Pucovski surpasses Sangha for sheer talent in this age bracket (including the very talented Cam Green).
For comparison, Michael Clarke debuted about six months younger for NSW and I'm happy to be corrected here but I'm certain his first-grade record for Wests was not as strong.
EDIT: Yep, here's Wests first grade averages from 1998/99. Clarke averaged 20 with two half centuries. Played six shield games for NSW the next season.
Sangha's promotion through the ranks was definitely fine.
Edit 2: For any raised eyebrows, I'm very comfortable rating Sangha's talent roughly on par with Clarke. Both are/were peak talents. One had a fantastic career. One has a hell of a lot of work to do.
Last edited:
- Banned
- #135
Hopefully green is good enough to hold it together like AB if it's a shit generation.
Will is not that old at 24/25 and fc average +50..
Will is not that old at 24/25 and fc average +50..
- Banned
- #136
A player like Fraser-McGurk shkuld
Move up to to NSW. They have a far better structure and path way for there players. The Victorian system is hopeless. McGurk is an eminence talent that shouldn’t go to waste
11kgm
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the same NSW that people flee en masse to get regular game time
Tremain Hastings Maddinson etc
If he can't get into the Vic Squad he ain't getting up there
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The NSW system has been the #1 system in Australia over the journey but there is nothing particularly wrong with Victoria's. To be honest they're all fairly closely streamlined now.
NSW does have an advantage that the rugby codes don't compete as fiercely with cricket in Victoria - there is a lot of crossover in the physique of an aspiring Australian Rules footballer as there is with a cricketer. A teenager with dual sports prospects in Sydney that decides he wants to go down the rugby path is going to start really bulking up when he gets to 15 or 16 and whilst this won't affect batsmen*, it will put too much strain on their lower body if they are a fast bowler. Whilst there are some pretty solid-looking fast bowlers around, you don't see too many David Pocock lookalikes standing at the top of their mark with the new rock. Cricket in NSW has also basically conceded they aren't going to crack into the large Polynesian community who just love their rugby codes. Admittedly it would be a hard sell but - as far as I know - cricket has made minimal attempts to get Polynesian teenagers into the game. But that is totally off-topic from the last few posts and probably worthy of a thread on its own.
More on topic, Fraser-McGurk is immense talent no doubt. It's a big couple of seasons for him. If he's still in the same position coming into 2024/25 then there will be some big reasons for concern. In the past if a top talent looks like he isn't going to make it, it's usually not too big of a deal - there will be enough in the various FC systems who can make the step up. That's definitely not the case right now. IMO the four big young talents who are well entrenched in the FC system are Green, Pucovski, Sangha and Fraser-McGurk. Teague Wyllie is probably also someone who will join them in that category. We need a good hit rate on turning them into good test cricketers.
* None of Matt Hayden, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson or Dave Warner would have looked out of place on a rugby field, even though the more common cricketing physique (batsmen included) is Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Chris Rogers etc.
NSW does have an advantage that the rugby codes don't compete as fiercely with cricket in Victoria - there is a lot of crossover in the physique of an aspiring Australian Rules footballer as there is with a cricketer. A teenager with dual sports prospects in Sydney that decides he wants to go down the rugby path is going to start really bulking up when he gets to 15 or 16 and whilst this won't affect batsmen*, it will put too much strain on their lower body if they are a fast bowler. Whilst there are some pretty solid-looking fast bowlers around, you don't see too many David Pocock lookalikes standing at the top of their mark with the new rock. Cricket in NSW has also basically conceded they aren't going to crack into the large Polynesian community who just love their rugby codes. Admittedly it would be a hard sell but - as far as I know - cricket has made minimal attempts to get Polynesian teenagers into the game. But that is totally off-topic from the last few posts and probably worthy of a thread on its own.
More on topic, Fraser-McGurk is immense talent no doubt. It's a big couple of seasons for him. If he's still in the same position coming into 2024/25 then there will be some big reasons for concern. In the past if a top talent looks like he isn't going to make it, it's usually not too big of a deal - there will be enough in the various FC systems who can make the step up. That's definitely not the case right now. IMO the four big young talents who are well entrenched in the FC system are Green, Pucovski, Sangha and Fraser-McGurk. Teague Wyllie is probably also someone who will join them in that category. We need a good hit rate on turning them into good test cricketers.
* None of Matt Hayden, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson or Dave Warner would have looked out of place on a rugby field, even though the more common cricketing physique (batsmen included) is Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Chris Rogers etc.
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Will Pucovski to take another period of indefinite leave from cricket
Rising Australian batting star Will Pucovski will take another indefinite period of leave from the game, despite a successful recent return from a concussion-enforced absence.
www.abc.net.au
It seems it's just not meant to be.
Amazing they consider the fact he has played 2 matches in a row as a "successful" return.
Around the Wicket
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Lost cause.
I'd love to see him succeed at cricket, but I want to see him succeed more at life.
Will Pucovski to take another period of indefinite leave from cricket
Rising Australian batting star Will Pucovski will take another indefinite period of leave from the game, despite a successful recent return from a concussion-enforced absence.
It seems it's just not meant to be.
Great talent, but is there too much going on in his mind?
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Should retire cricket isn't worth this
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Time to go warner
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Article: Pucovski set for Lord's 'debut', targets Shield comeback
Most exciting parts to read:
Geez I really hope he makes a glorious comeback - he's had so much to battle as a young lad between the concussions and mental health issues.
Really happy to hear he's got a better headspace, sounded like he was having a rough time of it for a longwhile.
Art Vandelay_
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Hit in the head again.
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