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Bob Simpson, who was a major force in the success of Australian cricket in the late 1980s and 1990s, used to say to a young group of players at Western Suburbs many years ago that a second-grade batter is only eight consecutive hundred away from playing Test cricket for Australia.
Simpson created hope by sharing two consecutive hundreds in 2nd grade, which should warrant a promotion to first grade. 3 consecutive first grade hundreds would bring you into calculations for NSW, and if you followed it up with 3 consecutive hundreds in first class cricket, you could be selected to make your debut for Australia in Test cricket.
It’s never been done, but gee, I’d love the theory to be tested. You never know how any player will perform until they are given an opportunity.
Can NSW Selectors ignore the form of Gordon District Cricket Club first grade captain Tym Crawford?
Tym has scored over 6,000 first grade runs and is only 30 years of age and look at his six innings for Gordon in NSW Premier Cricket.
• 101 off 116 balls in Round 7 vs. UTS North Sydney
• 205 off 140 balls in Round 8 vs. Penrith.
• 119 off 92 balls in Round 9 vs. Northern District.
• 48 off 42 balls in Round 10 vs. Sydney
• 164 off 121 balls in Round 11 vs. Sydney University
• 94 off 113 balls in Round 12 vs. Mosman
He’s in form and has created the currency of performances we’ve been assured are most worthy.
Responses
He definitely warrants selection, but he does not fit the mould of a current CNSW First Class/List A cricketer.
30 years old (too old and out of the pathway programs)
Not currently on a CNSW contract, so why would they pick a player who they are not already paying?
Current Premier Cricket form does not seem to matter when teams are selected, he could score 1000 runs in this competition, but if he does not transfer that into Second XI matches, he is no chance.
Take current players such as Daniel Solway and Josh Clarke as the guide. Both have in excess of 20 first grade premier cricket centuries, and D Solway scored a hundred on first class debut, but did not get an extended run, he is still scoring runs for fun in premier cricket. Josh Clarke had a period of 3 seasons with Hawkesbury where he scored 3500 runs, and because he was not scoring hundreds in second XI matches, he was never afforded an opportunity in first class cricket.
Good luck to Tim he deserves a shot,