cricket with balls

Hallelujah.

Praise the lord.

Look at that young man score.

He is divine.

He has been reborn.

Phil Hughes has hit the big time.

That is the story from the media.

To me there is just something wrong about Phil Hughes.

He looks like he should be stumbling out of an outer suburban pub at 2 am in a tight yellow t shirt and trendy jeans, talking about .

He may do that in his spare time, but for the next while he will be busy.

The attack of Steyn, Morkel Ntini, Kallis and Gimpboy was supposed to be the best attack in the world.

They have looked flat at home, but to be fair, Hughes has gone a fair way to deflating them.

South Africa did the bog standard, ‘we are happy to not be bowling to Hayden’, line when Hughes was picked.

Right now South Africa would be desperate to bowl to the old man.

I know I actively asked for Hughes to be picked, but I didn’t really see this in him.

I doubt anyone really thought he would play like this.

He is schooling South Africa.

There looks to be so many ways you should be able to get him out, its just that none of them seem to work at the moment.

I remember feeling the same way at the G one day.

To describe him as a weird mutant version of Justin Langer and Michael Slater’s love child is accurately disturbing.

He has the Langer awkwardness, the love of a scrap, the scoring ugly.

And the Slater ability to throw everything he has at any ball he thinks he can hit for four whilst not really worrying about anyone catching it.

It’s a weird mix, but one that repels and seduces the eye.

Having seen Bryce work him over, I think proper spinners may trouble him, but he is only 20, and since he is an opening batsman, most places in the world he will be well set by the time spinner comes on.

For now he holds the record as the youngest batsman in history to make two hundreds in a match, is the 4th youngest Australian to score a hundred, and has had one of the quickest turn arounds from the media in history.

After one innings he was a spud, during his 4th he is Jesus returning from a late night in Marrickville.

Souvlaki in one hand, South African testicles in the other.

1st innings was dismal.

2nd innings made runs, but lead alot to believe he was afraid of the short ball, had technical flaws and more luck than an assfull of leprechauns.

3rd innings was a vision of ruthlessness.

Hughes missed 3 or 4 early cut shots, and that was about it.

The rest of the innings was amazing.

Anything full on the pads was eased to the rope.

Balls full and at the off was smashed down the ground.

If South Africa dropped short out side off, Hughes went for it.

There was a period of a couple of hours where he didn’t miss a boundary opportunity.

This was a 20 year old in his second test though, you had the feeling his 90s might slow him down.

His 90s didn’t last an over.

Against Paul Harris he went from 89 to 93, paused for a moment, and then went from 93 to 105 in two balls.

It was youthful aggression.

It was a man with no fear.

It was a massive assed 6 from someone on 99.

It seemed so easy for him to do something that KP makes look incredibly difficult.

According to Samir, Kapil Dev also hit a six to move to his maiden hundred, so its impressive company.

But the 6s shouldn’t overshadow the innings.

He completely took the wind out of South Africa, they should have been fired up, and looking for blood.

Instead they were bleeding.

The pitch was flat, South Africa lost all discipline, it was hot, and they seemed to forget their plans to him.

All of that helps you to score at a nice rate, but to get to 75* by lunch you have to bat like an angry demon.

And Phillip did.

It’s too early to tell whether this is the making of him, or just a good day, but if it is the making of him, there are a lot of opening bowlers out there that are going to look pretty stupid for a long time.

This is for the Australian selectors.

Right now they are in some dimly lit room, puffing on cigars and talking about South Africa.

They are about to pick an Australian opener.

And they may be tempted to pick the wrong option.

The wrong option would be anyone who isn’t Phillip Hughes.

According to this brilliant piece at TWC, there are 5 players in the running.

But only one is correct.

The time for 30 year old bandaids has gone.

Hughes is the best young batsman I’ve seen since Ponting.

He makes runs under pressure, he has no discernable weakness, and he makes runs against good attacks.

The three most obvious options are all over 28, and Shaun Marsh has readballitis.

Not picking him is a mistake of Marissa Tomei proportions.

The selectors have to start picking young players again, even if they think it’s a chance.

But the good news is Hughes is not even a chance.

He has a better technique than Phil Jacques.

He has more flair than Michael Klinger.

He has 10 years on Chris Rogers.

And he has less drinking problems than Shaun Marsh.

He is the future, the present, and the opening batsmen Australia need.

So no soft cock safety.

Don’t weigh up the variables.

And remember the principles that got you Ponting, McGrath and Warne.

Select the best man, even if he hasn’t made 10  thousand first class runs yet.

It’s the selection we have to have.

EDIT:

Hughes was just named, as was marcus North ahead of Klinger & Jacques, maybe they should take up finger spinning.