A Tale of Two Saints
kirby February 4, 2010
Luckily for them, the St George Cricket Club in the Sydney Grade Competition has three players now making regular appearances for the NSW side. These are, of course, Moises Henriques, new Saints recruit Josh Hazlewood, and star Blues debutant Trent Copeland. For this blog, however, I'm only going to focus on two: Henriques and Copeland.
On the one hand, you've got Henriques, the strapping 23 year-old all-rounder who has been touted for higher honours seemingly almost since he could walk, while on the other, you've got Copeland, the relatively unheralded grade cricket toiler doing his very best for his state. Now in my opinion, the futures of both of these players will lead them to opposite ends of the success spectrum; one will flourish for his state, while the other will flounder.
![](http://static.indianexpress.com/m-images/Wednesday,%20Nov%2004,%202009%20at%201326%20hrs/M_Id_118138_Moises_Henriques.jpg"]http://static.indianexpress.com/m-images/Wednesday,%20Nov%2004,%202009%20at%201326%20hrs/M_Id_118138_Moises_Henriques.jpg)
Moises Henriques is quickly turning into one of the most overrated players on the domestic scene
It may surprise you to read that I think Henriques will be the flounderer, but four years spent in the NSW side has done nothing to improve Henriques cricket, or, it seems, his attitude. As I already said, Henriques is classed as an all-rounder, although this tag's applicability is growing more and more tenuous as Henriques' career progresses; 16 first-class matches have yielded only 5 half-centuries, and 31 domestic one-day matches have yielded only a solitary 50.
While his bowling figures make slightly better reading (28 and 27 wickets in the Shield and Ford Ranger Cup, but at 36 and 43 respectively), his inability to bowl tight in limited-overs matches and his unhealthy fondness for the short ball have often made him easy (and expensive) meat for most batsmen on the Australian domestic scene.
Henriques performances have been especially poor this year, however. In the 09/10 season, Henriques has only managed 10 wickets and two half-centuries, in the Sheffield Shield, while in the Ford Ranger Cup one-day competition, his tendency to wilt under pressure with both bat and ball has been exposed.
But perhaps Henriques most disturbing quality is his willingness to believe his own media hype. Having been footnoted for big things since performing at the 2005/06 Under-19 World Cup, he only now is starting to be found out. Henriques' captaincy stint earlier this season became a debacle when he consistently over-bowled himself in arguably the most varied bowling attack in the domestic competitions, and he seems to have not yet realised that to make runs at state level, you have to have more substance to your batting than a self-assured saunter.
All these things add up to a player who can never fully realise his potential. It may sound funny, my saying Henriques has potential, but it's true. Another thing that's true, however, is that successful cricket comes from extreme hard work, something that I doubt Henriques has the mettle or mindset to undergo.
Copeland on the other hand has toiled away in Grade Cricket for a few years and will probably be successful at state level
Trent Copeland, on the other hand, is a curious case. After getting his Baggy Blue on Sheffield Shield debut against Queensland last week, he proceeded to take 8/92 in the first innings, with match figures of 10/149. His first innings tally was something like the fourth second or third best figures on NSW debut, which isn't a bad feat for a player who seemingly had no chance of playing for NSW at the start of the season.
Still only 23, Copeland has had a few successful seasons spearheading the St George Saints First Grade attack in the Sydney Grade competition, taking 61 wickets at a tick over 16 last season, and another 40 before Christmas break this season.
So it's not to say that Copeland's performance, however amazing, is a bolt from the blue (see what I did there?). Instead, his chances of wearing NSW colours at the start of the year looked bleak with the plethora of fast-bowlers in the ranks. Not only were there young guns Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood playing, but international representatives Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, and Nathan Bracken. But injuries to Bracken, Clark, Lee, Burt Cockley and Mark Cameron has seen Copeland earn his call-up, and repay the selectors in the best way possible.
Last night, too, Copeland took three wickets to help NSW to a tight win against Queensland in the Ford Ranger Cup, making up for the aforementioned Henriques' horror evening by keeping the runs down at the death.
Now, with the impending retirements of Lee and Clark, and a not-quite-fit Bracken also winding down his career, we could see a lot more of Trent Copeland in the Blues lineup for years to come. I'm tipping that, after a confident performance on debut, Copeland will go from strength to strength and eventually spearhead the attack.
On the one hand, you've got Henriques, the strapping 23 year-old all-rounder who has been touted for higher honours seemingly almost since he could walk, while on the other, you've got Copeland, the relatively unheralded grade cricket toiler doing his very best for his state. Now in my opinion, the futures of both of these players will lead them to opposite ends of the success spectrum; one will flourish for his state, while the other will flounder.
Moises Henriques is quickly turning into one of the most overrated players on the domestic scene
It may surprise you to read that I think Henriques will be the flounderer, but four years spent in the NSW side has done nothing to improve Henriques cricket, or, it seems, his attitude. As I already said, Henriques is classed as an all-rounder, although this tag's applicability is growing more and more tenuous as Henriques' career progresses; 16 first-class matches have yielded only 5 half-centuries, and 31 domestic one-day matches have yielded only a solitary 50.
While his bowling figures make slightly better reading (28 and 27 wickets in the Shield and Ford Ranger Cup, but at 36 and 43 respectively), his inability to bowl tight in limited-overs matches and his unhealthy fondness for the short ball have often made him easy (and expensive) meat for most batsmen on the Australian domestic scene.
Henriques performances have been especially poor this year, however. In the 09/10 season, Henriques has only managed 10 wickets and two half-centuries, in the Sheffield Shield, while in the Ford Ranger Cup one-day competition, his tendency to wilt under pressure with both bat and ball has been exposed.
But perhaps Henriques most disturbing quality is his willingness to believe his own media hype. Having been footnoted for big things since performing at the 2005/06 Under-19 World Cup, he only now is starting to be found out. Henriques' captaincy stint earlier this season became a debacle when he consistently over-bowled himself in arguably the most varied bowling attack in the domestic competitions, and he seems to have not yet realised that to make runs at state level, you have to have more substance to your batting than a self-assured saunter.
All these things add up to a player who can never fully realise his potential. It may sound funny, my saying Henriques has potential, but it's true. Another thing that's true, however, is that successful cricket comes from extreme hard work, something that I doubt Henriques has the mettle or mindset to undergo.
Copeland on the other hand has toiled away in Grade Cricket for a few years and will probably be successful at state level
Trent Copeland, on the other hand, is a curious case. After getting his Baggy Blue on Sheffield Shield debut against Queensland last week, he proceeded to take 8/92 in the first innings, with match figures of 10/149. His first innings tally was something like the fourth second or third best figures on NSW debut, which isn't a bad feat for a player who seemingly had no chance of playing for NSW at the start of the season.
Still only 23, Copeland has had a few successful seasons spearheading the St George Saints First Grade attack in the Sydney Grade competition, taking 61 wickets at a tick over 16 last season, and another 40 before Christmas break this season.
So it's not to say that Copeland's performance, however amazing, is a bolt from the blue (see what I did there?). Instead, his chances of wearing NSW colours at the start of the year looked bleak with the plethora of fast-bowlers in the ranks. Not only were there young guns Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood playing, but international representatives Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, and Nathan Bracken. But injuries to Bracken, Clark, Lee, Burt Cockley and Mark Cameron has seen Copeland earn his call-up, and repay the selectors in the best way possible.
Last night, too, Copeland took three wickets to help NSW to a tight win against Queensland in the Ford Ranger Cup, making up for the aforementioned Henriques' horror evening by keeping the runs down at the death.
Now, with the impending retirements of Lee and Clark, and a not-quite-fit Bracken also winding down his career, we could see a lot more of Trent Copeland in the Blues lineup for years to come. I'm tipping that, after a confident performance on debut, Copeland will go from strength to strength and eventually spearhead the attack.
