Silencing the critics

A young, 20-year-old Australian opening batsman playing in his debut Test match is facing arguably the best, fast bowling attack in the world.

His team needs 127 runs to win the last test of the series after they had been beaten comprehensively in the first two.

He is one of a several new faces selected after his country had been hammered by an innings and 80 runs in the previous Test where the opener he replaced had managed scores of 1 and 0.

The debutant shows patience, grit and determination – something sorely missing in previous Australian top-order capitulations.

He holds his nerve, puts a price on his wicket, defies a quality pace attack intent on making early in-roads against a confidence-sapped Australian batting line-up.

He produces a dour knock of 34 off 137 balls – plays and misses a number of times but smiles at the balls that beat him and then knuckles down again to the task of protecting his wicket and helping his team to victory.

Matt Renshaw did the job of an opening batsman that day.

He defied the bowlers, occupied the crease, helped take the shine off the new ball and most importantly was still there undefeated when Australia cracked the winning runs having carried his bat.

That solid opening effort from a debutant in a pressure Test situation should have drawn praise and plaudits for its resilience.

Instead the young batsman copped slow hand-claps from the Adelaide crowd and sarcastic cheers when he scored a run after a succession of 34 dot balls.

A typical response from crowds sated on a regular run feast in bash and crash Twenty20 cricket and demanding the same in Tests.

More surprising however, was the reaction of the Channel Nine commentary team.

The appreciation of former Australian captains and players of the pressure of the Test cricket and the role of an opening batsman would surely ensure a more favourable analysis of his performance – would it not?

But they were just as quick to put the boot in and criticise the young man.

They expected, nay demanded, a more attacking and expansive opening style questioning whether Renshaw was up to the required standard for a Test opener.

Speaking after he helped his country to their first Test victory since Christchurch, in February, Renshaw said he had been focused on surviving and not getting out and had not had the opportunity to show the free-scoring batting of which he is capable.

“Hopefully, I can get that out at some point to show all the doubters that were saying I can’t get the ball off the square,” he said.

He said he planned to listen to only those he trusted for advice and ignore the critics who lambasted him for a slow-go Test approach.

There were some former Test players that showed better judgement about Renshaw’s potential and came out in his corner.

Brad Haddin said he was impressed most by the value the debutant placed on his wicket.

“He was a 20-year-old kid in his first Test which brings a lot of pressure but he did really good job with the pink ball in foreign conditions.

“He played and missed a lot but what impressed me most was that he was there at the end and saw Australia home and batted with great character.”

Renshaw also received praise from his captain Steve Smith and teammate Usman Khawaja for his character and temperament –Khawaja insisting his fellow Queenslander had a more attacking element to his game yet to be revealed.

Australia already has one of the most attacking opening batsmen in the world at the other end of the pitch in David Warner.

What is needed at the other end is a defensive grinder as a foil to Warner’s aggression, with the judgement to be able to leave balls outside off stump, defend as if his life depended on it, score runs when bad balls allow but above all protect and preserve your wicket at all costs.

Make the other team get you out – (anyone old enough to remember Geoffrey Boycott or Bill Lawry or more recently Chris Rogers?)

Renshaw has done enough in just two Test matches to suggest he has the makings of a good Test opener.

His knock of 71 in the first innings against Pakistan at the Gabba proved his Adelaide critics wrong and made them eat their words as he showcased an array of strokes to go with an impressive defence – outscoring Warner in the first hour.

He walked off the Gabba to a standing ovation and plenty of accolades including some from another stoic opener.

“You can tell he is going to be a good player – he is in control of his areas and you can tell he knows where he wants to score,” Rogers said.

I would rather trust Roger’s judgement on Renshaw’s ability than the TV commentators who so readily put in the knife in Adelaide.

Let’s hope the Australian selectors give him the chance to grow into the role and prove Rogers right.