Does Forrest ever get used as a bowler?
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Peter Forrest
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He certainly made the most of his opportunity and looked extremely good, when playing his shots and in defence. If they wanted to see how he'd go at international level, with hopes he would make it in test cricket (which is pretty much what has been reported), I think they'd be very, very happy with what they saw. He looked like he would be ideally suited to playing test cricket, with an excellent technique and temperament. The fact he uses his feet will also be a big plus. 
Not so sure yet about his long term future in ODI's, though and especially in T20i's, as the selection panel reportedly think he could also play in (having seen him the other day and also in the Big Bash).
It's pretty easy to see why he had such a low strike rate in domestic one day cricket (just 60 runs per 100 balls, while the best performed there were around the 90+ mark), and in first class cricket (just 45 per 100) as he faced an awful lot of balls without scoring, or really looking like scoring, or trying to score, in Adelaide.
That was OK in that match, as we needed to bat conservatively to consolidate (after two early wickets) and as it was a beautiful batting track and the bowling wasn't anything to write home about (so there were plenty of "4 balls" for him to whack to the fence), but it may be a different story on a less batting friendly track, or when he doesn't split the gaps so well, or when he comes up against better attacks, or attacks who know a bit more about him.
For one, India probably weren't expecting him to dance down the wicket and smash Ashwin (or whoever it was) down the ground for 6, so from now on teams will be more wary of throwing the ball up to him, when bowling spin. They will also have noted that most of his scoring shots against fast bowling came from very orthodox, traditional cricket shots, so they'll be sure to not bowl much wide of off, for him to square cut to the fence, etc. You'd almost have to just bowl to him like it's a test match, I imagine. I'd say if you did that you could tie him down pretty easily at this point, going by what I've seen of him so far and how low his domestic strike rates are.
Once that batting powerplay started he went out almost immediately, at basically his first attempt to hit a more unorthodox, big shot, over the top, so that could be an issue if he is to stay in the team permanently.
So for test cricket, he looks like he could really be the goods and if we're looking for someone in ODI's to just be a rock to build an innings around, he will probably be very good for that too, especially if he continues to improve, or just keeps smashing all those bad balls through the gaps.
He may struggle to do well in the ODI's if we're looking for him to score quickly and turn the strike over regularly, though, unless he really improves those areas, which he of course could.
It's fair to say there are others at domestic cricket that are already doing that a lot better than him (as well as making a lot more runs than him there), though, so hopefully some of them will get a chance to prove themselves in ODI's as well, because if he did so well, despite having such ordinary domestic ODD and T20 figures, it would be interesting to see how some of those others would do for Australia, if given a chance, when they're in good form.
He could be one of the first "lights at the end of the tunnel" as far as our immediate to long term future test batting goes, though, which is great, as the bowling is obviously looking awfully strong for the next 10+ years, hopefully.
The other good thing about his innings the other day is that it probably made it a lot harder for those selecting the side to recall Brad Haddin, who looks way out of form, so it was a very well timed debut indeed!
Not so sure yet about his long term future in ODI's, though and especially in T20i's, as the selection panel reportedly think he could also play in (having seen him the other day and also in the Big Bash).
It's pretty easy to see why he had such a low strike rate in domestic one day cricket (just 60 runs per 100 balls, while the best performed there were around the 90+ mark), and in first class cricket (just 45 per 100) as he faced an awful lot of balls without scoring, or really looking like scoring, or trying to score, in Adelaide.
That was OK in that match, as we needed to bat conservatively to consolidate (after two early wickets) and as it was a beautiful batting track and the bowling wasn't anything to write home about (so there were plenty of "4 balls" for him to whack to the fence), but it may be a different story on a less batting friendly track, or when he doesn't split the gaps so well, or when he comes up against better attacks, or attacks who know a bit more about him.
For one, India probably weren't expecting him to dance down the wicket and smash Ashwin (or whoever it was) down the ground for 6, so from now on teams will be more wary of throwing the ball up to him, when bowling spin. They will also have noted that most of his scoring shots against fast bowling came from very orthodox, traditional cricket shots, so they'll be sure to not bowl much wide of off, for him to square cut to the fence, etc. You'd almost have to just bowl to him like it's a test match, I imagine. I'd say if you did that you could tie him down pretty easily at this point, going by what I've seen of him so far and how low his domestic strike rates are.
Once that batting powerplay started he went out almost immediately, at basically his first attempt to hit a more unorthodox, big shot, over the top, so that could be an issue if he is to stay in the team permanently.
So for test cricket, he looks like he could really be the goods and if we're looking for someone in ODI's to just be a rock to build an innings around, he will probably be very good for that too, especially if he continues to improve, or just keeps smashing all those bad balls through the gaps.
He may struggle to do well in the ODI's if we're looking for him to score quickly and turn the strike over regularly, though, unless he really improves those areas, which he of course could.
It's fair to say there are others at domestic cricket that are already doing that a lot better than him (as well as making a lot more runs than him there), though, so hopefully some of them will get a chance to prove themselves in ODI's as well, because if he did so well, despite having such ordinary domestic ODD and T20 figures, it would be interesting to see how some of those others would do for Australia, if given a chance, when they're in good form.
He could be one of the first "lights at the end of the tunnel" as far as our immediate to long term future test batting goes, though, which is great, as the bowling is obviously looking awfully strong for the next 10+ years, hopefully.
The other good thing about his innings the other day is that it probably made it a lot harder for those selecting the side to recall Brad Haddin, who looks way out of form, so it was a very well timed debut indeed!
Who knows? He playing in his fourth match for Australia - its not a statistical sample on which any kind of judgement can be made. All you can say is, so far he's grabbing his chance.
Based on a grat haul in his first clutch of tests, I once declared Greg Blewett the next Greg Chappell. As bowlers began to work him out, he turned out to be more Trevor and than Greg (yes, I know that's an exagerration).
His first class average of 36 doesn't suggest we've got a great test circketer in the making but, as I say, he's grabbed his chance so far and you can't knock him for that. Good luck to him.
Based on a grat haul in his first clutch of tests, I once declared Greg Blewett the next Greg Chappell. As bowlers began to work him out, he turned out to be more Trevor and than Greg (yes, I know that's an exagerration).
His first class average of 36 doesn't suggest we've got a great test circketer in the making but, as I say, he's grabbed his chance so far and you can't knock him for that. Good luck to him.
speedytiger
Club Legend
This is where selectors earn their money. If it was as simple as reading stats anyone could do it. They obviously see something they like in him, regardless of his stats. And it looks like they may have got it right too!
Because you're not a selector.
Yep. Too small a sample to tell much and he has been in good nick this summer. He could just be following that through. Shaun Marsh looked sensational his first bundle of one dayers before he got injured.
Forrest needs to learn to rotate the strike. He is really quite poor at that.
There's lots of ways you can look at it. Yes, it's a small sample size, but he's done really well. And it's much better than the alternative (that is, doing crap).
What I really like about him is he has got some guts. It absolutely astounded me how in his debut match he skipped down the pitch and hit that six, out of nowhere.
Great batting, great confidence, great composure.
For me, the most exciting thing is not the one dayers. He seems like a really strong test prospect at the moment - that's the most exciting thing.
What I really like about him is he has got some guts. It absolutely astounded me how in his debut match he skipped down the pitch and hit that six, out of nowhere.
Great batting, great confidence, great composure.
For me, the most exciting thing is not the one dayers. He seems like a really strong test prospect at the moment - that's the most exciting thing.
- Jan 30, 2006
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You been in a summer hibernation?
- Feb 13, 2011
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we can play him and Ponting at the same time? Forrest should be looking good for Marsh's spot.....
You're forgetting Watson.
2 doesn't go into 1 !!
The bats that will go to the WI are Warner, Cowan, Ponting, Forrest, Hussey, Clarke, Watson.
Keepers, Wade and Haddin apparently.
He faced some awfully high number of dot balls yesterday and will need to really work on his ability to rotate the strike but the signs are good and he looks like he has the tools for test match cricket! I think there are better ODI batsmen around but have no problem with him batting at three in the future if the selectors want to develop him for the test team.
Will be hard dropping a guy averaging 59.5 with 2 50s, 1 100 in 4 matches. If he keeps those numbers going the worry about the strike rate will be forgotten quickly. Key is Clarke, as long as he can continue what he's been doing lately then we can afford Forrest and him in the same side.
- Feb 13, 2011
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Bah, Of course. still puts lots of pressure no Warner/cowan/Punter to keep scoring runs....
- Mar 25, 2003
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i hate to play a bit of devils advocate, in terms of his ODI performances, but that was about the 70th lowest strike rate from the 1800 or so ODI centuries that have been made.
admittedly being 2 for not much didn't help and we needed to grind for a bit there, but if he is scoring at 75 SR when he is in good form, then it likely that will go down when he isn't in good form, or is just in average form. i don't think anyone survives as an ODI batsmen now with a strike rate of less than 70, which is where he will likely be when his form "levels out".
in saying that he is now for sure our next in line for the test team, and that is always my number one preference and it has been a great chance for him to get some international exposure.
i'm still not 100% sold that this is just been his golden summer, but we will find out a lot more about him in 2012/13.
does have a nice technique. nice and straight.
Tazwegian
Cancelled
Agreed, I wasn't overly impressed by his innings. Such a low strike rate on a flat deck is pretty ordinary. Be interesting to see how he goes in the next few games, he seems to be a guy who will be dropped pretty much as soon as he hits a form trough. Unlike a Warner, who the selectors will be far more patient with because he can win a game almost in the first ten overs.
sherb
Hall of Famer
His strike rate is just under 75, perfectly acceptable at this early stage of his career.
Ponting's is about 80 for reference purposes.
I am stunned at the focus on Forrest's strike-rate of his 104. Staying in the crease long enough to score a ton is actually hard to do, as Warner is clearly demonstrating to us. The guy was playing in his 4th international cricket match! He has scored two 50's and a 100 in his first four games and "we" are nit-picking at his SR? 
Just take the runs and be happy with them.
Just take the runs and be happy with them.
Bucking Beads
Brownlow Medallist
His runs have been against 2 of the better ODI sides in world cricket which makes it even more impressive IMO. Looks the goods so far but needs to improve his rotating of the strike.
- Mar 25, 2003
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but the point is that is a 75 SR when he is scoring runs.
on average batsmen score quicker in innings when they score big.
like all batsmen he will have his share of 3 of 11, 9 of 19 etc,. and those innings bring down you're overall strike rate.
taking ricky ponting as an example, of his 30 ODI centuries, only 5 are below 90 in strike rate, the lowest being 85.
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...re;template=results;type=batting;view=innings
likewise, if you order pontings innings by lowest strike rates, generally his lowest innings scores have lower strike rates, and higher scores higher strike rates. not 100% set rule obviously but it's pretty true, and pretty much all batsmen follow this pattern. in fact i can't think of any that don't.
it's why tailenders have low strike rates, even though a lot of them just swing from the hip (dizzy aside). dale steyn strikes at 43 in tests, roughly the same as jaques kallis. Ntini 48... both you would consider aggressive batsmen but just don't get the scores to run up their strike rate.
this list is batsmen strike rates in ODI innings when they score 15 or less. of the 795 batsmen who have minimum 10 innings of 15 or less, only 40 strike at above 70 in those innings, and the vast majority of those are tailenders.
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...1=runs;size=200;template=results;type=batting
on that evidence it would be fair to say when forrest form starts to level out, and it will like all batsmen, he's strike rate is going to drop below 70, which is also pretty fair to expect given his ODD strike rate is 66.
the obvious cavaet to the expectation is if it becomes something he actively works at to improve, but he is not an aggressive batsmen in general, which will be fine for him as this is really a rehearsal to see how he handles the step up to international cricket for movement into the test team.
Very good post. This is a trial for the test team and on those grounds, it is very encouraging.
But he really needs to learn to steal more singles as he sucks up too many deliveries for the number of deliveries he faces.
