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Article by Gazza -
This has always been the case for Victoria?s youngest ever captain.
A powerful right handed batsman and erratic leg spinner the blonde haired boy from Bairnsdale has made his rise to emerge as one of the ODI team?s most important batsmen in the last 12 months.
Once the captain of a victorious Australian Under-19 World Cup team White has faced high scrutiny throughout his ultimately short career. Once viewed as the Australian team?s next Shane Warne he made his first class debut at just 17, with the selectors eyeing off a very prodigious talent. As the leading run scorer in that Under 19 World Cup he was initially used as a bowling allrounder, taking his first ten wicket haul just prior to his elevation to the captaincy. The runs quickly followed and so did the representative honours but it took White til 2005 to earn his first international cap, as a supersub in the ODI?s against the World XI.
A frustrated White, unable to convert domestic prominence into international runs was given another call up in 2008, this time to the Australian Team for the first test against the Indians. White claimed the scalp of Sachin Tendulkar in both innings on debut but ultimately looked out of place with both bat and ball for the remainder of the tour. His role as a pinch hitter in the one day team continued, unable to score a fifty until the tour of England in 2009.
Having dropped out of favour for the next four test series and missing a place in the Ashes squad White appeared to have missed the test match boat. With Ricky Ponting on rest for the preliminary ODI?s White was promoted to number three, much to the surprise of commentators. White responded brilliantly, scoring a pair of fifties and a sparkling hundred to cement his place in the team.
Ponting?s return saw his demotion down the order but he continued his good form, to finish the tour as the team?s highest run scorer.White?s presence was felt throughout the following Champions Trophy, showing his true qualities in the final with a responsible 62 on a tricky surface. Numerous injuries depleted the side for the ODI tour of India and once again White stood up with three half-centuries.
White disappeared from the international scene during the test summer but returned for the first ODI against Pakistan. With the team in trouble and struggling on a dicey pitch against a lively Pakistan attack White stepped up in a powerful fashion, bludgeoning a brutal 105 off just 88 balls. He followed it up with strong performances throughout the series and the one against the West Indies.
Despite inconsistent performances at first class level several prominent figures called for White?s elevation to the test squad, on the back of a supreme and responsible role in the limited overs side. White ultimately missed selection for the NZ test tour behind Steven Smith and Phillip Hughes but put in strong performances on that limited overs tour, with a sparkling 64* in the second T20I.
White was Australia?s second highest run scorer in the successful World Twenty20 campaign and now in England he has once again been amongst the runs, holding up the inconsistent batting order.
Since his return to the ODI team in England White has set the standard for the side, scoring 1271 runs at 43.82 with 10 half centuries and a pair of tons. A strike rate of just fewer than 80 is not a fair reflection of his play, brutal when it is required and restricted when the match situation requires it. The leadership he has shown in his batting has been vital to the team?s regaining of the number one spot in the ODI rankings, a stable force amongst a horror run of injuries.
White?s critics will point to a First Class average of just 42, but over a total of 108 matches this is a more than adequate record to argue for White?s inclusion in the test team. As there are players who cannot make the conversion from domestic cricket to the international scene there are those that lift both themselves and their teammates when given the honour of representing their country. Once viewed as one of the country?s prodigious young talents White has shown in the last 12 months an incredible sense of maturity at international level to make a strong case for test selection. An unorthodox technique has not made a great impact on his performances and his stats match that of current number 6 Marcus North.
At just 26 Cameron White is viewed as one of the country?s best captains, having led the Bushrangers to a pair Sheffield Shield and four KFC Big Bash titles. A responsible and inventive thinker he would add a great deal to what is still an old Australian team and provide support to Michael Clarke, should he take up the captaincy role from Ricky Ponting. White could also make a strong claim for the first slip position, as one of the best fielders in the country and as a reliable leg spin option. While he will face competition from other young talents such as Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith, White represents the most matured and test ready option for the number 6 slot.
The late David Hookes said ?Cameron White has shown at a young age a successful understanding of captaining a team, leading them with flair, control and maturity far beyond his years.? It seemed inevitable that at some time he would play under the baggy green. That time, I believe, must be now.
Image sourced from AP Images
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No matter how well he performs Cameron White can never shake off his critics.
This has always been the case for Victoria?s youngest ever captain.
A powerful right handed batsman and erratic leg spinner the blonde haired boy from Bairnsdale has made his rise to emerge as one of the ODI team?s most important batsmen in the last 12 months.
Once the captain of a victorious Australian Under-19 World Cup team White has faced high scrutiny throughout his ultimately short career. Once viewed as the Australian team?s next Shane Warne he made his first class debut at just 17, with the selectors eyeing off a very prodigious talent. As the leading run scorer in that Under 19 World Cup he was initially used as a bowling allrounder, taking his first ten wicket haul just prior to his elevation to the captaincy. The runs quickly followed and so did the representative honours but it took White til 2005 to earn his first international cap, as a supersub in the ODI?s against the World XI.
A frustrated White, unable to convert domestic prominence into international runs was given another call up in 2008, this time to the Australian Team for the first test against the Indians. White claimed the scalp of Sachin Tendulkar in both innings on debut but ultimately looked out of place with both bat and ball for the remainder of the tour. His role as a pinch hitter in the one day team continued, unable to score a fifty until the tour of England in 2009.
Having dropped out of favour for the next four test series and missing a place in the Ashes squad White appeared to have missed the test match boat. With Ricky Ponting on rest for the preliminary ODI?s White was promoted to number three, much to the surprise of commentators. White responded brilliantly, scoring a pair of fifties and a sparkling hundred to cement his place in the team.
Ponting?s return saw his demotion down the order but he continued his good form, to finish the tour as the team?s highest run scorer.White?s presence was felt throughout the following Champions Trophy, showing his true qualities in the final with a responsible 62 on a tricky surface. Numerous injuries depleted the side for the ODI tour of India and once again White stood up with three half-centuries.
White disappeared from the international scene during the test summer but returned for the first ODI against Pakistan. With the team in trouble and struggling on a dicey pitch against a lively Pakistan attack White stepped up in a powerful fashion, bludgeoning a brutal 105 off just 88 balls. He followed it up with strong performances throughout the series and the one against the West Indies.
Despite inconsistent performances at first class level several prominent figures called for White?s elevation to the test squad, on the back of a supreme and responsible role in the limited overs side. White ultimately missed selection for the NZ test tour behind Steven Smith and Phillip Hughes but put in strong performances on that limited overs tour, with a sparkling 64* in the second T20I.
White was Australia?s second highest run scorer in the successful World Twenty20 campaign and now in England he has once again been amongst the runs, holding up the inconsistent batting order.
Since his return to the ODI team in England White has set the standard for the side, scoring 1271 runs at 43.82 with 10 half centuries and a pair of tons. A strike rate of just fewer than 80 is not a fair reflection of his play, brutal when it is required and restricted when the match situation requires it. The leadership he has shown in his batting has been vital to the team?s regaining of the number one spot in the ODI rankings, a stable force amongst a horror run of injuries.
White?s critics will point to a First Class average of just 42, but over a total of 108 matches this is a more than adequate record to argue for White?s inclusion in the test team. As there are players who cannot make the conversion from domestic cricket to the international scene there are those that lift both themselves and their teammates when given the honour of representing their country. Once viewed as one of the country?s prodigious young talents White has shown in the last 12 months an incredible sense of maturity at international level to make a strong case for test selection. An unorthodox technique has not made a great impact on his performances and his stats match that of current number 6 Marcus North.
At just 26 Cameron White is viewed as one of the country?s best captains, having led the Bushrangers to a pair Sheffield Shield and four KFC Big Bash titles. A responsible and inventive thinker he would add a great deal to what is still an old Australian team and provide support to Michael Clarke, should he take up the captaincy role from Ricky Ponting. White could also make a strong claim for the first slip position, as one of the best fielders in the country and as a reliable leg spin option. While he will face competition from other young talents such as Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith, White represents the most matured and test ready option for the number 6 slot.
The late David Hookes said ?Cameron White has shown at a young age a successful understanding of captaining a team, leading them with flair, control and maturity far beyond his years.? It seemed inevitable that at some time he would play under the baggy green. That time, I believe, must be now.
Image sourced from AP Images
More...
I also just can't see him getting anywhere near the Test team in the near future. He isn't even getting a mention now, it looks like Smith will be the next to replace North, then Khawaja. The Australian selectors are funny, they went through a patch of picking older players, now they seem to be looking at youth (Hughes, Smith, Hazlewood, Khawaja). IMO David Hussey should be at 6, but we all know that won't happen! 
