Monday, November 28, 2011

High cost on the baggy green

Any former Test players considering selling their baggy greens to fund their retirement should get in quick.

Where Southeby's would normally handle such a rare piece of sporting memorabilia, there are so many cheap Australian caps flooding the market that their future sales could be more suited to eBay.

Three more hats will be handed out on Thursday morning. It used to be unusual for one to be presented per series.

There is no doubt Australian cricket is struggling and combined with an increase in Test commitments, the value of what was once the most prized piece of sporting equipment in this country has been devalued.

Receiving a baggy green was a reward within itself. It was the prize for years of work and patience waiting for an opportunity.

And once you had it, no-one could take it from you. Even if sold (Don Bradman's cap fetched $425,000 at a 2003 auction) it will forever remain the spiritual property of the first wearer.

Steve Waugh held off replacing his dilapidated baggy green because it contained the smell, the feel, the essence of his Test career.

Now there is hardly the trace of a bead of sweat in some Australian players' hats.


In 2004-05 Michael Clarke became Australia's 389th Test player. In the following four years 10 players successfully claimed caps.

But such is the plight of the national team that in the past three years, which featured 30 Tests, there have been 22 Australian debutants - enough to fill two teams.

Of that band only Peter Siddle (25), Doug Bollinger (12), Ben Hilfenhaus (17) and Marcus North (21) have record double-figure career tallies. The latter three have since been discarded.

Jason Krejza (two), Bryce McGain (one), Graham Manou (one), Peter George (one) have been, seen and quickly thrown from the team.

There is not doubt that when the team isn't performing, new personnel must be tried.

It would just be worthy of the baggy green if some of those who get their hands on the coat of arms in the near future can been seen wearing them for at least a couple of summers.

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