By Chris Barrett and Andrew Wu
It must be that time of the year because Brian Lara, just about an honorary resident in these parts in the summer, is back in town this week.
No, the Prince of Port of Spain is not flying in to put the Australian batsmen through their paces, although some could probably use the tuition based on the events of the past week or so.
Back in town: Brian Lara will show his daughter Sydney around the harbour city.Credit: Ben Rushton
He's coming to play the pro-am at the Australian Open with Adam Scott, but while he's here we're told he's also for the first time bringing his daughter Sydney with him to the city that she was named after, and intending to show her around the ground at which he made the most lasting of marks.
Lara was so proud of his 277 for the West Indies at the SCG in 1993 that he named his first daughter after the city. (Michael Holding later quipped cheekily that it was fortunate the double ton was not scored in Lahore). Sydney Lara is 20 and will get a tour around the famous venue from her old man before he hits the golf course.
Boof's dilemma
From a daughter to a son. Given the startling collapses of Perth and Hobart, and the potential for more change to the Australian batting line-up this summer, how long before Darren Lehmann is confronted with the most tricky situation of all? It can't be too far down the track until his son Jake, 24, is considered for a Test call-up. OK, he's probably not next cab off the rank but with a first-class average verging on 50 in the 18 months since his debut for South Australia – and an unbeaten 129 to his name already this season – he must not be too far out of the mix. Lehmann jr won an Australia A call-up in the winter, playing against South Africa A in Queensland, but it's if he's genuinely in the frame for Australia that his father would have to weigh up the most suitable course of action. To avoid even the slightest claim of conflict of interest, would he have to stand aside from the panel temporarily or for good? Lehmann's got enough on his plate at the moment so doesn't need this dilemma, but at some stage it's probably going to be coming his way.
Wade keeping gloves
While we're speaking of what options are out there for Australia to possibly turn to, a name that can't be forgotten is Matthew Wade. He has two Test hundreds to his name from the period when he usurped Brad Haddin as Australian wicketkeeper. There are some good judges around who reckon Wade would be well advised to forget the gloves and push for a spot as a specialist batsman in the Australian top six. He averaged north of 34 in his 12 Tests, and is an accomplished international player, but it's been his glovework that has been repeatedly questioned. Wade himself, though, is intent on improving his wicketkeeping, believing it is the aspect of his game that can thrust him back into the Test side at some point. "In the immediate future my keeping is the thing that will get me back into the Test team," Wade told Macquarie Radio on Sunday. "I have to find a way to work on my game. When I got dropped I wasn't keeping well enough."
Cummins grounded
"Workload management" is a phrase that many from the old guard are sick of seeing in Australian cricket but the case of Pat Cummins is proving the exception. The young gun was ruled out of grade cricket on the weekend after bowling 21 overs for NSW in a Futures League game last week. Given Cummins' long injury history, even the most ardent critics of the modern methods of preparing fast bowlers believe it's better to take the conservative road with him.