If I was Hilton Cartwright, I’d be a bit frustrated.
By this stage, I’d have George Bailey’s phone number on a customised ringtone of ‘About Damn Time’ by Lizzo, and I’d be sending sporadic friendly Instagram DMs to Pat Cummins to remind him of my existence.
Mitch Marsh has struck soreness following his home Test, with Australia’s top-order batting woes proving the difference in their opening loss to Jasprit Bumrah’s India.
If only there was an Australian domestic all-rounder who was leading the Sheffield Shield in runs and bats in the top order for his state.
Ideally, maybe even someone who can pick up crucial wickets along the way and can excel as one of the nation’s leading outfielders.
Hmm, who could that be?
With 466 runs in the first five matches of the Shield season, along with a handy four wickets, Cartwright’s omission from not just the Test squad but also Australia A and even the Prime Minister’s XI is baffling.
Cartwright has begun the season demonstrating his versatility with the bat.
Along with his Mitch Marsh-like attacking tendencies on show with his 65 off 86 in Round 2 against South Australia, 40 of which came from boundaries.
He’s also shown his patience with 153 from 278, involving no maximums, and his 78 off 166, against Tasmania and Victoria respectively.
It displays Cartwright’s ability to adjust to the game play accordingly, one of Australia’s downfalls in the first Test.
Furthermore, Hilton Cartwright has begun the Shield season with his best form with the ball in recent history, with four wickets at 31.75.
Hilton Cartwright (Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)
Including early bowling success in the One Day Cup, in the 2024/25 season, Cartwright’s medium pace has taken the key scalps of Victorian captain Peter Handscomb, Australia A wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson and Australian white-ball international Ben McDermott.
Cartwright’s batting form alone should be enough to warrant selectors’ attention, with his ability to take influential wickets when required further demanding George Bailey’s attention.
In saying all of the above, I completely understand Beau Webster’s selection as Marsh’s cover in the second Test, following his 61* and 48* against India A and his bowling success to begin the domestic season.
My question is why is Cartwright not being gifted these same opportunities to play for Australia A or even the Prime Minister’s XI?
In the second India A tour match, Bailey selected young New South Welshmen Ollie Davies ahead of Cartwright.
Davies, 24, is a talented top-order batsman and has performed well to begin the season, but still has scored 164 less runs than Cartwright in the same amount of innings this Sheffield Shield.
As Cartwright is 32, the selectors would argue that they’re preparing for the future, but they’re also selecting 30-year-old Beau Webster, 32-year-old Jimmy Peirson and Bancroft, 32, in these same tour matches.
I don’t understand.
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