County Stint Helps White Spin His Magic At Higher Level

Sun Herald

Sunday January 7, 2007

By MICHAEL GLEESON

A STINT with English county side Somerset has helped Victorian captain Cameron White to improve his batting and force his way into the Australian one-day squad.

When White hit the first-class scene seven years ago as a leg spinner, some believed he might emulate Shane Warne. He was Victorian, he had the style, the strut and the talent.

When he lost his Cricket Australia contract and was edged out by South Australian Cullen Bailey for a spot in the Australia A team that played in the Top End series against teams from New Zealand, India and Pakistan in July, he headed to England.

His time with Somerset moulded him into one of the most formidable batsmen in the abbreviated forms of the game, especially Twenty20.

White set a world record score for Twenty20 when he plundered an unconquered 141 off just 70 balls.

His good form has continued during the Australian domestic one-day competition with 126 from 100 balls against New South Wales in Canberra and 77 from 98 balls against Queensland.

"I was disappointed," he said of the setbacks. "I wanted to play any game for Australia or Australia A but it wasn't to be. But it meant I went to Somerset, which worked really well.

"I had a good summer there and my batting improved. One of the things I wanted to work on was my batting, and my one-day batting in particular. I batted up the order at Somerset and that seemed to work.

"I got a few overs there as well and there was a good chance to spend time in the middle. It was a really good experience."

White, who'll play for the Australian Twenty20 side against England at the SCG on Tuesday and in the tri-nations series also involving New Zealand, has also been included in the 30-man World Cup squad.

He hopes to play in the Australian Test XI, but appears better equipped to shine in the limited-overs arena.

White's batting is powerful and clean and his hulking frame and bludgeoning approach provide an intimidating presence at the wicket.

His bowling also seems better suited to the one-day format. He is not a huge spinner of ball, and varies pace and line to contain and ferret out wickets. A bonus is the fact he's arguably the best slip fieldsman in the country.

"I bowl no differently in the one-day game to four-day," he said. "But the conditions in one-day cricket tend to suit me more. The wickets can be a bit slower and that probably suits my game more. I have to learn to bowl better on faster wickets. I try to change my pace around a lot."

His state coach, Greg Shipperd, said the timing was right for White to return to the international scene.

"It was only a matter of knowing how to combine his game, to know when to go hard and when to give bowlers respect and not just play one way regardless," Shipperd said.

"He is doing that now and he is showing great maturity.

"He is a great selection for Australia in the one-day team immediately and in the World Cup squad."

TRI-NATIONS SCHEDULE AND AUSSIE TEAM

JANUARY

12: Aust v Eng, Melbourne

14: Aust v NZ, Hobart

16: Eng v NZ, Hobart

19: Aust v Eng, Brisbane

21: Aust v NZ, Sydney

23: Eng v NZ, Adelaide

26: Aust v Eng, Adelaide

28: Aust v NZ, Perth

30: Eng v NZ, Perth

FEBRUARY

2: Aust v Eng, Sydney

4: Aust v NZ, Melbourne

6: Eng v NZ, Brisbane

9: First final, Melbourne

11: Second final, Sydney

13: Third final (if required) Adelaide

AUSTRALIAN SQUAD

Ricky Ponting (Tas, 32), Adam Gilchrist (WA, 35), Nathan Bracken (NSW, 29), Stuart Clark (NSW, 31), Michael Clarke (NSW, 25), Matthew Hayden (Qld, 35), Brad Hogg (WA, 35), Michael Hussey (WA, 31), Mitchell Johnson (Qld, 25), Brett Lee (NSW, 30), Glenn McGrath (NSW, 36), Andrew Symonds (Qld, 31), Cameron White (Vic, 23)

© 2007 Sun Herald

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