Australian Cricket Looks To The Future As Allrounder Aaron Hardie Gets His Chance

Aaron Hardie has starred in domestic cricket (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)

Early last Sheffield Shield season, Aaron Hardie found himself in some of the most difficult batting conditions of his fledgling career.

On a green pitch, evoking the mean days of the feared WACA wicket, the strong batting line-ups of Western Australia and Queensland could barely scurry a run underlined by meek totals of 97 and 115 in the second and third innings.

Star Test batter Marnus Labuschagne could only muster eight runs total for the match, while Australian teammate Usman Khawaja made a duck in Queensland's second innings.

WA's chase of 194 appeared almost mission impossible against fringe Test quicks Mark Steketee and Michael Neser, who combined for eight wickets in the first innings.

Almost predictably, WA crashed to 4 for 24 then 6 for 82 amid the onslaught of Queensland's veteran quicks before Hardie at number eight played a masterpiece to get the home team over the line by three wickets.

An ice-cool Hardie hit the winning runs in superb fashion - a straight drive to the boundary off Steketee late on day three.

Aaron Hardie was a match-winner against Queensland (Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)

It prompted rapturous applause from the WA team in the terraces, particularly the heavy clapping from beaming coach Adam Voges thundering around a sparse WACA with the fixture overshadowed by the T20 World Cup which had just been played in Perth.

Everyone there that day knew that a star had emerged and it was just a matter of time before allrounder Aaron Hardie would make his international debut. Almost 10 months later, the 24-year-old will line-up for Australia in the first T20I against South Africa in Durban.

Hardie represents another talented, tall allrounder from Perth in the wake of the emergence of Cameron Green and rejuvenation of Mitchell Marsh, who will captain Australia on their white-ball tour of South Africa.

He had been on the fringes of Perth Scorchers' powerful line-up before last season, where he effectively replaced the injured Marsh.

He started at number six, but found a niche at three - the position Marsh had occupied with such force - and made it his own to help Scorchers' successful Big Bash League title defense.

A groin niggle kept Hardie away from bowling duties for chunks of the season, but he is a sharp seamer who can swing the ball and uses his towering 6 foot 4 frame to devastating effect.

He is a genuine allrounder - an invaluable role that Australia, which had a dearth of them for decades, suddenly is stacked with.

With his ice-cool temperament, hard-hitting batting who can also shift gears and play sedately when needed, and wicket-taking capabilities, Hardie is very much a Green clone.

You might think they are twins, but six months separates them with Hardie older although Green has been given a head start at international level.

Cameron Green had a tough Ashes (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

But Green's Test position is under threat ahead of Australia's next Test assignment against Pakistan in December after a sub-par Ashes, where he was usurped by Marsh as the team's preferred allrounder.

Hardie, however, might emerge as a contender if he can impress on the international stage starting with his debut in South Africa.

"Is this an audition potentially for spaces that may open up, in South Africa? There's no doubt about that," Australia coach Andrew McDonald said. "We feel as though we've got some exciting talent coming through. You look at Aaron Hardie in that allrounder space, getting his opportunity."

Like on that memorable day at the WACA, Hardie just needs to calmly go about his business and he might very well be getting more opportunities.