The evolution of the FBC

Back in one of the pioneer iterations of the Fast Bowlers’ Cartel (FBC), the card-carrying delegates were renowned for being as quick with a quip as they were to fire in a late-dipping yorker.

They were the days when the members vying for Test berths – Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz – were snapped emulating the other Fab Four striding out across Abbey Road, not far from Lord’s, in a symbolic show of solidarity.

The days when even McGrath was playing to the rock star image by adding a few blonded streaks to his locks, and was basking in the glow of his burgeoning reputation as a batsman of some consequence.

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“We might have to be a bit stricter with the criteria,” he opined as the four of them convened an informal meeting in the art-deco capital of Napier on New Zealand’s north island ahead of Australia’s 2005 tour.

“Maybe restrict it to those who also have a Test match half-century to their name.”

Having peeled off his one and only Test 50 against the Black Caps three months earlier, in partnership with Gillespie who managed the same feat as a pre-emptive strike to his epic double-century as nightwatchman a year later in Bangladesh, McGrath couldn’t conceal a certain smugness.

Pointedly directed at Kasprowicz who, in 30 prior Test appearances, had only ever made it halfway to that batting milestone.

“Or we could narrow it even further,” Kasprowicz shot back as he surveyed McGrath’s blonde highlights, Lee’s peroxided tips and the Jamaica Brown that Gillespie applied throughout his career to hide his premature greying.

“To those who don’t need to put a colour in their hair.”

According to the undisputed front man of the FBC’s current incarnation – Mitchell Johnson – even though Australia’s fast bowling stocks have rarely been stronger or deeper, they still can’t yet claim to rival their four famous predecessors who between them collected almost 1,250 Test wickets.

“We can’t compare ourselves to those guys, but there’s definitely the same sort of feeling,” Johnson told cricket.com.au recently when asked if the FBC remained a going entity.

“We’re a pretty close knit group of guys, the bowling group. It’s a pretty special group to be involved in.”

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And while the cartel’s mission statement – to provide solidarity and support for one another as well as sneering cynicism at the mollycoddled life of specialist batsmen – remains unrevised, so too does the competitive edge honed by the self-assessment of one another’s batting prowess.

Especially now that the job of nightwatchman – coveted by the quicks since Gillespie etched his name into trivia folklore – has gone to spinner Nathan Lyon, who FBC stalwart Ryan Harris grudgingly rates an “associate member” of the cartel in that he’s occasionally allowed to join them for coffee.

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As it stands, Johnson – as the proud owner of a Test century – can rightfully claim the title of the FBC’s pre-eminent batsman.

But there are fellow members eyeing that achievement, with some openly indicating they might push to supplant Lyon as the sacrificial tailender should a top-order wicket fall late in a day’s play.

“I’d love a hundred,” Harris enthused.

“I’ve got a first-class 96 when I was playing for Surrey in England (and it) would’ve been nice to get a hundred.

“So my goal is to make a first-class hundred before I finish.

“I was on the way to a hundred in the West Indies (when he reached 68 not out in Barbados in 2012) but the captain declared on me.

“I still haven’t forgiven him about that.”

Peter Siddle, who has a first-class century to his name (albeit for Australia A in a match against Scotland), used to be the team’s preferred night watchman but – in a move that has caused some angst within the cartel – surrendered the role to the off-spinner of late.

“I do keep reminding them (the team leaders) that I had 17 stints as nightwatchmen where I didn’t go out there (to bat),” Siddle recalled.

“Padded up, but never went out there.

“For the team, that’s a pretty good record - we’re not going to lose a wicket, so they should’ve stuck with me.”

There was certainly no surfeit of alternative volunteers when Lyon was sent out to face the fury of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell who pummelled his person late in a brutal half hour at Port Elizabeth during the Test series in South Africa earlier this year.

But even though he regularly bats further up the list than his fellow FBC delegates, Johnson claims he’s also shown an interest in the nightwatchman’s job despite its obvious drawbacks - as apparently displayed by the skipper Michael Clarke’s current option.

“He (Lyon) is absolutely petrified, but I think we all are when we go out there to bat,” Johnson revealed.

“I think Ryan Harris quite enjoys it (nightwatchman) and Peter Siddle enjoys it.

“Even at times I’ve considered putting my hand up to do it, but Michael (Clarke) will say ‘you’re too valuable’ or something like that.

“I’d say ‘what about the other guys?’.

“It’s a bit of a strange one.

“I’d still like to do it but I don’t see myself doing it ever again.

“(Though) if we’re playing against Bangladesh on a nice, flat wicket I think all the boys will be putting their hands up.”

That chance might arise when Australia make their scheduled tour to Bangladesh following next year’s Ashes series in the UK.

But while Lyon might feel he has first call should another gilded Gillespie-esque opportunity arise, he is under no illusion as to the role that he serves and the likelihood it will ever grant him additional kudos in the eyes of the FBC membership committee.

“I think I’m just used as a punching bag,” Lyon said ruefully.

“That’s the duty of the nightwatchman and I’m happy to do that if a batter needs it.

“As a bowling cartel we pride ourselves on our batting and if we can do the little things to push our total up, that can potentially make a big difference.

“And I know the big scary quicks are doing a lot of work on their batting as well.”