So, Chapelli is in as a full time selector and there isn't room for 5 so someone had to go.....
Hilditch is the boss so he is safe that leaves Merv, Cox and Boon.
Why oh why would you remove Merv Hughes...He is the only Bowler in the group, has paid his dues (rising from selecting for Footscray 2's then the 1st's then the Vic's. then 5 and a half years in the Aussie team.
Not taking anything away from Boon or Cox (although I will as Cox {correct me if I am wrong} never pulled on the Baggy Green) who have been incumbents for a while have at the very least shown a little faith in the team.
Hilditch should have been the one to have been retired....even if he stayed for the last six months of his contract, he is the obvious choice out of the 4 to have been given his marching orders.
To not have a Test Bowler in the ranks of the selection crew is a travesty.
'Nuff Said.
Outside Sledge
Who the fuck is Hilditch when he is at home too? I don't disagree with the Chappell posting but I have to say, what the hell does a bloke who hasn't played in the baggy green know about choosing who plays in the baggy green?
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't agree with the Poms policy of giving anyone a natonal cap I do think Australia have erred in not giving fringe players a shot at wearing ours. By the time we have apparently recognised talent it is beyond 30 and might just have played it's best cricket in the twos. Clarke is the only real identification of raw talent that has been given a decent shot. Hughes was tested but has some flaws in his game and might benefit from batting down the order a bit like Katich did early in his career.
North needs to go and Mr Cricket with him. Sorry guys, you have been victims of what I mentioned earlier. You played too much shield cricket and for Hussey all I can say is had you been from South Africa you would probably be the captain of England by now. Hughes, Cosgrove and Hodge would be your team mates.
So do the selectors risk picking a team to take back The Ashes and lose them anyway or do they give the future a chance to take them back and lose and lose anyway? I have to say given a choice I would much rather see a team with some future champions go down this summer than a team of ageing superstars and not quite there's go down but not so badly with the outside chance of a 2-1 series victory.
The next tier is just as good as the current crop of at risk players and deserve a chance to show what they can do on the biggest stage of all. At worst they get exposure to the pressure cooker that is not only international cricket but The Ashes. At best they take back what we lost and etch themselves into history.
Anyway you look at it there's a solid argument to allow some newer batsmen to get a guernsey this summer. Hussey, North, Ponting and Katich have seen their best days and this is when it's time to step aside. You don't wait til there's a drop in form bad enough to prove the above has happened.
ReplyDeleteFerguson and Kahwaja are great talents and deserve a chance to show their skills. I can't stand the stodgy approach of CA to keep playing a bunch of older guys whose big innings are further and further apart. Even if the old brigade stood up and got the Ashes back; what then? Do you just keep playing them til they have a run like Tubby did to finish his career? This is short-sighted to say the least.
Re the board issue - to be honest I don't care if the selectors didn't play for Aus or whether they were a batsman or bowler. The job is to pick wisely and I don't think balance between bat and ball in the board room has any impact on the capacity to do this. Any selector should have a suitable background whereby they understand how the game is played and what it tales to be successful. We have a very conservative CA at present with Hilditch heading the pack thinking this is cricket of the 80s. I agree that he should be ousted and sent back to his law firm where he can do no more harm to the future of Aus cricket. Unless he sues CA.
Kahwaja definately needs to get a run.
ReplyDeleteis Hilditch J.W.Howards love child? he certainly is conservative.
i'm not too sure on what the structure needs to be for the selection board. none of us have played for Aus, and we are pretty keen on deciding who should be in/out. i see the merits though of both representatives for batting and bowling, and for ex-players as they understand the demands of being national first XI and what that entails off the field.
it is no secret that i believe in blooding the youth- although getting out of the Aus side is harder than getting in, so it is obvious CA only feel the need to do that through natural attrition... instead of in a series with little interest: hello India! but it is clear that CA see a series like that as an opportunity of getting out of touch players back in nick... or not.
I agree Stoph. India was a perfect chance to blood the players of tomorrow for The Ashes of, well, tomorrow, but well into the future too. I have stated on this site that I believe the Aussies are capable of taking the urn this summer but it is very dependant on them playing at their best and the Poms at slightly off their best. That slightly is slowly becoming ever more so slightly daily.
ReplyDeleteA single hundred in a second innings should not save an out of form batsman
another name not mentioned much at the moment is Marsh.
ReplyDeletehe nearly carried his bat yesterday againsts Lefties mob when all around him (hello North and Hussey) crumbled.
when will he be back in contention?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/01/3054285.htm?site=sport§ion=all
ReplyDeleteNorth 101 in the 2nd will see him safe for Brisvegas!
Marsh another good knock...won't get him in though!
North was lucky not to get a duck. That was OUT
ReplyDeleteI heard that North was lucky to survive that LBW shout.
ReplyDeleteRight on about Marsh - fantastic batsman with the right temperament. Aus has him, Ferguson, Kahwaja, Hughes - and more batsmen making big runs.
Assume you saw NSW's innings rout? Looking at the Qld team there was noone even being considered for national duties of any kind really. They may well rival SA for the wooden spoon in the Shield this year. Hooray!
Hoping to have a look at the Eng tour match in Adel soon too. Nov 11-14 I think.