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The Cricket Australia board has unsurprisingly backed its contentious selection and player management policies and welcomed its biggest critic Shane Warne back into the fold.
The CA board on Monday gave its “unequivocal support” for the team performance division’s controversial methods and believe it’s already proving a success.
Pat Howard, the general manager of team performance, and John Inverarity, chief selector, addressed the board of directors in Melbourne.
Chairman Wally Edwards said he was convinced of the merits of the policies formulated after the release of the Argus report 18 months ago, which aimed for a return to the No.1 ranking within four years.
“To build a new cricket side is a long term thing … I’m confident we’re on the right track,” Edwards said.
“They explained to us that they are seeking to build sustained success over the long term.
“They noted that since the appointment of the current team performance leadership group Australia has played 15 Tests of which we’ve won 10; we’ve lost two and had three very creditable draws.
“In that time Australia has moved from fifth to third on the world Test rankings.
“The CA board unequivocally supports the strategy and endorses the high performance team led by Pat Howard as they work to implement the Argus strategy.”
Edwards said players couldn’t perform at their best playing every day of the year in three forms of the game and a crowded calendar.
He rebutted a claim that the “rotation policy” it cheapened national representation, saying that it gave more talented players opportunities to showcase their skills.
CA chief executive James Sutherland said the board recognised that it needed to improve its communication surrounding selection to the fans and media to make it more “transparent”.
He said other weaknesses identified were the top order of batting at times during the summer and the depth of spin bowling talent.
Former great Warne has described the policies as a joke and the people implementing them as “muppets”.
On Monday he released the second instalment of his manifesto for re-invigorating the game and the national team, calling again for selectors to do away with the controversial rotation policy and name the best available side for each match.
Sutherland said he had a “robust discussion” with the spin king when they met on the weekend and invited him to work with Australia’s spinners.
“There’s no doubt about his passion and enthusiasm for Australian cricket team to be successful,” Sutherland said..
“Hopefully there are opportunities for him down the track to be closer to us and have an even greater involvement.
“I wouldn’t want to preempt when those opportunities may be …he has a very busy schedule.”
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