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Dear Santa, or whoever Kitty Flanagan believes distributes presents globally in the event of your non-existence. Christmas is a time for giving. A time to stop and reflect on less fortunate people around us, like Greg Ritchie.
I don’t ask for much each year, Santa. Win, lose or draw, my main hope is that the Australian selectors won’t get sucked in to the hype around certain players, and will actually pick in-form players who can perform in the Test arena.
With this in mind, I humbly present my Test selection Christmas wish list.
A new number three
You already granted this wish before I had time to put my list in the mail, Santa. Joe Burns is an excellent choice. I’m glad to see you’ve been paying attention. I guess that means I need to come up with another wish.
The end of Shane Watson’s Test career
A few years ago, Watto was in his prime. Opening the batting seemed to suit his style, regular LBW dismissals aside. He was fairly injury-free, by his standards anyway, thanks to a new running style that resembled the trot of a constipated pony. Above all, he was an automatic selection at the time.
Fast-forward to 2014, and only the pony run remains. While the combination of Mitchell Marsh’s hamstring woes and Watto’s contributions with the ball will keep him safe for the remainder of the summer, after Sydney he should be marked ‘for ODI/T20 use only’.
Marsh has shown enough so far to indicate he is worth persisting with for the immediate future. If his injury battles rule him out of the next year’s Test series against the West Indies, Moisés Henriques, James Faulkner or even Sean Abbott would be a better option than Watson, should the selectors continue with their compulsive selection of all-rounders in the Test side.
For now, Watto’s 20s and 30s with the bat, along with a wicket or two in each innings, will be a sufficient return in his new home at number six.
A wicketkeeper who is in the side for more than leadership ability
“Brad Haddin has been a great servant of Australian cricket,” the press release could read.
“However, the national selection panel has decided that with the upcoming World Cup and Ashes series in England next year, now is the time to promote our next wicketkeeper.”
There are a few options for the name that can appear after the last sentence that I’d be happy with, as long they contain no words that rhyme with raid.
Peter Nevill? Sure. He’s been an outstanding performer for New South Wales for years, and would bring leadership and a level head to the role.
Sam Whiteman? His early season form hasn’t been great, but he’s an outstanding long-term prospect and would find his feet quickly.
Chris Hartley? The best gloveman in the country for several years would perform admirably on the big stage, and has at least four or five years of top level cricket left in him.
On recent form with bat and gloves, Tim Ludeman may even get a look-in.
The most important thing here is that despite my early season calls for Haddin to be retained for the summer, he hasn’t performed adequately to date. If Michael Clarke’s body had behaved itself, the keeping position would be up for more serious debate.
A few Test matches in front of home crowds before the World Cup and subsequent tours of the West Indies and England would provide our new gloveman with a great opportunity to settle into the side. However, the realist in me would also be happy to see Haddin get a tap on the shoulder after next year’s Ashes series in England.
A further injection of youth into the side
Rod Marsh and his selecting buddies have shown every intention of making this wish come true in recent weeks, with the additions of Josh Hazlewood and Burns to the Test side.
With the 2015 Ashes likely to be the end of the line for several veterans in the side, next summer will hopefully see a number of fresh faces sporting the venerable baggy green cap.
The selectors are certainly spoilt for choice, with strong batting, bowling and keeping candidates ready to step up and prove their worth in the Test arena.
For what it’s worth, here’s my side for the first Test in Brisbane next year: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Michael Clarke (c), Mitch Marsh, Sam Whiteman, Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.
That’s it for me, Santa. I know things have been rough for you in the past few years, with citizen journalists and social media making it tougher for you to do your job, but if you could find the time to re-jig the Test side for me, I’d be rather grateful.
Yours in anticipation,
Daniel
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