Cameron Bancroft is the form Australian batsman, with the most Sheffield Shield runs and the best average this season.
He will be 25 on Sunday and with his 442 runs at 110.50, with a top score of 228*, he’s a no-brainer to make his Test debut in the Ashes series – there’s no higher honour and no more deserved selection.
But the same performance stats can’t be trotted out for Tim Paine nor Shaun Marsh.
Both are strange decisions, but in keeping when the national selection panel is chaired by Trevor Hohns.
Remember how Hohns, in his first stint as selection chairman, was hell-bent on flicking Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh when they were baggy green captains? ‘Hatchet’ Hohns was his nickname at the time.
The Paine-Marsh selections are Hohns’ alter ego – sacking replaced by resurrection.
Tasmanian selectors thought so much of Paine they installed Matt Wade as the state’s Shield keeper when the latter transferred back to his home state after a stint with the Vics.
However, Paine was a quality keeper-batsman when he Test debuted, against Pakistan at Lord’s in July 2010 – seven years ago.
And who else was on debut in that Test? Current captain Steve Smith.
Paine, batting seven, scored seven and 47. Smith, batting eight, managed one and 12 – Australia won by 150 runs.
But Paine’s Test career lasted just three months, and four caps – a badly broken index finger, which has plagued Paine ever since, cut short a promising career.
Tim Paine has been recalled. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
But this selection is seven years later with 71* and a 50 to his credit this season, but blow all keeping. And keeping’s the priority for the Gabba.
Peter Nevill must be wondering what Hohns has against him.
Nevill was dumped after the South Africa fiasco in Hobart last November, with Wade stepping into the breach.
Nevill should never have been sacked, Wade should never been promoted – both facts have been conclusively proved – but Nevill’s the bunny again. Sometimes there’s no justice.
There’s also no argument Nevill is the better gloveman of the two right now, and if the bat needs to be mentioned, Paine’s averaged 18 in recent times, Nevill 58.
As for Shaun Marsh, there’s no point in him buying a lotto ticket – he’s used up all his ring, thanks to Hohns.
He’s 34, and Glenn Maxwell was the incumbent.
I’m no fan of Maxwell, but the Victorian deserved first crack out of himself and Marsh.
AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi
However, both Marsh and Maxwell are unreliable, while 25-year-old Jake Lehmann is reliable and has scored the second-highest amount of runs this Shield season.
His 249 at 49.80 – including 103 and 93 against Victoria at the MCG earlier this month – should have made him as clear a choice as Bancroft.
To further add to Hohns’ questionable selections, paceman Chadd Sayers has been added to the squad just in case he’s needed for the second Test in Adelaide, Sayers’ home ground.
Is Hohns expecting Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, or Josh Hazlewood to break down?
Australia had better win the first Test or Hohns will need somewhere to hide.
The mammoth rise of Jake Fraser-McGurk - his enormous potential and the destructive shot-making that he possesses makes him a very tempting option.
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