Australia’s embattled cricket selectors have given players the chance to clear the mass confusion plaguing their summer.
The likes of Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge and Jason Krejza will get a chance to air their grievances with selectors, who have been under fire this summer amid Test series losses to India and South Africa and the constant changing of the side.
Hayden on Thursday was at the end of a changing of position by the selectors, who are no longer committed to picking him for next month’s tour of South Africa.
That night Hodge also said he had not been in contact with the panel, and could not fathom why he had been left out of Twenty20 squad.
Krejza, Nathan Bracken, Shane Watson, Cameron White and Ashley Noffke are among Cricket Australia’s (CA) contracted players who have also been disillusioned or left unsure by selectors’ decisions in recent months.
But chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has promised to meet with every CA-contracted player before the end of the month, in an attempt to iron out some of the mixed messages being sent by his panel, which also comprises Merv Hughes, David Boon and Jamie Cox.
Bracken confirmed on Friday he had received an email from CA informing players the selectors wanted to meet them individually by the end of January.
Bracken, who has largely been pigeon-holed as a specialist limited-overs paceman, said he had always benefitted from speaking with selectors.
He said players would welcome the chance to discuss selection matters with Hilditch’s panel.
“It’s good to see that Andrew Hilditch is happy to sit down and tell you where you’re at and what their plans are and what they’re looking at from you,” he said.
“I see it as a positive, it gives me a position to work on things and move forward.”
Bracken said players always wanted feedback from selectors, but he maintained it was up to players to get in touch with the men picking the sides, and not vice versa.
Hilditch’s offer to improve communication will doubtless be appreciated by players given he can be notoriously hard to contact – by players, fellow selectors and media.
In the latest PR blow to the selection panel, Hilditch was last week photographed walking his dog on an Adelaide beach while Australia were battling it out against the Proteas in the third Test at the SCG.
CA spokesman Peter Young on Friday said selector-player meetings were a regular occurrence and had been first organised by Hilditch’s predecessor Trevor Hohns.
Young denied the meetings – and the timing of Friday’s email to players – were organised in reaction to the criticism the selectors had copped this summer.
He said all contracted players had been sent an email by CA cricket operations general manager Michael Brown, on Hilditch’s behalf.
However, Hodge was yet to see an email on Friday afternoon.
“There’s nothing in my inbox, I can assure you – and I’ve checked today,” he said.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
Mitch Marsh has been appointed as Australia's men's Twenty20 captain, set to lead a squad to the World Cup that does not include Steve…
Australia are set to turn their back on rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk’s whirlwind IPL form and drop Steve Smith in their T20 World Cup…
If people can lose their job, and clubs can face massive payouts, due to the behaviour of coaches, it will drastically change the way sporting teams in Australia will be run.
Australian fast bowling great Jason Gillespie has been named head coach of Pakistan's Test team, as the nation overhauls its coaching department ahead of…
Will Jacks got RCB past the 200 target set by Gujarat with four overs to spare.
With Rajasthan needing 25 off 17, both batsmen ended up at the same end but the bowler dropped the throw from his teammate -…
