God has left the building. Well, both of them have gone actually. Australian Test selector David Boon says the team are entering a “mini rebuild” phase, having lost several great players in a hurry.
Opening batsman Matthew Hayden retired last month and other superstars including Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer and Glenn McGrath have also departed in the past two years.
Australia’s Test squad of 14 for Thursday’s first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg includes eight players who have played less than five Tests and only four (Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich and Mike Hussey) who have played over 30.
West Australian Mitchell Johnson is the most experienced frontline bowler with 18 Tests.
Australia are sending this inexperienced bunch into a crucial three-Test series in which defeat would hand the Proteas the No.1 Test ranking.
“History says the wheel turns and we’ve seen it with the West Indies and we’ve seen it with England but I think Australia is in a far stronger and has a greater base for us to restrict that,” Boon said on Monday.
“I know everybody harks on it but when you do lose five or six great players over a shortish period of time its difficult and when one’s Warne and one’s Gilchrist, that’s in God status and you are not ever going to replace that.”
Australia’s selection decisions puzzled fans during the summer, with injured bowlers getting a game, spinners coming and going, and controversy surrounding the every move of Andrew Symonds.
“Some of the criticism of performance has been justified some not,” Boon said.
“It hasn’t taken into consideration, I would call it a mini rebuild. It’s nothing like we experienced in the early 80s.”
Boon says when he was playing in the 1980s in the dark days, selectors took the decision to stick with a core group of players, including himself, Steve Waugh and Craig McDermott.
“We knew if we missed we weren’t going to be flicked and I think it built everything really well through,” the 107-Test veteran said.
“It gave Billy (McDermott) the chance to improve as a 19-year-old bowler, Steve was very up and down through those formative years.
“But they stuck with him because everybody knew there was talent there.
“I opened and then went back to three when Tubby (Mark Taylor) came in. We stuck together and I think we are going to do the same here.
“The public have got to understand that is what is happening, we are going to win a couple, maybe lose one, who knows.
“We have young players who are going to step up to the mark and do really well as long as we are patient.”
Jameswm
Guest
I did say this elsewhere but... Boonie will have a toiugh time defending the Aussie seletors if they decide to take only 3 specialist bowlers into the 1st test. Playing both McDonald and North is lunacy.
drewster
Roar Pro
I think the "Average Joe" in the street understands that when players of the calibre mentioned decide to call it quits they are very hard to replace and it will take time to rebuild the structure of the team, But when you play injured players who can't get through 5 days of cricket, who's performances are below their par and then change the team every test played it does leave the selectors open for fair critisism. Michael Clarke is a good example, We have been told he has a back complaint and was rested but will be ok for the test, That would mean I presume that he will pass a fitness test and is able to bat and bowl. He is vital to our chances of competing over there but if he breaks down, Who's his replacement on tour?