The National Selection Panel has been criticised heavily in recent times – and it has not stopped during this year’s Ashes series.
With the Australians trailing 1-0, with just two Test matches remaining, the public has expressed a wide-range of views regarding the make-up of the side.
Questions have been raised: some asked where the back-up opening batsman/batsman in the 16-man squad was?
Some even queried the decision to take two wicket-keepers, while the form of some players have left fans frustrated and searching for answers.
The trouble for the NSP in this series is that no Australian player has been horribly out-of-form, which makes picking the best 11 players a challenging task.
Team balance must also be taken into consideration and it is clear the selectors have rewarded the young pace attack that did so very well in South Africa earlier this year.
The pundits, though, have questioned both our bowling and batting at various times.
Australia has been a dominant force in the cricketing world for over a decade, and it may be time that we showed the selectors the respect they perhaps deserve.
Mitchell Johnson lost his radar in the opening two Tests, but had credits in the bank and, after an improved showing in the third game, should retain his place for the remainder of the series.
Ben Hilfenhaus was a surprise selection for the opening-Test, yet leads the team for wickets and should, at this stage, be the first bowler picked.
I wonder if those who chastised the selection panel for the inclusion of Hilfenhaus – and the exclusion of Stuart Clark – will send a letter of apology to the selection panel.
Without Hilfenhaus, our attack would be nothing more than solid – the Tasmanian’s form has been a huge bonus.
The inclusion of Nathan Hauritz was also frowned upon by all and sundry, but he has – easily – outperformed his opposition spinner, England’s Graeme Swann.
Then there is Peter Siddle. An automatic pick before the first Test, Siddle has bowled well in patches, but has struggled to maintain his consistency. His spot may be offered to Brett Lee or Clark.
Lee has been injured and Clark, at this stage, is short of match practice. In truth, it is difficult to see where the selectors have gone wrong on the bowling side of things.
Five fast bowlers, a spinner and two all-rounders are in the squad, so the back-up resources are available if needed.
The selectors, clearly, have more patience than the public, who wanted Johnson to pay for his efforts in the opening two matches.
We are often quick to forget a player’s past performances and, sometimes, sadly they are only as good as their last display.
It is important to remember that, at his best, Johnson is perhaps the most destructive fast bowler in the world and has the ability to tear through a batting line-up quickly.
His 8/61 against South Africa in Perth in December showed his true quality.
Before the series, Johnson’s Test career averages – both batting and bowling – were superior to England’s super-hero Andrew Flintoff, who is lauded in his home country.
It’s time we showed the same support for Johnson as the Poms do for Flintoff.
On the batting side, Michael Clarke has led from the front with two centuries, closely followed by, ironically, Marcus North.
There were calls for North to be dropped before the third Test, yet he scored a crucial 96 in the second innings to help Australia draw the game. He also scored an unbeaten century in the opening-Test.
After six Tests, North is averaging 50-plus and looks at home in the middle order. To drop him would have been foolish.
Michael Hussey has had his position questioned – and for good reason. Hussey, though, has chalked-up two crucial half-centuries so far this series.
Mr Cricket has not been a star performer, but he has not been a liability, either. He is a prime example of the problem for the selectors on this tour.
Hussey has shown his ability to respond in the past but, after 26 innings without a century, does he have the ability to do it again?
The inclusion of Shane Watson as opener for the third Test, in place of young gun Phillip Hughes, was a peculiar move in the eyes of many.
Hughes scored 57 runs, at 19, in the opening two matches, while Watson rewarded the selectors’ move by peeling off attractive half-centuries in each innings.
It was a tough call on Hughes after his earlier success, but Watson answered his call.
The lack of back-up openers has been questioned by past players and fans. But selector Merv Hughes said, during the third Test, that – in the view of the NSP – there are five openers in the touring party.
We can only suspect they are Simon Katich, Hughes, Watson, Hussey and Clarke. All have shown an ability to face the new ball.
Our patriotic fans need to take a deep breath and have some faith. It’s difficult to foresee injuries when touring overseas, but thank God we included a reserve wicket-keeper.
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.
The mammoth rise of Jake Fraser-McGurk - his enormous potential and the destructive shot-making that he possesses makes him a very tempting option.
Marcus Stoinis produced his first IPL century and it was a beauty. He went 6, 4, 4, 4 to finish off the Lucknow Super…
Xavier Bartlett has been permission to extend his cricketing education with a spell of T20s in England, playing in the Blast competition for Kent…
Three-Test spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has signed with Tasmania in a bid for red-ball game time ahead of Australia's tour of Sri Lanka next summer.…
Last week, you read about the Matt XI, a compilation of the best cricketers ever to represent the name Matt. And to be fair,…
While a premature retirement isn’t the solution, he or England want, he may be forced into it if he can’t maintain a long run of matches.
