Australia are set to include Nathan Hauritz in their squad for next week’s first Test but Mark Waugh says Jason Krejza would be a better option.
Cricket Australia’s selection boss Andrew Hilditch will on Thursday name the squad for the series-opener against the West Indies starting in Brisbane on November 26.
Waugh and former Test teammate Damien Fleming have had their say and have both recalled controversial off-spinner Krejza.
Krejza was dumped after taking 1-204 in Australia’s defeat in the first Test against South Africa in Perth 11 months ago and was overtaken in the pecking order by NSW off-spinner Hauritz.
However, Hauritz was overlooked as Australia chose an all-pace attack in their unsuccessful Ashes campaign in the fifth Test at The Oval in September.
While ex-selector Allan Border named Krejza 12th man in a “Roundtable” blog on the foxsports.com.au website, Waugh and Fleming both put the fiery 26-year-old slow bowler in their 11 with pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle.
Fleming has stuck with Tasmanian swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus, Australia’s best bowler of the Ashes series, although Waugh has recalled NSW left-armer Doug Bollinger and named Hilfenhaus 12th man.
“I think he (Hauritz) has done OK but I think Krejza can do better,” Waugh said.
“He (Krejza) is more of an attacking bowler and has been bowling well so far this season from what I have seen. He probably hasn’t got the wickets he’s deserved but he is bowling well.
“Hauritz, whilst he did OK, he had a chance to win us the first Test in Cardiff and he didn’t. They didn’t pick him in the last Test at The Oval which was a Bunsen (turner), so someone hasn’t got a lot of faith in him.
“Whether it’s the selectors or the captain, I’m not sure.
“I’ve always thought Krejza was a good bowler and I just think he needs time. He’s got his confidence back and I see him as a bigger wicket-taker in Test cricket than Hauritz.”
Krejza’s only other Test apart from Perth was in Nagpur in November 2008 when he claimed match figures of 12-358 against India.
Meanwhile, Border says 20-year-old opener Phillip Hughes should be recalled, although this also seems an unlikely scenario for Brisbane.
Hughes, who was dropped after the second Ashes Test in July, has been slotted back into the top of the order in a lineup Border named on Wednesday.
Border has bumped makeshift opener Shane Watson down to No.7 and included only three specialist quicks with all-rounder Watson to provide the fourth option behind Johnson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus.
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