Australia’s selectors have erred on the side of experience for next month’s ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, naming Brett Lee and Mike Hussey on Tuesday after a summer of experimenting without them.
Lee has only played one match – returning an unthreatening 0-39 from four overs for Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League – since recovering from a serious elbow injury, but the 33-year-old was nonetheless chosen ahead of Ryan Harris, who will wonder what he’s done wrong.
Hussey, meanwhile, has not played a T20 match for the national side since last year’s tour of England, and selection chairman Andrew Hilditch made a point of saying he was not being rested earlier in the summer.
In his place had been Travis Birt, another curious omission from the squad after limited opportunities to press his case as a young and muscular hitter in the middle order.
The selectors’ reversion to Lee and Hussey is a conservative call, but Hilditch defended the decision as opting for two of the better international T20 performers Australia has had.
“While Brett Lee hasn’t played the amount of cricket we would’ve liked him to in preparation for this World Cup, at his best he is one of the best Twenty20 cricketers in the world,” he said.
“He also has the opportunity of continuing to play in the IPL as preparation for this tournament.
“Ryan Harris is extremely unlucky to miss selection given his strong performances in all forms of the game in recent times for Australia.
“Travis Birt is also unlucky to miss selection. He also had limited opportunity leading up to selection but we’ve gone with Mike Hussey who brings great international experience and is in fantastic form in all formats of the game right now.”
Hilditch and his panel have spent considerable time mulling over their options for a tournament the Australians are yet to win, despite their pre-eminence in the game’s other formats in recent years.
A more concerted effort to choose players on the strength of their T20 performances has seen the inclusion of the young allrounders Daniel Christian and Steve Smith, plus Dirk Nannes, who represented the Netherlands in England last year.
“We’ve been preparing hard for this tournament since the last event and we’re pleased with the squad’s performance in recent games, under the captaincy of Michael Clarke,” said Hilditch.
“The squad has a good mix of experience and exciting young talent and is capable, at its best, of playing competitive and entertaining Twenty20 cricket.”
Australian squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Cameron White, Daniel Christian, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Dirk Nannes, Tim Paine, Steve Smith, Shaun Tait, David Warner, Shane Watson.
Whiteline
Guest
Bear I see your point but it does worry me that an increasing number of players will opt to do this and surely that will only weaken the whole domestic scene, not benefit it. I understand taht Nannis is basicaly doing wait Tait does but where does it stop? I would find it hard to justify (from a CA point of view) why a player should be selected to play for Australia when essentially he is playing predominately 20/20 cricket in order to stay in shape for IPL - that's how it reads to me.
Hazey the Bear
Roar Rookie
With all due respect Whiteline, Nannes retired from first-class cricket only, and not for the shorter forms of the game. In fact, nowhere in that report does it say anything about him retiring from playing for Australia. As he says in the report: "Having been able to play just one game in the longer format this season due to injury, this decision will allow me to concentrate on 50-over and Twenty20 cricket and extend my career with Victoria and Australia." So basically, he's become a T20 and one-dayer specialist, which would include national selection.
Whiteline
Guest
www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/19/2824891.htm Check it out James.
Jameswm
Guest
Didn't hear about that one...
Whiteline
Guest
James Nannis 'retired' from Australian cricket a few weeks ago when he made himself unavailable for the Shield Final - why would you then select him for Australia? How is that different from selecting Hayden, Symonds or Warne?
Jameswm
Guest
I don't recall Nannes doing anything wrong. He didn't make the Aussie team for the last 50 over WC so played for Holland, but that was 3 years ago. He's a heck of a bowler and a proven T20 performer. I've got no issue with that selection. Dare I stir things up and suggest Christian was selected for other reasons?
Whiteline
Guest
Daniel Christian - are you serious? I agree with James on this one. as mentioned, how come Harris isn't there? The most ridiculous selection is that of Nannis - Didn't he just turn his back on Australian Cricket? What on earth is going on?
Michael C
Roar Guru
agreed - McDonald should be in there.
Jameswm
Guest
That's an interesting one - how does Dan Christian get selected ahead of Andrew MacDonald? The change of pace is a huge thing in T20 games. Tait had to be there though - he gets top order wickets and that slows the batting down.
Brett McKay
Guest
You'd think after seeing how three or four express quicks went in the last T20WC (was it last week, or the week before that, in England?) that we might have seen a few more Ewen Chatfield, or even Andrew McDonald-type bowlers, no? Nope. Lee, Johnson, Nannes, and Tait. Chris Gayle must be rubbing his hands together....
Jameswm
Guest
Just shows how these selectors have absolutely no idea, esp with the shorter versions. One ordinary game and he's back, after Harris has shone in every form of the game all summer. Just a joke
JK
Guest
Pretty ordinary game too!
Brett McKay
Guest
Lee, after one IPL game, for Harris?!? Come on...