Mr Hilditch, you are charged with being derelict in the conduct of your duties as Chief of the Australian Cricket Selectors. You are specifically charged with the following.
– Having allowed Australian Cricket to meander over the past four to five years where you have chosen not to make decisions that may have placed you and your selectors in line of criticism. Preferring to do nothing, resulting in the Australian Test team being devoid of the necessary talent to win 2010 Ashes and copping the mother-of-all hidings from England in the process.
– Having allowed the same Captain to lose three Ashes Series by repeatedly using defensive tactics predicated on not losing the game rather than winning it, even when these were clearly not working.
– Treating young Cricketers poorly in selecting them and discarding them without give them the time to establish themselves in the side. Phil Hughes is a particular case in point. After he helped defeat South Africa in South Africa and becoming the youngest man to score centuries in each innings of a Test Match, he was dropped after two tests in the last English Ashes Series.
– Double standards. Being a former batsman – along with your colleagues – you have allowed the batsmen to play on regardless of form or results. In contrast bowlers, whether slow or otherwise, have been dealt with ruthlessly.
– Adding a Monty Python element to Australian selection policy i.e. Doug take it easy mate, don’t play Sheffield Shield we need you fit for the Ashes – Doug – sorry mate we are dropping you because you are not fit enough!
– Selecting players with insignificant first class cricket records (Doherty and Beer) to represent Australia, whilst ignoring proven players with similar skills who have done well (O’Keefe and Hauritz).
You are requested to answer these charges in the public forum of the Roar.
hansvonhealing
Guest
'Clandestine cronyism', lovely turn of phrase there Rickety! Monty Python is a bit too classy for Hilditch, Mr. Bean is closer to the mark...but then, Mr Bean rarely speaks, so maybe I'm being unfair...to Mr Bean.
jamesb
Guest
Gerry, excellant post. You have the team and also back up plans for the future when players retire, or players coming in if they improve. What you have written has made alot of sense. The players that you mentioned like O'Keefe, Lynn, ferguson, pattinson, copeland, tells me you follow shield cricket, which sadly many people don't. The only player i would question is ferguson. His technique is prone to bowl and lbws. He needs improvement. Also in a year or 2 I'd throw in Nic Maddison as well. Cricket is not in crisis in this country. What it needs is a review, to find out the flaws. Simply CA has alot of work to do. Besides people in this country are passionate about the game. You also have past players that can contribute to the game also. In 5 or 10 years time, when Australia is a strong side again, this ashes series loss of 2010/11 could be a blessing in disguise. The Poms probably have done us a favour.
TonyL
Guest
Agree totally RK. Yesterday Sutherland, Hilditch, Nielsen & Clarke gave forth the greatest dose of bulldust & spin I've ever heard. In contrast, I believe they are responsible for the worst Ashes campaign in history & should pay the price - instant removal. This without considering recent debacles all over the world. They will not return Oz to the top - their entrenched croneyism will see to that. But, realistically, what can we do? They ignore every criticism levelled at them, warranted or not. They are a law unto themselves and it's not going to change any time soon.
Bob
Guest
Pleased that Clarke is giving the T20 captaincy away- going to concentrate on his test batting. This is an excellent move. I'm guessing he found having to captain the 50 over team against Sri Lanka an enomous distraction. In cricket preparation is everything and he (and the rest of the team) got dudded by CA's stupidity in scheduling (its not our fault says Sutherland- how about developing a backbone and standing up for our players for once). I'm guessing he will only play test and shield (and maybe county) cricket from now on. IMO CA should make this rule for all our test team. Of course thats the last thing they want. CA wants to trade off the good name of our test stars for commercial gain in T20 cricket. Why else would you pick Johnson for T20 and ODI internationals.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
We will wait with bated breath - will these guys protect their cosy little brotherhood or have they cricket's best interests at heart?
whiteline
Guest
Roebuck on the money as usual. His suggestion about Kevin Roberts is spot on. Roberts was part of the Gilchrist era in juniors and is an extremely astute businessman. He doesn't suffer fools and there are plenty in this current set up. Whether he could be bothered with such an insipid boys club is debatable.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Guys for a long time I have advocated that Simon Katich should be captain - nothing has changed. he is a no nonsense man-of-steel who took a bunch of young no names and won a Sheffield Shield. There would be no room for either Ponting nor Clarke in my side. Watson should the allrounder at 5 (after he recieves remedial basic cricket training). My side in batting order to Sri Lanka is: Katich (C) Hussey M Kawahja Hussey D Watson Smith Haddin O'Keefe Pattinson Copeland Bollinger
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Thanks HVH - yesterdays press conference by Hilditch was smug arrogance at its best. It is like he knows best and the rest of Australia is wrong. Peter Roebuck wrote a telling article today: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/time-for-the-axe-and-chop-from-top-down-20110107-19iqt.html - well titled - "Time for the Axe and Chop from the Top Down". Nothing is going to change with this mob in charge. Sutherland is going to order CA to review itself - give me a break - there are systemic problems with a system that allows clandestine cronyism to take control and do as it pleases. As the Ponting/Hilditch regime has done. Having just delivered the worst defeat in Australian Cricket history - the collective power-that-be are telling us that they have all done a great job. We were out bowled, out batted, out fielded, out planned, out coached - geez Watson can't even bloody well run between the wickets! Monty Python is alive a well in CA.
Pinto
Guest
I like the team and agree with your ideas on how to fix the problem. Although ou have resisted the knee-jerk reaction to sack almost every player I can't agree with Ricky's retention. There is very little upside to keeping him at his age and his ultimate replacement should be in the team now. I think Clarke should be given a series as a batsman under Katich to decide his future once and for all!
Lolly
Guest
I've thought Hilditch is unhinged for ages with the stuff that comes out of his mouth. So this is hardly a surprise.
MrKistic
Guest
Damn right. D Hussey has been denied an opportunity at a test career because of the selectors and/or Pontings love affair with Marcus North. If he'd been given a go & failed, fair enough, but it is a travesty that a player with his talent has missed out because of nothing but mis-management & short sightedness.
Steve
Guest
Hilditch and the selectors should hang their heads in shame, their attitude after this loss has been their attitude for a long time, very arrogant and stubborn. We can see the selection blunders they have made going back with phil hughes after 2 tests in england, since then they havent made 1 good selection. My Team in sri lanka is Katich, Marsh, Khawaja, Ponting, Hussey, Watson, Paine, Hauritz or O'keefe, Johnson, Copeland, Pattinson. Moving forward guys like chris lynn, nic maddinson and also ryan duffield, hazlewood, cutting are youngsters worth keeping an eye on. If you keep johnson in the side who strikes at 53 then you need other bowlers who arent going to leak runs, copeland is a master of line and length with movement off the seam. Siddle strikes at nearly 63 which isnt good enough for a front line test match fast bowler and hilfy who strikes at nearly 70 surely has played his last test match at least for now. Its a shame Hazlewood has been injured and hasnt shown people his talent.
Tone
Guest
Did you see that Ponting turned up misteriously to the Nets training session before the 5th test.. If you could only read the body language? It was hard not too feel sorry for Clarke when Ricky turns up to a session where he is not captain and it undermined Clarks' temporary position. Ricky has no intention of giving up his plum job.. Once a fan, yes, but i would like to know what Ponting can offer this team. I agree with SittingBison that Punter would be too devisive to maintainin in the Aus cricket team. He is only turning into a negative old man.
Lolly
Guest
It very much was, but it was a dog that was suffering already. The Aussies could have lost test matches last summer if Pakistan or the Windies held catches or genuinely felt that they could win matches. The Aussies being at no 5 is about right. They look like they have as much self-belief as teams below them in the rankings. England looked far better in all departments and far more confident from the start. It was only ever going to go one way..
Lolly
Guest
I don't think it matters who they choose. All the squads have lost recently. 20/20s against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the one day team against England, India and Sri Lanka (South Africa would murder the Aussies with their current lack of confidence). There is next to no confidence anywhere and I can't see that changing soon.
jameswm
Guest
Ponting isn't 36.5 - he's only just turned 36 (whatever difference that makes). I'm assuming Ponting will back the new regime. I reckon he will. And if he moves down the order and doesn't have to worry about the captaincy, I think he will be back very close to his best. I'd rather see him at 5 than 4 though.
sittingbison
Guest
I disagree, Ponting has to go his time is up. He will destabilize a new captain, he is too headstrong. This is the real root of the problem (same in rugby), older champion players not being replaced naturally by selectors when they start to decline but lingering on in the hope the will come good. At 36.5 Ponting has nothing more to offer the long ter health of Australian cricket, so start the process now and not waste another year or two.
sittingbison
Guest
I did burst out laughing when it was on the news. Christ on a crutch what planet are they on? Were they watching the same series as us? The entire selection panel has to go including Chappell, and Sutherland resign. Clarke dropped. I disagree with others opinion on Ponting, he is 36 his time is up and should not be selected again in any form of the game, it is time to replace him altogether. He would also be too headstrong for a new captain. That's why it feels like Jones/Gregan
Nambucco Deliria
Guest
Watching Hilditch's press conference, as an Englishman, I was convulsed with laughter. And then I became angry. The smugness, the arrogance, the I'm-really-powerful-and-you-can't-touch-me-even-though-I'm-an-incompettent-ass defiance... it completely beggared belief. If Hilditch or Sutherland had an ounce of self respect or decency they'd already be gone. But they aren't. And, although it makes me happy to see my country's greatest adversary floundering in the slough of despond, it also makes me sad for the thousands of good, everyday Australians operating at the grass roots level of Cricket in this country on whom his comments deposited massive amounts of ordure. A revolution is needed - and quickly.
bennalong
Guest
I agree Rickety. They have played as a beaten side. I've even wondered if some of them have been paid off! People will rubbish me for saying it but the performances on the sub continent were sometimes riddled with inconsistencies starting with Pontings "defensive" field settings (you allude to them) which I feel cannot be defended logically. Of course there could be all sorts of explanations but something has taken the pride out of the team and this is most plainly seen in the fielding where stress is least and effort is rewarded.( Assuming good field setting) Any game in which betting is encouraged is vulnerable to corruption and we KNOW it happens in India and Pakistan. Are Australian players exempt from suspicion? Sorry, the Poms deserved their wins but the demolishing was not a result of their excellence This Australian side did not look legit. If it was, God help us!