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The appointment of the adventurous Darren Lehmann as Queensland coach will give the battling Bulls a huge lift. But it’s a severe blow to international cricket, losing Lehmann to the states.
Lehmann’s deep knowledge and understanding of the sport, as one of the shrewdest captain-tacticians I’ve ever seen, makes him the perfect replacement for national selector Andrew Hilditch, when his contract runs out at the end of the World Cup.
The Queensland appointment renders him ineligible.
More’s the pity, with Cricket Australia being forced to make changes to the four-man panel that has been abysmal, at Test level:
Dumping Mervyn Hughes as a selector was a step in the right direction, his replacement Greg Chappell a massive improvement.
With the exit of Hilditch, Chappell will take over as chairman, another major up-grade.
David Boon, a quality selector since 2000, must stay, but Jamie Cox – a rabbit in the headlights selector, and out of his league for four years – must go.
That leaves just two of the current four-man panel – Chappell and Boon.
In a perfect world, Chappell, Boon, Lehmann, and Geoff Lawson, another proven switched-on captain-tactician, would be the very best panel imaginable.
Players would have the utmost confidence in that quartet, a far cry from what’s happened recently.
*Just ask tried-and-tested offie Nathan Hauritz, with 63 wickets at 35, but totally ignored for the Ashes campaign this summer, replaced by two untried left-arm journeymen – Tasmanian Xavier Doherty, with a first-class bowling average of nearly 50, and Michael Beer, after just five first-class games for Western Australia, averaging 46.
* Or Brad Haddin, publicly praised by Hilditch as the number one keeper in all three formats, but left out of the Twenty20 side against England, in favour of Tim Paine.
* Or why the out-of-form Mitchell Johnson, and Ben Hilfenhaus, were dropped from the second Ashes Test, but stayed, and netted, with the selected team in Adelaide.
* Or the reinstatement of opening batsman Phillip Hughes for the final three Ashes Tests, when he was hopelessly out-of-touch for NSW.
All of those decisions were baffling at best, little wonder England retained the Ashes 3-1 – leaving the selectors rightfully under the pump.
And generating the most laughable quote of the summer- “I think we did a pretty good job,” – from Hilditch.
It’s no secret, Australian cricket desperately needs a selection panel that recognises talent, not veering off in different directions, searching for miracles.
Sadly, Lehmann is now out of the equation, which prompts another thought.
Currently in the four-man panel, a 2-2 vote gives the decider to the chairman, creating a dangerous formula.
It begs the question – why have four selectors, why not three?
There are a maximum three first-class games in Australia at the same time, so three national selectors fits the bill.
A split decision gives an instant, clear-cut, result.
So Cricket Australia, the ball is in your court – let’s have Greg Chappell in the chair, David Boon, and Geoff Lawson, as the next national selection panel.
And sit back to watch the baggy greens fight back from being ranked number five behind India, South Africa, England, and Sri Lanka, to resume their place as the world’s best Test side.
That translates to regaining the Ashes, losing three of the last four is totally unacceptable.