Sympathy isn’t usually the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of the men charged with selecting the Australian cricket team. Last night, after scribbling out four different sides in the space of five minutes for the Boxing Day Test against India, I shook my head and wished them well.
The only criteria for these sides was that Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey had to be selected.
They’ll both line-up on Boxing Day in the baggy green at the MCG because their eventual farewell won’t come via a sacking, but a pre-determined date.
They’ll both get the chance to sit at a jam-packed news conference and tell the world why they’ve chosen a particular date to call it quits.
If it hasn’t happened yet, it won’t happen before the first Test.
Of the four sides I managed to jot down before feeling like my head was going to explode, combinations included:
– Shane Watson back for Phil Hughes, and Usman Khawaja retained, but no Shaun Marsh or Ed Cowan.
– Watson and Marsh to force out Khawaja and Hughes.
– Cowan and Watson included, but no Marsh and a drop for Khawaja.
– Cowan, Watson and Marsh included but not Khawaja.
The final combination proved to be a problem – following the rule about the Ponting and Hussey, it had the latter batting at seven with Haddin at eight and no room for a spinner. The team-sheet would make an office printer run out of paper.
John Inverarity, the leader of the wise men in question (it is Christmas after all), will announce what is expected to be a bloated squad this afternoon. It has shades of the 17-strong list that was announced prior to the Ashes, and didn’t that end well!
This circumstance is slightly different, yet eerily the same.
The side largely hinges on the fitness of Watson and Marsh, but you get the feeling the selectors have genuinely had to wrack their brains about this one.
Then if you add Dan Christian to the selection mix it complicates things further. NASA scientists had an easier time figuring out how to get Apollo 13 back to Earth.
The public push behind Cowan is similar to the weight of support that was behind Warner before his elevation to the Test side. His 109 for the Chairmans XI against India in Canberra yesterday heaped further pressure on the selectors. In his last eight innings he has scored four centuries and two half centuries. Those numbers are hard to ignore.
Watson must be picked to bolster the batting line-up even if he can’t bowl and even a 90 percent fit Marsh is worth punting on.
Warner has been suffering with a back injury for the last couple of weeks, and you wonder why he was allowed to play in the Big Bash League (even though he scored a century), or the tour match against India. Surely rest and recovery would’ve been a better option.
The future of Khawaja is also interesting. Do the selectors drop a player who many see as a long-term number three, and who they believe is one big innings away from being unstoppable, purely to ensure that Ponting and Hussey retain their places?
Good luck boys. Over to you, because my head hurts.
Kristin Carville
Roar Rookie
Having now had the benefit of seeing the 13 man squad chose for the test, here is the lineup I would be sending out on the biggets day of them all: 1. Warner 2. Cowan 3. Ponting 4. Clarke 5. Hussey 6. Christian 7. Haddin 8. Siddle 9. Pattinson 10. Hilfenhaus 11. Lyon Whilst I am a massive fan of his, I dont think Shaun Marsh should be picked on the same principle used for the omission of Watson and Harris. He needs to spend time in domestic matches to prove his fitness rather than using back to back tests against the No. 2 test team to do so. I have taken Hilfy over Starc for the last bowlers spot as I think he will trouble the Indian batsmen more than Starc. Hilfy was our best bowler without any luck last time we played India before he hit the rough patch known as the Ashes, and his form this year has been excellent. Starc for me bowls too many loose deliveries which the Indian top order would murder. Looking forward to seeing Nathan Lyon take on the Indians!
Marko
Guest
Criteria 1 for selecting test team for boxing day: 1. Must be a past test player. 2. Must be old. 3. Must have current poor form. 4. Must have underlying injury concerns. Criteria 2 1. Must be a very young inexperienced player with marketability. 2. Limited 5 day cricket experience. 3. Unknown credentials. That is all.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
My side: 1. David Warner 2. Phillip Hughes 3. Ed Cowam 4. Shane Watson 5. Michael Clarke (c) 6. Daniel Christian 7. Matthew Wade (w/k) 8. James Pattinson 9. Peter Siddle 10. Josh Hazlewood 11. Nathan Lyon Marsh and Harris not considered. Ponting, Hussey and Haddin dead wood and pensioned off. Starc isn't ready for Tests. Khawaja's a waste of space.
Decs
Guest
Khawaja to go and Christian will come in. Watto injured. 1. Cowan 2. Warner 4. Ponting 5. Clarke 6. Hussey 6. Christian 7. Haddin 8. Siddle 9. Pattinson 10. Starc 11. Lyon
wisey_9
Guest
+ 1
Matt F
Roar Guru
The problem for Marsh is that there isn't another option for him before Boxing Day. I don't think grade cricket is even on this weekend given this weekend covers xmas eve and day. Even if it was, he'd have to play in Perth on Saturday and fly to Melbourne for a Monday start which would cause havoc for his back. The Scorchers are playing in melbourne on Thursday so it's the only real option that he has.
Matt F
Roar Guru
It's sad that it will actually an improvement from the 16 (or 17?) man squad they named for the Ashes! Also didn't Pat Howard say recently that players would be 100% fit or else. No 80%, no 90% but 100%. If Watson can't bowl then he's clearly not 100% fit. It will make Howard look very silly (or just make his role look pointless) if they ignore this strategy just weeks after he announced it.
jameswm
Guest
I guess it isn't the fault of the new selectors (yet), but for the 2nd summer in a row, we go into an inportant home series with an incredibly unsettled lineup.
Behold
Guest
Apparently Marsh is going to be picked and sent to play Big Bash to prove his fitness even though Arthur has already said big bash isn't testing enough to pick Harris.
damos_x
Guest
You'll find that is because the coach/selector Arthur said so himself so it seems reasonable to pick them if they are going to be picked in the real team.
Brett McKay
Expert
Luke, the selectors might be having the same problem you did, because there's been suggestion that a 13- or even 14-man squad may be named today, presumably to give Watson and Marsh extra time to prove their fitness. Frankly, if they have to prove their fitness within the next few days, then it's a mistake to include them. This isn't an 80, 90, 120-minute game of football, they have to get through five days of cricket...
jameswm
Guest
This is the team they'll pick 1. Cowan 2. Warner 3. Khawaja 4. Ponting 5. Clarke 6. Hussey 7. Haddin 8. Siddle 9. Pattinson 10. Starc 11. Lyon 12. Christian Harris, Marsh and Watson all not considered because of injury. An all rounder would be nice but they won't know who to drop. It's a settled batting lineup. Underperforming, but settled. You wouldn't want to upset things. Is it too early to start throwing our hands up in the air over this selection committee?
Chris
Guest
How you can possibly pick an unfit player is beyond me. Watson MUST be rested until he can play to his full potential. If he's got a dodgy hammy he could quite easily aggravate that running a quick single. Then we've lost him for an even longer period of time - just crazy thinking. Cowan is in great form at the moment and is an experienced opener - seems a no brainer to me to select him to partner Warner in the openers slot. Christian is not setting the house on fire, but he's not doing a lot wrong either and could certainly slot in to the middle order as an all-rounder. Ponting to go - he's had far too many chances over much too long a period of time. So, Cowan Warner Khawaja Clarke Hussey Christian Haddin Siddle Starc Pattinson Lyon
WoobliesFan
Guest
"The only criteria for these sides was that Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey had to be selected. " That's when you lost me.
Bob
Guest
Why play less than 100% fit players? There are 4 tests in a short space of time. Surely Marsh and Watson need to play some games before getting selected.
Fisher Price
Guest
President of the Ricky Ponting Fan Club Micky Arthur: ''Ricky Ponting is vital to where we want to take this team, so we are really hoping he finds form, and hopefully it's just around the corner." Unbelievable. This is Australia - not Pontstralia. His continued selection is getting ponting embarrassing.