Someone please explain to me how the selectors of Australia expect the side to win when they’ve picked a second rate XI.
“We’re taking the World T20 seriously,” they said. Why then is the selection table now just a name-dropping game? We’re missing Clint McKay, but beyond that, there is plenty of talent to pick from.
George Baily as captain? Admittedly he’s doing alright at the moment, but do we really expect him to be the inspirational leader for the next five years?
At least someone realised Glenn Maxwell and Xavier Doherty aren’t first choice T20 players and dropped them for game two.
But there are still proven performers left on the outer. A simple look at the statistics brings to light some very good players that are missing out.
Phil Hughes averages just shy of 52 in T20 cricket. I highly doubt however, that his name even gets a mention at the selection table.
Shaun Marsh, who was the inaugural leading run-scorer in the IPL, has a formidable T20 record, but his test form from nine months ago counts him out? Surely that doesn’t make sense.
Where is Aaron Finch? The man strikes at over 130 runs per 100 balls, averages in the mid 30s and isn’t worth consideration, despite having performed well in other appearances for Australia.
Onto the bowlers. How Mitchell Starc missed game one is beyond me. He was the leading wicket taker in this year’s FLT20 in England. He also took 4, 5, 0 and 4 wickets in his four appearances this tour. Why then wasn’t he the very first man picked?
Luckily the mistakes of game one were quickly rectified, as my next example was the bizarre exclusion of Brag Hogg from the series opener. He is the top wicket-taker in all T20 cricket in 2012. But we’ll just exclude him on a turning wicket in the UAE…
Why’ve we all of a sudden dropped ‘Hilfy’? 43 wickets from 33 matches and an economy of under seven. Let’s not include him either.
All-rounders now. Steve Smith had a fantastic IPL, but because he’s not a great Test match player we decide he can’t play for Australia? His batting is built for T20 cricket, he’s a brilliant fielder and believe it or not, he has the sixth best T20 bowling average of all Australian cricketers, ever.
Young Mitchell Marsh, the future of Australian cricket with a surprising wealth of T20 experience, and a solid record to boot, is also left out, even though he was part of Australia’s pre-season camp only a month ago.
Andrew McDonald was the leading run-scorer in last year’s English T20 tournament, bowls handy, tight overs and is also ignored…
Obviously we can’t include everyone I’ve just mentioned, but we can certainly build a squad around them.
My first XI for the world T20 in Sri Lanka.
1. Phillip Hughes
2. David Warner
3. Shaun Marsh
4. Shane Watson (c)
5. Michael Hussey
6. David Hussey
7. Matthew Wade (wk)
8. Patrick Cummins
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Brad Hogg
11. Clint McKay
Over to you Roarers. What’s your ideal XI and thoughts on mine?
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