Selectors continue to flip Jackson the Bird

Cameron, I could not agree more. So many people keep throwing up anmes for national selection yet I wonder how many of those they are backing have actually seen them play at Sheffield Shield level. Stats alone are not he only indicator as to whether a player is likely to succeed at the highest level. The National Selection Panel has an attendee at each Shield match being played ans are therefore getting to see first-hand player performance. They do not simply rely on a set of numbers with regard to selecting players to represent their country.

But they weren't All-time Greats when they were first picked. Risks are taken with every selection. It's part of the remit.

Yes the live streams are brilliant. You do learn things about the players by actually watching them! It's why I think Wade hasn't been bad at all with the gloves for Aus, I've seen him perform horribly at state level and his keeping for Aus seems a big improvement.

Well said David. We all want to see him given a go, just like the other young quicks who have been blooded so far to mostly good success. Surely it's only a matter of time, and not too long a time.

McGrath and Warne - all time greats and would have slotted in to any team in history. Lee very good, but had the benefit of McGrath as a steadying influence at the other end. McDermott and Gillespie - not sure either of them would be candidates for any 'greatest ever' lists. There will always be exceptions to every rule - I acknowledge that.

Charles, I would be highly surprised both if that were the case, or if Bird is picked for Hobart..

After 50 overs South Africa was 2/283 Hastings 14 overs 0/67 (4.78 runs per over) Starc 12 overs 1/85 (7.08 runs per over) Johnson 11 overs 1/59 (5.36 runs per over) Lyon 6 overs 1/29 (4.83 runs per over) Watson 5 overs 0/17 (3.4 runs per over) And it was Watson's fault that the South African's got away in the second innings? I agree that he shouldn't be opening the bowling (neither should Hastings) and should be considered as the 5th bowler. He only bowled 9 overs because he is still recovering from injury and the selectors obviously thought that a partially fit Watson can't do any worse than Quiney.

I agree re: Copeland.

All the more reason to play a containing bowler like Copeland and D. Large, how do you get a reputation like McGrath unless someone backs you and when they don't select you?

Watson was useless in the second innings, his opening the bowling at the WACA at 125kmh let them off the hook. He didnt swing it, and didnt bowl at the stumps.

james I'm not sure if you were having a lend, but Watson was useless in the second innings. He OPENED the bowling, and was only getting 125kmh. At the WACA. That spell, combined with Hastings also only bowling at 125kmh was the reason Smith and Amla got away. There was NO pressure from the northern end into the wind. They were slow, and not accurate bowling well outside bith off and leg stump, and not swinging it into the freo doctor. And he only bowled the 9 overs. Compared to Starc 28, Johnson 25, Hastings 19 and Lyon 22. Basically he should not even be considered a bowler when selected. If he bowls a bit fine, but should not be relied on. One thing that really peeves me about Watson is opening the bowling and batting at 3. Thats saying he is the best bowler AND the best batsman in the team. At best he is a 5 or 6 batsman NOT an opener or 3, and he is a fourth or fifth change bowler NOT an opener. They are pandering to his ego. And IF he is now injured again after only the 9 overs, the selectors and medical staff should be sacked, and he not selected until putting in a solid block of games at Shield level. The ongoing is he/isnt he fit saga is destabilising.

Yep. You only have to look at the A-League this season to see what a strong start with momentum can do for a competition. It's even more important for the BBL given that it only goes for 6 weeks or so.

Copeland earned his place through excellent FC returns, just like Bird. He didn't do anything wrong in Sri Lanka, then shafted because he's apparently "not fast enough" even though he was able to put great pressure on the Lankans. When will people learn that someone like him can bowl all day (fitness is not an issue), consistent line and length, moves the ball both ways and takes wickets. You say he is "A good bowler, but not someone who will ever dominate at test level.", how can you tell, he never got the chance! See Philander for something similar and he seems to be able to do the business, as a cricket writer said yesterday, "After sometimes falling into trap of obsessing too much with raw pace, VP he's a great reminder for me to recalibrate", at least someone knows a decent test bowler when they see one! Raw pace is NOT taking wickets, how about we start thinking about smarter bowlers, not necessarily fast. Siddle looked half dead after 20 overs in one day and while I know he is our heroic put in bowler, 20 overs in a day is not something that should fatigue a leading bowler in conditions he is already accustomed too! On Cummins, Pattinson, Hazlewood, these guys are still growing so no surprises that they get injured. They need time in shield cricket to learn their work properly, learn how their body works when bowling long spells, be able to maintain accuracy for long periods. Hours and hours of grade and shield cricket till they 25, then once they know what they can achieve, pick them then. Yes they will be good, but they are simply not ready to go.

Yes indeed, a couple of months ago I thought we'd be blowing South Africa to pieces at the WACA with Pattinson, Cummins, Starc and Siddle....how wrong I was.

Or they don't want Sri Lanka to "see" our next exciting instalment in the Australian bowling selection saga, who the NSP will play at Bellerive Oval. That's my theory for them not selecting Bird in the Chairman's XI.

I so agree, what a joke! I fear it is true, they have already shown this type of selection process with Starc. Why play Shield cricket in this case?

Clearly then we shouldn't read too much into it! And what an embarrasment it is that this is what passes for acceptable preparation for a test series by a touring team in this day and age. Bits and pieces players cobbled together because they're not important to the Big Bash.

Mr Lord appears to have Matthew Wade as the sole contender for the wicketkeeper position. Is this a back down from the daily columns calling for Wade's head?

It's tough having any more than useful 3rd quicks when your 3-4 best spearheads are all out. Sids is about a 2nd or 3rd quick I guess. Starc coud become a spearhead but he isn't yet. Pattinson, Cummins and Harris can all spearhead an attack. Yes, even baby Cummins.