For a tick over four decades Australian cricket was superbly served by three chairmen of selectors – Sir Donald Bradman, Phil Ridings, and Lawrie Sawle.
All three had vision, and communication skills with both the players and the media.
Then came the chairmen clowns – Trevor Hohns, Andrew Hilditch, and John Inverarity.
Their vision and communication skills collectively would fit on a pin-head.
The two trifectas alike as chalk and cheese.
Sawle had a tough watch, starting with the retirements of Greg Chappell, Rodney Marsh, ad Dennis Lillee in the one game, the Test against Pakistan at the SCG, in 1984.
Jeff Thomson called halt in 1985, Geoff Lawson in 1989, Geoff Marsh and Dean Jones in 1992, David Boon and Craig McDermott in 1996, and skipper Mark Taylor in 1999.
Hohns took over in 2000 until 2006, and on his watch Michael Slater was sawn off in 2001, so too Mark Waugh in 2002, Steve Waugh retired on his own terms in 2004, even though Hohns was gunning for him – and Damien Martyn finished in 2006.
Hilditch sat in the big chair from 2006 until 2011, losing Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer at the same time in an Ashes Test at the SCG in 2007.
Adam Gilchrist retired in 2008 with Stuart MacGill, Matt Hayden in 2009, and Simon Katich was sawn off in 2010.
If Hohns was ordinary and a hatchet-man, and Hilditch was a disaster, then Inverarity has been a catastrophe.
Inverarity (2011 to current) has been left to fill in the giant holes left from the Hohns-Hilditch eras.
All appeared rather rosy when the baggy greens went down fighting in their 1-0 loss to the top-ranked South Africans before whitewashing the Sri Lankans in a three-Test series.
Then the wheels came off big time.
From the moment the 17-man squad to tour India was named, it’s been a shambles.
Four Test floggings finishing well inside time, the continued non-recognition of Usman Khawaja, and on the opposite side of the coin, the recognition of Glenn Maxwell as an all-rounder.
Yesterday the 20-strong Cricket Australia squad was named leading into 10 successive Ashes Tests – still no Khawaja, nor Jackson Bird the most successful quick of the season, nor Moises Henriques, a genuine all-rounder.
Steve Smith isn’t there either, who apart from Michael Clarke, was the most successful Australian batsman in India.
But Maxwell is there. He is blessed.
Long-term injured quicks Pat Cummins and Ryan Harris are there as well, wrapped in cotton wool.
Ben Hilfenhaus is another impossible to understand contract, especially with Bird shafted.
And just to cloud the issue even further, Inverarity was waxing lyrical yesterday about the prospects of Chris Rogers and Adam Voges figuring prominently in Ashes discussions because they have a track record in County cricket.
Then why are they not in the contracted list?
I’ve left the best until last – Inverarity on Khawaja:
“Usman worked very hard in India and did well, and he will be well-prepared”.
What, no game in five weeks – well prepared?
There’s more.
“He’s strongly in contention for the Ashes, but it is a concern the lack of first class matches”.
And who, pray tell, Mr Chairman, is responsible for his lack of red ball cricket?
Marcus Taylor
Roar Rookie
Besides, contracts are a joke. They mean nothing. It's more just a recognition, 'yes, you're in our plans in the immediate future'. You can guarantee that the 17 picked for the Ashes won't all have contracts. I wouldn't bother reading anything into them.
Marcus Taylor
Roar Rookie
Bad call on Hohns. Yes he might've had the talented players, but oversaw one of the most dominant periods in Australian cricket. And before you jump in the air about the players he had, remember the 'great selector' Bradman had the Chappells, Lillee and Marsh at his disposal. Hohns wasn't afraid to make a tough call, and each of them proved to be right. Both Waugh twins were past their used-by dates as one-day cricketers when they got the call in 02. They were essentially replaced by Hayden and Symonds, both of whom were crucial to further World Cup successes. Axed Healy for Gilchrist (in ODs and Tests) at what proved to be the right time. Axed Slater and set up the Langer-Hayden partnership. I'd say he got it right
brother mouzone
Guest
ha ha
JGK
Roar Guru
I was trying to defend Investment Banks against the suggestion that they are run like CA.
JB
Guest
cowan got 70 on debut and quiney scored 9 in 3 innings, shut up you don't even know what you're talking about
JB
Guest
um no pretty sure he played a few one dayers in february, plenty of big bash games in january. The was in the test squad but couldnt get a game, what are you people whinging about? Is all you do just whinge ? Anyone ever tried just supporting the team?
jameswm
Roar Guru
Healy leaving was a bad thing? Didn't that mean Gilly came in?
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah I'm hoping once Khawaja has had 5-10 tests at about no.5 (I'd bat Clarke at 4), we can move him up to the top 3 ahead of probably Cowan. That means keeping Hughes and Warner in the top 3. That would open up a slot at 5 for a specialist batsman, like a Burns.
TedS
Guest
That doesnt excuse it. Other teams are managing much better.
JGK
Roar Guru
To be fair, you could say that about most organizations.
TedS
Guest
Nice article. I read a lot these days about how Australian cricket lacks batting depth. When the truth of the matter is Australian cricket lacks good selectors and management. Now they are running it like an Investment Bank where the top guys have absolutely no clue what the ground reality is.
pj
Guest
is what you mean twodogs is that invers is a fool leading fools then?
lou
Guest
Hey, you've got the Roar template down pat, Felix.
lou
Guest
Or just had more talent to choose,
Harry from Floreat
Guest
+1
jammel
Guest
Well said!
twodogs
Guest
sometimes when an obvious fool makes obviously foolish comments, you must then study the obvious things he should have said but did not. this may determine how great a fool he is. like alice in wonderland - " nothin would be what it is, because everthing would be what it isnt...." etc! this, is politic speak- rattle off the same old lies again and again and they become the truth.
twodogs
Guest
yes redkev, absobloody-lutely. if cowan had have been anybody else, he would've lasted what- three matches? and probably never spoken of again. rob quiney can attest to that. oh that's right, the criteria must be - "you dont necessarily have to be a promising cricketer to be in this team or, it may be harder to get out of this team than in it" etc. honestly, bave we had a slower scoring opener in the period between bill lawrie and this guy?
Disco
Roar Guru
A good barometer would be that England won 2-1 in India this year. Australia lost 4-0. Throw in the fact England won three tests by an innings in Australia and it's wishful thinking from Waugh methinks. Are Australia as good as 'they' think they are? You do recall that Australia drew and lost a Test against NZ *at home*?
Disco
Roar Guru
Well put. It's a farce, frankly. And there's no accountability seemingly.