Haddin as Test vice-captain the best news yet

Bad cold Ryan?

Lordy knows which side of his bread is buttered

exactly

I think Haddin was the only short-term choice. He'll put a steady hand on things until Mr Right identifies himself. Oh for a Lindsay Hassett to emerge from the throng, thus providing a succession plan!

Selection of Haddin , let alone as VC, is an absolute shocker. Time for Invers to check into the old age facility , and the Captain not to be a selector. As usual, another rubbish pro-Haddin articlle by David Lord

Come on. Perhaps the circumstances in which Haddin was dropped were cruel but there were footsteps. Wade was without a doubt going to be picked for the following Tests if Haddin put in even a mediocre performance.

What a joke, going back to Haddin and then installing him VC. Have no problems with ACB dropping wade. There's Chris Hartley and Tim Paine that can keep. Australia's opening pair looks dodgy so should the ACB recall Hayden and Langer? We have problem with 1st drop maybe Dean Jones or David Boon could help out. All of a sudden asking Shane Warne to make a comeback doesn't seem as silly now!!!! The point is that the ACB knew years in Advance of the Ashes dates, and yet they did nothing to blood young inexperienced players.

I would expect nothing less from David 'Boys Club' Lord. His entire doctrine is based around picking NSW and their expats, and rarely does he provide any reasoning other than 'He's better than him', which more often than not is either subjective or completely untrue. On the other hand I agree with him in regards to Agar and Ahmed. Agar particularly with ball and bat has shown promise and Ahmed should be treated like any other quality cricketer in Australia particularly as he is a legspinner.

Blow hard? Hilarious! And when did I say Rogers wouldn't be picked???

"Poor bloody Chris Hartley." Absoltely. Hartley with Paine as back-up. The selectors didn;t get this squad too wrong, but both keeping spots are definitively wrong, as is retaining Watson. Everything else is fine, far better than the India shemozzle.

They always select a number of experienced players, partly to get them match fit and to give support to the younger players. Nothing new there. Understand your concerns but I doubt that those players will do more than refine their actions. Burns omission is quite surprising, though his season until the last few games wasnt too impressive. Agreed though he has a must better average than Maddison and should have been in the side.

Told you Rogers was gunna get a ticket, you blow hards like red Kev, David lord, Ryan o'connell and chrysto should listen to me more often!!! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].

Red Kev, considering Clarke's injury concerns and the leadership debacle in India, vice-captain is a very big deal.

Australia A one is a mixed bag for me. Siddle, Pattinson & Harris don't quite understand inclusions. Pattinson & Harris especially with their injury problems. I would of thought keeping them relatively fresh leading into the Ashes series. Harris is shown his ability to get straight into things. I think selectors just risk them breaking down. Nathan Lyon perfect to get as much bowling as possible. Young batsmen ok....But the old Baggy green with you're NSW cap shines through again with the inclusion of Maddison in front of Joe Burns.

How exactly is Paine on the way up? I really like Paine, but one first class ton doesn't bang the door down, especially when I rate Hartley's glovework better.

I could say the same about Wade.

4 Tests for an average of 35. But I don't think you'll find too many people calling for his inclusion based on his form since his return from injury. It's been pretty ordinary. Haddin's recent form has been very good. And at the end of the day, it's recent form that should be looked at - otherwise Ponting could be saying look at my form from 5 years go as reason to keep getting selected!

Not sure Haddin was the long term right way to go. Paine has the experience and captaincy skills. I would have chosen him But otherwise I'm not that disappointed with the squad. Great fast bowling group in Siddle, Pattison, Starc, Harris and Bird and I suspect Bird will be a problem for the Poms. Faulkner as a second all rounder puts Watson on notice. Good that the selectors didnt flood the team with all rounders this time. Great to see Rogers get his chance and that Hughes, Warner and Khawaja were retained. Disappointed Smith didnt get a guernsey but being made vice captain of the Australian A side says he's well in the mix for the future Its the Australian A side that excites me Haddin (Cpt) Smith (V. Cpt) Agar Bird Doolan Harris henriques Khawaja Lyon Maddson Pattison Sayers Siddle Silk Says a lot about what the selectors are now thinking. Smith seen as a potential captain. Bird and Khawaja being given some much needed match practise. Doolan seen in the mix and henriques chosen ahead of Maxwell. But its the young names that are most exciting in Agar, Maddison, Sayers and Silk that the selectors deserve a pat on the back for. Giving them a taste of international cricket without throwing them into the pressures of the test arena too quickly. All in all I'm quite pleased

You make vice-captaincy sound like a big deal, it isn't. Both Paine and Hartley have significant leadership heft on their own, sufficient to be test vice-captain.

He had one good Shield (not test) season. Haddin's on the way down, Paine's on the way up. What is Paine's test record?