Inverarity must fall on his sword

It’s the cliche used in sport and life in general, you live by the sword and you die by the sword. For Cricket Australia’s Chairman of Selectors, John Inverarity, it appears that he will soon fall on the sharp blade.

His endorsement of Shaun Marsh appears as his most ill-informed decision so far.

Not only will Marsh travel to South Africa, he will more than likely fill the crucial number three position. Yet his Test and first class records leave a lot to be desired.

A key finding of the Argus report, commissioned following our capitulation against England in 2011, was that selections were to be based on a player’s record. For a batsman such as Marsh, it is his average and runs scored that should determine his Test fate.

However, according to Inverarity, he has potential. At 30 years old I’d say that Marsh should’ve fulfilled his potential by now but his first class average of 35.07 is proof that he has never scored the runs that he should have.

Cameron White is a surprising omission from the squad. White not only has potential but a first class record to back it up. His claims for a long Test career were probably harmed by being able to bowl some form of leg spin and was almost purely judged on that at Test level.

His first class average of 40.78 is quite good for a middle order batsman and he would more than likely do an admirable job at number six.

But it is his recent Sheffield Shield form that sees him fulfil the criteria for selection as set by the Argus Report.

He has scored 1,066 runs at an average of 43 since the start of last summer for the Bushrangers. He is the same age as Marsh and has captained his state for a decade. He has the runs on the board and leadership qualities that are needed.

Inverarity has been known to make decisions based on short form performances, George Bailey being a case in point.

Bailey never had the first class record to support his Test selection but the selectors deemed that consistent performance in the ODI team would instantly be transferred to the Test arena.

They admitted their mistake there but have now regressed by selecting Marsh, at least in part, based on his recent ODI form, making two key half centuries in successful Australian run chases.

Another man dumped from the Australian Test side is none other than the incredibly in-form Marcus North. He was dropped due to form in 2010 but if you are dropped based on form then surely you ought to be selected based on your form.

He has scored 593 runs at 98.83 with three centuries and two half centuries. In a 21 Test career he scored five Test centuries and three half centuries. His early form in the Australian side saw him average around 60 before his drop in form saw his average drop.

The world number one Test ranking is at stake here. I’m all for building towards the future so I’m happy to see Alex Doolan on tour.

However, why not take people with Test experience such as White and North? They are in form and would be more than able to step into the Test arena as specialist batsmen.

I give credit where it’s due and Inverarity’s decision to select Mitchell Johnson was a risk but a calculated one at that.

On more than one occasion Johnson has run through a team and it was a punt that Johnson would perform against England, with a 5-0 win proving the selectors right.

This time though it appears that the blade that sliced through conventional logic when selecting Johnson will turn on Inverarity and his men. He has ignored what was once the tried and true method of picking men in form at Shield level and that is a recipe for trouble.