- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Whilst the dropping of George Bailey hasn’t come as a huge surprise to many, the recalling of Shaun Marsh after a two year absence from test cricket and the selection of the uncapped Alex Doolan is.
What is even more perplexing is that both have been performing unremarkably at shield level, with Doolan having scored 391 runs at 39 and Marsh and even more miserly 248 runs at 31.
The most unlucky of players to have missed out include Marcus North, who has scored 593 runs at 98 and Phil Hughes, who continues to be overlooked by the Australian selectors despite 549 runs at 61 this season.
The selectors have overlooked Marsh’s modest first-class form – and unsuccessful record in his last extended run in the Test side – to choose him ahead of the incumbent Bailey and prolific Hughes, North, Cameron White and Tom Cooper, all of whom have averaged over 50 this shield season.
Batting at number three in Australia’s 4-0 home series win over India two summers ago, Marsh made 17 runs at 2.83, which were the worse figures by any batsman in any four-test match series.
He suffered a crisis of confidence that was not helped by ongoing soft tissue injuries.
The 30-year-old’s career average is languishing at 35 but the selectors appear to believe Marsh’s good form in one-day cricket – where he averages 40 and is coming off consecutive half centuries – will translate to Tests if the reserve batsman is required to play in South Africa.
However, this statement by chairman of selectors John Inverarity could be seen as unjustifiable as George Bailey has demonstrated that prolific ODI form counts for nothing when it comes to the longer form. (George Bailey averaged 75 in all ODI’s in 2013 but averaged 26 during the recent Ashes series)
Whilst White, North and Cooper should all feel hard done by after missing out, the player who may feel the effects most is Phil Hughes.
Ever since his incredible debut series against South Africa in 2009, Hughes has been dropped from the national side a total of five times. During this time, the selectors have shown no faith in Hughes after just one or two failures.
Commissioned after the last home Ashes misadventure, the Argus review said it was “critical that superior performance is rewarded” and “players must earn their positions in the time-honoured way of making runs”
Clearly the selectors are not abiding by this statement, as it seems like Phil Hughes simply cannot do enough to impress the Australian selectors. Phil Hughes’ performances last season justify this point.
He made a steady return to the Australia side in late 2012, averaging 46 against Sri Lanka. After struggling in India where pretty much every Australia batsman struggled, he played second fiddle to Ashton Agar in Trent Bridge where he made a mature and well-compiled 81* not out in that record breaking 10th wicket, 163 run partnership.
A harsh LBW, (where more than half the ball was shown to have pitched outside leg) and an unlucky caught behind decision later (no hotspot was shown), he was dropped from the side once again.
Whilst not being overly prolific in the recent ODI series, he unluckily found himself also out of the ODI side earlier this year as David Warner returned.
For a young player, the treatment that Phil Hughes has received from the selectors throughout his career, especially of late, would not have done his confidence any good.
His test career stats of 1535 runs at 33 after 26 tests, though nothing to write home about are very decent for a 25 year old.
Those numbers are actually almost identical to Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh after they played 26 tests. Both went on to be two of Australia’s most prolific run scorers in history.
Though Phil Hughes may not be in the same group as Ponting and Waugh, there is no way he will be given a chance to be as prolific as the two if the selectors don’t show faith in him.
He may not have the most beautiful cover drive or forward defence, but surely Hughes’ shield form has earned him a long stay in the national side.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.