In a rare double, the Australian cricket selectors Trevor Hohns, Greg Chappell, Mark Waugh, and Darren Lehmann can be complimented and criticised in virtually the same breath.
Complimented for maintaining the status quo for today’s MCG Test, so under the pump batsman Nic Maddinson will play in the most sought after Test of the summer for the first time.
There’s no greater Christmas present for a baggy green.
So the same X1 that beat South Africa by seven wickets in Adelaide, and scraped home by 39 runs in a nail-biter over Pakistan at the Gabba will go for three in a row.
More credence to the old saying if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
But the selection panel can by criticised for the way they’ve treated Zimbabwean born Hilton Cartwright twice.
When Rod Marsh was chairman, Cartwright was a bolter in the Australian ODI squad to meet the Kiwis, but he was sent home before the series began to play Sheffield Shield.
After the Gabba, Cartwright became the 13th man for the MCG on standby for the pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Jackson Bird had bowled 157 overs between them.
Cartwright was there with his ‘teammates’ at the Melbourne Christmas party, then released.
It begs the question why did the selectors dangle an international carrot in front of a 16-game Sheffield Shield player, then twice dump him?
Selections can be brutal, but this was a double whammy that could have been avoided with some tact.
To be so close to national selection and twice denied isn’t the Australian way.
It also begs the question how was Hilton Cartwright selected in the first place.
In those 16 games he’s scored 890 runs at a very healthy 44.50, but taken only 15 wickets at 41.93 – the latter hardly worthy of an Australian cap to relieve pace.
This summer Cartwright has scored 330 runs at 36.66, but his four wickets have cost a whopping 74.95 apiece.
So Cartwright will return to the west to pick up the pieces of being so close yet so far, but among his peers he’s rated and will, no doubt, return.
The perfect answer to Maddinson’s No.6 batting berth would be an in-form and consistent Mitchell Marsh.
Don’t be surprised if the selectors return to Marsh if Maddinson fails again.
But Maddinson is a far better batsman than a duck, one, and four off 23 deliveries, and hopefully that talent will surface over the next five days.
There are three strange side issues to this MCG Test.
David Warner averages 47.58 from his 58 Tests, but that’s nearly cut in half at the MCG with just 218 runs from eight digs – averaging 24.22.
The explosive left-handed opener will look forward to correcting that stat.
Mitchell Starc has played 32 Tests since he debuted in December 2011 at the Gabba, but he’s never played a Test on the MCG.
He got close in 2012, but was rotated out of contention.
His replacement was Jackson Bird on debut.
It’s an even bigger day for Warner’s opening partner Matt Renshaw who has never played a game on the MCG, even for Queensland.
So there’s a lot happening, and a lot of history about to be made at the biggest cricket ground in Australia over the next five days.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Rob JM I also submit Cam White - for the year 2016 since his return to the Vic side after looking like his career was over even at state level - he's re-invented himself as far less of a brute force hitter and instead has been playing a key role in the successes of the Vics. And has experience in India and is rated by Fawad Ahmed as about the equal best player of spin along with Handscomb.
Armchair Expert
Guest
At least Turner can bat, Lyon was averaging mid 50s in shield cricket with his offies while he was a test regular a few years ago.
Old timer
Guest
Gee ya got me there qwetzen, I recon you have made at least half a dozen posts on the injustice of the horrible NSW selectors and Maddinson being in the team and you call me sensitive, I don't intend to trade insults into the new year, but for what its worth I don't think the lad is ready for selection either, but others with a better understanding of the game than me do. I also think Pakistan will probably win the series, which just about guarantees Maddinson will hit a ton and the Aussies will win three blot going on my betting history.
bearfax
Guest
All hail Greg Chappell then. It was about bl...dy time someone got in there and started to get youth into the side. I was getting worried the Australian team was going to be called the Grey Geriatrics. We all have to know when our time is up. Not discriminating, given I'm 66 myself. But the young players bring in a fresh enthusiasm and ideas in young bodies and years of good development. Use them while you've got them, I say.
David Lord
Expert
bearfax,the advent of Greg Chappell to the selection panel after the shock exit of Rod Marsh, is the reason for the youth policy change. Chappell is the national talent manger and constantly in touch with the young cricketers of tomorrow. Now Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, and Nic Maddinson have been given their chance in elite company, and there are more in store, like Hilton Cartwright.
bearfax
Guest
I have to agree with some that Cartwright's treatment is petty stuff compared with what Khawaja had to endure with the now Pakistani coach over a period of 18 months. Selectors have often chosen players as merely a token of their position in the pecking order, without selecting them in the final 11 or 12. Cartwright is being told he is next cab off the rank and that in itself is a creditable move by the selectors. It may get him a tour of the sub continent or it may, if he ups his form in the Sheffield Shield, get a test place next year some time. I dont see any problem with this. In fact I consider Cartwright quite fortunate to get nominated so close to an on field selection, along with Maddinson's fortuitous selection, when young Kurt Pattinson was in my opinion poorly treated by selectors in not getting a mention. But I guess we can all have our different opinions to the selectors, who seem to be doing a better job of it in the last few weeks in going for youth. In that matter, I hope they continue with that policy.
Dexter The Hamster
Guest
Lucky you brought up his T20 economy rate, for a moment there I was thinking you were suggesting him for the Test team. Situation avoided.....
qwetzen
Guest
And the problem with the Wade gamble looms large now; What do the selectors do if Wade's form doesn't improve? You wouldn't think that they'd go back to Nevill (*) so who? I have NFI. (*) I haven't seen any of the BBQ Bash this season so I don't know if they're using it, but there was a piece in Foxsports a couple of days ago on how someone's developed the longggg overdue fielding index and it's being populated with BBQ data. Apparently Nevill & Wade were almost tied for the Worst Keeper in the Comp title.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Weird article - it seems David just threw a few random thoughts down on paper and sent it off to The Roar. Even stranger - The Roar published it. Is it too hard for the Roar editors to send it back to David asking him to put a halfway coherent structure together before re-submitting? This site has plenty of good contributors - why does it continue to put this rubbish out?
qwetzen
Guest
Crikey! A bit hyper-sensitive aren't you. It's no wonder the NSW mefia never says anything critical of their players with reactions like this.
Christov
Guest
@Lancey - it's a hard time of the year for anyone who has lost family. I would imagine it is quite hard for David and he might be a little more prone to get upset when someone comments on his writting in a negative manner. There is also some sort of personal history with alcohol, I suggest you just let this one go. Fair enough you didn't know and I didn't find what you said upsetting but I have not had any person experience with what David obviously has. @Lordy - I would hope that 3 innings at international level does not define the selectors minds. Give Maddison the series to prove himself and if not then give him the tap on the shoulder. You are right there is room for improvement. Perhaps he can get his average to 45 before coming back. I would say Cartwright is a future selection perhaps? Maybe now he is 24 but he could still improve his bowling a bit and break into the team. It might have been about getting to know the team and setup. Mitch Marsh needs to focus on ODI and become consistent there before going back to test cricket IMO. Merry Christmas lads.
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
If you took the time to actually read the replies to your articles you would see many Roarers assuming you have had a tipple before putting fingers to keyboard. You also seem to know enough about me to call me pathetic and a lowlife. Top notch journalism And David, judging by the way you attack your critics, you seem to have a massive problem with anyone disagreeing with you
David Lord
Expert
Lncey, I have no problems with any Roarer disagreeing with me, that's what this site is all about. But you are a lowlife, you don't know me from a bar of soap, yet you had the gall to accuse me of being drunk at 8am this morning. That puts you in a vastly different category to other Roarers, and that's why from here on in you don't exist.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Well said, Basil. Of the four selection changes made for Adelaide, the two that made little to no sense were Maddinson and Wade. There are plenty of batsmen with far better 4 day credentials than Nic and now selectors are in the same hole they put themselves in with Mitch Marsh. Admit they made a significant error and drop him before it hurts us, or like the desperate gambler, keep selecting him in a 'double or nothing' type move for a few more tests. Wade's selection is just a monumental stuff up. His keeping has already revealed some significant flaws, which were known to all and sundry. He was selected to make more runs than Nevill had been making, but he has barely made a decent red ball score in two years. I guess we shouldn't be surprised when we see Wade dropping the ball. He is only following the lead of the selectors because they certainly did when they selected him to replace Peter Nevill in the test side, just a few games before a tour of India, where Wade has already shown he is without a clue when it comes to keeping on those turning pitches.
Alex
Guest
Can everyone just stop reading his articles then maybe the Roar will give him the flick. They are non-sensicle. But there is no need to get personal either.
Old timer
Guest
Ok so we get it, you hate everything and everyone from NSW, it must be great to have something that motivates you to get out of bed every morning, I would be interested to know who you think should replace the "NSW mafia' I presume your talking about the captain and some of the selectors when you make that stupid comment. The reason people are saying we won two in a row is because we did, and that came after being walloped by South Africa, so that was reason to be a little optimistic for most people, but apparently not a hate riddled dreary person like you, who gets into such a state because they picked some kid who in the opinion of some people should not have been there in the first place, move on mate. Maddinson wont be the first or last batsman to fail on his initial few digs,and his presence in the team for the first test had no bearing what so ever on the closeness of the contest remember Australia declared, leaving Pakistan to chase a total that all commentators at the time thought wasn't achievable the fact that they came close highlighted the skill of Pakistan not a failure on Maddinson's part.
Simon G
Guest
I'd say Cartwright has the potential to be similar to the way Walters was used at Test level. Average in the 40's with the bat and bowl 5-10 overs a day to give the frontline quicks a spell and not give away too many runs. If he takes a wicket that's a bonus, we don't expect him to run through batting lineups. Walters only took 49 wickets in his 74 Tests, I'd be more than happy if we got a similar strike rate out of our number 6.
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
Relax David, I am certainly not the first Roarer to question your state of mind when writing so I am not sure why you chose to air that piece of private information with the world. Sad news I didn't need to know
Rob JM
Guest
Yes, he is the most in form middle order batsmen around at the moment, with scores of 81, 32. 110, 8, 49*, 49, 100 and 44* from his four shield games this year. His bowling is semi decent, but he barely gets a bowl in with the WA lineup stacked with alrounders on a seaming home wickets. He certainly fits the bill of holding up an end with an economy rate of 2.94 in first class and only 6.23 in twenty20.
Basil
Guest
If the selectors had picked a number 6 on merit, we not be having this conversation.