Glenn Maxwell, Chris Tremain and Joe Burns must have been dumbfounded when Australia yesterday announced a bizarre 15-man squad for next month’s Test series against Pakistan.
It is hard to fathom how the Australian selectors chose the likes of Brendan Doggett, Marnus Labuschagne and Peter Siddle ahead of that trio. The selectors have made some astonishing decisions in recent years but this selection is unparalleled in its folly.
Tremain has dominated the past three Sheffield Shield seasons, with 129 wickets at 20, and was impressive for Australia A this month, taking six wickets at 22 against India A across two first-class matches.
Yet he was overlooked for Doggett, who has a career total of 32 first-class wickets and had a poor tour with Australia A, taking four wickets at 50 and getting hammered at 4.52 runs per over.
Selections like this are so farcical they seem transplanted from the world of comedy, as if I’m watching a sketch show rather than a press conference by Cricket Australia.
What more could Tremain have done to earn a spot in this Test squad? The series will be played in the UAE on what are normally very flat decks and Tremain has not only just shone in Asia but has been unstoppable for years now on the MCG, the deadest pitch in Australia.
Tremain is dynamic enough, as he is 193cm tall, was clocked at 148kmh on his ODI debut, and swings both the new and old Kookaburra nicely. He’s also got lots of experience, with 176 first-class wickets to his name, and is relatively young, having turned 27 just a few weeks ago.
To top it all off, Tremain’s also a very durable quick – something Australia should covet given the fragility of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Starc – having missed only one Shield game due to injury in the past three summers.
Yet the selectors picked a complete random in Doggett and a bowler who has been well past his best for five years now in Siddle.
Were this squad destined to play in England, then Siddle’s selection would be wise as the 34-year-old remains an effective bowler on moist, seaming wickets. But there are many such medium pacers who dominate in damp British conditions with the swinging, seaming Dukes ball only to flounder on lifeless pitches in Australia and Asia with the dull Kookaburra or SG.
Peter Siddle. If you don’t remember him, ask your dad. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Siddle has taken just 19 wickets from eight Tests in Asia, at a sky-high strike rate of 86, and is now at least 10kmh slower than he was when he last played a Test there, four years ago. Yet his selection still makes more sense than that of Doggett, or the omission of Maxwell.
The Victorian all-rounder averaged 37 with the bat across four Tests on the subcontinent last year, a fine return considering the manner in which Australian batsmen consistently labour there.
Maxwell then returned to Australia and made 707 runs at 50 in the Shield, after averaging 44 across the previous two Shield seasons.
Yet that was not deemed sufficient to even make the 15-man squad, despite three Australian batsmen being unavailable due to their ball-tampering bans.
Complete nonsense.
Instead, the selectors picked 24-year-old Queensland batsman Marnus Labuschagne. Not only does Labuschagne average just 34 in first-class cricket, but he’s never averaged better than 39 in a Shield season, and averaged only 24 for Australia A in two red-ball matches this month.
Marnus Labuschagne of the Bulls (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)
Oddly, I saw more criticism yesterday from Australian fans for the selection of Travis Head than the inclusion of Labuschagne.
As I’ve written previously, I am not sold on Head as a potential Test batsman, concerned that his defence is not tight enough. There is no denying, however, that he has justified his selection by churning out runs.
Head was the leading runscorer for Australia A in the four-day matches, with 206 runs at 51 against India A. He also struck a ton in the preceding one-day series and has been in good form in ODIs averaging 42 from his past 25 matches.
Most importantly, Head has also scored 1383 runs at 45 over the last two Sheffield Shield seasons.
Head has, far and away, done more to deserve Test selection than Labuschagne, who was a truly odd pick.
While Labuschagne has generous potential as a Test batsman in the years to come, he has not done enough to be picked ahead of the likes of Burns and Maxwell.
Burns, for some reason, earns little sympathy from Australian fans, despite repeated wretched treatment by the selectors. Consider the ways in which he has been shafted at the selection table.
First, in 2016, he was dumped in Sri Lanka just two Tests after being man of the match with a double of 170 and 65 as Australia beat New Zealand in Christchurch.
Then, in 2017, he was recalled to the side against South Africa and then axed again after just one Test.
This year, he came into the Aussie team for the fourth Test against SA, after the bans were handed out, and once more has been dumped after just one crack.
Burns well and truly earned that last call-up by hammering 725 runs at 56 last Shield season. He also owns a solid Test record, with three tons from 14 Tests amid a haul of 919 runs at 37.
How is it, then, that he cannot make a 15-man squad even when the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft are unavailable?
I simply cannot comprehend how the likes of Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head and Aaron Finch can be deemed to have done more to earn selection. It boggles the mind, like so many elements of this squad. The Australian selectors have topped themselves once more.
kopa shamsu
Guest
what is aussies expecting from this tour? some good players who will stand up for themselves and team so they can put their hands up when banned player comes back. This series supposed to be for those young plyaers who want to put their case forward. Then why starc is here? what starc has to prove? In fact i believe none of australian front line quick has to prove anything. Starc should have been preparing for upcoming series in home with his comrades. What the heck is he doing in UAE? i would love to test another quick,say joel paris. This team doesn't make any sense.
zenn
Guest
+1. Watson was respected by his contemporaries from other ICC countries. His record as an all rounder is second only to Keith Miller. Watson generally was the highest paid Australian cricketer in the IPL. Watson was dropped for M Marsh who continues to flatter to deceive. Langer was Marsh's primary sponsor. In 2017-18, Langer's often irrational advocacy of WA players demonstrated a parochial bias that should have prevented Langer being considered as national coach. An argument can be made that each of Tremain, Burns and Maxwell present a threat to Langer's goal of installing M Marsh as Australian Test captain. Tremain is a vastly superior bowler to Marsh, allowing Australia to play 4 frontline quicks when needed and provide injury cover for the incumbent quicks. No need for Marsh as quick but relatively ineffectual fourth or injury cover fast bowler. Burns is a versatile and accomplished batsman who should be the Australian number six batsman. In the past Burns has been proposed as a potential Test captain. No need for Marsh as a chronically achieving number six. Maxwell is a very accomplished middle order (4-6) batsman. He is a more than effective 2nd spin bowler, with his left arm spin providing a foil for Lyons's off-breaks. No position for Marsh as a low scoring, non wicket taking allrounder. One final observation, this is the most boring Aus Test team in memory. No exciting young talent unearthed, no apparent nucleus from whom new selections and touring players can learn, no leadership group. Paine's success as a wicket keeper and Steve Bradbury like elevation to captain does not justify the method of his selection. Like much of Australian political, commercial and civil administrative life opportunities and elevation depends upon your connections rather than on your talent.
JimmyB
Guest
I hear ya.
JayG
Guest
My bad. The new format confuses me...I have a hard time deciphering who is responding to whom.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Sorry it was 7 more innings which resulted in an extra century and half century. Everybody's average is bolstered by their best score though. Take out the top score for Labuschagne and his average is still no better than Maxi without his best score.
JimmyB
Guest
Pretty sure he was referring to India touring Australia in the summer.
Tom
Guest
Maxi also had the luxury or playing half his matches on the most disgraceful road in the county and his average was bolstered significantly by his double hundred. He had a very average second half of the season.
Michael Keeffe
Roar Guru
Firstly I hope now that they are selected Finch, Head and Labuschagne smash it. I doubt Doggett will get a game but if he does I hope he kills it too. What is frustrating for us fans is the selections seem to make no sense. There is no world in which Maxwell and Burns are not in front of Finch, Head and Labuschagne. Experience, form, both in shield and test matches. They are ahead on all fronts. Stats don't tell everything either but they do tell us Maxwell and Burns are better than the others. Finch and Head are fine white ball players. I'm a fan of Labuschagne he is a good young player developing a solid first class record. But I always thought he was a really good season away from test selection. And Tremain had to be picked... surely. I watched Doggett bowl in the Shield final last year and he was impressive for sure. But Tremain is ahead of him. There's no question about it. It's obvious to everyone... well almost everyone. The selectors obviously have more high level cricket experience than all of us fans put together. But at the same time many of us watch hours and hours of domestic cricket on top of all the international cricket we watch. We're not stupid (well most of us aren't). What we find hard to take is when the selections don't line up to form. We can handle 50/50 calls where opinion is clearly divided. But this is not that. This makes no sense. I hope the selectors are right. I hope we clean sweep Pakistan and Finch, Head, Labuschagne and Doggett play a starring role. Unfortunately I just don't see it happening.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Starc's selection "doesn't make sense"? Would love to read an elaboration on that opinion...
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Agree on maxwell and tremain. Burns? He and mitch marsh first needs to learn how to hold a bat in sub continent. also starc selection doesn't make sense. My pick for pakistan tour would be - Renshaw Khawaja Patterson Head Handscomb/maxwell Carey Paris Tremain lyon swepson Agar stoinis neser
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
It all depends on the likes of the Coach, Justin Langer, one can not help.
Steele
Guest
I’m losing my interest in the game for the first time in my life. It’s hard to work out which decision was more farcical? I’ll go with Tremain, just. This guy has been so dominant in recent years. Maxwell is told to score more hundreds, yet is usurped by guys with exactly the same problem and far less form. Siddle returning blows my mind, how does Tremain react to that, knowing full well how much better performed he is for Victoria. Administration is killing the game.
Bimbster
Roar Rookie
Finch and siddle have been added to add leadership to the squad. Don't know why they made up silly reasons instead of saying paine isn't a true leader and needs help in that department
Rellum
Roar Guru
I have been on about anointed ones for years and you can see it in full glory now. At least Holland forced his way in. If they xan't clearly articulate why players are picked or not should tell you eveything. I fear they see this as another development tour. But the reality is, picking a squad like that you have to win.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Plus: Head - one ton every 19 FC innings Labuschagne - every 17 FC innings So Maxwell scores FC hundreds far more regularly than 3 batsmen picked in this Test squad.
Bimbster
Roar Rookie
Finch and siddle have been added to add leadership to the squad. Don't know why they made up silly reasons instead of saying paine isn't a true leader and needs help in that department.
JayG
Guest
Presumably you did not watch SA getting whitewashed is style in Sri Lanka. The truth is there no "best Test side" in the world at the moment. Just many mediocre sides - some slightly better than others. Also, @David a Pom - I will concede that England is the best Test side in the world if they win handsomely against Sri Lanka in subcontinental conditions in a few months time. Fact is, all teams win at home and lose overseas.
Ben
Roar Rookie
No other Victorian made a 100 in that game.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
It's actually become very comical in recent years watching CA come up with statistical justifications for their odd selections, like the Maxwell conversion rate stat. They seem to just make their picks and then, once recognising the controversy they'll cause, task a CA staffer with trying to rustle up some random stat they can use as a justification.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
The reality is that in the match where Maxwell made 278, NSW had 5 bowlers who have played for Australia - O'Keefe, Bollinger, Copeland, Abbott and Henriques. That's not a weak Shield attack whatsoever, it's a good one in fact.