In my time following cricket, I’ve never known such a fevered atmosphere around selection. Belatedly, the national panel has recognised that fact.
Cricket supporters were about ready to march on Jolimont with flaming torches if the men’s Test squad announced today had been substantively unchanged.
Nor was it just the general masses. The Sydney Test attracts plenty of cricket’s more influential figures. From the conversations I had over that week, some surprising names were among those echoing that strong dissatisfaction.
Certainly the jobs of Trevor Hohns and Greg Chappell would have been on the line had they refused to make some concession to the general mood.
It’s not like these selectors have a chamber of riches to choose from during these difficult times in the Australian game. But the inscrutability and opacity, the favourites played, the absurd hunches, the lack of accountability, the high-handed dismissal of questioning, had all added up.
So after a long spell of invisibility in which national coach Justin Langer had to be the face of all the panel’s decisions, notional chairman Hohns fronted the media in Sydney on Wednesday.
(Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)
The most substantial peace offering was the removal of the Marsh brothers from the squad to play Sri Lanka.
Loved by management and unloved by supporters, even some ferocious Western Australian partisans have given up on Shaun and Mitchell after another wretched year followed their Ashes false dawn the summer before.
The booing at the Melbourne and Sydney Tests, unfair as it was on players who’ve tried their best, was really directed at those who’ve kept choosing them despite the body of evidence of success too sporadic to warrant it.
Another about-face was the inclusion of Joe Burns and Matthew Renshaw, two Queensland openers with Test centuries and more claim to be there on performance and technique than those who replaced them.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
But the hill on which these selectors are prepared to perish is the continued non-selection of middle-order batsman Glenn Maxwell. Pilloried by some for his approach to the white-ball game, selectors should know better than anyone of his proven quality in the red-ball formats.
Maxwell was the only batsman other than Steve Smith to make a century on the 2017 tour of India. Three Tests later, after scores in the 20s, 30s and 40s, he was dropped from a team in which players with longer strings of single-figure results would be retained.
On Shield numbers, Maxwell is the second-best available batsman in the country. Even if you don’t accept a purely statistical view, he’s clearly in the top six in terms of ability.
Despite limited first-class cricket thanks to the national white-ball teams, he’s assembled a consistent record over the course of years. His talent tops almost anyone. His ability to play long innings in tricky conditions is a matter of record.
He has years of international experience, and with an Ashes series coming up, years of English county experience, in a green team where experience was always the first excuse for retaining the underperforming Shaun Marsh.
(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Yet the reserve batsman for the Ashes in November 2017, and the reserve batsman flown into Johannesburg when half the batting order was suspended in March 2018, is apparently not in the best 14 batsmen in Australia.
Marnus Labuschagne, with his Shield average of 33, is apparently a better player than Maxwell with his mark of 44. Ditto Travis Head, with the same number of first-class tons as Maxwell despite playing 19 more matches.
“Glenn hasn’t played Test cricket for us for a while,” said Hohns, as though this was someone else’s choice. “Right now we are wanting him to focus on white-ball cricket with the World Cup coming up.”
Because no one else plays two formats.
Head definitely has potential, but as of now, he lacks the concentration. Too many of his Test innings end in loose shots, and you can’t ride your luck very far in England.
Peter Handscomb is another example of being messed around. He and Labuschagne were both brought in for Sydney, scored 37 and 38 respectively, yet one will be kept while the other is discarded.
Previously, Handscomb played outstandingly in India to bat through the fifth day at Ranchi for a draw, batted for hours in withering heat in Bangladesh for 82, then didn’t make the squad for Australia’s next Asian tour to the UAE.
Will Pucovksi is a gamble. He’s done some standout things, unlike other random guesses from this panel like Hilton Cartwright or Sam Heazlett. He’s also a very young player who’s had multiple concussions and time out of the game for mental health management, meaning you wonder if it’s in his interests to elevate him to Test contention.
The key is whether selectors treat him like other young players who’ve been brought in for five minutes and then dumped and never spoken of again. It’s not yet clear whether he’ll play or is around the squad to soak up the atmosphere.
Matthew Wade has backers after a strong season and a half in the Shield. But it’s understandable to hesitate in trusting that a wicketkeeper who couldn’t make a run during a year in the Test team can turn around and deliver as a specialist bat in the top six. Another ten strong Shield games might change that view.
The other question is how will a playing XI be drawn from the squad? The four bowlers are set – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, with Peter Siddle in reserve, while the next tier get a chance to impress in a CA XI warm-up.
But that warm-up may also be a shootout between Burns and Renshaw to see who partners Marcus Harris as an opener, given Harris was Australia’s only decent performer in the series just gone against India.
(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Burns is the in-form player, and people can fairly point to Renshaw’s poor recent Shield work. But Renshaw is the man who dominated county cricket last season, and the one with the game to best cope with Jimmy Anderson in Birmingham.
He’s the one in terms of technique and temperament who you can see opening for Australia in ten years’ time.
Which means both of them need to play, but one has to go down the order. Burns started his career at six, and could revisit it. Or Usman Khawaja could give up first drop again and move to four. Or one of the pair misses out if Pucovski is wanted at six.
Permutations, permutations. In a time of upheaval for Australian cricket, it makes sense that nothing is clear-cut. Including the ongoing Maxwell mystery.
“There is nothing to do with [personality] at all,” said Hohns. “Obviously when a position becomes available in the batting line-up, it depends what that position is and what type of player we require.”
The only positions that have become available in the last year are: all of them. Repeatedly. Yet while the Test batting order is at its weakest since 1978 – anecdotally and statistically – one of Australia’s best batsmen still can’t get a shot.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
All good re Maxwell. “But Renshaw is the man who dominated county cricket last season, and the one with the game to best cope with Jimmy Anderson in Birmingham.” ___ Well the numbers looked impressive, but it was only 6 matches. And he didn’t dominate – averaged 51 and 8th on the list of averages, well behind England players Ali, Burns and Pope. Didn’t face any bowlers I’d ever heard of in the matches he scored runs. Low scores in matches vs Anderson and Morne Morkel. 39 and 2 (lbw Morkel) vs Surrey and Morkel, in a match where Surrey scored 450+. So let’s not get carried away. I’m not sure what you mean about the game best suited to cope with Jimmy Anderson. Seems to have a talent for playing and missing. Doesn’t over commit to the moving ball but hardly a convincing technique. __ As for jumping onto the “let’s bash Shaun Marsh because his name is Marsh” bandwagon. He was picked in part because he scored 160 chasing 300 plus to win a Shield match. He also looked way better than all the other batsmen in the team. But obviously vulnerable because he didn’t score enough. Can’t see how Harris should be a lock-in. Got lucky vs India – played worst shot of Sydney Test vs Jadeja’s first ball and missed being caught by a fingernail. No expectation he will score big in Tests as he can’t play spin. ___ How on earth is Labuschagne still in the squad? Has an FC average barely adequate to keep place in Test team.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Panel of 5 from 2011-14 had Clarke, Marsh, Bickel, (and White too for ODI). Test ranking went from 3 then a long stint at 2 to 1 in 2014. http://idlesummers.com/ratings.php
Rohan
Roar Rookie
2011 to 2014 5 man panel included Clarke, Marsh, White for ODI. too. Test rankings went from 3rd to a long stint at 2 , then 1.
Simoc
Guest
Andy Bichels done it and is worse than the current lot. When he commentates occasionally he is hopelessly wishy washy. Current players like Cameron White or recent players like Clarke, or one of the female explayers. Not to many could do worse than the current fools with their set agendas. They have been exposed.
bazza200
Guest
Sorry but warne is not an allrounder. Watto was kinda one when he was fit to bowl. I would of never picked Kallis as a strike bowler he is def good but not first pick.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Matt, agree with you how crazy it seems to have a bat-off. But who knows what runs through the minds of our esteemed selector panel these days! I just don’t get the love-in for Marnus Labuschagne. In the Sydney test against India, he bowled 16 overs of benevolent leg-spin which the appreciative Indian batsmen dined on. Although he hung around for 38 runs he looked an lbw goner or a chip to mid-on at anything coming in at mid to leg pole. It took the Indians about 10-15 balls to work him out. Does Australia have a good all-rounder? Perhaps Trevor Hohns is right on this one. I’m not sure if Marcus Stoinus is the answer either. His fc bowling average is higher than his batting average.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
From what I saw over the India series, Marcus Harris and Travis Head are walking wickets if they are in an Ashes test in England. No-one survives against the Dukes ball throwing the bat out wide with a 40cm gap between bat and front leg. But not to worry as Justin Langer, and the other esteemed selectors of top talent, has his eye on two guns who will rescue Australia in Cam Bancroft and Ashton Turner. How could you leave out such well performed cricketers, and backed up by the great Marsh brothers who just need to find form to regain their gun status soon. According to the high-ups in CA, Australia doesn't need losers like Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw or Glenn Maxwell when we have such talent being spotted by our selector gurus. We just need more time until these BwC pull Australia back to the No1 test position. (BwC = Blokes with Character) ps: I am taking the pi$$. :) fyi Turner's fc record is 27 matches ave 38 runs while Bancroft has 76 fc matches with a batting ave of 38 also. His test average isn't too shabby at 30 runs with a highest of 82 no over 8 tests. Renshaw ave is 38 over 49 fc matches and 33 over 11 tests, Burns has a 41 ave over 102 fc matches and 37 over 14 tests while Maxwell has played 61 fc games at an ave of 41 and 26 ave over 7 tests.
Barry Lloyd
Roar Rookie
If Bradman had been made to retire when he reached 100 and been recorded as out he would have averaged a mere 59.25 in Tests.
Davico
Roar Pro
Vic's go on and on about their guys not getting picked but as a NSWelshman I just don't get how Maxwell cannot get a start! Also think Hanscomb should have been given a bit more of a go. Happy to see Burns back and am a big fan of Renshaw though he has not shown a great deal lately. Wade?? Never seen the young kid but I hope he does well!
sheek
Roar Guru
Matt H, If you know this history, I apologise for rehashing it. Clem Hill was captain of a very good Aussie team (on paper) in 1911/12, that was monstered 1-4 by England. Perhaps a few key players were getting long in the tooth. As the selectors considered the last test XI of the series, the selector & ex-test player Percy McAlister suggested Hill drop himself, & added unnecessarily, "you're a hopeless captain anyway". Or words to that effect. At this point Hill clocked McAlister & the two had to be separated from a scuffle getting worse. McAlister was useless as a top order test batsman averaging 16.80. He was apparently much unliked by his fellow Aussie team mates. Hill by comparison had a test average of 39.20, which translated into today's currency, might sit in the high 40s. The 1909 tour of England was the last in which the players selected their own manager from the players selected. By the time of the next tour in 1912, the new Australian Board of Control was in place, & they very quickly set about exercising the "control" of their new title. It was as a backdrop to this power struggle between the test players & the new board that six leading Aussies pulled out of the 1912 triangular tournament to be played in England - skipper Clem Hill, legendary batsman Vic Trumper, batsman Vernon Ransford, all-rounder Warwick Armstrong, wicket-keeper Sammy Carter & fast bowler Tibby Cotter. A 7th player, the brilliant leggie Ranji Hordern (of the famous retail family) also pulled out to concentrate on his new dentistry practice.
leftcurlyrightcurly
Roar Rookie
Langer will bring us the glory days
leftcurlyrightcurly
Roar Rookie
Maxwell has to have done something. Not his personality? Has he had run-ins with Greg Chappell? What has Maxwell done? Also, Im a little bit sick of Greg Chappell. Has he done anything good in cricket outside of playing it? And those responses from Hohns are interesting.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
David Boon is enjoying match refereeing on overseas trips. Why give that up and face media criticism.
Old Greybeard
Roar Rookie
This is due to the stupidity of CA in halting the shield for a third of the season. It has the added impact that batters can make a lot of runs without ever being really tested. Maxwell has a great ability, but can implode alas. I would welcome a slightly more stable version.
Jocko
Guest
I hope he doesn't. I do not think his ability outweighs his vexations.
Jocko
Guest
All rounder status is Stoinis problem. There are very few real test all rounders. You have to be good enough at one of the disciplines. When we talk of all rounders in Australia, we talk of Benaud, Davidson, Warne. But really only Miller would have been selected as a batsman or a bowler. The other greats of my memory are Sobers and Kallis, both were outstanding bats and great bowlers. You would have picked them for either. Stoinis impresses me as using his brains when batting. That is a rare event, but he is not a test bat yet.
Felix
Guest
Tendo, you'll get pilloried on here taking out figures from averages or putting them back in - but I agree with you early in a player's career. It's a common mistake my students make in statistical analysis when the data set is small and they're trying to extrapolate meaningful trends from it. Typically they are best to use median rater than mean to give a better indication on the true trend of the the data set. I'm not taking away from the big knocks, that shows very promising trends and I'm all for him being in the team, but it goes without saying that more weight must be given to a player averaging 49 over 100 FC matches than one with a big knock at the start of it.
Matt H
Roar Guru
No doubt Maxwell has been treated poorly. Because of the recent chopping and changing almost any non-Marsh batsman would also have a case that they’ve been treated poorly. Handscomb – last score of 37 and still averages nearly 40. And his technique looked better. Dropped. Finch – played out of position and dropped without a chance in the middle order. Labuschagne – improved every single innings in the UAE and bowled and fielded well. Dropped. Renshaw – has a blinder of a county season. Gets hit on the head and ruled out of the UAE warm up match but is ok for the test. Dropped. Burns – Top scored in his last test innings. Then dropped to the point of not being in the Australia A squad. I would love Maxwell to get a run. i would love him to be given a chance at home against cushy opponents like Sri Lanka, rather than just being drafted in each time we tour India and then ditched during the plane trip home. I just imagine him ducking into the airport bathroom and then coming out, looking around and wondering where everyone went. But most of all, I would love him to be given a run of more than four tests.
Matt H
Roar Guru
The thing that annoys me about this squad is picking seven batsmen in the first place. And then we have put four in the CAXI team for a ‘bat-off’. surely having a reserve batsman for a home series is just creating unnecessary pressure and uncertainty. Just pick the top 6 and say they have the two tests. Instead we have the potentially ludicrous situation that each of Renshaw, Burns, Labuschagne and Pucovski have one or maybe two innings in the warm up match and the worst performer is out. That is an even worse anti-stick and pick policy than normal. And what happens in that pressure cooker of having your short term career decided by one ball that keeps low or a bad LBW call (no DRS in warm ups)? What if they all succumb to the pressure? You would almost be certain that the batsmen in the warm up game who are not in the test team will perform better. I have no idea who might be the one to miss out. I would say Labuschagne is a lock, but I have no idea what the selectors are thinking about the other three. It could be that they just want Pukovski to experience the atmosphere and get around the group. It could be that they want Renshaw to try and get some red ball practice and hope he comes good in the second half of the Shield, given his record in County cricket. Surely they haven;t picked the 29 year old Burns and made him captain of the CAXI side just to leave him on the bench?
Matt H
Roar Guru
I think you will find Labuschagne would have to trip over a stray helmet an be out injured for six months not to be in that squad.