Sid Barnes is not a name a lot of people outside Australia know. He played only 13 Tests yet averaged a highly impressive 63.05 with the bat. Across 110 first-class games, he averaged an excellent 54.11.
World War II took away the years Barnes would have been at his peak, but even still, he was a key player in the post-War Tests and the 1948 Invincibles Tour – which was the last he was seen playing Tests.
Barnes spent a few years outside the game but in 1951, tried his hand again at playing Tests and was chosen to play in the first Test against the West Indies but the Board of Control vetoed his inclusion.
It seems they had given themselves the power to exclude a player from the national team “on grounds other than cricket ability” and Barnes had given them plenty of ammunition apply this exclusion. As a result, a player who could have been anything in the game was relegated to a cameo in Test cricket.
Fast forward to the present and Geoff Lemon wrote a piece in The Roar on why Matthew Wade is better off not playing for Australia. This piece really made me think about why Wade isn’t packing his bags for India, given the numbers he’s put up domestically.
It’s pretty clear Wade has really applied himself with the bat since being dropped two years ago and on paper, should be one of the first players chosen, certainly for the T20 side (based on BBL form) and would be a strong candidate for both the World Cup and Ashes squads based on his first-class form. The question is, why isn’t he being chosen?
I think there are only a couple of reasons that don’t relate to his performances on the field.
The first is his aggressiveness behind the stumps when he was in the Test team, which is clearly a ‘no-no’ in 2019. The other is because he’s somehow done something to put himself offside with the selectors – maybe he and Paine don’t see eye to eye which hasn’t thrilled the selectors?
Whatever it is, the current selectors seem hell-bent on keeping him out of our international sides.
If there is a non-cricketing reason why Wade is not being chosen – why is David Warner seen as a lock to come back into at least the World Cup squad and probably the Ashes team as well?
(Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Surely there’s a massive double standard being played out here where a guy who is performing as well as any cricketer in the country can’t make an Australian squad, presumably because of issues other than cricket.
Warner, on the other hand, has a track record of poor behaviour over a number of seasons and his batting form has been less than stellar over the past 12 months but he is likely to waltz straight back into the team.
Don’t get me wrong, I want Warner to play. However, I don’t want to see Wade miss out if the reasons for his omission are based on ‘grounds other than cricket ability.’
The best option for the selectors is to choose both for the World Cup squad at least and probably for the Ashes as well, assuming Warner’s fit and Wade is still in form.
At the least, they have to have Wade as a standby for both series. If Wade doesn’t rate a place and Warner does, the selectors have no place choosing teams to represent this country.
AREH
Roar Guru
Yep, it makes little sense why. The factors in selecting him previously were different, and it was almost as though he was selected irrespective of form and numbers, but because he suited the character requirements of that ill-faited period, possessing the chirp and 'mongrel' that apparently Peter Nevill did not.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
The selectors have repeatedly said they want to see runs scored. What is the number?
Simoc
Guest
Dunno why you bought Tim Zoehrer into it but most WA playing cricketers know why he didn't get picked. If you knew you wouldn't pick him either. The other thing is Adam Gilchrist was 100% better player.
JamesH
Roar Guru
You said they shouldn't even be considered. Considering picking your best players is not 'special treatment'.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
There is no 'double standard'. There are just people who disagree with the selectors and some of them grumble a lot.
Danno
Guest
There is no comparison to be made between Warner and Wade. One is a test success with over 6,000 runs at close to 50 and the other was given a decent go and averaged 28 and dropped regulation catches.
AWin
Guest
I don't understand the difficulty everyone is having with this - it's mind-blowingly obvious. Wade was picked last time he made the side specifically because he was a loud mouthed behind the stumps, with the possibility of more runs that Peter Neville a secondary consideration. He proceeded to deliver in spades - no runs, but a national embarassment every time he opened his mouth. Fast forward to a time when that's not seen as a positive and he hasn't got a snowball's chance of getting in. Every time he takes a reporter's bait and whinges about it in the media he will get further away. Warner is cut from the same cloth, with the crucial difference that he has a history of making runs at test level. The more runs you make, the bigger prat you can afford to be, and Wade never made the runs required to make up for acting like Mathew Wade.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The Marsh boys? Where are you hiding? Are you not seeing any sport news any more?
Matt P
Roar Rookie
It’s no more speculative than any suggestion that they won’t be up to it. They’ve been playing plenty of grade cricket and domestic T20s for pretty much the entire ban, FC is really the only thing missing off that list. Even if it’s not “top level” they’ve had plenty of match practice. The injury comments are about the only substantial concern. They’re easily two of the most gifted batsmen in world cricket. Even if they come back and they’re not immediately as good as they used to be, that’s still better than half the mob we’ve got in the teams right now. You’d have to be mad to not pick them the moment they’re available.
Ben
Guest
Yet the Marsh boys keep getting picked on a few first class games when they're proven first class failures, don't they? And what about your view of past form doesn't matter? Or does that only apply when the Marsh bros have been playing like crap for years but then have 3 good First-Class games?
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
That's hopeful speculation actually. Right now both of them have not played top level cricket since the SA tour and are injured. I would like both of them to earn their way back into the team by proving they are both fit and capable of playing long-form cricket.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
I went over Wades shield stats prior to his recall in 2016: 2015/16 average: 27 (6 games) 2016/17 average: 28 (3 games) He only passed 50 once in those 9 games, yet they rewarded him with selection, now that he’s actually batting well they won’t pick him. I’m not saying that wade’s in the best xi (I’d have Maxwell ahead of him) but surely he’s done more to warrant selection than Labuchagne or Mitch Marsh.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Our recalcitrants would make a good test team. — And so many wickys as well!!!!
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Do you want us to keep losing? Our batting stocks are so low right now those two are still our best two batsmen by a long shot. Look at the Test rankings - they’re both still comfortably in the top 10 despite being out for a year. Not picking them would be ludicrous.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
He’s more than half a good shield season, he scored 3 100s in the second half of last season and was named in team of the season.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Paul, Perhaps the public is becoming a less enthused by poor behaving sportsmen, but I think it's baby steps. We also need to put some of this into context; Warner is no angel, he's been in a physical altercation in a pub, his got a loud mouth and he apparently instructed and assisted a player to cheat (but didn't cheat himself). It's a pretty average record compared to most players. But there are currently AFL and NRL players who have actual criminal records that are still playing. If the NRL and AFL came down as hard on players as CA did on Warner, Bancroft and Smith (which I wasn't against), they would be fielding ten team competitions this winter. Benny B actually tested positive for coke (a performance enhancer and just generically illegal) and was allowed back, it took proof of domestic violence to finally punch his ticket. Despite this, both of these competitions are still going gangbusters, so I dunno how quickly the public is really taking up this issue just yet.
anon
Roar Pro
As I said yesterday anon Roar Pro February 20th 2019 @ 10:34am If character/culture means his papers are stamped, then surely we will never see Smith, Warner, Bancroft ever play for Australia again. What they’ve done is far worse than anything Wade has ever done.
jameswm
Roar Guru
"Sid Barnes has the best average of any Australian batsman playing at least ten Tests" You mean 2nd best, right?
jameswm
Roar Guru
So we can take a backup keeper in Carey, or a backup keeper/batsman in Wade or Handscomb. I'd take Handscomb and if Paine gets injured, play Handscomb, then fly Carey over for that game if time or otherwise for the next game.
lemo
Guest
No I'm advocating them serving their bans and not giving them special treatment just because they happen to be our two best batsmen 12 mths ago.