The Thoughts of Chairman Baz

The full Australian selection panel meets for the first time during the next week to formulate their forward plan for the summer in Australia. With injuries to Marsh, Harris, Watson and possibly Johnson, opportunities might be opened for others. Then there's the problem of what to do with Hughes and Watson, who for different reasons need to be shifted from opening.

For something different, what follows are the opinions of another cricketragic whom I have known since university days. Like me,  a teacher but unlike me, a fine cricketer. Barry Everingham has been a doyen of NSW country cricket for as long as he has breathed. Here are his thoughts on the summer ahead and the direction the selectors should take.

"A really top effort - finally - by a young gun and a bloke who should not be there! We escaped and good on them - Punter and Haddin did the business and should be retained for the next series but beyond that will be a big question mark. Who is putting their hand up and scoring enough at Shield level - NOT in the hit and giggle stuff - that is the vexing query???? Hughes must go if Marsh is fit. He is just a disaster against good bowling and I still think we will be so much stronger with Watto at 6 or even 7 if he is to continue bowling. Marsh, Katich (for this series, Khawaja, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Watson, Haddin, Cutting (try him straight up in Brissy), Cummo, Lyon and Siddle 12th. Awesome batting lineup eh! Watto as bowling alrounder and handy no 7 bat!!!! Kat and Clarke to bowl more if needed. If need another bowler to nurse Watto, Huss to 12th in Brissy and try Siddle again with pattinson as 12th (assume Ryan out."

A couple of others who are knocking on the door for the openers job are Liam Davis (WA) and Rob Quiney (Vic). Chris Rogers might  be a little long in the tooth but another worthy of thought would be Ryan Broad (Qld). Katich is finished I'm afraid, with a disciplinary hearing still pending, his cards have already been marked. He should never have been removed from the contract list but he's burned every bridge, even those made of olive branches.

"We cannot keep putting up with Mitchell Johnson and his inconsistency. Get the young bloods in there with Patty - they can't be worse than him being all over the shop. Very disappointed that Mickey Arthur got the job - most would have loved Rixo - taskmaster with proven track record over a range of teams. Real blood and guts type who wouldn't put up with any prima donna stuff and would have enhanced the work ethic of young and old and call a spade a spade - somehting these blokes have not had enough of IMHO! Would have been great with Langer staying on and still not convinced McDermott is the go as a bowling coach. He was a 'leaker' like Johnson. I'd get Stu Clarke back in as bowling coach straight away."


Johnson will always be a problem. As Tamworthian and handy former batsman Terry Browne says of him, he's an athlete who bowls, where as most bowlers are athletes. The difference is he'll always be expensive but still has that Doug Walters quality of turning a match in a session. Can modern cricket afford such luxuries? I don't think we'll lose too much in terms of spades being succinctly named - Mickey Arthur has a reputation for no bullshit and maximum directness. I agree on Rixon's qualities but there is one school of thought that says he is too similar to his coaching mentor, Bob Simpson and having seen Hilditch off the patch and taking Simmo out the back under Taylor's insistence, many thought a return to that style might not be a good idea, especially with our new skipper being of a different ilk. I think you're a bit hard on Billy. Signs are he is making a difference and he's at least got Johnson listening!

"Hopefully Athur will be a tough nut and do the job on a few of them. Haddin stays until the end of or near end of season and if Paine is fit he plays the one dayers as a lead in - but not much between him and Wade actually. Interesting times - Clarke has done a pretty good job as skipper with some wayward bowling and very average application with the bat. Hard to put up with Lawson bagging his captaincy the other day. I think he will do a good job this summer and if he and Ricky stay down the order they will score tons and tons against NZ and India. Biggest problem will be getting the blue Raj boys out!"


India don't appear to have the artillery to do any real damage on our deck,s so much of it comes down to our bowling and the old legs of the India batting line up. The schedule has them playing four Tests in five weeks from Boxing Day until early February - a big asked for legs that have run up and down pitches a lot of times. Agree with your assessment of Lawson. He's even more bitter and twisted after being overlooked for every new job CA was trying to fill.

"Could be interesting if the selectors use common sense and injuries don't cruel us - although we still have Ferguson, Klinger (STILL think he is a gun!), amongst others. BUT - if I hear another mention of Dave Warner being in the Test side I will give it up. He was not even a regular in the Shield side till this year. When will they learn they have to pick different sides for the 3 forms. Only a few to play 2 or all 3. And Shippherd to coach T20 - maybe Rixo the one dayers. But who am I to have any ideas - other than to agree with Hilditch finally being gone as a very average piece of work as a selector, as he was as a player. Good riddance and let the summer fun begin."


I'm changing my opinion on Warner but as you've noticed, he wouldn't be in my second eleven at Test level. Ferguson and Pattison have to be the highest rated replacements. They've done the yards and deserve their chance. I wonder if an old roughy like Adam Vogues might still stand consideration ... perhaps in the ODI side. He's second only to team mate Liam Davis in run aggregate in the Shield this summer in a WA side which looks the only real threat to Qld at this stage.

What do others think? Stoph, Leftie, Tim, Bear, Ian ... you all have strong opinions and a bent towards expressing them. How about joining the discussion?

Thanks Baz.