Not that its a new concept - just ask Allan Border, who retired when the media told him too - but its seems my old friend Andrew Hilditch has developed it to a new art. Clearly no longer having Phil Hughes mobile number and not hip enough to Twitter him, Andrew told the media on the weekend that he expected to see the little leftie - or is that little leftoutie - opening the batting against the West Indies in that circuitous way that only a solicitor could, by telling Shane Watson he'd better get used to the idea of batting in the middle order ... which in turn was a message to Mike Hussey, that even though his last Test innings did it's best to save a Test series, Andrew will not tolerate his failure to play on off stump any longer ... than is absolutely necessary ... maybe not quite yet, but soon. Given the selectors form over the years, a century in his last Test innings is probably fatal.
One loose comment and the Australian Test batting order is into shuffleboard mode.
Nice.
Yes, he also said re Brett Lee that he could not see Hilfe, Siddle or Johnson being outed for the First Test. That might be the case, but as a selector one should not make public ones thoughts simply as there are other selectors who may or may not share that viewpoint, and if one of those three in the next few weeks display ordinary form and Lee keeps getting wickets the pressure becomes enormous on all parties. Keep mum Mr Hilditch-Simpson.
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