Sunday, February 20, 2005

Pot calling a kettle a pot

It's official. It's not only selectors of the subcontinent who are incompetent, bumbling, parochial, and political when choosing teams. The holiest of the holy, the Australians, are apparently just the same. That is if you believe Mark Waugh, the former Mr. Lazy Elegance of Australian cricket. Junior is being heavily pushed by New South Wales, his home state, for a place in the National Selection Panel. And Waugh has already fired his first salvo.

Writing in The Sun Herald he has had a solid go at the current selection panel, accusing them of favouring Queenslanders when it comes to making tough selections. He begins by listing the members of the panel - Trevor Hohns (Qld), Allan Border (Qld), David Boon (Tas) and Andrew Hilditch (SA) - and then has a go:
"A fine selection of men, no doubt, but half the selection panel is from Queensland. I, like many, believe there is some bias towards Queensland players."

Bias towards Queensland players? "You cannot be serious", I can hear the Queenslanders raving, John-McEnroe style. But, Waugh doesn't stop there.
I think there are a couple of Queenslanders in the past season or two who have been lucky to gain a spot in the one-day or Test teams. Andy Bichel is probably the exception, but I can count three players and situations that would support the theory that the bananabenders are receiving a leg-up.

As examples Waugh cites the selection of Andrew Symonds ahead of Simon Katich for the Sri Lanka tour, the selection of Nathan Hauritz over Stuart MacGill for the India tour and, most recently, the selection of James Hopes over Cameron White.
For each player he has a barb:
Symonds - "That was one of the worst decisions I'd seen for years."

Hauritz - "... it was a shocking selection and one that could have come back to bite the selectors."

Hopes - " I played against Hopes last season and I couldn't see him wearing Australian colours."


Incredibly, Waugh goes on to qualify Hauritz' omission by calling MacGill "the second-best spinner in world cricket." One assumes Waugh considers his old pal, and partner in providing pitch and weather information to punters, Shane Warne, the best spinner in the world. In that case is he suggesting MacGill is a better bowler than Muttiah Muralitharan, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh?

I don't know about bias, although I have heard casual mentions of how you get a baggygreen free when you get your New South Wales Blues cap, but I certainly know that this is one piece of judgement no other sane person in the world would agree with. Why, I don't think even Stuey MacGill's mother would agree with Mark Waugh's absurd claim!

PS: I'm as big a fan of Mark Waugh the batsman, as anyone about. Here's what I wrote on Cricinfo when he retired.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just though he meant "second best Australian spin bowler", but you are right, that is not what the article says.

Maybe just a bit of personal marketing, stirring up some publicity through controversy?

5:38 pm  
Blogger oakleyses said...

ugg boots, ray ban sunglasses, louis vuitton, polo ralph lauren, tory burch outlet, gucci handbags, tiffany and co, air max, nike free, burberry pas cher, michael kors pas cher, louis vuitton outlet, longchamp outlet, oakley sunglasses, oakley sunglasses wholesale, oakley sunglasses, louis vuitton outlet, louboutin pas cher, sac longchamp pas cher, louis vuitton, nike air max, longchamp pas cher, christian louboutin, christian louboutin shoes, jordan shoes, polo outlet, chanel handbags, ray ban sunglasses, christian louboutin uk, prada handbags, uggs on sale, longchamp outlet, replica watches, tiffany jewelry, christian louboutin outlet, cheap oakley sunglasses, louis vuitton outlet, nike free run, ugg boots, jordan pas cher, oakley sunglasses, replica watches, kate spade outlet, nike outlet, nike air max, longchamp outlet, nike roshe, polo ralph lauren outlet online, ray ban sunglasses

7:05 am  
Blogger oakleyses said...

canada goose, links of london, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, canada goose jackets, louis vuitton, pandora jewelry, marc jacobs, hollister, ugg pas cher, thomas sabo, pandora jewelry, louis vuitton, juicy couture outlet, moncler, canada goose outlet, swarovski crystal, supra shoes, canada goose, wedding dresses, moncler outlet, swarovski, canada goose outlet, louis vuitton, canada goose, moncler outlet, moncler, montre pas cher, louis vuitton, pandora charms, canada goose uk, pandora uk, moncler, moncler, louis vuitton, ugg uk, moncler uk, karen millen uk, coach outlet, doudoune moncler, ugg, canada goose outlet, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, juicy couture outlet, replica watches

7:10 am  
Blogger tamer said...


شركة تنظيف خزانات بالطائف بيت العز

مع شركة تنظيف خزانات بالطائف لا تبحث كثيرا هل ترغب فى الحصول على مياة نظيفة ونقية الى منزلك اذن انت فى حاجة الى الاستعانة بافضل شركة غسيل خزانات بالطائف

شركة عزل خزانات بالطائف


شركة كشف تسربات بالطائف
كشف تسربات بالطائف

http://beit-alezz.com/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B8%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%AE%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%81/


1:20 pm  
Blogger reda gamal 01220689236 said...



هل تبحث دائما عن شركة تلبي جميع الخدمات المنزلية وتحمل عنكم عبء التنظيف وعبء المكافحة والتخلص التام من الأضرار التالفة في المنزل فعليكم بشركة ركن الامانة فهي أفضل شركة متخصصة في كافة الخدمات المنزلية على أعلى مستوى شركة مكافحة حشرات بابها
شركة تنظيف ببيشة
شركة تنظيف بخميس مشيط
شركة مكافحة حشرات بخميس مشيط
شركة تنظيف بنجران
شركة تنظيف مجالس بابها
شركة تنظيف منازل بابها
شركة تنظيف كنب بخميس مشيط
شركة تنظيف منازل بخميس مشيط

1:27 am  

Post a Comment

<< Home