Andrew Hilditch Re-Appointed

[howardj]

From the panel that bought you (and these are just the clangers which I can remember, I'm sure there are more):

- Cam White's Test selection in India
- The destruction of the confidence of a couple of spinners
- Three number sixes on the Ashes tour, and no reserve opener
- The Nathan Hauritz exclusion at the Oval
- The Stuart Clark ommission at Lords.

It's not just these mistakes, but their defence of them. Their first reaction is to defend themselves rather than admit they have hurt the team in the above instances.

It's not often that selectors actually cost teams games, but I honestly think this Panel has cost Australia the odd Test match. To say this Panel has done a good job, which is what re-appointing them is suggesting, is truly bizarre. Like with Clarke as captain of the T20 team (so far he's been useless in this format) and the extension of Tim Neilsen's contract, it no longer seems appointments are made on merit. If so, Hilditch would be out of a job.

 

[aussie]

Yes he really should go.

 

[pasag]

Couldn't have said it better than the OP. The sooner he's out, the better for Australian cricket.

 

[Sylvester]

Sigh, we aren't going to get anywhere until the selection panel is changed. They have NFI about T20 cricket and their selection in Test cricket has been deadset average.

 

[inbox24]

The real antichrist.

 

[howardj]

Sigh, we aren't going to get anywhere until the selection panel is changed. They have NFI about T20 cricket and their selection in Test cricket has been deadset average.

Good point.

That's another blunder to add to the list - the selection around T20 has been disgraceful. It's criminal that guys like Hodge haven't represented.

 

[jondavluc]

Hodge

 

[howardj]

Can't argue with his T20 ability mate.

Agree with you in the other formats RE Australian selection though.

 

[Matt79]

For Damien Martyn, read "Cricket Australia".

To be fair I suppose, he's made some quite good calls as well - Katich to opener, Siddle's selection. But overall, I'm with embarrassed looking guy standing behind the ass.

 

[Athlai]

Still the best international selectors in the world though.

 

[silentstriker]

Haha, I forget but what was the Martyn business about again? I still can't get over the facial expressions of the two guys in the foreground, hilarious.

 

[pasag]

Haha, I forget but what was the Martyn business about again? I still can't get over the facial expressions of the two guys in the foreground, hilarious.

Pushed the BCCI chief out of the way when Aus were being presented with the CT.

 

[silentstriker]

Haha, ah right.

 

[BoyBrumby]

hj's pretty much nailed it straight off. Also agree with saggers about the defending of selections, which were facile at best. Reckon you could've just set up a tape recorder playing "we're putting our faith in the bowlers who won a test series in South Africa" on loop for the press conferences in our summer and Hilditch's and/or Merv's presence wouldn't have been missed.

Even some of their successes (like dropping Hughes for Watson) look more like those of a gambler than a strategist. Kudos for the punt, but it stretches credulity to suggest Watto was genuinely seen as an opening option before the Ashes series started.

 

[Top_Cat]

Even some of their successes (like dropping Hughes for Watson) look more like those of a gambler than a strategist. Kudos for the punt, but it stretches credulity to suggest Watto was genuinely seen as an opening option before the Ashes series started.

Welllll, not strictly true. Watto put himself up as a possible opener before last season, was rightly given "LOL, thanks but no thanks." then proceeded to barely score a run in the position for QLD.

I'll be even Watto was shocked when they seriously suggested it to him.

As for the Happy Hooker, the panel as a whole seems to made some real clangers ad I've no idea how many of them were his. I do remember he didn't have the greatest respect for TJ's opinion when they were playing for SA and I get the feeling there's till some residual tension there. I do wonder how that would affect who gets the nod and who doesn't...

 

[Richard]

Could go through the number of mistakes Hohns and his panels made, which were every bit as stupid and regular as Hilditch and his, but most Australians tend to react in the "well we were winning so who cares about mistakes?" manner when I do that.

Australia could do with some good selectors right now, but so could any team any time, and it's something that isn't forthcoming with remarkable regularity. Bad selection panels vastly outnumber good ones, but what made Australia good 1989-2006/07 wasn't outstanding selection, it was outstanding players. Selection was often as bad as ever.

 

[aussie]

Could go through the number of mistakes Hohns and his panels made, which were every bit as stupid and regular as Hilditch and his, but most Australians tend to react in the "well we were winning so who cares about mistakes?" manner when I do that.

Australia could do with some good selectors right now, but so could any team any time, and it's something that isn't forthcoming with remarkable regularity. Bad selection panels vastly outnumber good ones, but what made Australia good 1989-2006/07 wasn't outstanding selection, it was outstanding players. Selection was often as bad as ever.

Great players yes, but given you raised this point before the majority of examples you gave of poor selections between 89-06 where just overexaggerations.

 

[Richard]

Nah, they weren't. A convincing case can be made that each of them were undeserving of their selections and that there were players who had better cases.

Obviously injury cover - especially the likes of Shaun Young - aren't fit for inclusion in lists of the like as the selectors' hand is forced in such circumstances.

 

[Sylvester]

Even more reason to get selectors that will make the right call the majority of the time. Back then we could rely on selectors that were competent since the side basically picked itself.

What Hohns did well was move on the older guys. There was no loyalty shown to the Waugh brothers, Healy, they even dropped the great Shane Warne when he was below par. It is that sort of ruthlessness that we need at this time of transition.

 

[social]

From the panel that bought you (and these are just the clangers which I can remember, I'm sure there are more):

- Cam White's Test selection in India
- The destruction of the confidence of a couple of spinners
- Three number sixes on the Ashes tour, and no reserve opener
- The Nathan Hauritz exclusion at the Oval
- The Stuart Clark ommission at Lords.

It's not just these mistakes, but their defence of them. Their first reaction is to defend themselves rather than admit they have hurt the team in the above instances.

It's not often that selectors actually cost teams games, but I honestly think this Panel has cost Australia the odd Test match. To say this Panel has done a good job, which is what re-appointing them is suggesting, is truly bizarre. Like with Clarke as captain of the T20 team (so far he's been useless in this format) and the extension of Tim Neilsen's contract, it no longer seems appointments are made on merit. If so, Hilditch would be out of a job.

Thought tis was a hypothetical until I found that his contract has actually been extended

How many mistakes does one have to make before being shown the door?