Quote:
Originally Posted by DeusEx
I have to agree somewhat with Hilditch there. I don't think using very recent shield form at least, is a good gauge of how someone will go in tests. Johnson's failure could be explained just by his bipolar style of bowling, but Bollinger also failed both form and fitness wise, despite producing some very good Shield results. I still think picking Bollinger was the right decision though, because his overall FC and test performances are impressive as well. If it was up to me, the top criterion for selection would be good overall FC performances. Then if there are two players who have similar records, you'd pick the one who has better recent Shield form, but I'd never use that as a criterion alone.
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True, but in the case of selecting Beer he's relied on no shield form at all...maybe he considers form from the level below the shield to be a greater indicator.
I think there were also other factors to Bollinger not performing, i.e: fitness. In both Bollinger and Johnson's cases they've also been around for a while and played for Australia before. It's not the same as selecting someone for the first time from the shield competition.
There's certainly a case to be made for the selectors being allowed to pick someone based on a hunch. It's what I was crying out for before, so it'd be hypocritical to say they shouldn't now...but you do have to wonder why you'd bypass a guy who had played better in twice as many matches as Beer (and who bowls with the arm Hilditch has apparently identified as being 'the way forward').
Maybe the selectors do see something the stats and performances so far don't show though. I hope Beer does well in this test, but it's still a slightly unusual selection.
You also have to wonder what message Hilditch is sending to players in the shield competition now when he says what he said about it.