This Week's Rant

*steps on soap box*

Good afternoon.

It has been brought to my attention that the Australian Selectors, obviously in consultation with the ECB, have decided that the Ashes series is far too one sided, and that in order to return the series to some sort of balance, they have dropped a batsman who currently averages 47 with the bat in Test cricket, and installed in his place someone who averages 21 with the bat in Test cricket. While they have been using the front that this is a move to ensure that the bowling workload of the Australians is monitored so that they do not break down, it is an obvious ruse, as the Australian captain has shown his reluctance over the past 12 months to use the designated ‘all-rounder’ for any more than three overs in an innings at any time. And let us not forget that the all-rounder in question has only himself returned from a shoulder injury and has bowled in two innings, and is probably at more risk of breaking down than the four specialist bowlers in question.


In Adelaide last season, the selection panel took a stand and chose four new players that they more or less anointed as the players who would lead Australia into the future. They were Peter Handscomb, Matthew Renshaw, Nic Maddinson and Matthew Wade. All four have now been torched in 12 months, in much the same way that Joe Burns, Callum Ferguson and Joe Mennie were torched before them, and in the same way that Glenn Maxwell has been torched this season.

So well played selectors. This should keep the series alive. Perhaps the media should now ignore asking the selectors their opinion on the team, and instead go straight to Justin Langer to see who he thinks is the next Western Australian player who should be in the Test team. Or perhaps this is the reported spot-fixing that has been reported in the media in the last couple of hours. Again, if this is the case, well played.

The fucking system is completely broken.

Thank you for listening.

*steps off soap box*