How is that my only argument? The number one ODI batsman on earth is sitting on a couch in Cronulla because apparently we don't need our vice captain in the absence of our skipper. You saying you're ok with that?
Stoinis took wickets, but why is he even there? We're light on batsmen, we're resting Warner and Khawaja. We already have all rounders in Faulkner, Maxwell and Head. We don't need him as a bowler with Starc, Cummins, Haze, Faulkner, Head, Maxwell and he averages 23 domestically with the bat. Why is he playing over a batsman??
Finch hasn't scored a one day hundred in over 40 matches or something. Why pick him again? We don't need an opener, we have Marsh, Head, we should have Khawaja and Warner....he offers nothing at international and hasn't for a long time, if we were going to pick an opener why not pick someone who has actually been scoring runs in one day cricket?
You can't compare Heazlett to Renshaw. Renshaw had played FC cricket and scored hundreds. Heazlett hasn't played a One Day game...
It's an absolute cop out to blame scheduling for this result
I don't see what you guys see. I'm looking at our line up, and its close to full strength, bar the exception of Warner.
We've picked our first string attack.
Smith would have been here.
Handscomb was picked on fantastic test form, no one is going to argue giving him a go.
Marsh is a reasonable selection.
Maxwell is a must in any short form team.
Head is doing well.
So..you've got 3 players that are contentious in your eyes.
Finch, Stoinis, Heazlett.
If you operate on the assumption that Warner is going to be rested, Finch was definitely an option. The only domestic "cricket" we had before this series was the hit and giggle BBL, and he did well there. There wasn't anything else to go by. We should have had more real domestic cricket before this series in January. That to me is a scheduling issue.
That said, I don't think the selectors are blameless, though I don't agree that Heazlett's selection isn't comparable to Renshaw's. 5 matches in ODD for 1 century, 2 50s at an average of 72. And this guy was picked due to a late withdrawal.
I just don't think the selections and scheduling are mutually exclusive issues. Its piss poor to schedule a T20 "international" with our first string team unavailable. Its piss poor to not have any domestic matches for a month in the middle of the summer to determine form for this tour.
In a sense I feel like we agree on the same thing. The powers that be just haven't given this tour the respect it deserves.
