STEVE Smith insists he won’t be deciding Australia’s Ashes selection conundrums, rubbishing the notion as “absolute garbage”.
Smith has recently come under fire for making so-called captain’s calls regarding his XI.
Critics suggest the fresh-faced skipper wields too much influence, pointing to Nic Maddinson’s Test debut last year plus NSW’s recent decision to play Daniel Hughes ahead of Ed Cowan.
“All this rubbish about me picking my mates is absolute garbage. I certainly don’t agree with that,” Smith told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
“People can say what they like. I’ll read it. It doesn’t bother me and I just get on with it.
“I’m not a selector but I certainly speak to the selectors a lot and express my views.”
Trevor Hohns’ selection panel has made it clear they face two difficult dilemmas ahead of the five-Test series against England that starts in Brisbane on November 23.
Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, whose combative approach and tactical nous is highly rated by Smith, is under immense pressure to retain his spot because of a lack of runs.
The No. 6 spot in the batting order also remains up for grabs, with Smith noting “nobody really stood up” in the day-night Sheffield Shield opener.
There is also rising speculation regarding opener Matthew Renshaw’s place in the team.
“I’m not sure ... hopefully he spends some good time in the middle and gets himself a big score,” Smith said, when asked if Renshaw was under pressure.
The Shield round that starts on Saturday will be players’ last chance to impress before selectors meet to pencil in their XI for the Gabba.
In September Aussie cricket great Rodney Hogg slammed Smith for “picking his mates”.
“They’re picking their mates,” Hogg said of Australia’s chaotic selection mess on SEN’s The Run Home. “Smith shouldn’t be a selector.
“(Ashton) Agar’s been pushed through and Cartwright’s still there. We saw (Nic) Maddinson get selected (he’s) a mate, he’s one of Steve Smith’s mates. You can’t pick bloody mates!
“We’ve got to get fair dinkum. We’re really off the ball a bit here ... I think the captain’s getting his own way.”
Hogg said a serious review of Australia’s selection panel and their decision making process was needed if the Aussies are to improve on their horror form slump.
“All the way down, there’s got to be question marks,” he said. “All the way across Cricket Australia.”
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/ste...selection-criticism-ashes-ed-cowan/2017-11-03
Smith has recently come under fire for making so-called captain’s calls regarding his XI.
Critics suggest the fresh-faced skipper wields too much influence, pointing to Nic Maddinson’s Test debut last year plus NSW’s recent decision to play Daniel Hughes ahead of Ed Cowan.
“All this rubbish about me picking my mates is absolute garbage. I certainly don’t agree with that,” Smith told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
“People can say what they like. I’ll read it. It doesn’t bother me and I just get on with it.
“I’m not a selector but I certainly speak to the selectors a lot and express my views.”
Trevor Hohns’ selection panel has made it clear they face two difficult dilemmas ahead of the five-Test series against England that starts in Brisbane on November 23.
Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, whose combative approach and tactical nous is highly rated by Smith, is under immense pressure to retain his spot because of a lack of runs.
The No. 6 spot in the batting order also remains up for grabs, with Smith noting “nobody really stood up” in the day-night Sheffield Shield opener.
There is also rising speculation regarding opener Matthew Renshaw’s place in the team.
“I’m not sure ... hopefully he spends some good time in the middle and gets himself a big score,” Smith said, when asked if Renshaw was under pressure.
The Shield round that starts on Saturday will be players’ last chance to impress before selectors meet to pencil in their XI for the Gabba.
In September Aussie cricket great Rodney Hogg slammed Smith for “picking his mates”.
“They’re picking their mates,” Hogg said of Australia’s chaotic selection mess on SEN’s The Run Home. “Smith shouldn’t be a selector.
“(Ashton) Agar’s been pushed through and Cartwright’s still there. We saw (Nic) Maddinson get selected (he’s) a mate, he’s one of Steve Smith’s mates. You can’t pick bloody mates!
“We’ve got to get fair dinkum. We’re really off the ball a bit here ... I think the captain’s getting his own way.”
Hogg said a serious review of Australia’s selection panel and their decision making process was needed if the Aussies are to improve on their horror form slump.
“All the way down, there’s got to be question marks,” he said. “All the way across Cricket Australia.”
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/ste...selection-criticism-ashes-ed-cowan/2017-11-03
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