Breaking down the selections for the Third Test

Would've had this post up yesterday but was delayed. The game's already started: Australia 71/2 after 17 overs: Katich made a brisk 47 but Ponting followed up his 200 runs from Melbourne with a golden duck, caught behind. HAYDEN WATCH: 19*.

Might've been a good thing I made the post this morning with the full lineup for Australia posted up, instead of my speculative glances at who would be picked between Hilfenhaus and Bollinger. The team:

Hayden
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Haddin
McDonald
Hauritz
Johnson
Siddle
Bollinger

It was always going to be a close call between Bollinger and Hilfenhaus but the selectors made the right call in picking Bollinger - or would have, if they had followed it up by including Jason Krejza to play at the SCG. Two lefties in Johnson and Bollinger obviously allows the ploy of creating footmarks mainly for right-armed offspinners to bowl into. However, I don't think Nathan Hauritz bowling into that rough is going to inspire any fear in the South African batsmen who mainly threw their wickets away when facing him in Melbourne.

Why didn't the selectors include Krejza? The SCG groundsman told the media that the pitch wouldn't spin as much as it has done so in previous years. Yes, the man was ineffective and rather expensive in Perth - that could be said a little for the WACA pitch (and in the same way for the MCG pitch). But part of the reason why the Australians have lost this series (apart from the rash shot selection which blew up their second innings' in both Tests) has been their inability to claim 20 wickets: 14 in the First (where they troubled the Proteas very little in their chase) and then just 11 in the Second (didn't create anything to trouble and doubt the batsmen after the Lee no-ball and gave South Africa an easy path to their small target). South Africa have shown in this series that whenever they aren't attacked, they don't lose wickets.

After they picked up Boucher in the first innings at the MCG, Australia settled back and allowed Duminy to reconstruct the innings with Morkel. They should've realised it when their bowlers troubled Harris and Duminy very little in the morning of day three. Yet once again, they made no adjustments, waiting for someone to get themselves out: Harris did so. It wasn't until about 50 runs into the Steyn/Duminy partnership when that disorder was beginning to show. By then both batsmen were well-set.

Taking a look at Krejza and Hauritz's first-class numbers: both their averages are hovering in the high-40s yet Krejza's batting average is a gap higher: 23 to 15. Even that should sway the scales in Krejza's favour. The selectors have mishandled that situation.

The selection of McDonald can't really be seriously criticised: a decent batsmen and someone who can swing the ball a little. Obviously Shane Watson was in line behind Symonds (should've played instead of Symonds in Melbourne) but he blew out his back. I thought that picking another middle-order batsman (i.e. a Brad Hodge) might've been an option to solidify a middle-order who outside of Michael Clarke, have struggled but that would've left Australia with four bowlers and that hasn't bode well recently.

And finally weighing in on the Hayden issue (Australia 78/2 at lunch: Hayden on 22, Hussey a scratchy 5 off 36 balls): the guy shouldn't be playing. The selectors should have recognised that this is now a period of transition. He had his opportunity to do something all summer: four tests (two against New Zealand) and he's produced nothing apart from brief glimpses of form cut short by loose shots. This test, a dead rubber should've been spent giving Michael Klinger, who deserves a spot on account of his form, or Phil Hughes a run. Even if Hayden does manage to grit out a big score (or a couple of solid ones), earning his spot for the Ashes tour, the selectors will have to consider bringing another opener along (whether it be Jaques or the best opener in the domestic competition at the end of the summer. I think picking Hughes, with a reasonably low amount of experience, straight up for the Ashes is a dangerous commodity.)

Of course I extended this rant a little far (the Mavs-Sixers game has started) but there's my two cents on the whole issue.