Why no Inness ??

Donny · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 7:04 pm

Why isn't Matt in?
By Michael Horan
October 15, 2003

VICTORIAN cricket's senior men are fuming that left-arm fast bowler Mathew Inness has again been ignored by the national selectors.

NSW counterpart Nathan Bracken, who statistically is no match for the Victorian, was called into the Australian squad on Monday to bolster its stocks for the second Test against Zimbabwe this week.

Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has torn a calf muscle to join NSW teammate Glenn McGrath on the injured list.

Bracken's recall prompted a less than subtle swipe from Victorian coach David Hookes and a despondent reaction from captain Darren Berry.

Inness and Bracken are both 25-year-old left-arm fast bowlers, but it is the Victorian, who cannot get a look in with Australia A, who has the far superior first-class record for his state.

Inness has collected 178 wickets for Victoria at an average of just 24.72, compared to Bracken's 80 at 30.45 for the Blues.

"As I've said many times, when they give out the baggy blue cap in NSW, they give you a baggy green in a brown paper bag as well to save making two presentations," Hookes said.

"I think Matty got very harshly treated when he was overlooked for the Australia A side last year, and I think he'd be a pretty disappointed bloke today."

Berry, Inness's Pura Cup captain, had no intention of buying into selection issues, but stated the obvious on his teammate's behalf.

"He's a great bloke and he works harder than any player I know," Berry said.

"I can't comment on selection and won't - I don't have to. The stats speak for themselves."

The 183cm, 92kg Inness has a personal best of 7-19 and has taken six five-wicket and two 10-wicket hauls in his 50-game career for Victoria. Bracken has taken five wickets in an innings just once in 28 games for NSW.

There is a palpable feeling within Victorian ranks that without a representative on the national selection panel, the influence of Australian captain Steve Waugh and the Queensland-NSW representation on the selection panel works harshly against Victoria.

The selectors are chairman Trevor Hohns (Qld), Allan Border (Qld), Andrew Hilditch (NSW) and David Boon (Tasmania).

Bracken, who was also selected in the Australian squad for the 2001 Ashes tour, was included in the 14-man Australian squad for the second Test against Zimbabwe, starting at the SCG on Friday.

The general consensus among the Victorian players - especially the batsmen - is that Inness is a better bowler, one who swings the ball more, but also one who runs in all day and can get wickets with the old ball.

JLC · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:18 pm

If its a 50-50 call or even anywhere close to those odds the decision seems to go to NSW and QLD players.

Shane Lee, Bracken and Symonds are three players who have been spoon fed and given plenty of chances. If any of those played for Victoria i doubt they would have played for Australia.

jlc

labrooy · Joined: 18 Sep 2003 Location: Toowoomba, Qld

If anyone can fault Bracken's performances for Australia in the past please speak up. It may surprise many Victorians to know that there are a lot of talented sportspeople all over this country, not just in Victoria.

If anyone knows anything about sports they would know that the NSW-Qld rivalry is every bit as strong as the NSW-Vic rivalry. To even suggest that Qlder selectors would be biased toward someone from NSW is just ridiculous. I reckon we could solve the problem by selecting only from WA, SA and Tas. It would get rid of all these stupid whinges every time an average player from Victoria missed out on selection.

Donny · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:39 pm

" .. an average player from Victoria .. " ??

OK. Let's look at averages, shall we. Bear in mind, we're talking 1st. class cricket here. Bracken has been called up for the Test squad.

Inness has collected 178 wickets for Victoria at an average of just 24.72, compared to Bracken's 80 at 30.45 for the Blues. Big difference.

Inness has a personal best of 7-19 and has taken six five-wicket and two 10-wicket hauls in his 50-game career for Victoria. Bracken has taken five wickets in an innings just once in 28 games for NSW.

If that makes Inness an average player, what does it make Bracken ??

JLC · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2003 11:38 am

Well Steve Waugh is from NSW as was Mark Taylor so obviously they would see more of their own play.

Hohns and Border and Buchanan are all from QLD.

Who is their to speak up for Victorian players ??

jlc

Ev5Magpies · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2003 3:15 pm

It's the biggest load of shit. Bracken bowls absolute pies & the crowd shout & ask for sauce with most of the shit he bowls. The chances he's been given in the One Day squad & Aust. A games & he still bowls pies, either too full or too short.
Inness is a way better bowler than Bracken & it is spot on what Hookes said in that interview.
It's been going on for years...

labrooy · Joined: 18 Sep 2003 Location: Toowoomba, Qld

How many non-Victorians here agree that Innes should be in the Test team? He may well be a topline player but hasn't proven that yet. Statistics can be used to prove anything you want so quoting figures like that mean nothing.

If David Hookes is his only advocate then he may well never play for Australia as he is an out and out idiot.

commonwombat · commonwombat Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: sydney/s.africa

May a token wombat from north of the border add his 20c worth.

Bracken, to my mind, is extraordinarily lucky to be selected for ODI duty and especially to get this Test call-up. Whilst he has not embarrassed himself greatly in ODI,nor has he partucularly impressed. IMHO, he is just steady medium-fast trundler, with the advantages of bowling left arm and from some height.

Have not seen great amounts of Inness, but he has looked interesting. However would caution re lack of experience. May survive vs Zimbabwe but could get murdered by India, thus taking a large step back.

Re bias. My observation is that these probs lie less with the selction committee than with the media. I have noted that the media in all centres but esp Syd, Melb and Bris tend to push various players barrows, whether merited or not. Frankly, I've seen mediocrities from ALL states been touted and given a run.

At the moment Sydney media would appear to have the loudest voice. Unfortunately, selectors are human and sometimes listen to the media clamour. Melb's time will undoubtedly come again.

Trippy Pie · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:35 pm

To all the exoerts out there.

How many times over the last 16 years have the selectors got it wrong?

not too many bad selections come to mind at the moment but Wayne Phillips is one I can think of.

3 WORLD CUPS, almost unbeatable at test match level.

I can remember quite a few posts this last season bagging a selection for the pies, only to have that player put in a very good game and those detractors were not to be seen after.

I think we should sit back and wait and see what happens. If he plays crap you will be correct in your crticism of Bracken.

Sure Inness may have great stats but remember cricket is a TEAM game and as such selections are made with team balance in mind.

Donny · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2003 9:44 pm

Firstly to labrooy: You say "Statistics can be used to prove anything you want so quoting figures like that mean nothing"

What a throwaway line !

The two players in question accumulated those stats in the same competition - Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup. And, as I've already stated, there's a big difference in their stats.

If you know your cricket, you'd know a bowler who averages under 25 over 50 games is a class bowler. That's Inness. Bracken averages over 30 and has taken 5 in an innings only once. Inness HAS proven he's a topliner at the level he plays. He cannot bowl at a higher level unless he's selected.

I happen to think neither bowler is ready for Test cricket yet but that isn't the point of this thread. This is simply about Bracken being selected ahead of Inness in the squad for the second Test against Zimbabwe.

Trippy Pie, you said: "Sure Inness may have great stats but remember cricket is a TEAM game and as such selections are made with team balance in mind" Fair enough point except both these bowlers are similar paced left-armers so how would Bracken suit team balance any better than Inness ?

Commonwombat, nice spaces, mate. Laughing

labrooy · Joined: 18 Sep 2003 Location: Toowoomba, Qld

JLC · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2003 9:58 am

Katich moves to NSW and suddenly he is in the test time. Had he moved to Victoria and had the same results he still would be playing for Victoria.

Brad Williams moves to WA and now is in the Australian team.

Unless you are an out and out champion like Shane Warne Victoria isnt the place to be if you want to play cricket for Australia.

jlc