Bloody Ridiculous

[Lantern]

Hodge snubbed as selectors go for youth
Michael Gleeson
January 9, 2009

http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/cricket/hodge-snubbed-as-selectors-go-for-youth/2009/01/08/1231004199645.html

PROLIFIC Victorian batsman Brad Hodge's hopes of representing Australia again reside with a call-up to the Test team after he was overlooked for one-day and Twenty20 squads that are project teams for the coming World Cups.

Hodge, the third-highest all-time runscorer in domestic one-day cricket who blasted 73 off 54 in last night's Twenty20 clash with Western Australia, was clearly considered too old at 34 for squads pitched towards youth.

While Hodge will be left wondering whether he was now out of national contention, teammate Cameron White had his own fears allayed that after being dropped following the recent Test tour of India that he might have also fallen out of favour as a short-game player.

White was selected in both of the 20-over and 50-over game squads for the coming matches against South Africa.

"I wasn't sure whether I was going to be picked, to be honest, so it was a good feeling to know you are still in the mix," White said, admitting that he was uncertain where he figured in the minds of the selectors after the India tour.

"Especially at that Test level (he felt uncertainty) and I was hopeful I would still be in the mix at Twenty20 and the one-day level so it is good to know I am still wanted at the moment, so it is up to me now to do well."

White conceded he might now be viewed as a short-game-only player but it was up to him to prove otherwise.

Victoria has been the domestic benchmark in all forms of the game in recent seasons, but has been particularly dominant in the shortened versions, a point reflected in White's selection and that of exciting batsman David Hussey in the national team.

But the omission of Hodge, with Australian chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch declaring the squads a "clear indication of full-scale planning for the 2009 World Twenty20 and the 2011 World Cup", must indicate Hodge's opportunities in those games will now be slim.

West Australian Shaun Marsh was selected in the two squads as a middle-order batsman despite a form line that pales against Hodge's.

Marsh has made 151 runs at 25 this summer in six domestic 50-over games and just 43 runs in three Twenty20 games. Hodge has meanwhile made 264 runs in six 50-over games at 52 and 195 runs at 65 in four Twenty20 games.

Hodge has not played for Australia's limited-over side now since playing against India in Mumbai on October 17, 2007. He played a Twenty20 game for Australia against India in February last year.

"They're going for the next breed now, the Shaun Marshes and David Warners. I think they see Brad Hodge as a good player, but sadly, it looks like they've moved past him. Sadly I think the message is pretty clear there," former teammate Darren Berry said.

Former Test player now cricket coach and media commentator Damien Fleming said Hodge was still a realistic candidate for a Test batting position. "Reading into Hilditch's comments, he is going to struggle with the Twenty20 side of things and the one-day squad but for the Tests you have to remember he made a handy contribution in the West Indies and that was only six months ago," Fleming said.

[Lantern]

This guy is the best 20/20 player the WORLD has ever seen (not exaggerating here), and he can't get picked for a mickey mouse 20/20 series?

You pick your best players. It's a joke.

[azabob]

This guy is the best 20/20 player the WORLD has ever seen (not exaggerating here), and he can't get picked for a mickey mouse 20/20 series?

You pick your best players. It's a joke.

I am not a Hodge fan at all, but looking at the numbers I even thought thats a bit bizare. Do you think what he has said in the media in the past few weeks has had something to do with him being overlooked or is it just his age?

[Lantern]

Sure it's his age, but it's 20/20. It's not like he has to last for days and days. He can probably play at that level for the next 5 years at least. Won't be surprised if he retires at 40.

Besides, the 20/20 world cup is THIS YEAR! (2009) What do we need to blood youth for the next few months for?

[The Coon Dog]

Merv Hughes was commentating last night on the Vics v WA game & was asked about Marsh's selection. He basically said it was all due to what he did in the West Indies.

[Mantis]

Merv Hughes was commentating last night on the Vics v WA game & was asked about Marsh's selection. He basically said it was all due to what he did in the West Indies.

But you would think that some sembilance of form would have to be maintained in order to keep your position in the team?

[The Coon Dog]

But you would think that some sembilance of form would have to be maintained in order to keep your position in the team?

You would, yes, I agree.

They do say it's harder to get out of the Australian team than it is to get in.

[Topdog]

Another disgraceful decision by a pack of morons.

[bulldogtragic]

I guess you can't blame Hayden for playing in Sydney, Marsh getting slected and so on. If i was getting the money they get I would want the gig whether i deserved it or not. The selectors need to be shaken up. Some of them need to be sacked to get the message through to them it's not a little boys club. It's as if they want all the money of being a professional sport but the control to only pick your friends ala low grade club cricket. If they want to have their own little club than go to Frankston East 8ths. If you want the money, than you have to be held accountable to the public who put the cash in to pay you $1000 per run.

Would it kill the selectors to be brave to say it's time to rebuild? There is a time to top up a playing list with Hussey or in football terms Guerra or Dew. But there are times when you have to make tough decision on likable people to allow young talent to shine. All we seem to be doing lately is denying young talent and playing them when they get to 29 or 30 years of age. Get a few good years and then replace them. That to me is not a decent and healthy process of list management evolution.

That said, I don't have a massive issue with Hodge due to age, HOWEVER, unless the young talent is kocking down the door then it should be on form. Marsh's stats are unimpressive, and many, mnay others could lie claim to his spot. No accountability anywhere to be seen here.

[lemmon]

If its about blooding youth for the test team then why is Bracken playing, makes no sense to me.

[Mantis]

If its about blooding youth for the test team then why is Bracken playing, makes no sense to me.

As much as I dislike him ( largely due to the Yogi) he is one of the better bowler's in the world in the limited overs format.

[lemmon]

As much as I dislike him ( largely due to the Yogi) he is one of the better bowler's in the world in the limited overs format.

I'm referring more to the 20/20 stuff here but it looks like their having a bit each way. IMO they either have to treat it seriously and win at all costs by for example playing Hodge or use it to blood youth and play kids like Warner as India have done

[Sedat]

Hodge is far too old to be considered for any Australian national cricket team - he must be weeks, perhaps even months, older than the likes of Symonds, Hussey, Katich, not to mention the captain himself.

If only he had some sort of gimmick that endeared him to the Cricket Australia sponsors - unfortunately dreadlocks and zinc cream on your lips is already taken - it would make it awfully difficult for him to be dropped if he was on every single ad between overs and drinks breaks, no matter how useless he was on the park (or when he isn't playing, instead choosing to drop a line into the bay in serch of some Barra).

I reckon Hodge is a dead ringer for Gary Numan - maybe he could come out to bat wearing a skin tight black shirt, a thin black tie and some eye-liner, with some of Tubeway Army's bleak mechanical synth numbers playing on the loud speakers. That would make a nice gimmick for the sponsors - I might even bother collecting tokens from soft drink bottles if the prize was the Gary Numan/Tubeway Army back catalogue.

I don't blame Hodge for piping up - he's no chance in hell of getting back into any representative side no matter how many runs he scores. When you get dropped from the test team (2 matches after scoring a double century and averaging nearly 60 FFS), and get replaced in the team, not by some young gun, but by someone older than him who was in awful form at the time (Martyn, who has since retired 2 years ago), you know you're on the nose with the people that matter. He has been robbed of 3-4 years of test cricket simply because he isn't one of the current captain's 'inner sanctum'. I'd be dirty as hell and I would go down swinging. What's the point of kissing arse?