A few questions and QLD push for Martin Love

[classicyds]

In a few posts people talked about the push for Brett Lee in the Sydney media. Well up here (in Queensland) the push today in the paper has been huge for Martin Love. He was mentioned on many pages and had full articles on him- -big time!!

I have a few questions for Big Footy Users.

1) Who are the test selectors (i know a couple) and how parochial are they, obviously according to heresay?

2) If Love is to be given a try at whose expense?

I read a small article on Steve Waugh's 135 and he said that people were saying his best batting days were gone and he was saying he is sure his best is yet to come.

3)Was his performance really good, or just an average one against an average attack?

I read in the Bulletin from two week's ago a full feature on him where he said when he first played tests he threw his wicket away and was told to be less "free flowing", so he changed and became grittier, whereas Mark is always described as free flowing, and he said he is just as free flowing and one day he will go out and play that way again.

Now I'm a big Steve Waugh fan (I know many of you are not) and I think maybe the time is nigh for him to show some of that stuff!!

Also a big article in today's paper by Ken Piesse on our future "stars", which made it pretty clear that the old guard is on the way out.

4)Does anyone know if the Sydney media are pushing for Steve to stay or go?

5)What are the other states saying?

6)Do people think that Lehmann should have been given another try before Love?? Love last few seasons have seen him post 5 double tons several against touring teams.
201 (retired hurt) against NZ 1997-1998
228 against NSW 1997-1998
202 (retired hurt) against SA 2001-02
250 against England 2002-03
201 against England 2002-03.

First class record 10,003 runs at an average of 50.26.

Just wondered what you all think and why!!!

 

[bluechampion]

answers - I have a few.

1) Allan Border, Andrew Hildich, Trevor Hohns and David Boon are the national selectors, I think.

2) You'd nominate S. Waugh, or J. Langer.
He'll (Love) probably replace Steve Waugh for the Windies tour unless Steve scores a double hundred in Sydney. You'd be loathe to mess with a winning formula, but Langer has gone off the boil again. I'd nominate Damien Martyn, but only because I don't like him.

3) Who's performance? Love's was good - he clearly delights in the Pommy attack. Waugh's was good, but the SA attakc isn't very special.

4) dunno. Melbourne guy. There's less of a puch down here for him to go, as there was for Mark. Also, there's no Vic to replace him with, so...

5) see above

6) I don't know Lehmann's stats, but he averages around 57 and has the most runs of anyone at state level. Ever. He deserves his run.

 

[DaveW]

Why do so many people want Lehmann out of the side? His case for Test selection is/was more compelling than Love's. But I do want Love in the side as he's clearly in career best form (and has been good for a few seasons now). The same can't be said of Steve Waugh, the guy is kidding himself if he thinks he isn't past his peak.

 

[classicyds]

I agree with you DaveW, Steve does appear to be past his best. I don't think Lehmann should be dropped, but I do think that too often we pick teams on reputation and decent players never get an opportunity to actually show their wares. Lehmann isn't exactly a spring chicken. We don't seem to see too many 22 - 23 year olds getting a run, well not batsmen anyway. I know that's because we are the World's best, but I worry that if we don't blood a few guys now and blend youth and experienced players then we might be in a situation like we were at the beginning of Allan Border's captaincy where we had very few stable positions.