
Issue No 1		19 February 1999

Sport

Elect the Test Team

By Peter Lewis

Over the past few years the Australian cricket selectors have proven themselves to be so out of touch with the public they purport to represent that the time has come to remove them from office.

The recent selection of Steve Bore as Australian captain, ahead of the imaginative and incisive presence of reforming smoker and gambler Shane Warne, is the latest in a long line of decisions which detract from the game?s enjoyment. Perhaps it?s their natural conservatism, we all remember how dourly Captain Cranky led his country, but whenever there is a choice between excitement and boring safety, the selectors opt for the latter.

For mine, the height of this close-minded policy came with the banishing of Michael Slater to the cricketing wilderness for 18 long months. Not only did they deflate one of cricket's most joyous spirits, they robbed us, the cricketing public, of the excitement of some of the best years of Slats' career. Instead we forced to watch the likes of Hayden and Elliot prod around with an out of sorts Taylor, a trio of dour lefties.

There have been other examples of the selectors' incompetence: ignoring Stewart Law while the nation called out for a solid number three to replace Boonie; mismanaging Michael Kasporwicz until he has become a perennial bench-warmer, convincing themselves Michael Bevan is an all-rounder; and selecting Damien Martyn for anything. And these decisions are made with no consultation and no accountability.

I believe its time for some direct democracy. In short, the Australian cricket public should replace the stodge-merchants who are the current selection panel. It would be easy. Simply open it up to public election, with votes to be delivered by phoning a 0055 number.

Think about it. Anyone prepared to part with 75 cents could be able to caste a vote in an election that actually meant something. If you were passionate enough, you could keep ringing in, to give greater weight to your cause. Likewise, a fringe Test player, could rack up a big phone bill against future earnings in order to force their way into the team. Because it is the fans voting, there would be a natural push towards a quality XI - who would really want to watch Lehmann failing week in week out.

But at the same time the system would raise the tantalising possibility of average punters like you and me making a run for office, going out to the people and convincing them of our worthiness to wear the baggy green. We're talking public advertisements where we could outline our background and talk of our ambition to take a screamer at third slip. And I won?t hear any talk of devaluing the baggy green. Who would be more deserving than the fans that have spent their lives dreaming of playing one game for Australia?

At a time when there is growing disenchantment with the management of the game in Australia, boredom at the formulaic nature of one-day games and the only real interest in umpires no-balling alleged chuckers, I would argue that the time is right for direct election.

Elections would give the power back to the Australian cricket public and take it away from the elites in the ACB and Channel Nine boxes. We would choose whom we spend our long summer days on the couch watching, rather than having a bunch of stodge-merchants imposed on us from on high.

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  Issue 1 contents

Interview: Michael Costa
The new Labor Council secretary explains factions, frictions and how to save the union movement.

Unions: Getting Under The Skin
The cash-in-transit industry - known for it's vulnerability to violence and theft - comes under scrutiny as the industry moves to a new "soft skin" operation

History: Remembering the Labor Press
Workers Online is just the latest in a long tradition of publishing by working people and their organisations.

Review: Powderfinger's Political Power Pop
We look at a band who still reckon they can mix music with a bit social commentary.

Campaign Diary: Hartcher Chokes On His Own Uglies
No-one would have been more surprised by last week�s announcement of the Coalition industrial relations policy than its spokesman on the issue, Chris Hartcher.

» The Overworked - We're Sick, Anti-Social and Sexually Frustrated

» Geeks Blow Up

» The Greatest Act on Earth

» Museum of Contemporary Art calls time

» MEAA Goes Country!