Has Stuart Clark done something to offend? It seems incredible that the man who burst onto the test arena and showed the consistency of Glen McGrath has been left out of the first test against the West Indies.
He was only selected in two test matchs during the Ashes series in England although admittedly in the second innings the Australian attack was pretty impotent. Whereas one has to wonder had he been selected earlier would the Ashes be back in England.
With 94 wickets at an average of 23.86 and a bowler who has proved he can tie batsmen down, you would have thought that he would be the sort of bowler the selectors would be knocking down his door to have him out on the pitch. His age 34, could be one factor that goes against him, as they try to rebuild, but experience counts for a great deal and as long as he is fit why not play him, especially if he is the best or one of the best options available.
Many have questioned the selections of Messer’s Hilditch, Merv Hughes, David Boon and Jamie Cox, and this would appear to be another strange one. In terms of experience these are all, with the exception of Hilditch youngish men to be given the task of selecting the best team, and they seem to lack the knowledge and experience of selectors of the past in working out how to blend a team and bring talented individuals together and maintain a winning formula. The team does not appear balanced, to be the one the captain wants, or a happy one.
One wonders if the intellectual Clark who is studying for a Masters in Commerce is a little too highbrow for the dressing room, and the selectors, hence his non-selection. After all Bob Willis admitted that when he was captain of England he preferred not to have talented left arm spinner and Cambridge university educated Phil Edmonds in the side, as he found his caustic wit too much to cope with.
Surely this is not the real reason behind Clark not being selected?
Whatever the reason he may look forward to taking his frustration out on WA in the Sheffield Shield.
