‘Panicked’ Oz selectors have no idea of country’s No.1 spinner: Doherty

MELBOURNE - Australian spinner Xavier Doherty, who has been axed from the squad for the Perth Test, has said that there is a hint of panic in selections and the selectors have no idea who the country’s No.1 spinner was.

Doherty was a surprise call-up for the first Test but after starting well with 2-41 in the first innings in Brisbane, he struggled, especially in Adelaide where he took 1-158.

He was dropped from the squad on Friday to make room for fellow left-arm tweaker Michael Beer, who has played just five first-class games, and will be Australia’s 10th spinner since Shane Warne retired if he makes his Test debut.

“There is probably a little bit of panic there but it is only a short series. We’ve got to turn it around pretty quickly. I think they are trying everything to find the answer to the success we need to win the series,” News.com.au quoted Doherty, as saying.

“In an ideal world, I would have liked a few more chances. You have seen how many spinners they have used over the last couple of years, so I’m sure the selectors aren’t quite sure who the next person is,” he said.

“But I’m sure if I am given another chance I can certainly make an impact but I have got a few things to learn before then,” he said.

Doherty, 27, said despite the disappointment of Adelaide, his first two Tests were still a dream rather than a nightmare.

“I definitely felt like I started to feel the pressure. Once I started leaking a few boundaries instead of getting back to the basics of what I learnt in Shield cricket over the last couple of years, I probably went searching for a few more wickets and probably produced a few more bad balls,” he said. (ANI)