Ex-Aussie cricketers slam selectors for ignoring ‘in-form’ Hauritz

MELBOURNE - Former Australian cricketers have slammed the selectors for not considering off-spinner Nathan Hauritz for the third Test of the Ashes series, starting in Perth on Thursday.

The selectors have named little-known West Australian leg-spinner Michael Beer in the 12-man squad, despite Hauritz recently taking five wickets at Perth and scoring 146 against South Australia at the SCG.

“Clearly the people at the top [of the] food chain don’t think he’s (Hauritz) the cat,” the Age quoted former all-rounder Greg Matthews, as saying.

“When Greg Chappell was last in charge of the Australian team as a selector you might remember Peter Taylor was selected after just after a handful of games and Ian Healy [was] another.”

“They were picked for a variety of reasons. It’s pretty hard not to believe that since [Chappell] has returned things have changed. [It would seem] he’s imposed his thoughts on the other selectors that Nathan is not up to it at the moment,” he added.

Matthews further said that it was interesting to compare the perception of former Test spinner Tim May to Hauritz.

“Tim May. Very highly regarded and a respected spin bowler with 75 wickets at 35. Nathan has 63 at 35,” Matthews said.

Former off-spinner Gavin Robertson said that Hauritz’s non-selection could be a case of the selectors being too proud to admit they were wrong.

“We’ve sat around for 15 years being negative of the English selectors and their strategies. Have a look where they are now, we’re going backwards,” Robertson said. (ANI)