From: rakesh@ecr.mu.oz.au (Rakesh DESAI)
Subject: Re: Australian Selection
Summary: Allan Border, Captaincy
Organization: Computer Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 07:11:19 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.101731.1@cc.curtin.edu.au>, operator@cc.curtin.edu.au writes:
> Hi There,
>  
> I was wondering what's happening with the selection for the Aussie team to meet
> the WI's in the coming Tests.

I guess after the match between Aus XI and Windies in Hobart, team will
be announced as lot of young test contenders are given a chance to claim
a position in the team.

> Just for Aussie cricket sake, with the coming Ashes series not too far away,
> shouln't the Australian selection for the Wi's series be focused with the 
> appointment of a new captain,which of course means that the dropping of Border
> is imminent.I am no critic of Border who has done a wonderful job for Australia
> as batsman and captain,just that he is already way past his prime and also that
> Australian cricket must look beyond Border,the time is just right.

I do not agree.  Lot of critics of Allan Border says he is not performing
or he is gone past his days.  I totally disagree.  My arguments are as
follows.

1) He is if not the best, one of the best captain Australia ever had.
Look at his records.  Only series he lost in recent past is against
Windies in West Indies when Richards, Marshall, Greenidge, Dujon, etc.
were around.  This year under his captaincy Aust won in Sri Lanka when
they were 300 odd runs in deficit in the first innings.  If that is not
good captaincy, there is none other. With west indies bringing lot  of
young players, Australia has chance to beat west indies this time and at
such crucial time Allan Border is the best person to lead the side.

2) His batting ability is doubted these days because he does not
score so many centuries as he used to.  In past four years he just had one
century.  But despite that he has managed an average above 50.  If he
had been playing badly, he would have gone below 50 like Azharuddin.
And he has always played well when it required.  e.g.  Last test against
Sri Lanka a century and 70 odd.  Last year Sydney test against India he
steered side to a draw.

3) To replace him as a captain, we need a person of some potential of
captain.  David Boon had it and he was vice captain for a while but then
he went out of form and was dropped from the team.  Geoff Marsh was vice
captain for some time and if he had managed his position in the team he
might have been a captain by now.  But now he just can't get back into
team.  Eventually Mark Taylor was made vice captain.  He was not even
captain of NSW.  Luckily Lawson retired and now Taylor is made captain
of NSW.  The way he handled first match against Victoria, I doubt anyone 
will get impressed.  Only other senior contenders are Dean Jones and Ian Healy.
Healy also became captain of Queensland this season (and lost first
match against WA) and Jones is not even captaining Victoria .

Hence I believe Border should remain captain of the team as he is doing
a good job.  And he is around 37.  Many captains have gone upto 40.  He
has said himself that he wants to play atleast till South Africa visits
Australia in 1993-94.  Unless he and Australia perform very badly
against Windies, I doubt he has anything to fear about.

> Cheers!
bye
rakesh

************************************************************************
*   Rakesh Desai, Mech & Manf Eng, Uni of Melbourne, Parkville,Vic 3052*
*   email: rakesh@ecr.mu.oz.au *(BH)+61 3 344 6728  +61 3 328 2258(AH) *
************************************************************************