Aust test side surprise

Press, 7 January 1987, Page 17

Aust test side surprise

NZPA-AAP . Perth The New South Wales allrounder, Peter Taylor, was a shock selection when the Australian cricket team for the fifth test against England, starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, was named yesterday. The 30-year-old Taylor, who has played only four Sheffield Shield games for, N.S.W., was one of two changes from the team beaten by an innings in the fourth Ashes test in Melbourne a fortnight ago. The N.S.W. captain, Dirk .Wellham, would have been a surprise selection in himself, but by including both him and Taylor, the selectors have come up with a revolutionary side to say the least. . Dropped from the team were the sadly out-of-form opening batsman David Boon, and fast bowler, Craig McDermott. Wellham’s dashing 166 against Queensland and match-saving 119 against South Australia, both in December, plus his great track record as state captain Influenced the selectors to pick him.

It seems Wellham will be asked to open the batting with Geoff Marsh, with Greg Matthews or the Melbourne 12th man, Greg Ritchie, seemingly the only other alternatives.

Matthews and Ritchie have opened in tests previously, but without success. Most will be surprised at Wellham’s selection, but completely flabbergasted by the announcement of Taylor in the side. Border was leading the Australian team in New Zealand when Taylor played his three Shield games last season, and the off-spinner’s only other appearance was in a game against Tasmania which ended on Monday.

There is little chance of Border having taken much interest in the result of that game, so chances are. his knowledge of Taylor is about the equal of the average man

in the street. Taylor had a successful tour of Zimbabwe at the end of last season, but it is difficult to fathom how his performances there, or his one for 58 in the Tasmanian match influenced the Australian selectors, Lawrie Sawle, Greg Chappell, Jim Higgs and Dick Guy to push him into the test arena. The S.C.G. curator, Peter Leroy said a month ago that the test strip would offer encouragement to fast bowlers, and the strip at that time had plenty of grass on it, unlike the barren Shield wickets which have been the norm at the ground for the last few years.

If the wicket plays as Mr Leroy predicted, the selectors erred in picking only two fast bowlers, Bruce Reid and Merv Hughes, plus the medium-pacer, Steve Waugh.

Whatever the state of the pitch, N.S.W.’s left-arm fast bowler, Mike Whitney, who performed well in both his matches in the Benson and. Hedges Challenge series in Perth and is an S.C.G. specialist, must have been unlucky to miss selection. The team is: Geoff Marsh, Dirk Wellham, Dean Jones, Allan Border (captain), Greg Ritchie, Steve Waugh, Greg Matthews, Peter Sleep, Tim Zoehrer, Peter Taylor, Merv Hughes, Bruce Reid.