Lehmann’s rallying call
Coach urges ex-players to back team
Darren Lehmann has called on Australia’s former players to get behind the team after a wave of criticism of the squad selected for the first two Ashes Tests.
Lehmann’s former teammate Shane Warne was particularly critical of the 13-man squad at Wide World of Sports’ season launch, saying “Australia look confused”.
Warne found the selection of Tim Paine particularly quizzical.
Asked what he thought of Warne’s view, Lehmann (pictured) said: “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, aren’t they? I’d just like all our players, ex-players, to be really positive about the Australian cricket team.
“Let’s just get everyone from Australia behind the Australian cricket team and let’s get moving forward.”
One of the biggest bolters in decades, Paine has been picked behind the stumps despite not keeping in any of Tasmania’s three Sheffield Shield games this season and spending much of last summer as Jake Doran’s understudy.
Despite the 32-year-old’s lack of first-class cricket with the gloves for Tasmania of late, Lehmann insists selectors have seen enough of him to back him as Test custodian.
Paine took five catches and scored a half-century as captain of a Cricket Australia XI against England a fortnight ago and excelled behind the stumps for Australia in their Twenty20 series in India in October.
“We’ve watched him keep a fair bit,” the coach said. “Obviously T20s and the Chairman’s game … he’s a high-quality keeper.
“I was very impressed with him down in the Adelaide game when he played against England. He’s been in good form with the gloves, as he always has been, and he has been very good for us in the T20s.”
The decision to hand Shaun Marsh an eighth recall to the Test side also has drawn ire, while the axing of Matthew Renshaw has been viewed as harsh by many.
Marsh has been picked at the expense of an all-rounder at No.6. Although his numbers in this season’s Sheffield Shield (236 runs at 39.33) have been unspectacular, Lehmann is adamant the Western Australian will fire in the Ashes.
“We are really confident of where he is at as a player. He’s in good form, so he’ll do well,” he said. Lehmann backed Renshaw to bounce back from his axing from the Test side. The coach pinned the decision on a combination of Cameron Bancroft’s irresistible Sheffield Shield form and the Queenslander’s own struggles.
“He was unlucky to miss out, it was a tough call. Obviously Bancroft with his runs just knocked the door down,” he said.