Why a blue cap gets you a baggy green

[Dogwatcher]

I'm not sure.
But, honestly, protecting Tubby was justified. He was a fantastic captain who had much to contribute.

[Rik E Boy]

Add another 18 matches to Boof's career, plus the fact he might have settled into the team and that's potentially a lot of cricket. He was back in SA by 93/94, in Victoria from 90 to 93 (two seasons), by which point he was well off the selectors' radar. Was that because he was seen as David Hookes' protege?

Ah, a bit earlier than I thought then. I have no idea why Boof didn't get at least those matches that Bevo got but he got a gig at a time when he was dominating in One day cricket so the selectors probably thought he was worth a punt. Bevo's ten wicket haul at Adelaide of all places probably didn't do much for Boof either.

Even Damien Martyn was on the outer at this time as was Matty Hayden as well. A lot of top players weren't getting a gig at a time in the game when we recaptured the Worrell trophy. It was probably a case of 'if it aint broke don't fix it'. Boof might have also suffered from the 'cossie' perception. During this period we started to play gym junkies like Slats and Bevan..probably because they only wanted one 'Tubby' in the side.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

I'm not sure.
But, honestly, protecting Tubby was justified. He was a fantastic captain who had much to contribute.

He had a prolonged very poor run and saved his not inconsiderable arse with a big Ton at Egbaston in 1997.

regards,

REB

[Lightning McQueen]

How long would Darren Lehmann have waited to make his Test debut if he was from NSW? From memory he was 12th man as an 19 year old but didnt make his debut until a few years later. He should have played at least 40 more Tests than he actually played.

He also wasted his limited opportunities by throwing his wicket away on silly shots.

[Hondo]

Bevan started in 1994 v Pakistan when Lehmann could have been tried first. AB's retirement had left a spot vacant. Bevan lasted only until the 3rd test of the 1994-95 Ashes series. Prior to being selected he had been a heavy run scorer for NSW as had Lehmann for SA. Unfortunately for Lehmann, when Bevan was dropped he was replaced by Blewett who took over number 6 in the test side despite being an opener for SA. Blewett then smashed two 100s in his first 2 tests and pretty much held his spot until the late 90s.

A standard test side around the mid to late 90s would have been Taylor, Elliott/Slater, Ponting, Waugh M, Waugh S, Blewett. Blewett's test record overall wasn't great so it's arguable it was his SA team mate who locked Lehmann out of the side in that era. By the late 90s when Taylor and M Waugh had gone we then saw the likes of Langer, Hayden and Martyn get second chances and take them. Arguably Lehmann would have done as well as Martyn.

Lehmann was finally given his chance in the 1998-99 Ashes series, almost 10 years after he was 12th man that time, but unfortunately didn't bat well enough to hold his spot. Then the other guys came back in and did brilliantly leaving Lehmann in the queue until around 2003 when I think he took Martyn's spot temporarially and then held it when S Waugh retired.

I'm not sure what to make of all that one way or the other really. I am not convinced he had the mental discipline required at test level as I recall too many silly dismissals. One v England around 2002-03 stands out. A stupid hook shot and caught off a nothing medium pacer when he was absolutely flying. He only scored 42 that day but looked set for 200!

[Lightning McQueen]

Bevan started in 1994 v Pakistan when Lehmann could have been tried first. AB's retirement had left a spot vacant. Bevan lasted only until the 3rd test of the 1994-95 Ashes series. Prior to being selected he had been a heavy run scorer for NSW as had Lehmann for SA. Unfortunately for Lehmann, when Bevan was dropped he was replaced by Blewett who took over number 6 in the test side despite being an opener for SA. Blewett then smashed two 100s in his first 2 tests and pretty much held his spot until the late 90s.

A standard test side around the mid to late 90s would have been Taylor, Elliott/Slater, Ponting, Waugh M, Waugh S, Blewett. Blewett's test record overall wasn't great so it's arguable it was his SA team mate who locked Lehmann out of the side in that era. By the late 90s when Taylor and M Waugh had gone we then saw the likes of Langer, Hayden and Martyn get second chances and take them. Arguably Lehmann would have done as well as Martyn.

Lehmann was finally given his chance in the 1998-99 Ashes series, almost 10 years after he was 12th man that time, but unfortunately didn't bat well enough to hold his spot unfortunately. Then the other guys came back in and did brilliantly leaving Lehmann in the queue until around 2003 when I think he took Martyn's spot temporarially and then held it when S Waugh retired.

I'm not sure what to make of all that one way or the other really.

A pretty accurate synopsis IMO.

[JK]

Add another 18 matches to Boof's career, plus the fact he might have settled into the team and that's potentially a lot of cricket. He was back in SA by 93/94, in Victoria from 90 to 93 (two seasons), by which point he was well off the selectors' radar. Was that because he was seen as David Hookes' protege?

Ah, a bit earlier than I thought then. I have no idea why Boof didn't get at least those matches that Bevo got but he got a gig at a time when he was dominating in One day cricket so the selectors probably thought he was worth a punt. Bevo's ten wicket haul at Adelaide of all places probably didn't do much for Boof either.

Even Damien Martyn was on the outer at this time as was Matty Hayden as well. A lot of top players weren't getting a gig at a time in the game when we recaptured the Worrell trophy. It was probably a case of 'if it aint broke don't fix it'. Boof might have also suffered from the 'cossie' perception. During this period we started to play gym junkies like Slats and Bevan..probably because they only wanted one 'Tubby' in the side.

regards,

REB

I'd always thought it was a bit of the Cosgrove syndrome (minus the extra pile of runs) .. Around the time Boof came onto the scene I reckon the Aussies under Simmo were just beginning to forge a reputation as the best fielding side in the world and Boof's shapely frame probably didn't do him any favours.

Perhaps not to a huge degree, but if the selectors are considering you alongside blokes like Love, Law, Martyn etc., it could have been enough to keep him on the outer when we were stacked so deep with talented cricketers.