Shane Warne
Test great Shane Warne has called for Australia's coach
Mickey Arthur to be replaced by former New Zealand skipper
Stephen Fleming.
Warne, who earlier this week said on Twitter that Cricket
Australia's (CA's) selection policy had become a joke, has
also called for a new-look selection panel.
The champion legspinner says Arthur, Andy Bichel and chairman
of selectors John Inverarity should be replaced by Warne's
ex-teammates Damien Martyn, Mark Waugh and Glenn McGrath.
Warne says the coach shouldn't be a selector, but the skipper
should be. Which means captain Michael Clarke would form part
of a five-man panel including current selector Rod Marsh in
Warne's world.
Marsh would be promoted to chairman of selectors.
Warne, 43, also wants his former test skipper Mark Taylor to
take over as CA's chief executive of cricket.
"As an emotional, passionate and Australian cricket team
supporter (and player) for the best part of 20 years (a proud
one too) I, like many others am frustrated on many levels at
present," Warne said on shanewarne.com.
"If we do nothing now, we will be where we were 30 years ago.
There needs to be urgent action and a new strategy/plan put
in place.
"The current set up is not working, as the results are
showing!"
Australia are ranked third in tests and one-day
internationals and seventh in Twenty20 cricket.
Warne has made the bizarre claim that the same 11 should play
in all three formats.
"You get to know the person, too much chopping and changing
leads to insecurity, players then start to look out for
themselves and over their shoulder, this breeds selfishness,"
Warne said.
"It's also why rotation and resting players will never work.
"We have the best batsman/captain in world cricket at the
moment in Michael Clarke and the spine of a good team with
(David) Warner, (Shane) Watson, (Matthew) Wade, (Peter)
Siddle and (Nathan) Lyon. The rest of the spots are up for
grabs in my opinion."
Warne described Fleming as the best opposing captain he
encountered in his playing career.
Warne's close mate Darren Lehmann, the Queensland coach,
would be national assistant coach.
Ex-players Mike Hussey and Michael Bevan would be batting
coaches with Merv Hughes and Bruce Reid in charge of bowling.
Warne also wants his mate and former test skipper Ian
Chappell as a consultant to the team.
"All the above people are cricket people, not rugby, tennis
or from any other sporting code," Warne said, in a clear
reference to Australia's high-performance chief Pat Howard
who is a former Wallabies rugby international.
"It's time to go back to basics. Too many people are
justifying their existence.
"If the following people (listed above) were to fill these
roles, then Australian cricket would be in good hands and a
great chance of getting back to No.1."
Warne plans to discuss his ideas with CA boss James
Sutherland in the next few days.
Warne later attempted to clarify that he wasn't suggesting
the same team should be selected across all three forms of
the game.
"Pick your best team in all forms of the game at all times,
not the same for all forms - no rotating or resting, but your
best," he tweeted.
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.