Disappointed Doherty says Australian team selection shows "a little bit of panic"
Australian spinner Xavier Doherty, after being dropped from the squad for the third Ashes Test, has said that the Australian team selection exhibits "a little bit of panic".
The 28-year-old Tasmanian was given a Test cap in the 2010-11 Ashes opener at the Gabba at the cost of the experienced Nathan Hauritz and was also part of the home side that faced a humiliating innings and 71 runs
defeat against England at Adelaide earlier this week.
Doherty, a debutant in the drawn Gabba Test, started his Test career in quite an impressive way with 2 for 41 in England first innings but could manage only 3 for 306 in both the Gabba and Adelaide Test before
being excluded for the Perth Test which starts at WACA on December 16th.
Despite the unimpressive figures of 3 for 306 in two Tests, the left-arm orthodox bowler feels he deserved another chance to prove his mettle.
"There is probably a little bit of panic there, but it is only a short series," the off-spinner was quoted as saying. "We've got to turn it around pretty quickly. In an ideal world, I would have liked
a few more chances. You have seen how many spinners they have used over the last couple of years, so I'm sure the selectors aren't quite sure who the next person is.”
Doherty opined that had he been given a chance at Perth, he could certainly have made an impact.
The 27-year-old, who is a Tasmanian teammate of Captain Ricky Ponting, admitted that he had been under pressure during the ongoing series after leaking a few boundaries. He further added that, on the basis of experience
he gained in state cricket over the last couple of years, he tried to claim a few more wickets but in that attempt, delivered ‘a few more bad balls’. "It cuts me pretty deep to know I didn't put in my best performance in Adelaide and knowing I'm a better bowler
than that," added the dejected off-spinner.
The other two names dropped for the Perth Test include Marcus North and Doug Bollinger while Phillips Hughes and all-rounder Steven Smith have been included into the 12-man squad. Another surprise selection was
uncapped spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Michael-Beer-c1949 who lacks even the first-class experience having played only five Sheffield Shield matches after debuting in October, 2010.
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