Justin Langer appreciates Cricket http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s ‘perform or perish’ policy – Cricket News Update
Former Aussie batsman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Justin-Lee-Langer-c69712, expressed his approval and appreciation for Cricket Australia’s display of a selection culture based on merit, following the axing of veteran batsman and former captain, Ricky Ponting.
“The thing about Ricky Ponting being dropped this week, if there is a positive to it, it's that the selectors are saying performance is everything,” said Langer.
In a surprise move, the national selection panel, led by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Robert-John-Inverarity-c85980, dropped the two-time World Cup winning captain from the national ODI squad earlier this week, following his below average performances in the ongoing Commonwealth Bank series being
played against Sri Lanka and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750.
“The selectors have shown their hand. It doesn't matter if you're http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RT-Ponting-c2377 or a 21-year-old, you've got to perform. That's the system we want to get, a real cut-throat, tough system through Australian cricket,” the 41-year-old former opener said.
He went on to add that over the last few years, the selectors had become far too lenient, accommodating mediocre talent, be it Test cricket, or Sheffield Shield (domestic cricket). However, dropping Ponting showed that the NSP was definitely back on the
right track.
The left-hander claimed that this was the opportunity for younger players to step up and prove their mettle, saying he was keen on seeing which player had “the steel and the resolve and the technique and the desire to become our next high-performance player.”
Speaking ahead of the national squad’s next match, scheduled for February 24 at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart, against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978 said that Ponting’s axing had caused the players to open their eyes, and realise that if a top-class player
like Punter could be dropped, the CA was obviously operating on a strict ‘perform-or-perish’ policy.
The 30-year-old Aussie captain admitted earlier that he had been part of the selection panel which made the tough, but necessary, decision to drop Ponting from the squad, but added that he was sure his former teammate would understand, and that it would
not cause any friction between them.
Following the conclusion of the ongoing tri-series, Australia will travel to take on the Windies in March this year. Ponting is expected to join them for the Test leg of the tour which is scheduled to kick off on April 7.
Tags: