Austrelia's Tour Of Srilanka Clarke looks in Future Testchampionship

Clarke looks forward to his new responsibility as selector

AP Australian captain Michael Clarke.

Australian Captain Michael Clarke said that he looked forward to his new responsibility as ex-officio selector of the team, as Cricket Australia (CA) put in place a strategy to regain the No.1 slot in test rankings. Australia now is at No. 5 in the test ranking and could lose a slot to play the test championships in 2013.

Clarke said that his becoming selector will help in better communication with the players. “It allows me to give the player the consistent feedback that the player is searching for. And also, give him reasons for his selection or non-selection, I guess. It certainly makes me more accountable now and I look forward to that challenge,” he said, just ahead of his team commencing practice at the R. Premadasa stadium here. Australia will play Sri Lanka in the next two day-night one-day international games here.

Making the team captain and coach part of the selection panel are among the steps that have been put in place since Cricket Australia accepted much of the recommendations from the Argus committee assessment of the non-performance of the Australian team in last Ashes series. The main departure is the selection of a five-man team, with a full-time chairman and two independent selectors. The captain and coach will also be selectors.

“Obviously there’s a lot going on back home [in Australia],” said Michael Clarke, referring to the changes that the Argus-led committee suggested. “Again, as I have said about review — it’s about setting up a structure and putting things in place. There’s no hiding the fact that we are ranked fifth in test cricket. And the priority of the Australian cricket team and the support staff is to try and get the team back up there as soon as we possibly can.”

Since CA has accepted the recommendations, Coach Tim Neilson will have to reapply for the job. As per the committee’s recommendations though, the role is meant to be for a much senior person. Asked if he would reapply for the position, Neilson said: “It has not really got to that point…The review was done to try and get us to be No. 1 as a team and that is what we as a team have been trying — especially my role as a coach.” He said he will wait for more information on the nature of the job and other details before he made up his mind.