Mark Richardson: Clever selectorial skullduggery in rise from Ashes

Cricket was invented in England but it is now as Australian as barbies and stubby holders - and the Aussies pride themselves on being the best. Among other things, the Ashes and the dominance they have had over traditional foe England symbolises their superiority, so when Australia lost the Ashes last month, there was always going to be an outpouring of grief. Grief quickly turned to rage and an overwhelming desire for retribution.

Since a public lynching of all immediately implicated in the debacle is in these modern times a little extreme, justice could only be served by a metaphorical rolling of heads. So out went Jason Gillespie, Andrew Kasprowicz, Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn.

The Australian administration, management and captain needed fall guys to ease their own pressure and made such changes, but the dropping of Hayden and Martyn is a clever, albeit cruel, piece of selectorial skullduggery.

Gillespie and Kasprowicz, fair enough. As bowlers they have earlier use-by dates than batsmen. Gillespie had been showing signs of having lost his zip and, against the aggressive English batsmen, it was finally fully exposed. Kasprowicz, while honest, is not the way forward.

But the dropping of Hayden from only the one-dayers and Martyn from only the test team under the banner of moving forward, just doesn't make sense.

Martyn's dumping was a little unfair anyway, given his record over 18 months has been superb. He said himself that, because of that record, he might have been awarded more than four games' grace. He is not an old 33 either, with plenty of flexible and agile years left.

He could also count himself unlucky to be on the wrong side of the few poor umpiring decisions during the Ashes. However, with his individual technique involving little footwork, like our own Mathew Sinclair, when he fails it looks bad.

Hayden, you could say, has had a rocky love-hate relationship with the one-day game, but has developed that side of his game quite nicely in last few years. He can bludgeon and accumulate and thus provides an excellent foil for Gilchrist at the other end.

He again is not an 'old' 33-year-old and there doesn't appear to be a logical one-day opener inthe wings. But my guess is the selectors aren't stupid either and are aware that these two are far from spent forces - otherwise, in the name of future development, why haven't they gone from all international cricket?

The public has been given their executions but it appears in the case of Hayden and Martyn that each has a lifeline and may not have their careers extinguished just yet. Martyn and Hayden still have plenty to offer and the selectors know the public have short memories. A few scores here, a few scores there and it could be back to business as usual.

At least this ageing Australian batting line-up now knows the Grim Reaper resides in their changing room too.