Who's Playing Who?

Australian selectors have thrown another spanner in the works, selecting unheralded West Australian Michael Beer for the Third Test against England. Beer, who moved to Perth this season after battling away in Melbourne Grade Cricket for years, has played only five first-class matches, with a modest record of 16 wickets at 39.93. Along with this, Beer’s much talked about local knowledge could be limited, having played only three matches at the WACA, and it yet to take more than three wickets in an innings.

Despite one selection shock, the remainder to the changes to the side were quite unsurprising, with Phillip Hughes, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus called in to replace the injured Simon Katich, and the dropped Xavier Doherty, Marcus North and Doug Bollinger. Read more…