Sunday Session: Greg Chappell says there’s no reason for not picking Smith and Warner
Greg Chappell is in his third and final stint as an Australian selector, and while he’s made some tough calls along the way, the call to bring back Tim Paine was “one of the best” he’s made.
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Greg Chappell, one of Australia’s greatest cricketers, is about to conclude his third and final stint as a national selector in an association with the national side which stretches back to his stunning Test century against England in Perth on debut nearly a half a century ago.
Today he looks back at his journey.
RC: Let’s start with an honour roll. A drum roll please for … quickest bowler seen?
GC: Jeff Thomson by a fair margin. Michael Holding once said the West Indian fast bowlers were quick “but then there was Thommo.’’ Thommo was clocked at 160kph in his street shoes after being dragged out of the bar. I spoke to the head of traffic in the South Australian police who said in the old technology 160 would equate to 170kph today.
Best fieldsman?
Mark Waugh. I remember watching him at short midwicket at the SCG standing in the dusty muck and swooping on balls and backhanding them to the bowler. I was waiting for the standing ovation. There was nothing. It was such a shame people didn’t realise how great that was.
Things you’d change if you started again?
I’m thankful there was no video around when I started because I reckon if I had seen it I would have changed the way I played. The first time I saw myself on tape was like the first time you heard your voice recorded. You think “bloody hell, that’s not me.’’
Best batting technique?
Garry Sobers is the best batsmen I have seen. He’d scored runs when others were struggling. Viv Richards was great because if the conditions favoured bowlers he was at his most dangerous because he counter-attacked. Virat Kohli’s ability to score off a bowlers best balls is also what I look for.
Toughest bowler faced?
(English spinner) Derek Underwood on a damp wicket was the most challenging I batted against. Dennis Lillee is the best fast bowler I batted against because you had to earn every run.
Most awkward?
When Joel Garner came onto the scene I had to rewrite the software because part of the ability to judge length is reading the angle it leaves the bowlers hand. Joel was so tall every ball looked short, you’d play back and it would sometimes hit you on the foot.
Most underrated player?
Graham McKenzie is unfairly overlooked as one of our fast bowling greats because while he had Alan Davidson at the start of his career and Dennis Lillee at the end for a lot of his career it was just him. I faced him 10 years after he retired and he didn’t bowl a bad ball. He hit the bat hard.
Favourite selection?
Recalling Tim Paine to Test cricket was one of the most gratifying things I have been part of because he was not the number one keeper for Tasmania at the time. He had serious setbacks with finger injuries. We took him to Zimbabwe early in his career and we always had an eye on him. To see him lead the team so well this year was really pleasing.
You played with some remarkable characters but what do you make of Doug Walters effort to smoke more than 600,000 cigarettes and still be powering on?
He’s a freak of nature and he proves it every day. I had a bet with him many years ago that if he reached 60 I would take up smoking because it must be good for you.
Your brother Ian once said he had never won an argument with you. Is he still batting zero?
He just has to get on the right side of the argument and he’ll be fine. Look, we have argued all our lives. It’s what brothers do. The funny thing was because there was a five year gap between us the first few times we batted together we really struggled because we had never really done it. It was most unusual.
Do you still argue?
Yes but people who know us know we get along well and we always will and I will always give him another chance to win an argument even though don’t like his chances! He has been my hero since my earliest days and still is.
Rod Marsh said a few years back he was shocked that for a country with such great resources we don’t produce as many good batsmen as we should. Your thoughts?
It is interesting. This is the first generation who have gone straight from school into professional cricket without having other things in their life and the first to have three formats. We are going through an adjustment period and we have all struggled – coaches, players administrators. I don’t think it has ever been harder to be a quality batsmen because of the competing forces. I see my grandson and his mates who love the Big Bash wanting to play the fancy shots before they learn how to bat.
What about the future of David Warner and Steve Smith?
For me, its clear cut. Once they are available for selection they will have served their time. They cannot be punished for the rest of their lives. If we think they fit in they will be picked. If we had 11 other blokes firing it might be challenging but if there are spots available I would expect they would be picked.
What about Aaron Finch’s future as national 50 over captain?
It’s a challenging time. I went through a lean period myself as a captain and it puts pressure on everyone. I offered to excuse myself from the selection meeting so they could have a proper discussion about me and (selection chairman) Phil Ridings said “don’t be ridiculous, just start playing properly and we won’t have a problem.’’ He (Finch) is a good player with a good record and when you know you have someone who can play at that level you don’t discard him lightly and we would like to give him every opportunity.
Do you feel the stress as a selector? Trevor Hohns once said it can be on your mind 24 hours day.
It is. I sleep quite well. I knew I was in trouble as a coach when I started dreaming about coaching. I rarely dream about selecting so that’s probably a good sign. I get plenty of advice. Whenever I am at the golf club everyone is a selector. I will listen to anyone because everyone is a fan and that is great. I won’t mention names but some commentators have picked 30 players this year. We don’t have that luxury. We can pick only pick XI.
How did you find the selection process?
It’s a bit like batting. It’s harder than ever before. I have had three terms as a selector and it has got harder each time. Three formats puts a lot of pressure on. Injuries. Social media. Media generally. There are so many myths about selection out there.
Such as?
I have been labelled with a so-called youth policy. I don’t have a youth policy. I have a talent policy. We are looking for the best players who fit all the criteria. I look at all the criteria.
Do you think your technique and ones like it are gone for good?
No, look at Virat Kohli who plays normal cricket shots no matter what format he is playing.
How have the new super bats changed batting?
If I had grown up with them I think I would have had a completely different technique because we had to be so careful because anything mistimed was lucky to get out of the circle never mind the ground. We had to get close to the ball and if we mistimed it it dribbled away.
Originally published as Sunday Session: Greg Chappell says there’s no reason for not picking Smith and Warner
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