NSW, Steve Smith taken to task over blatant snub

A BAFFLING snub has seen a former Aussie cricketer point the finger at Steve Smith — and now the skipper has responded.

Does Steve Smith have too much power?

CRICKET fans were left scratching their heads as news broke of Ed Cowan’s axing from the NSW Shield squad ahead of the 2017/18 summer.

The former Test opener was given the flick from selectors for Friday’s pink-ball season opener against South Australia.

NSW’s XI will feature five Test stars — David Warner, Michell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith — hoping to build up some home-soil form ahead of next month’s Ashes series.

Cowan’s snub, which has seen his hopes of a Test recall dashed, becomes even more puzzling after looking at his stats from last year’s domestic season.

The 35-year-old racked up 959 runs at 73.77 in 2016-17 and sits as the leading Shield run scorer in Australia since the 2014/15 season.

First-class cricketing legend Darren Berry tore strips off NSW selectors for denying the 35-year-old another season with the Blues.

“The Sheffield Shield sides that are being picked for this Thursday should be the best 72 cricketers going around in the country,” he said on SEN’s Afternoons. “Well, it’s not. It simply is not because Ed Cowan, whether you love or hate his style ... it’s left-handed and workmanlike. It finds a way to make runs.”

Smith later confirmed he played a role in dismissing Cowan.

“I did have an involvement and it’s a tough selection, definitely,” Smith said.

“Ed was a fantastic player last year — he played beautifully.”

Most runs in SS since 2014-15:
ECowan 2283, 51.89
CBancroft 2164, 40.07
MKlinger 2094, 42.73
THead 2007, 38.60
AVoges 1999, 68.93

— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) October 22, 2017

NSW chief executive Andrew Jones addressed the veteran opener’s axing soon after, insisting his controversial comments criticising Australia’s selection process had nothing to do with their decision.

Cowan said selectors were “not that interested in necessarily always picking their best team in all formats” and suggested players like George Bailey were given the flick because of their age.

But former ODI bowler Brett Geeves had other ideas and slammed Smith in a column for foxsports.com.au.

Geeves claimed the Aussie captain had too much of a hand in NSW’s selection process and was the main man in Cowan’s dumping.

“This, it seems to me, is Steve Smith’s decision,” he wrote. “Why would Smith want Cowan out of the team?

“(Because) Cowan has challenged the hierarchical code with a non-subservient approach to worshipping the opinions, decisions and voices of those who own a higher ranking.”

Berry agreed, questioning the politics behind Cowan’s omission while pointing out the irony in his replacement in the batting order.

“Last year (Cowan) made 900-plus runs in Shield at an average of 72,” he said. “(And in) the first game this year, Ed Cowan isn’t selected for New South Wales. Why not? Because the influences coming from above are saying, we aren’t going to pick him for Australia anymore.

“Ed Cowan is not on the radar of the Australian selectors now. Whether New South Wales come out and deny it, which they have, they’ve gone for a younger guy. They’ve picked a good young player in Daniel Hughes, whose one-day form is good, but one-day cricket doesn’t emulate Shield cricket.

“Ed Cowan is still trying to be a professional. He is training, he won the Steve Waugh medal, and he made the most runs in Shield cricket. How do you not get picked in the first game this year?”

Ed Cowan is at the centre of an ugly cricket debate.

It’s not the first time Smith has come under fire after questionable team selections.

Former Aussie fast bowler Rodney Hogg took the 28-year-old to task after a disappointing tour of the subcontinent.

“They’re picking their mates,” Hogg said on SEN’s The Run Home in September. “Smith shouldn’t be a selector. (Ashton) Agar’s been pushed through and (Hilton) Cartwright’s still there. We saw (Nic) Maddinson get selected — he’s one of Steve Smith’s mates. You can’t pick bloody mates!

“We’ve got to get fair dinkum. We’re really off the ball a bit here ... I think the captain’s getting his own way.”

Steve Smith has been taken to task.