Lehmann backed to become selector

Darren Lehmann has been backed to fill the spot on the National Selection Panel vacated by Allan Border. The South Australia Cricket Association has put their weight behind Lehmann, whose international career seems to be over after he missed out on The Ashes tour.

Cricket Australia will consider the application of Lehmann, 35, following Border's resignation even though he is planning to continue playing for South Australia. The fourth selector will be chosen this month and Victoria's Ray Bright, Tom Hogan, from Western Australia, and Marshall Rosen, who is on the New South Wales panel, have already been nominated.

"A selector's task is a very difficult one, to get around and see as many players as possible," Mike Deare, the chief executive of South Australia, told ABC Sport. "If you're an experienced player of Darren's calibre and you're playing against all the first-class players, then that puts him in an excellent position to be able to assess their abilities."

Deare said Lehmann had the mental capacity to combine selecting and captaining his state. "I have no doubt he could do both jobs," he said. Lehmann was overlooked for Brad Hodge in the Test squad and Mike Hussey in the one-day line-up.