Scrutiny must fall on Hilditch

In the Australian, Peter Lalor argues that Andrew Hilditch and his selection panel must be held accountable for their decisions over the past few years, including the axing of Simon Katich. The argument that Katich won't be around for the 2013 Ashes is nonsense, Lalor suggests, given how well the older Sachin Tendulkar is playing at the moment.

Planning for the Ashes? How would you do that? Maybe you would get a guy like Hauritz and play him for two straight years - as they plan to do with the Katich replacement. Oh, but hang on, the selectors lost their bottle and dropped him on the eve of the first match. Remember they had named a squad of 17? One more player and they could have played summer AFL. That was understandable as Doherty was apparently your man. Well, he was until they lost their nerve with him too. That move didn't turn out well so it was announced that Michael Beer was your man for a Perth wicket. Hilditch said as much. He didn't play in Perth. Nor Melbourne. But he got a look in at the SCG.