At the moment getting in the Aussie team is all about chances.
Whenever they give someone a rest, the replacement scores a 50 or a 100 or takes 5 wickets. The selectors don't know what to do.
Damien Martyn, is technically, the best batter in Australia. But why would the selectors pick him as a regular in the test team. They've won 15 in a row, been considered the best team in the world for 6 years now, why change a winning formula.
For Instance, if the aussie side was struggling during the mid 90's and they needed to try something. Damien Martyn wouldve got the nod for sure. And i would back him anyday to score 6 or 7 thousand test runs if given the chance.
Justin Langer was just lucky hes playing in a side winning 15 in a row.
At the start of 99/2000 there were calls for him to be axed which was fair enough.
His stats for the 10 tests before that season were terrible. He had 487 runs at 28.64 with 1 century and 2 half-centurys. The only reason he was still in the team was because they were winning fairly regularly. If the aussies were losing, Martyn wouldve been in the team straightaway.
There is so much talent in Australia, its redicolous. I would reckon an Australian 3rd XI would go toe-to-toe with any test nation, with maybe the exception of South Africa.
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