Oz selectors picking players on 'hunches' following Sheffield Shield becoming irrelevant

The decision taken by Australian selectors have confirmed that the Sheffield Shield is irrelevant and no one takes any notice of players performance in the tournament when they are choosing national sides.

Any young player with outstanding potential should be promoted at the first opportunity so that he is continually challenged and develops quickly.

The Argus review said it was critical that superior performance is rewarded and players must earn their positions in the time-honoured way of making runs, but this is not the case with Phil Hughes after the Australia selectors overlooked the prolific left-hander in favour of the Sheffield Shield's 34th highest run scorer this season, Shaun Marsh.

The selectors dropped George Bailey, 31, who was chosen on one-day form for all five Ashes Tests after averaging just 18 in the Shield last season. Then they picked Shaun Marsh, 30, on absolutely no form at all.

No one who had taken any notice of the Shield at any stage over the past three seasons could have chosen Marsh, News.co..au reports.

In 13 Shield matches for Western Australia during that time Marsh has made 595 runs with one century at an average under 26.

In five Shield matches this season another left hander, Phil Hughes, 25, has scored 549 runs at 61 with three centuries and a highest score of 204.