Former Australian captain Tim Paine has launched to the defence of George Bailey amid claims he is too close to the players by saying that the chief selector is fulfilling the main objective of winning series.
Darren Lehman has led a chorus of criticism over Bailey’s penchant for hanging out with the team before and during matches by saying he should be distancing himself from the player so he can make tough decisions for the betterment of Australian cricket.
Paine, a former teammate of Bailey’s at Tasmania, wrote in a NewsCorp column that Bailey had opened the lines of communication between players and the selectors, particularly when it came time to explain to someone why they had been dropped.
“It has been a bugbear of players in years gone by that they didn’t really know where they stood,” Paine wrote.
“George has sought to change that. Players would rather hear too much from those casting judgment on their cricket than not enough. This feels true for people in most jobs.
“If you are going to be sacked or made redundant, wouldn’t you rather it come from someone who knows the work you do than some distant bean counter?”
Paine went on to say his better communication with players is “not even the main point”.
“The most important thing is that the selectors are picking the best team to fulfil the team’s key objectives, i.e. winning major series.
“I understand why it may look funny from afar to see the chairman of selectors of one side shaking hands with the reserve wicketkeeper in a conga line after the game, but look beyond the optics and consider what he is really doing.
“By sitting, travelling, staying, dining and playing golf with the players, George is able to get a better understanding of their characters and their psyche, which is good to know when weighing up whether to select a player for the pressures of international cricket.
“He can see how the players interact with each other, team dynamics, leadership capabilities and the like.”
Lehmann said on ABC Radio during the third Test that Bailey is compromising his ability to make tough calls on players by being too close to them.
(Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
“In my opinion, (Bailey) is too close to the team. I would like him sitting up in a selector’s box somewhere, watching and making his own decisions.
“He likes it that way (being part of the squad) and that’s OK but my preference is the other way – for a selector to be able to make decisions within a selection group and deliver a hard message, make hard decisions if they have to for the betterment of Australian cricket.
“You can’t do that sometimes if you’re too close because you actually get too emotional and you care about the players. Sometimes you get too close and you forget about what’s out there.”
Paine claimed Bailey was “just like any other member of staff” in the Australian team set-up.
“If a player is struggling, there is no hiding from a selector that close. In that respect the scrutiny is even greater than it might otherwise be if George was just sitting in a suit watching from a corporate box at arm’s length.
“By being in the inner sanctum and working closely with the captain, coaches and high performance staff, a selector can get a better gauge of what is needed to win.
“Judge the selectors on the team’s performance, not their method.”