Opinion: Confusion reigns over Test team

Andrew Hilditch and his team of Australian test selectors are puzzling the nation one person at a time, and slowly killing interest in one of Australia's favourite past times.

Yesterday Andrew Hilditch announced the third test squad to a wall of silence, the media and public stunned.

Hilditch called back Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Johnson into the squad, a step into the past, but looked to the future, with Steven Smith and unknown spinner Michael Beer joining the squad... the message ... still very unclear..

Are we looking forward, or clinging to the past?

In Mitchell Johnson's case, obviously his mental and bowling issues are now well and truly rectified, a full week after saying he wasn't ready for the stresses of test cricket.

The selection of Michael Beer is one for the future, and I praise them for that, but the reasons Hilditch gave for the selection confused me even more.

"Michael is a left-arm orthodox spinner who has been very impressive at domestic level this year. He took wickets against England in the tour match earlier this summer and we expect he will bowl very well against the English on his home ground".

But Hilditch's comments seemingly ignore the fact that the WACA has been Beer's home ground for only a few months, after he moved from Victoria during the off-season. He has played only THREE first class matches at the ground and in his five first class appearances, all of which have taken place this summer, he has 16 wickets at 39.93 with a best of 3 for 39.

Nathan Hauritz looks like Shane Warne in comparison.

The move smelt of desperation, just like the inclusion of Philip Hughes for the injured Simon Katich.

Hughes has had a horrible summer, averaging a mere 22 runs, and most recently made a combined four runs in his two innings against South Australia.

Why can't Michael Hussey open the batting (which he has done with great effect before), and bring in a David Hussey or a Shaun Marsh to provide some stability in our shaky middle order? Both are in terrific form, and the latter would certainly love the opportunity to bat in front of his home crowd.

As one cricket fan put it to me last night, "I'm just not interested anymore; they've just lost the plot".