Early Oz team selection for marketing reasons: Mark Waugh

MELBOURNE: Former Australian batsman and current national selector Mark Waugh has lashed out at Cricket Australia's decision to force an early selection of the squad for the first cricket Test against India, believing that the move was prompted by "marketing purposes".

The first Test against India starts December 4, at the Gabba in Brisbane.

"Ideally, you would like to see the second round of Sheffield Shield matches but that's not a decision the selectors have made. Cricket Australia have made that. It's for marketing purposes," Waugh was quoted as saying in a report published in 'foxsports.com.au'.

Waugh, who only joined the national selection panel in May as part of a reshuffle that saw Rod Marsh take the reigns as chief selector, was asked why he couldn't plead with Cricket Australia for more time before making a final call on the Test squad.

Waugh Junior was livid that the selection committee would have to announce the squad a day before the second round of Sheffield Shield matches where the Test hopefuls like Phil Hughes, Shaun Marsh and Peter Siddle will be in action.

"We're sitting down on Saturday to pick the first Test team," Waugh told fellow former Test stars Glenn McGrath, Allan Border and Brendon Julian.

"It doesn't actually allow us to look at the second (next) round of Shield matches," said Waugh, one of the most elegant batsman of the 90's.

The report states:"... It seems once again stakeholders outside the inner sanctum of the Australian cricket team have had a significant impact on on-field matters."