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Sutherland happy with player communication

CEO discusses selector-player communication following omission of Chadd Sayers from Test squad

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland has denied there's a communication gap between national selectors and players, adding Chadd Sayers "should know exactly where he stands" in the pecking order of Australia's fast bowlers.

A disappointed and frustrated Sayers was critical of selectors after being overlooked for the Qantas Tour of South Africa, claiming on Monday he had not been provided clarity around the decision, having first heard about his omission on social media.

Sutherland said the topic of selector-player communication has long been discussed during his time as CEO, adding the current panel is as good as any at conveying their message to the players.

"I don't think it's a growing problem," Sutherland told 3AW.

"I think there will always be mutterings about those communications and realistically people who aren't selected are understandably aggrieved. They would like to think they should be in the team. And I'm not talking about Chadd in particular, I'm talking about in my time in this role, this is a recurring thing.


"Selectors work hard in trying to communicate to players as best they can – (to) those that are in the mix, those that are in the team and those that are out of the team.

"And it's not easy to get that right because ... it's a little bit about those giving the message but it's also about how it's received. And from time to time this can be an issue.

"I don't have a major concern about that, in fact I think we're probably as meticulous and organised and deliberate about those communications today as we've ever been."

South Australian Sayers, who has led the Sheffield Shield for wickets over the past season-and-a-half with 79 scalps, was part of an extended Ashes squad for the opening Tests of the series earlier in the summer.

Watch all of Chadd Sayers' 62 Shield wickets

Speaking when the squad was announced on Monday, Hohns admitted Sayers was unlucky to be overlooked for fellow uncapped paceman Jhye Richardson, who has played five first-class matches.

And Sutherland believes the 30-year-old Sayers deserves to know where he stands given his strong recent record.

"I think Chadd is performing at a level at the moment and he has, to be fair, over the course of the last couple of seasons, been very, very strong and is clearly knocking on the door," he said.

"He's been in and around the team. He's been selected in Test squads and I think he's a player who should know exactly where he stands.

"And I think if that hasn't happened, it should be happening."

Selectors, new faces discuss Test and T20 squads

Speaking on Monday night, Sayers said he was waiting for a call back from Hohns following the squad announcement.

"I have tried to call him ... hopefully he gets back to me tonight and I can have a chat to him and can get some clarity on how Jhye Richardson, who has only played five Shield games, was picked ahead of me," Sayers told 5AA.

"I'd like to know where I stand in Cricket Australia's eyes and where I can get in their side. It's quite hard to take at the moment.

"I'm just disappointed and just want some clarity."

Former Test captain Allan Border, who also used to be a national selector, defended Hohns after a day where 28 players were announced in two different squads.

"You can't be ringing everyone who misses out on the national team," Border told Fox Sports.

"It was just an oversight. I'm sure that Trevor Hohns will give Chadd a call over the next couple of days just to explain his omission.

"There are lots of teams to be picked and lots of things happening with one-day cricket being played and also a T20 team to be picked."

Qantas tour of South Africa

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match v SA Invitational XI, Sahara Park, Benoni, Feb 22-24

First Test Kingsmead, Durban, March 1-5

Second Test St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, March 9-13

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3