Australia rejects criticism of senior players

Australia's cricket selectors have dismissed calls to make radical changes to their ageing team during the upcoming series against South Africa.

Some of Australia's most experienced players, including Steve and Mark Waugh and Shane Warne, have all come under fire from local media after below-par displays in the recent Test and one-day series' against New Zealand and South Africa.

Australia drew each of their three Tests against New Zealand after rain prevented any real chance of a result before whitewashing South Africa 3-0.

But Australia's failure to make the finals of the triangular one-day series prompted calls for changes to the side before next year's World Cup.

Australian selector Allan Border, however, said there was no need to panic and make unnecessary changes to either the Test team or the one-day side when they leave Sydney on Thursday for a three-month tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe .

"I don't see any reason to make wholesale changes. We've got some fantastic cricketers there," said Border, a former Australian captain and the world record holder for runs scored and Tests played.

"They didn't perform at their best, particularly in those first three one-day games, which cost us a place in the final...but I'd be very surprised if there were any major changes.

"Barring injury or illness you'd expect the Test side would be pretty much as it was during the summer."

Australia's players have also rallied behind their senior team mates with Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting both calling on the media to stop criticising their captain Steve Waugh.

Hayden, officially recognised as Australia's best Test player of the past 12 months, said: "It's not really for me to say what the media has and hasn't done to Stephen over the last little bit.

"But I think he's a tremendous cricketer and I'm sure that he'll be out there fighting his guts out in South Africa.

"He is a gentleman that I just truly honour and respect as a cricketer and as a person."

Ponting, named as Australia's best one-day player of the year, said he was confident Waugh would once again prove his critics wrong with a quick return to form.

"It's always a tough position, I suppose, when you're the captain of a side that's not performing as well as they should be," Ponting said.

"(But) I think he's handled it pretty well...and hopefully our performances over the next couple of weeks will help him out in the media and he'll start getting some positive press again."

Mail Cricket Editor