January 31, 2009
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The State side has been selected and we have a surprise coming out of left field
The State selectors have included Cameron Tunstall a 17/18 year old boy to play for W.A in the Sides Series in Canberra starting in late March.
I had previously mentioned that you should not be selecting players on potential alone but on performance in regard to Cameron.
Cameron was selected in the Silver Tier squad for Bowls Australia and this is quite acceptable as they do see he has potential.
At first it crossed my mind that the Bowls AUS selectors might have put the heavies onto our selectors and that was why Cameron was selected.
However I have to discount that thought because I simply cannot see this scenario ever occurring and especially from Bowls AUS selectors.
It comes down to the fact that Cameron, who has never won or been placed in a major event comes from Doubleview and that is where State Selector Roger Barns plays and see's him play on most weekends.
At least one of the other two selectors would have agreed to his selection and who knows, they all might have agreed to select him.
I think it is very unfair on Cameron to have been selected with nothing to show but potential alone and with no runs on the board.
It is unfair to all players who have more ability and do have runs on the board.
This decision has been met with disapproval from all I have spoken to and no one can fathom the reasoning to put a Junior in the team ahead of better and proven performed players.
Two players who have been enormous over the State series, Scott Edmonds and Matt Ellul ( Matt Elull for more than this series) went knocking on the selectors door with their performances, it wasn't a simple knock knock. They smashed the door down with a DC9 tractor such was their performance
in the State series.
For most players these are about the only events that one can alert the selectors of their ability because generally pennant form is taken little notce of
Another very young player, 19 year of age Daniel Patterson has done much more in his short time in bowls, making a semi- final in the State Triples as a skipper a couple of years back and played a major role in his side winning the State fours 12 months ago, and leads for his side in the Premier league. He also has potential with the added bonus of runs on the board.
However I am not suggesting that Daniel be selected
Perhaps the thinking by the selectors is Scott and Matt weren't in the selected squad so we couldn't select you fellah's, bad luck we have noted your performance and we might see you next year.
It must be remembered that the squad is just that, a squad with no guarantee to be selected in the side. It is simply a means to assess players, just because players have been to four practice sessions doesen't and shouldn't give them exclusive right to be the only ones considered for selection. The squad can be added to or players delisted at any time.
Why wait till the State events has been
(almost) completed, the selectors could have selected this side a long time ago.
By waiting till the State events were completed as the selectors did, it gives the players one last chance to impress
and the selectors one last chance to add to the squad or in this case to the team of 16. After all there is another 8 weeks to go before the State Side series is to be played
Even if Cameron does have a great series and we all hope he will, it will not stop this decision from being a poor one that has left a sour taste in many bowlers mouths and makes them wonder if Bowls is a sport worth playing if they see potential as the key to being recognized rather than slogging your guts out getting runs on the board, and succeeding in the toughest arena and get no recognition for it.
Players axed from last year's 16 were Gary Caffell and The Jones Boy
Andrew Jones and Bruce Urquhart who earlier had declared he was not available but had since become available. One player from last year is unavailable, Jon Sharp.
New players are Thomas Mitchell, Cameron Tunstall, Gary Carberry and David Rankin. Congratulations to these players.
The last thing to mention is that Cameron did not select himself
Should players be selected on performance or on potential
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SHERRO