AUSTRALIA'S selectors, having acquired a decisive streak to drop Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus for this match, should now turn their attention to Marcus North. He must be axed.
Irrespective of how many runs the left-hander scores in the second innings in Adelaide, he proved yesterday - again - that he cannot be relied upon when his team needs him most.
Yesterday was the 14th time in North's career that he has been called upon before his team has scored 150.
That North's score yesterday, 26, was his best in those 14 innings reflects just how poor he has been when the pressure has been at its most intense.
Arriving at 4-96 is hardly ideal for a batsman, but it is a long way from the 3-2 that Mike Hussey saw on the scoreboard when he was thrust into the middle in the third over of the day. The gap between how Hussey and North responded was stark.
In the 21 times North has arrived at the crease with the score above 150, his average is 54.79. With a record like that, North would have been invaluable in the formidable Australian teams of earlier this decade. But not in this team.
Three of the primary candidates to replace him should be Smith, Usman Khawaja and David Hussey.
The arguments recommending the first two are clear: both are young, confident and boast impressive Sheffield Shield averages, 48.33 for Smith and 55.83 for Khawaja.
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