Mark Waugh firms as national selector candidate

Mark Waugh will be pushed as a possible national selector as New South Wales attempt to end 12 years without representation on the panel. The Sydney Morning Herald reported Allan Border was expected to stand down in April and David Gilbert, the New South Wales chief executive, would ask Waugh to nominate for the vacancy.

"Mark is a very good judge of a cricketer, and his ability to read cricket very well is well known," Gilbert said. "Australian cricket can't let blokes like him disappear from the game."

Australia's current panel has no representation from New South Wales or Victoria, and includes Trevor Hohns and Border from Queensland, David Boon, the former Tasmania batsman, and Andrew Hilditch, the hook-happy South Australia player. The positions of Border and Boon will be reviewed in April and the newspaper said Border was considering standing down to focus on media and other interests.

"I wouldn't completely rule out nominating if a spot became available," Waugh said. "There could be good sides to it, like identifying talent, but it would be a big commitment, with a lot of time away. I can't say watching cricket all day appeals to me."

While Border and Hilditch played for the Blues before moving interstate, John Benaud, who retired in 1993, was their last selector. "People are going to say we're after someone who will push our players but that's not the case," Gilbert said. "No selector is ever going to compromise himself by being biased towards his own state. New South Wales are a formidable influence on Australian cricket. It stands to reason we should be represented." Ray Bright, the former Victoria spinner and current state selector, said he would be interested in applying if there was a vacancy.