Axing stuns Hastings

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Fast bowler John Hastings has been left perplexed by the decision to axe him from the Australia’s ODI squad when he is the format’s leading wicket-taker in 2016.

Hastings has been out of action for the last month or so but is due to return to Sheffield Shield action soon having recovered from a broken finger.

Hastings told reporters in Melbourne: “I was very disappointed – I was initially pretty shocked, to be honest.

“I felt my performances over the last 12 months had probably stacked up and in my mind, I’m 100% fit.

“I know I haven’t played a lot of cricket, but five and a half months of not playing cricket and then going over to Sri Lanka without a game, it didn’t really stack up for me. So yeah, I was very disappointed not to be in that side.”

Hastings took an ODI career best 6 for 45 against Sri Lanka in Dambulla and acquitted himself fairly well on the tour to South Africa where the Aussie bowlers struggled in the absence of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

He has taken 29 ODI wickets in 2016 which puts him at the top of the tree not just for Australia but in the world.

Interim chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns spoke to Hastings indicating that his lack of cricket was behind his axing.

The quick explained: “He [Hohns] just said I haven’t really been playing much and the big boys were back, so that’s all I can take.

“For me, I don’t really have a vessel to get back into that side. The Matador Cup is gone and my next white-ball game will be on Boxing Day, so for me, hopefully I get a game tomorrow in the Sheffield Shield, but other than that, it’s really all I can do.

“I’ve taken the most one-day international wickets in the world this year, so obviously I’m disappointed not to be there. But if they think those guys can do a better job, then that’s fair enough, I can cop that. I just have to try to go back and prove people wrong again.”

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