Channel Nine doesn't select the team and never will: Cricket Australia

Sydney, Feb 16(ANI): Cricket Australia's general manager of public affairs, Peter Young, has said Channel Nine doesn't select the Australian team.

Reacting to the network's criticism of the rotation policies, Young said: "Channel Nine doesn't select the team and never will, but we and they talk constantly about the telecast and what can be done to make it as good as possible."

The CA has been under attack from its broadcast partner as it prepares to negotiate a new media rights deal, and from some players, over the debatable but long-established rest and rotation procedures.

"We are quite comfortable with them constantly pressing us because of their ambition to have the best possible telecast, but they know how sport works," The Age quoted Young, as saying.

Young said that there was no such norm in cricket or any other sport where team selection is influenced by its media partners.

" It's not just us, St Kilda [Football Club] said exactly the same thing [signaling] its intention to rest captain Nick Riewoldt for certain games next season] a day later, the New York Yankees have got a squad approach, Manchester United doesn't play its top roster every single game, nobody does," he added.

Channel Nine commentator Tony Greig had earlier branded India's and Australia's choice to rest Sachin Tendulkar and Mike Hussey respectively from Sunday's one-day international in Adelaide a 'disgrace', and even said fans and broadcasters deserved a refund on tickets. (ANI)