Marsh warns Australia not to drop Waughs

Rodney Marsh has warned Australia's selectors not to drop the Waugh twins Steve and Mark before the Ashes series with England, saying it could give the tourists a massive psychological advantage.

The former Australian Test wicket keeper, now working as the director of the English Cricket Academy, said Australia would be flirting with disaster if they dropped their two most experienced campaigners.

"I'm sure England would love to think that neither of them were in the side," Marsh told the Sunday Telegraph.

"If ever England wanted a psychological advantage, you would hand it to them on a plate if you left out the two Waughs."

Australia have beaten England in the last seven Ashes series and are strong favourites to make it eight in a row when the series begins in Brisbane on November 7.

The Waughs have been the cornerstone of Australia's recent domination of the Ashes, but are under pressure to retain their places in the team.

The pair, now 37, were dropped from the Australian limited-overs team earlier this year and have struggled to make runs in the current Test series against Pakistan.

But Marsh, who retired in 1984 along with Dennis Lillee and Greg Chappell, said the Waughs deserved to be kept in the side. He said both would know the right time to retire.

"They have been fantastic contributors for Australia, so I would think they'll know the time," he said.

Mail Cricket Editor