Former chairman of selectors Ray Illingworth has hit out at England's handling of bowler Matthew Hoggard.

Illingworth told BBC Sport Online he felt that Hoggard had been "badly treated" after being dropped for the third Test at Perth and the one-day VB Series.

"Before Hoggard went he was in the top 10 bowlers in the world and now he's out of the side," said Illingworth, who also captained England to Ashes success in 1970-71.

Hoggard has been below his best of late

"They left him out at Perth where the breeze from fine leg should have helped his swing, and Richard Dawson played but only bowled five overs."

"There's no point in that at all," he added.

"I think it's wrong that two replacements, (Alex) Tudor and (Chris) Silverwood were both put in over him."

"A few of the batsmen have struggled to make a run but nobody's come in to replace them."

Illingworth is concerned that Hoggard's confidence will be undermined despite England's insistence that he was dropped in an attempt to preserve it.

"Hoggard has always given 100 per cent and he never gives in but he's been badly treated by the management."

Worcestershire's Kabir Ali was promoted from the Academy squad for the VB Series and the selectors then decided to call up James Anderson as cover when Andy Caddick suffered a knee injury, rather than revert to Hoggard.

Speaking on Wednesday, England skipper Nasser Hussain stood by the youth policy.

Hussain is hoping that his young players come off

"We've just got to make sure that everybody who goes out there on Friday believes they can beat Australia," Hussain commented.

"If there is a fresh young body out there who we believe can do that we've got to give him that opportunity.

"It can't be any worse than how it's gone in the last couple of months so it's time we gave people their opportunities."

Although backing Hoggard, Illingworth nevertheless offered cautious support for the principle of trying out the Academy youngsters.

"If they're the best young players then we need to bring them on. They're out there and acclimatised which is a big advantage.

"If they had to get someone from England each time, like we had to do, maybe they'd think twice about calling up so many replacements."