SYDNEY, May 27: Australia's chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns is ready to decide Mark Taylor's future as captain -- but only if the tour management with the team in England ask the sport's national ruling body to resolve the uncertainty surrounding the out-of-form opener.

Hohns said the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) would step in if a three-man panel of tour selectors, including Taylor himself, cannot or will not take a decision.

Taylor's prolonged form slump has prompted a leadership crisis ahead of the six-Test Ashes series against England, starting at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 5.

The left-handed opener, who took over the captaincy from Allan Border three years ago, has failed to score a Test 50 since late 1995, prompting intense speculation over his role despite Australia's strong Test record over the past 12 months.

``If we are asked, we would be prepared to make the decision about Mark's captaincy,'' Hohns told Reuters in a telephone interview from his office in Queensland.

``Occasionally difficult decisions have to be made regarding team selection, whoever it might be that's involved, and I am happy to make that decision for them (tour selectors) if necessary,'' Hohns said.

Team selection for tour matches and the Test series was entrusted to a three-man selection panel comprising of Taylor, vice-captain Steve Waugh and coach Geoff Marsh.

Under such an arrangement, Waugh and Marsh could face the awkward task of forcing Taylor's hand unless his form improves or he stands down voluntarily.

Hohns said he was extremely conscious of the potentially awkward position Waugh and Marsh might find themselves in. TAYLOR FLOPS AGAIN: Taylor's problems increased today when he was dismissed for a duck on the opening day of the tourists' three-day match against Gloucestershire today.

Taylor has said publicly he would drop himself from the Australian team if he failed to make runs in the first month of the tour.

He scored 76 in a one-day match against Northamptonshire but failed in the first two one-dayers.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.