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Moises Henriques' selection is hardly the end for Glenn Maxwell

Moises Henriques will be an English target. (AAP Image/Daniel Munoz)
Expert
24th May, 2016
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1697 Reads

Australia look set to play both Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe in their starting XI for the Tests in Sri Lanka, after leaving spin bowling all-rounder Glenn Maxwell out of the 15-man squad announced yesterday.

Many Australian fans expressed shock at the selection of Moises Henriques as the back-up all-rounder to Test incumbent Mitch Marsh, ahead of Maxwell.

Rather than indicating the selectors consider Henriques a superior Test option to Maxwell, it seems an obvious horses-for-courses selection.

It was a sign Australia plan to play both Lyon and O’Keefe in all three Tests, which would make Mawell’s offspin surplus to requirements in the series, which starts on July 26.

Instead, Australia will need their all-rounder to provide a solid third pace option, something of which Marsh and Henriques are capable.

An attack of left-arm spearhead Mitchell Starc, right-arm metronome Josh Hazlewood, off-spinner Lyon, left-arm tweaker O’Keefe and in-form seamer Marsh would offer great balance and variety on dry, slow Sri Lankan pitches.

Last time Australia toured Sri Lanka, five years ago, they won the three Test series 1-0. Lyon made his debut in that series, taking eight wickets at 36, while Ryan Harris was the star, grabbing 11 wickets at 15 from his two Tests.

Australia included two spinners in their Test squad for that series, but left-armer Michael Beer did not play a match. This time, however, the tourists have far stronger spin stocks, with Lyon having developed into a world-class bowler and O’Keefe boasting an outstanding first-class record of 194 wickets at 25.

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O’Keefe complements his accurate bowling with considerable batting ability, having averaged 29 with the blade across his 60 first-class matches. Lyon and O’Keefe previously partnered in two Tests – the first against Pakistan in Dubai in 2014, and again early this year against the West Indies in Sydney.

In that match at the SCG, Lyon and O’Keefe both bowled well, taking three wickets apiece before the match was rained out after just one innings.

However, the first of their Tests together was a disaster, as the Australians were humiliated by Pakistan. Lyon and O’Keefe returned combined figures of 6-439 in that match as Australia lost by 221 runs. On the same pitch, Pakistan’s spinners ran amok, taking 14-271.

But Australia’s spin pair will face a much less daunting challenge in Sri Lanka. Whereas against Pakistan they encountered a rampant batting line-up which is supreme in home conditions, Sri Lanka’s top six looks weak after the retirements of legends Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

Since losing that series to Pakistan, Australia have a commanding 12-3 win-loss record in Tests and are coming off a brilliant summer in which they hammered the highly touted New Zealand 4-0 home and away. That dominance over the Kiwis was built on the cracking form of their top five.

Combined, Australia’s top five have an extraordinary Test record of 11,623 runs at 56. But this series will offer a major challenge to young opener Joe Burns and new first drop Usman Khawaja, who are yet to prove themselves on dry, slow pitches.

Adam Voges is yet to play a Test in Asia but he did have great success on similar wickets in the Caribbean last year. On a rank turner at Roseau in his debut Test, Voges conquered gifted leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who at one point had figures of 6-64, as the West Australian made a match-winning 130*.

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The top five’s run feasting has been fortunate for Mitch Marsh, who otherwise may not have kept his place this long. While his seam bowling has been of a consistently high quality, Marsh has been abominable with the blade, averaging just 15 across his past 12 Tests.

The fact the selectors felt the need to pick a like-for-like replacement in the squad in Henriques indicates Marsh is under increasing pressure. Aside from Henriques, the other selection which surprised many Australian fans was that of Nathan Coulter-Nile.

The dynamic West Australian has a reasonable first-class record, with 120 wickets at 29. The concern is that Coulter-Nile has not played much first-class cricket over the past 18 months, having been hamstrung by injuries.

Last summer he managed only one Sheffield Shield match, during which he delivered just 23 overs, taking 1-68. The previous Shield season he took 17 wickets at 30 from six matches.

Realistically, Coulter-Nile looks unlikely to play in the series unless Starc gets injured again. As an out-and-out strike bowler, Coulter-Nile appears to be the stand-in for Starc, while frugal Tasmanian swing bowler Jackson Bird will offer cover for Josh Hazlewood.

Putting aside the selections of Henriques and Coulter-Nile, Australia deserve to be strong favourites to win this series and continue their dominance over Sri Lanka.

Australia Test squad
Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Moises Henriques, Peter Nevill (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Nathan Lyon Steve O’Keefe

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