With the Australian XI expected to be announced later today, we’ve got in early to give the selectors a helping hand with the team our Roarers would like to see picked for the first Test against South Africa.
Yesterday, we asked who you’d like to see donning the Baggy Green next Thursday, and with close to 400 responses, we had plenty of differing opinions, as well as a few consensus options.
Unsurprisingly, David Warner was almost unanimously picked to open the batting – although four voters didn’t have the vice-captain in their side – and his partner at the top of the order was also selected quite convincingly. 62 per cent of you think Joe Burns is the man to open up alongside Warner, handily beating out Shaun Marsh (23.7%).
The three middle-order batting spots were also sewed up fairly comprehensively. Skipper Steve Smith was selected by everyone bar two Roarers, with Usman Khawaja (80.2%) and Adam Voges (69%) picked to partner the captain in the engine room of the batting order.
Marsh was once again the figurative bridesmaid, finishing as the best of the rest with 18.5 per cent of the vote.
The all-rounder was a bit more evenly spread out. While plenty of you commented you weren’t too keen on selecting an all-rounder, our voting form followed the team formula followed quite religiously by the Australian selectors over the past few years, so picking one such player was mandatory. We’ll look at changing things up next time around.
That aside, no-one seemed to be able to find an all-rounder preferable to Mitch Marsh. Marsh the younger picked up a tick over 50 per cent of the vote, well ahead of the next option, Glenn Maxwell, who was selected by 15.2 per cent of voters.
Most Roarers think the wicket-keeper’s spot remains Peter Nevill’s for now. The New South Wales gloveman picked up 72 per cent of the vote, comfortably ahead of Matthew Wade and Sam Whiteman, both of whom had nine per cent.
As for the bowlers, Mitchell Starc (99%), Josh Hazlewood (96%) and Nathan Lyon (92%) were all consensus picks. The third seamer’s spot, however, was not.
Peter Siddle (33.2%) just pipped Jackson Bird (31.4%) for the last spot in the team by less than two per cent, while there was also some support for Pat Cummins (23%) to be rushed into the side.
Jason Behrendorff had the next-highest share of the vote with 12 per cent.
So, with all that said, this is what The Roar’s Australian XI for the first Test against South Africa, as voted by you, looks like this:
1. David Warner
2. Joe Burns
3. Usman Khawaja
4. Steve Smith
5. Adam Voges
6. Mitchell Marsh
7. Peter Nevill
8. Mitchell Starc
9. Peter Siddle
10. Josh Hazlewood
11. Nathan Lyon
Be sure to keep it locked on The Roar today to check out the official Test squad when it is announced later today.
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