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In around three months’ time on the first day of the Ashes series at the Gabba, you can be confident, barring injuries, that Australia’s top five in batting order will be David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Peter Handscomb.
That is unless the Australian selectors like the idea of picking Handscomb at keeper.
For the number six however, it’s a far different story. The incumbent, from the Indian tour, is Glenn Maxwell. It’s unlikely that Australia will want two spinners at the Gabba so unless Maxwell is picked for his batting, he’s unlikely to make the cut.
Heading back to the last Australian summer, Mitchell Marsh, Nick Maddinson and Hilton Cartwright were among the names to fill the no six role, and none did enough in that time to cement their place. I think Marsh especially has probably been marked not to play Test cricket again as an all-rounder, with his bowling more than useful at test level but his batting never really up to scratch.
I’m not convinced that Australia need to play an all rounder at six but, if not an all rounder, who else? A look back at the 2016-17 Sheffield Shield batting averages doesn’t shed much light if Australia is looking to the future. Names like Shaun Marsh, Ed Cowan and George Bailey all feature towards the top of the list but are unlikely to play a further role.
In fact, if you cut the list down to players early enough in their career to settle into a longer term role at six, Moises Henriques and Hilton Cartwright had the highest batting average. Ashton Turner was another all rounder with a batting average in excess of 50.
Of the young batsmen trying to break in, only Kurtis Patterson, Travis Head, Marcus Harris, Jake Lehmann and Joe Burns averaged over 40 and none over 45. They are hardly the type of state statistics that stand up and demand selection.
So, the race for the number six is likely to be up for grabs all the way through to the first test. With three Sheffield Shield rounds before Brisbane, it is shaping up as a true selection on form. If any of the above possibles make a hundred or two, they suddenly becomes probable.
I don’t believe Australia need to pick an all rounder at 6. I think that Starc, Hazelwood, Cummins and Lyon will be sufficient bowling stocks against England and I’d like to see Smith bowl his leg spinners a bit more if the frontline bowlers need a rest.
Personally, I’d like to see Marcus Harris or Kurtis Patterson given a chance as I think both will have long test careers. However, it will all come down to early season form.
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