Australia has a tendency to play openers in positions unfamiliar to them and this trend looks set to continue, with Phil Hughes one of five openers named in the Ashes squad.
This needs to be reconsidered but if Australia are going to continue this trend, their batsmen need to find a way to make the transfer from top to middle order more successful.
As this needed transformation will not be made by the upcoming Ashes, two openers need to be dropped, with one batting at six due to a shortage in specialist batsman.
One surefire player to be dropped in my eyes is Phil Hughes. Hughes has been a successful shield batsman, but has done nothing at Test level since his breakout series in South Africa.
Hughes will be found out in England, as he has been by every decent pace attack he has faced. Hughes will be tested with short and top of off bowling and will crack as he has before.
Hughes is still young and has plenty of time to improve his technique. He can do that in the shield, but until he has shown improved technical and mental strength he should not have a place in the Australian Test team.
Hughes has not proved himself enough at Test level to earn a spot in the Ashes team.
My top order for the first Test is:
Chris Rogers and Ed Cowan opening. These two have been playing county cricket and this makes them very selectable.
Usman Khawaja needs to bat three because he is the best in Australia’s ranks capable of play there.
Michael Clarke has got to move up the order to four and coach Darren Lehmann thinks the same way.
Steve Smith proved that he has matured and is ready to play for Australia and should bat five.
This leaves one of the openers to play at number six because of a lack of specialist batsmen picked. Shane Watson is the best to fill this spot. He will play as the fourth seamer and plays better against an older, slower ball.
jason
Guest
Hi Nick. Wow 41. What a player. So against Anderson, Swann & Co he is bound to average 30. Awesome...we might as well hand the ashes over now. Better pick him though because he tries hard. Pattinson is a great bowler I agree. All I am saying is that in England I think the other 3 pace bowlers I have mentioned are better suited to the conditions. Harris has a similar average and better strike rate. Siddle has proven himself in the last 2 years in all conditions. Bird is another Terry Alderman type and we know what he did in England. So yes, he would be extremely unlucky but you cannot say 100% that he is better (in England) than the other 3
Deep Thinker
Guest
Khawaja's performance on tour has been predictable underwhelming - as can be expected from a guy with a FC batting average in the low 40s.
Bearfax
Guest
Agree completely Nick. Another person of the modern world who wants an instant fix. Champions are partly born and partly developed. For most of them it takes time to reach their peak and Smith has years on his side. But he is already showing that he is learning quickly and I still think he'll be one of Australia's best in a couple of years. As for the suggestion about Pattinson struggling for a post, I'll just ignore that piece of folly.
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
Watson, rogers, khawaja, hughes, Clarke, smith, haddin should be the top 7. Would like to put Clarke at 4 to break up the young batsmen at 3 and 4, but Clarke has struggled when not at 5. Hughes might just prosper away from the moving ball at 4. If he fails in the first 2 tests, bring Warner in at 6 with Smith promoted to 4.
Nick Richardson
Roar Guru
Jason in your little statistic rant you missed one stat that is his first-class batting average which is 41. 41 is a very handy average for someone who is 24. Also Pattinson is the best bowler we have. You claim he leaks runs, but averages 22 with the ball. Must be taking alot of wickets if he is leaking runs and averaging 22.
Jason
Guest
I don't get the Steve Smith inclusion. The guy has a first class bowling average of 57 so he is not an all rounder. And as a batsman his test average is 32, one day is 21. So why pick a guy who can't bat or bowl. You have to pick guys that are consistent. Not guys that make one score in India - madness! My team would be as follows: 1. Rogers 2. Watson 3. Khawaja 4. Clarke 5. David Hussey 6. Warner 7. Haddin 8. Harris 9. Siddle 10. Pattinson / Lyon (depends if it's a spin deck) 11. Bird I really like Pattinson but he does go for a few runs. You can't leak easy runs against the POMS they are very patient and so you have to build pressure. And why not pick Hussey just for the Ashes. His 1st class average is over 50 - give him a chance!
Disco
Roar Guru
Hughes struggles against top-class bowling no matter what variety.
davos
Guest
merv I have to be careful what I say ..I have already been deleted ...I just read on another site that the icc has just bought in new rules in regard to ball tampering and there is now a 2 step process in place for the umpire to change the ball should they suspect any illegalities ....obviously this is in response to some countries who have "form " on this issue
davos
Guest
well merv it all depends on how far back in history you wanna go ...lol...I remember what lillee and thommo did to the cowering English line up over there and over here
davos44
Guest
+1 bearfax ...we should have kept hussy and katich for a couple more years ...and introduced these young guys in to the set up with more time to learn from them...as for ronan knocking hughes it has become so predictable ....but he just keeps scoring runs...i'm fairly sure that the people close to the set up and who matter ...can see how talented he is and therefore I think he is virtually assured of selection...I also like the way smith fights and his determination ....ive been watching this pair and a couple of others in this age group come thru since they were 11 year olds..i have been at nearly all there significant rep games ...there talent is undeniable...I see hughes and smith as future aussie mainstays
Bearfax
Guest
Ahhhh lad. But you're a hard task master, that you are.
John Edgar
Guest
Bearfax i think boof will bring the best out of both Khawaja and Hughes, and hopefully they are our future backbone.
John Edgar
Guest
Agree bearfax, positive signs from UTK and he is letting his bat do the talking. Also glad to see Pattinson and Starc showing some great form with the ball. Lets not take the foot off the pedal for the second warm up.
John Edgar
Guest
Fantastic to see our batsman find some form, Khawaja top scores with 70 odd in the second innings won't hurt his chances of being our number 3 for the first test as i think he is our best batsman for that position. Good to see Hughes get runs too, dissapointed with Cowan wasting a start again, that will be a worry and i wouldn't be surprised if we go for Watson and Rogers opening in the first test.
Nick Richardson
Roar Guru
Still not a decent pace or spin attack.
Bearfax
Guest
EASY WIN Haddin scores winning runs with a 6 and reaches 52 not out. Hughes out for 50, Clarke for 26. Faulkner scored only 4 at very slow rate. Watson didnt bat in second innings. Australia only lost 9 wickets in entire match. Should point out Nick that Hughes scored a total of 126 runs in the match and was dismissed only once. Hardly someone you want to drop. Scored well in both innings at 76 not out and 50.
MervUK
Guest
I can't see it, you were beaten soundly at home last time with a far superior team, why would November be different.... The English bowlers were better with the kookaburra ball too, and have better batsmen to dominate on the yellow brick roads of oz
Ads
Guest
He will be the top score in a 2nd inning chase on a 4th day pitch. It's only Somerset, not Anderson, Finn and Swann but its pleasing to see him make runs and importantly Hughes 50 in both innings, Watson 90, Rogers is playing well in county and Clarke doesn't need to justify his position, Australia has a chance, it's definitely not going to be anything ridiculous like a whitewash
Sal
Guest
Watson, Khawaja, Hughes, and Cowan, all posting some decent scores against Somerset is definitely a positive sign for the upcoming Ashes. Can this fresh and healthy start of a new era be attributed to the new coach?
Bearfax
Guest
Khawaja out for 73. Hughes still there at 39. Clarke in. Encouraging performance from Ussie. Would have liked him to go on with it, but his score is a worthy one. I suspect he's just about won his test place.