Glenn Maxwell, Stephen O’Keefe, Sam Whiteman and Chris Lynn should be included in Australia’s Test squad for the away series against Pakistan in October.
The two-Test battle against the unpredictable Pakistanis is a major stepping stone – or roadblock, depending on your point of view – in Australia’s quest to regain the No. 1 Test ranking.
The Aussies have generated huge momentum by vapourising England 5-0 in the Ashes before stunning the top-ranked South Africans on their home soil. But all that could be undone if they falter against Pakistan in the UAE.
It is expected they will play on the slow, dry, crumbling decks that have seen Australia flounder in recent years. Twelve months ago they were handed an almighty 4-0 caning in India in similar conditions.
England then offered up uncharacteristically parched pitches in the Ashes, successfully capitalising on this glaring Australian weakness.
Australia have not encountered Pakistan in a Test series in almost four years. That contest, played in England in July 2010, saw the Aussies record a comfortable win at Lord’s before Pakistan earned a tight victory at Headingley.
On that occasion it was Pakistan’s quicks who troubled the Aussie batsmen in seaming conditions on offer. Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif combined for 22 wickets at an average of 23 with their incisive blend of movement through the air and off the deck. Both have since been banned from cricket for spot-fixing.
This time Pakistan’s slow bowlers will present the challenge to the Aussie stroke-makers.
In India, the Australian batsmen proved clueless against Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who together reaped an astounding 53 wickets at 19 over the four Tests.
That is not to suggest Pakistan are reliant on Saeed Ajmal. In Junaid Khan and the towering Mohammad Irfan, they have a potent new-ball pairing capable of scything through Australia’s top order. If they allow Ajmal early access to the Australian middle order, the tourists will be in deep trouble.
One man who deserves the opportunity to blunt Pakistan’s quicks is Alex Doolan. The Tasmanian was presented with the toughest possible introduction to Test cricket, debuting against the world’s No. 1 side and pace attack in South Africa.
While he failed to capitalise on several starts, he consistently looked solid in defence and unhurried by Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel.
The choice of the reserve specialist batsman for this tour is not a rudimentary one. Phil Hughes, Tom Cooper, Peter Forrest, Cameron White and Ryan Carters all had claims for a spot in the squad, but Chris Lynn remains the most ready-made young batsman outside the Test XI.
With Australia possessing an ageing line-up in which four of its top seven are 33 or older this year, the 23-year-old Queenslander is a pick for the future. Lynn’s first-class record of 1869 runs at 45 is highly impressive, as was his return of 752 runs at 68 in the longest form of the game this summer.
Lynn is also a capable player of slow bowling thanks to his quick feet and positive intent.
Depending on the pitch conditions, reliable quick Peter Siddle should then vie with left-arm tweaker Stephen O’Keefe for the final bowling spot in the starting XI. O’Keefe had a phenomenal Shield campaign and his consistent brilliance in the State competition can no longer be ignored.
Glenn Maxwell is in my squad as the backup all-rounder in case of an injury to the fragile Shane Watson. Moises Henriques and James Faulkner are both unlucky to miss out, but Maxwell’s bowling is better suited to conditions in the UAE. He also remains a more accomplished batsman.
The final spot goes to perhaps the best 21-year-old cricketer in the country, Sam Whiteman.
The WA keeper had a standout Shield season, with 687 runs at 46 for the Warriors. Given Brad Haddin turns 37 this year and is unlikely to play for more than another 12 to 18 months, Australia should prepare for this important transition by exposing Whiteman to a Test tour.
My team and squad for the tour against Pakistan:
1. David Warner
2. Chris Rogers
3. Alex Doolan
4. Michael Clarke
5. Steve Smith
6. Shane Watson
7. Brad Haddin
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Stephen O’Keefe
10. James Pattinson
11. Nathan Lyon
RESERVES:
1. Chris Lynn
2. Peter Siddle
3. Glenn Maxwell
4. Sam Whiteman
Bryce
Guest
I agree with that squad completely , though if Harris isn't injured in time for the the tour , Sorry O'Keefe your out and Harris is in. Which then probably pushes O'Keefe out completely because of the soft spot the selectors have for Siddle after the Australian Ashes summer.
Shouts Chen
Guest
Please bring either Xavier Doherty or Matt Wade to the test squad. These are my final lineups for the test tour in Pakistan: 1. David Warner 2. Chris Rogers 3. Ed Cowan 4. Michael Clarke 5. Steven Smith 6. Brad Haddin 7. Peter Siddle 8. Nathan Lyon 9. Ryan Harris 10. James Faulkner 11. Xavier Doherty Reserves 1. Sam Whiteman 2. Glenn Maxwell 3. Ashton Agar 4. Phil Hughes 5. Moises Henriques
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
The guy has never played a game at 100% fitness for Australia, that's obvious. They wait for that and he'll never play again. It would be mad not to play him in whatever test matches they can as he can easily get injured without playing any between now and the next Ashes.
Brendan Buckley
Roar Rookie
Probs be; Warner Rogers (Ajmal will get him more times than Swann) Marsh Clarke Smith Watson Thats 5 batsmen and 1 all-rounder, Johnson Harris Pattinson Siddle Faulkner 4 seamers and Faulkner The rest will be; Lyon Maxwell Haddin O'keefe
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Hopefully Harris will be right to go against Pak. But your question was "why wouldn't he be risked?" which suggests punting on him when he's not 100% fit. With the Ashes 8 months after this Pak series it would be mad to risk a bowler who has absolutely destroyed England across his career.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Not against spin he isn't. He's been in and out of the team so often, giving him more game time in a series he is really expected to **** up in would be madness.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Well, he did try but no takers unfortunately.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
One thing about Marsh playing India in Aus, he hardly got to face the spin bowlers, so no-one really knows if he'd be much chop against them. I think maybe Ashwin got him once?
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
All the patience in the world is not going to help you if you can't read spin. At least Maxwell might hit his way to a less attacking field to help the others. For that matter, Watson is better against them when he tries to put them over the fence otherwise he just gets into a big mess.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Why wouldn't Harris be risked? Six months is a fair recovery time from surgery and he is a series by series proposition anyway so might as well get the best out of him soon as. Johnson won't bowl anywhere near as well without Harris in the side. Between them they offer a unique combination of smarts, skill and speed, we won't get the same stuff from anyone else teamed with Johnson, none of the others are fast AND smart enough yet.
learnyourfacts
Guest
His brother has shown improvement and looking to play county cricket to improve his 4 day game. Just needs to get through a few seasons injury free
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
He's certainly a weirdo. Shield wise he's gone from being a player who can get to 50 easily but can't score tons to a player who can score tons but hardly ever gets to 50! I guess WA always have to have at least one Marcus North type hanging about and Marsh may have decided to take on the mantle. I will say though, once he gets going, he's splendid to watch. Shame he's such a flake. One day he'll just be too old for the Aussie selectors to hanker after him any longer... then it will be his little brother's turn to endlessly raise hopes only to dash them to the ground.
Deep Thinker
Guest
I'd rather a team full of quality pace bowlers over a team full of mediocre spinners. But that's just me.
Deep Thinker
Guest
Name any other Australian first class cricketer with numbers suggesting they are international batsmen in waiting. Just one? Hughes is not the solution, but he's the best we've got.
learnyourfacts
Guest
what is the obsession with Shaun Marsh,? it should be clear that he is not good enough, 40% of his test innings are ducks
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Couldn't agree more, tomjas. Nothing I've seen of Doolan has convinced me he belongs in the squad. Yes, he can occupy a crease for a while, but my Lord, how tedious... Chris Rogers is not known as the quickest of scorers, and compared to Warner, he can seem pedestrian- however, he is an SV6 compared to Doolan's Daewoo Matiz. I would also say I agree with ad- watching Shaun Marsh play, while incredibly hit & miss, fills my heart with gladness! I would be stoked to see both Shaun Marsh and SOK in the squad, and also think Whiteman needs to tag along for the experience. I predict big things from that young man!
learnyourfacts
Guest
which averages 35 in first class cricket and is a walking wicket, you say Hughes shouldn't be in the team, Marsh should be nowhere near the national side. Blinded by your loyallty...sad
tomjas
Guest
"While he (Doolan) failed to capitalise on several starts, he consistently looked solid in defence and unhurried ...." When are people going to realize that this has been the hallmark of Doolan's entire career? Guy shouldn't be anywhere near the team
Bearfax
Guest
Perhaps not directly Ronan and my accusation is more directed at the general publicc and media. The issue, as I see it is this. When something is said publicly often enough, it becomes in the mind of the public the truth, even though it is not necessarily so. The 'Hughes' issue, which is really merely an example of this attitude, I know has been done to death and perhaps that in itself is the issue. Hughes cant handle spin full stop.... or so say his critics over and again. The same sort of comment ruined Bevan's test career and almost Hayden's. I remember it well. The point is that Hughes was, like Khawaja, expected to be one of the the 'saviours' of our cricket reputation but was found wanting in some areas (as all young cricketers on the rise experience at differing levels). And those flaws were clearly shown over and again on TV. Firstly it was Hughes has a problem with fast balls and cutting to slips.He did. But he rarely gets out that way these days. Then it was against good spin bowling. And yes he did, but so did most of the Australian side as well as aspirants. But it was Hughes who had the problem, almost alone according to the public and the media. The others were ignored. Yet Hughes in the last Shield season and the ODI in India showed he is addressing that problem. The problem Ronan is that the public stain on a developing cricketer is hard to wipe off. The cricketer often moves on, but the public perception doesnt. I remember harping on this about Warner and Smith, while many, including some of your writers were bagging them. They were almost sent to Coventry but just managed at the right time to score a couple of defining innings as I expected they would. Thing is there was enough shown at their age to suggest to me that they would make it. Same with Hughes and other youngsters under the gun. But opportunity is too often blocked by conservative opinion and the public 'stain' The issue is not so much about Hughes. Its about our inability to allow cricketers to move on...the belief that a flaw cant be addressed and somehow will remain with the cricketer for the rest of his career. I recall the criticism of Hayden with spin. But within a year he had become the best bating exponent against spin in the team. Weaknesses often become strengths. But we in the public have to give players space to show they can learn. And we cant do that without letting them play and show to us what they've achieved just as that 'useless' Warner and Smith showed.
ad
Guest
That may be so Bearfax, but some of us favour a batsman of noble descent, recalling a technique so revered in times gone. One would rather see such a batsmen fall honorably on his sorward, driving towards the covers with a dead straight bat, the ball taking a feather of an edge on the way through, knowing on another day that same bat will strike them sweetly down the ground, than be dismissed by some ugly scoop as hughes, kawaja and their ilk are prone to.